dventist ministry in New York City began within hours after the first plane hit the World Trade Center north tower on that infamous Tuesday morning last September.

Pastor William Bremner, Adventist Community Services director for the Greater New York Conference (GNYC), was on his way to visit James Gilley at the North American Division (NAD) offices in Maryland when he heard that the planes had hit the World Trade Center. "When I went through Manhattan at 6:30 that morning, I saw the buildings," he recalls. "Then when I came back, there were just plumes of smoke where the buildings had stood." When Bremner returned to the city after a brief meeting and prayer with Gilley, all entrances to the World Trade Center area were closed. But because he was driving the Adventist Community Services (ACS) van, he was waved through. "I was one of the few people who made it back to New York City that day."

Again because of the recognized ACS van, Bremner was allowed into ground zero the next morning. Some Adventists worked directly at ground zero that day, helping rescue workers with recovery efforts. GNYC president Dionisio Olivo was among them, along with GNYC personal ministries director Gerson Santos, pastor Roy Bowen, pastor Maurice Vargas, van worker Iris Szoboszlai, and two laypeople. They also handed out water and food to weary rescue workers and provided transportation for firefighters who had lost their vehicles.

"We gave guys a ride who were working there all day and now had no way home," recalls Bremner. "The first day the smoke was so intense that sometimes you just had to put a mask on because it was so stifling down there." Despite the uncomfortable conditions, the Adventists returned the next day. NAD Volunteer Ministry Services director José Rojas, Northeastern Conference (NC) Community Services director Fitzgerald Kerr, and ACS director Sung Kwon joined them in handing out energy bars, saline solution, food, and whatever else the rescue workers needed.

The Adventists weren't strangers at ground zero. Some of the firefighters said, "Hey, we know you guys," remembering the Community Services van they'd seen in New York City streets for more than a quarter of a century. During its 26-year ministry the GNYC van ministry has reached more than 1 million people, one-on-one, through blood pressure screening and food, clothing, and magazine distribution.

Along with hands-on help at ground zero, Martin Feldbush, NAD associate director of chaplaincy ministries, trained approximately 60 Adventist pastors in crisis and bereavement ministry. With the support of the Northeastern Conference and Greater New York Conference presidents, they gained access to Red Cross training that allowed the pastors to work in the Red Cross family assistance centers. Approximately 35 pastors took the Red Cross training, qualifying them to work in the assistance centers with distraught family members and traumatized rescue workers. "Many went on to work there for several months," says Feldbush, who gives credit to Kerr and Bremner. "I went up there as a specialist, but people like Bill Bremner and Fitzgerald Kerr have stayed. They have worked hard and long for many months."

Adventists also worked closely with the New York City Office of Emergency Management during the eight-month disaster operation. One way they helped was through donations management. Adventist Larry Buckner was placed in charge of five to seven warehouses that housed donations sent from all over the country. These donations could include anything from dog food to new clothes to bottled water. "There was enough water donated to start another river in New York," chuckles Bremner.

But then, on a serious note, Bremner remembers what it was like to be at ground zero. "It was some experience being down there at the Trade Center," he says. "It's beyond description. At that time we thought there were 15,000 people gone in that tragedy. The smoke was all over, and the dust from the Trade Center had gone everywhere. The building was just ground up into powder; dust was eight to 10 inches thick in places. I had worked in an ambulance in New York City, but this was the most incredible disaster [I have ever seen]. On a scale of 1 to 10, this disaster was a 20."

During his time in New York City training local pastors, Martin Feldbush was impressed by the receptivity of New Yorkers. "They were so full of questions and eager to hear what we had to say," he recalls. "They asked a lot of 'why' questions and were ready to receive any words of comfort and support we had for them. Once they knew I was a pastor, they would ask such questions as 'Does the Bible have anything to say about this?' And I would answer, 'Yes, the Bible has something to say about it.' I had the opportunity to give them a mini Bible study, a hopeful message."

"There is an awakening," says Angel Rodriguez, GNYC Multiethnic Ministries director and co-coordinator of post-September 11 New York City evangelism. Even a year after the attacks, Rodriguez feels that New Yorkers are still ready to hear the gospel. "People may think that the interest in Bible prophecies would have waned," he says. "But people are very concerned about their future. Anniversaries remind us about how frail we are. More people have been open than ever before." Rodriguez is helped by NC communication director C. A. Murray. Jim Wood, representing the North American Division, also coordinated efforts in New York City until about three months ago.

Realizing the need and opportunity for spiritual growth in the city, Rodriguez, Murray, and Wood knew they must act quickly. "We started several churches and meetings," says Rodriguez. They opened the East Side church on 6th Street, between C and D streets; now the church hosts approximately 60 worshipers. Also, fresh-from-seminary pastor Don James entered Roosevelt Island, an area lacking a strong Adventist presence. Now James is developing interests in the people there and has begun to give Bible studies. Twelve Bible workers were sent to a struggling Brooklyn church to hold a campaign. There have been 20 baptisms at that Brooklyn church. Also, the Pennsylvania Conference is planning to plant a church on Staten Island in May 2003. Currently there is only one English-speaking church there; the planted church would be the second.

The New York City evangelism coordinators are also trying to minister to specific ethnic populations within the city. Twenty-two Jewish people now worship in the Brighton Beach area of Brooklyn after two months of evangelism there. Four Adventist workers trained in Islamic relations have begun to develop friendships with New York City Muslims and will remain in New York City for another three years. A Greek evangelist is coming in October to plant a church and minister to the large pocket of Greeks in New York City. Also, 30 people were baptized as a result of a Franco-Haitian effort led by a pastor from the Inter-American Division.

Another campaign was the "Changed in a Day" series by Mark Finley and Doug Batchelor. The evangelism team received names of approximately 300 people interested in Bible studies. Evangelistic campaigns and seminars are being planned to reach these people.

"That covers about 90 percent of it," says an obviously excited Rodriguez. "We thank very much NAD vice president James Gilley. He has been a key component in all this. Without his help, this wouldn't have been possible. He's really been the heart and soul of this whole project."

After the attacks, the New York Van Ministry saw an increase in their number of volunteers, and many amazing stories have resulted. One occurred during a trip by 20 volunteers from the Rocky Mountain Conference. The group, headed by Rocky Mountain Conference secretary/treasurer Jim Green, purchased 20,000 Peace Above the Storm books (Steps to Christ in a different format) and gave out all of the copies in less than three days. Once while in Times Square, the group handed out more than 8,000 books. "People were saying, 'These people are everywhere,'" recalls Pastor Bremner. "To be in Times Square and to make that kind of impact is something. [During this same trip] a lawyer came out and said to one of the kids distributing, 'My firm is under an incredible amount of stress. Can I get 20 of those books?'"

Another book being handed out is called Power to Cope, a biblical guide to dealing with stress. "This gives practical, physical things people can do to alleviate stress," says Pastor Bremner. "It also tells how to accept Jesus. We have had people pass by distributors on the streets, realize the book had to do with stress, then stop, turn around, and say, 'I need that.' This is unheard-of! People don't stop in New York."

Since September 11, with the aid of approximately 300 volunteers, the New York Van Ministry has handed out more than 25,000 Steps to Christ books, more than 50,000 Power to Cope guides, and more than 60,000 copies of Signs of the Times magazine!

"The words of Jesus, 'The harvest is ripe, but the workers are few,' have never been truer in New York," says Pastor Bremner. "September 11 has affected the New York City community so it will never be the same. The hearts of the New Yorkers have been opened as never before.

"The challenge that we face is reaching 8 million people. The question is: How do you reach a diverse, multicultural city with more than 8 million people? And the answer is: One at a time."

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Amanda Sauder is a junior journalism and marketing major at Union College at Lincoln Nebraska. She wrote this while working as a summer intern at the Adventist Review.