Chaplain's Blog

Wednesday. The day comes to an end. Very different day. We started with furnace-hot bagels. Man, they were good. Not much you need when you have a great bagel: a little bit of cream cheese crowns the whole thing. For some people it is a good start into a day full of attempts to get on the plane, or the standby list. It sounds strange, but I am beginning to think "and then there were showers etc." As usually. I don't even know if it is good or bad.

There were, however unusual things as well: We got new food providers which took care of the rest of the day. Tomorrow we will have other ones. It is so great to see them helping out and really stepping in with such generosity. There were also regular people (a.k.a. strangers) whose hearts are just beautiful all over: one gentleman from Long Island City (who did not look like somebody who had much himself) brought a loaf of bread and a can of soda. You can't help but just think of the widow from the gospel that gave everything she had. Such people can move you from your foundation, and they really do. Or Katie and her family, with little Kennedy (I am not kidding) they collected $500 at work and brought tons of food. I don't know their last name, so in my phone I stored her number under "Katie Samaritan". Go figure.

And the big one too: the combined forces of Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn gave us a grant for $7,000. Sweet, isn't it? It just simply makes you feel good, that even in the event of few people staying longer than anybody else, we are good to go for quite some time.

Just make believe that there were more people whose generosity went a long way. "God will provide", I am thinking many times, and God does. Thanks to God and these just phenomenal people. And the timing is just perfect: Easter time. These people create a lot of hope. Thank you all.

Tonight the number of passengers is much lower than we used to see. There are over 80 people as of now. There still might be a few coming back from their unsuccessful attempts to board a plane, but the number should not exceed 100, I think. Which means, things are going back to normal slowly but surely. The area outside the chapel is clean and empty now; no cots, no Red Cross blankets. They all sleep in the "red carpet area" right under the JFK tower. Sleep well, my friends, tomorrow is another big day for you, hopefully the last one at JFK. Until you come and visit us again.