LUMC Youth Mission Week
Last week the youth went on a non-traditional youth mission week. We didn't go anywhere outside of Kentucky or do any big projects but we studied some local missions. Here is a quick look at what we did.
On Monday we looked at missions focused on drug and alcohol addictions at the Healing Place in Campbellsville. We had the opportunity to talk to a few of the men who lived there. This is a halfway house for men who are looking to get their lives back in order.
On Tuesday we focused on the poor and homeless missions of Lexington. We took with clothes for the back-to-school clothing drive at the Lexington Rescue Mission. Two of the workers at the Lexington Rescue Mission talked with us and gave us a tour of their facility. They told the youth about the community garden and the opportunities that the homeless and poor have through their mission. We met the man who started the mission back in the early 2000’s. He shared his vision with the youth and told them why it was important to have a place called a “rescue mission.” He told them about the other rescue missions in the country and the service opportunities that were available. As we left Lexington we drove by a few of the other missions that were there. Including the Nathaniel Mission, food pantries, community centers and outreaches for children.
Wednesday, we focused on the mission opportunities at our church. We worked on a couple projects at the church and parsonage. We helped do some garden and yard work at the parsonage. As we walked away from that project the youth realized that we only glazed the surface of the work that needed to be done. They talked about work days (when it got cooler) with the boys small group. We ended our day with a water night for the kids. The youth were in charge of putting out the stuff and cleaning up. During the water day they were to keep the kids entertained and happy. We had 30 people show up for our water night! As a treat for their hard work we went and got frozen yogurt and talked about the day.
On Thursday we focused on the sick and hurting. We chose Kosairs Children's Hospital as our place to visit. We met with two of the chaplains who work with the patients and their families. The chaplains spent time explaining what they do and the mission that they have with the children and families. They showed us the beautiful chapel and the book with all the names of the children who have died at the hospital since the early 2000’s. We took a quilt the youth had made and it will be given to one of the patients. As we were leaving the youth asked if they could volunteer there for the rest of the day. They had seen some youth in the lobby making signs for the children’s doors and helping the families to their rooms. We discussed going back sometime soon to volunteer as a group for the day. Until then we are looking into opportunities at the hospital here in Lebanon.
We stopped at the Louisville Hotel run by the Wayside Mission. This hotel is unique because the workers are all people who have been homeless or drug addicts. They are all in a program and this is a halfway house for them. They get on job training and a place to live. We talked about how people are always physically sick but can be sick in other ways and these are ways that others are ministering to them.
Friday we visited the home bound and left-behind animals. After visiting with a few of our home bound members we stopped at a couple of animal shelters to see how they care for their animals. Our best stop was with Sonny Peavy, he was awake and told the youth about his family and the 30 some years that he has been a member of the church. At the animal shelter in Campbellsville the workers explained to us what happens to the animals if they are not adopted in a certain time frame. In all of our stops the youth were told about opportunities that they could come and volunteer.
We now have lots of things on our to-do list for the next year. Everything from a clothing drive to volunteering at the hospitals nearby. Keep watch in the bulletin and Facebook for opportunities to join us in our mission adventures.
"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12
