by Eili McIntyre, 17
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”
– Isaiah 43-2
Since the beginning of humanity, we have always had religion. Paganism, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, and Catholicism are among the most well-known religions. Almost all of them have specific places of worship, such as temples, synagogues, mosques, or churches. These places are not only meant to serve their religion, but also serve as spaces where people can find a community. When a person belongs to one of these places, they join countless others who share a similar belief. Because of their shared faiths, these communities often become very close-knit. That means they always look out for each other in countless ways.
Trinity Church is located in Asbury Park. They have many different resources to help people in need, such as the food pantries, soup kitchens, and emergency winter shelter programs. Their food pantry is a place where people can get the food they need without spending any money. One person in particular is a man named Jimmy Black. Jimmy attends the church to learn scripture, volunteer at the food pantry and kitchen, and worship. People like Jimmy are what make Trinity Church so amazing in the first place.
Jimmy found out about Trinity Church from a therapist who introduced him to Derek, his now recovery coach. They met while Jimmy was on probation, doing community service. After he was done, Jimmy decided to keep doing community service, but this time it wasn’t mandatory. He chose to start helping out at the church solely because he wanted to help others, and no mandate required him to do so. On Tuesdays, he helps unload pallets of food for distribution. On Saturdays, he helps cook in the food kitchens, cleans up afterwards, and then helps stock the 24-hour pantry. He always tries to help out wherever he can, no matter what. He loves being able to help as much as he can. “It makes me feel better about myself,” he told me. He enjoys knowing that he can help people through his work.
Doing community service not only helps others, but it also helps him. Jimmy told me that growing up, he didn’t have the easiest life. He told me he was in jail a couple of times, and he made some terrible decisions when he was younger. His community service helped him get his life back together.
As Jimmy told me, “If I can help someone not go through what I went through, then it’s worth it.”
He explained to me how helping people makes him feel much better. He highlights this belief in his book, which he has been working on with the help of Derek over at the church.
His book is about how he didn’t have a very easy life, but he turned it around. Derek has been helping him out with his book as well. Jimmy shared a bit about his book, explaining how it brings him joy to think that, by writing about his experiences, he will help others avoid the same mistakes he made. That’s one of his main goals through working with the church as well. He’s still working on the book currently, and he plans to self-publish it once it’s finally out. After my conversation with him, I would recommend reading it when he does publish. Reading his book can teach you that helping others not only makes you feel amazing but also makes you a better person.
Jimmy doesn’t only go to Trinity Church to volunteer, though. He also just likes to go to church sometimes. He told me how, when he was in jail, he was given a bible to read, and reading it helped him through his struggles. He’s a very religious person now. Jimmy is also friends with many people who share the same beliefs. He told me a story about a firefighter friend of his. When his friend was just starting, he got him a radio belt. On the belt, Jimmy had inscribed a bible verse, Isaiah 43:2. It’s a protection prayer, he told me. He wanted to make sure his friend would always be safe when working, so he found the perfect gift to ensure it. Jimmy said he believes loyalty is the most important quality in a friend. As he spoke about the protection psalm he gave to his friend, it was evident how that belief was important to him.
After living a very tough life, Jimmy is finally working towards the peace he deserves, thanks to the help of Trinity Church. He volunteers at the food pantry and kitchens, gets help with his book, and learns scripture. Thanks to the church, he is leading an amazing life, and he gets to help so many people because helping others is what makes us better people.
Bridge Ink 