Neighbor Project

Neighbor Project Loving your neighbor starts with seeing your neighbor.

I saw Art in the corner of my eye sitting by the window of this trendy coffee shop in Philly with his sketch pad in hand...
01/07/2026

I saw Art in the corner of my eye sitting by the window of this trendy coffee shop in Philly with his sketch pad in hand and eyes darting to and fro as people passed him by. I couldn’t help myself but stop by his table and say hello. Some times there are simply moments that feel like an invitation even if you don’t know what it is.

I had my camera with me, which is a natural conversation starter but before I even had a chance to ask him if I could take his photo, he asked if he could sketch me on the spot. It’s funny when the tables are turned like that, an artistic moment awakened for the both of us.

Art is a part of a sketch club in Philly, which another passer by noticed him drawing me and recommended the sketch club to me as well. I don’t know if Philly just has more of a camaraderie spirit than New York but Art seemed to have a presence about him where everyone just seemed to know him somehow. I did come to learn that he has been living in the same building as the cafe for decades, so in reality he did know everyone in the building. As I struggled to sit still for his portraiture sketch session, he reminisced on the time when FDR died and the whole community in Philly was crying.

Talking to Art himself felt like a little window into American history - Philly already a place seeping in it. I somehow felt nostalgic for “old school” Philly - a place I’ve never experienced myself - a time where people were not living and working behind screens and a community banded together in grief in historical moments. Plus good coffee.

Finding a way to get these photos to Art is the next mystery to be solved but until there - I invite you to step outside of your “screen” today and talk to a stranger that catches your eye ! It may be *sketchy*, but it can also make yours or someone else’s day ;)

((Shoutout to for her patience with my shenanigans and being willing to sit through the portrait with me!!))

When you need a reminder to slow your roll… imagining running into Jake rolling a turtle around in a cart in Industry Ci...
09/24/2025

When you need a reminder to slow your roll… imagining running into Jake rolling a turtle around in a cart in Industry City, Brooklyn. A reminder to industrious New Yorkers to s l o w d o w n and smell the cawfee….or pick up a turtle on your way to eating Japanese food.

I saw an ad in my hotel in upstate New York for a local farmers market and there was an hour left to spare so I figured ...
09/17/2025

I saw an ad in my hotel in upstate New York for a local farmers market and there was an hour left to spare so I figured I’d drop by and find a quick bite for lunch. Quick and bite are neither things I found there, but what I did encounter was a small, slow paced local town gathered together selling their home grown or home made goods, which at its close turned into a picnic feeding the whole tiny town.

Lynn greeted me as I was contemplating buying some freshly baked croissant bread, “oh you gotta try it, it makes the best French toast!”

Say less.

This simple neighborly conversation turned into an invitation to the local picnic (and there wasn’t any cell service to find out anywhere else to go to lunch anyway). I came to learn that even though Lynn relocated to Lexington 40 years ago from Queens, she’ll never be considered a local.

“They call us Cidiots” her fellow NYC transplants laughed as they informed me of the distinctive nature of the New York City slickers vs Upstate NY folk.

In reality the town relies predominantly on the state of New York for employment opportunities and growth and development. NY state senator happened to also be at the picnic simply like another neighbor, meeting and greeting with the people. Later she took time to communicate all the ways she is actively taking steps to improve the town - including advocating for better cell service, communication of utility bill tax changes, offering free lunches in schools, and working towards creating a circular economy by having schools purchase food from local farmers.

“She really cares, is smart, and does the right thing” Lynn and her friends boasted about their Senator to me like a proud parent.

Lynn’s long term boyfriend of 35 years, Walt, was born and raised in this town and can claim the honor of being a Lexington local. When I asked how he’s seen the town change over the years, he said now in his neighborhood there are about nine airbnbs.

“Isn’t that good?” I pressed.

“Yea, but then you don’t know your neighbors.”

Would we learn to love our neighbors like Lynn and her friends in little Lexington New York no matter how much the times change 🍎

As I was engrossed in my notebook while sitting at a table in the Roma airport, Susanna asked to sit at the free chair i...
06/03/2025

As I was engrossed in my notebook while sitting at a table in the Roma airport, Susanna asked to sit at the free chair in front of me. It took me some time to actually get my nose out of my pages before asking her what her name was. She had a peaceful and kind presence, and I noticed a big backpacking bag next to her. It turns out, she just finished a 26 day “Camino” - or pilgrimage from Lucca, Italy all the way down to St. Peter’s Basillica in Rome. (For context that would take 4 hours by train).

“They stamped us along the way, and even gave us a certificate of completion!” She excitedly pulled out a crisp white envelope that remained wrinkle-free somehow in this hiker’s backpack.

“I wanted to walk with God. He put it on my heart and confirmed it through many ways. I asked for four months off from work and they gave it to me!”

I have always thought how cool it would be to do one of those Caminos, but have always been apprehensive about needing to lug around a giant backpack everywhere. But this 70-year old Czech woman from Australia inspired me that truly, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. She hurt her knee the last week of the trail but refused to end early and take the train there, and simply kept going.

“I don’t think God cuts corners, and I don’t want to either.”

Wow- truly such an inspiration that age and physical limitations do not need to stop us from what God puts in our hearts to accomplish.

Thank you Susanna for stopping to sit at my table and choosing to journey with Jesus, not letting age or life circumstances to stop your walk with Him, and inspiring others to do the same along the way :)

Fun fact: Janine’s last time in New York was to interview with Starbucks in the running to become one of the top barista...
05/02/2025

Fun fact: Janine’s last time in New York was to interview with Starbucks in the running to become one of the top baristas globally. Although this German by blood but American in heart has the work ethic and skill to be a globally ranked barista, she laid it down in order to follow Jesus. This led her to Kona, Hawaii where she completed a discipleship training school that radically changed her life. Since then, she’s been serving the Lord all over the world, reaching the lost and the least in the pacific islands, Eastern Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America. In many of these places she’s also gotten to serve as a barista in a cafe! Shes now not just a globally acclaimed barista but a woman of God who is a living example of how the warmth, depth and richness of Christ can transform someone’s life. Like the coffee making process: from bean, to roast, to brew, to pour to service, Janine cares deeply and has the skill to walk with people in order to be developed into their greatest potential in Christ. I was so thankful to get to see her on a layover in New York for a quick little reunion, until I see her somewhere else around the world. Love you girl!

Erin is someone you can’t help but feel blessed when you are around her. Her creative, spunky spirit and hunger for the ...
02/28/2025

Erin is someone you can’t help but feel blessed when you are around her. Her creative, spunky spirit and hunger for the Lord has led her to Europe and beyond in faith that Jesus is the creator and sustainer of ALL things in her life and beyond. I admire her courage to pursue the gifts and dreams God has given to her, especially in the realm of photography and entrepreneurship!! She is truly going after it in faith over fear. From the streets of Milan to streets of NYC I can’t wait to see where she flys off to next and where we get to cross paths again, cameras in hand ;))

IAre you Greek? Turns out this Greek-named woman, Irina, working at Hummus Kitchen is not in fact a Mediterranean maiden...
01/22/2025

IAre you Greek?

Turns out this Greek-named woman, Irina, working at Hummus Kitchen is not in fact a Mediterranean maiden, but a lovely lady from Ukraine. She came to New Jersey a year and a half ago thanks to a friend who sponsored her to come over to the USA in the midst of the warfare going on in her country.

“I used to be a lawyer - I was a rich woman! But here you can’t get anything for what the cost of my apartment was….except one trip to Costco!”

Although she had to start her life from scratch here in America like almost all immigrant stories begin, thankfully her two daughters were already living in New Jersey, so she hasn’t had to do it all alone.

“It’s nice to start a new life, I was getting bored anyway,” was her joyful and positive disposition when I asked if she missed her home country. She remarked that the war between Ukraine and Russia is “just a cycle” nonchalantly, on a day that the governor of New Jersey declared a state of emergency for the six inches of snow.

She knows that her time of asylum in the USA is ending sooner than later, and doesn’t know what is going to happen in the future, “especially now with Trump...” [and all his executive immigration orders]. However, she didn’t seem pressed, angry, or upset about it.

“Since I saw the rockets flying in the air, I don’t think so much about the future. Maybe tomorrow… but not much more than that.”

What started as a simple question of “what is your name” became an unexpected and inspiring story “around the table” of a woman who has endured hardships with much grace, hope and strength, who made sure to top off my plate with a jalapeño pepper that I didn’t ask for, claiming: “you’re a spicy lady, you will like it!”

@9663.irina

Maya is a beautiful human who delights in adventure, beauty, and the mysteries and wonders of God. Her heart is for holi...
01/18/2025

Maya is a beautiful human who delights in adventure, beauty, and the mysteries and wonders of God. Her heart is for holistic care of the human being: soul, body, spirit, and one conversation with her can twist and turn in so many different directions. She is deep but also playful and fun, and never fails to laugh at her own mistakes, or yours either ;)

Maya has struggled with health issues for over ten years, but has consistently sought after the Lord in various healing methods. She is aware and open to the supernatural just as much as the natural, and recognizes God’s hand in both. I am amazed at her perseverance and determination along the obstacles that have arisen on her journey. As she continues her own pursuit of a healing process, she invites others into one as well, simply as a natural overflow of who she is. A natural community builder and encourager, Maya is a friend that loves deep and puts her all into anything she sets her mind to do and doesn’t let anything get in her way.

Love you miss Maya!!! Ci vediamo dopo :)
goodyear

“My husband designed this. Everything in this shop is all from his vision. All hand-made. His family has been running th...
11/29/2024

“My husband designed this. Everything in this shop is all from his vision. All hand-made. His family has been running this business for 104 years !”

Maria’s genuine passion and excitement for everything in her family’s shop in the historic district in venice made me feel I went back in time and embrace a different slower way of life where things that are handmade still have value. You could probably find replicas off all the stuff on Amazon but it’s not the same when you know it’s hand made with passion, zeal and intentionality.

My new favorite shop and person in Venice !

“Everyone has a boat in venice!” - my favorite quote from Maria - duh 💁‍♀️

When looking at the compasses in the shop she said that they took their boat out into the middle of the sea one time and although they didn’t know where they were, because they knew which degree venice was at, they were able to make it back to Venice no problem with just a compass.

“You plug in Google maps and it will take you straight to a canal!”

I can attest to this is true 😜

As a young twenty-something from Thessaloniki, Greece, Elias was depressed and hopeless to the point of literally pullin...
11/27/2024

As a young twenty-something from Thessaloniki, Greece, Elias was depressed and hopeless to the point of literally pulling the trigger on himself twice in the stomach, intending to end his life to escape the pain he was going through.

Despite all of his intestinal organs coming out of his body, he survived the shooting and after some time to physically heal he was sent to a mental institution for mental healing.

“It was hell - I was living hell inside of me - I couldn’t even kill myself”

So he then began attacking others. At one point he was put in chains for a month due to his violence towards his nurses. His next plot was to murder the doctor who put that order on him.

“I know I was an evil person - I was really not good”

One day while he was in a period of freedom from the hospital, he met a man in a coffee shop who was sharing about God. Elias went up to him and bluntly asked “Who is God!?” Wondering why he was still even alive at this point. The man gave him a free Bible and “that was the beginning.”

While reading the Bible, Elias began to change his mind about murdering the doctor. Reading the word slowly but surely began to heal his mind, however even after almost 10 years of reading he never got to the point of actually following Jesus, thinking “one day (in the distant future) I will…”

That distant future came quickly when he got into a freak accident riding his bike to the hospital to go visit his father. As he was trapped underneath a truck seeing the wheels about to run him over, he prayed a prayer to God promising to follow Him for the rest of his life if he survived. He said he heard a response saying “you will live.”

The wheels rolled over his pelvis and he heard the crack.

As his consciousness remained, he realized that although he was still alive, he would be paralyzed for the rest of his life.

Encouraged by the response of the first prayer, he prayed a second one asking to not be paralyzed.

He was rushed to the hospital, which ironically was his intended destination that day, and placed in a bed right next to his father.

The doctors were stunned to find no need for him to have surgery

**CONTINUED IN COMMENTS**

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