The Need’s Already Here
Mike Souder has taken classes at Eastern Mennonite Seminary. Kara Yoder, current seminary student, and Peter Eberly, 2007 MDiv, are on the planning committee. Chris Johnson, 2010 MDiv, is the evening guest speaker.
You don鈥檛 have to go far to find people in need.
That鈥檚 why, rather than packing up for a service trip in a faraway community, more than 200 local middle and high school students are banding together this week to help organizations and residents in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.
鈥淸I] grew up serving locally before [I] had the privilege of serving internationally or even out of state,鈥� said Mike Souder, director of the youth service effort called Renew. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important for people to learn to serve in their community 鈥β� to serve the people that serve them.鈥�
Camp connects local churches
The camp, now in its second year, brought together youth from 17 local churches for five days of service and nearly doubled the number of campers it had in its inaugural year.
Souder, who is also the outreach pastor at Grace Covenant Church, organized this year鈥檚 camp along with Adrian Mills, daytime projects director, and evening activities directors Cris Lopez and Gordon Weirich.
The camp鈥檚 mission is threefold, according to Souder: to strengthen campers鈥� relationship with God and the community, as well as the relationships among local churches.
鈥淚t is a really cool way to meet other people from churches in our area,鈥� said camper Caroline Shank, 15, daughter of Merle and Sue Shank.
To fully focus on the camp鈥檚 goals, students have been camping at Harrisonburg High School since Sunday, despite the school鈥檚 proximity to their homes.
鈥淵ou really need to get away to have time for your world view to change,鈥� Souder said. 鈥淚f they went home every night, they would lose the momentum of what鈥檚 happening.鈥�
Youth serve at 50 sites
On Wednesday, students helped build a porch at First Step, a shelter for victims of domestic violence, ran the food bank at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, served meals at the Salvation Army and performed yard work and cleaned at multiple other locations.
By the time camp ends Friday, the teens will have worked at about 50 different sites.
For camper Iain Slater, 13, a self-proclaimed 鈥渃ity boy,鈥� the week gave him an opportunity not only to appreciate hard work, but to strengthen his faith.
鈥淸I originally thought] it was a week of a lot of work,鈥� said Iain, son of Joseph and Terri Slater. 鈥淲hen I came here, I found it was so much more, especially spiritually. We鈥檙e glorifying God in our work.鈥�
Article courtesy of the Daily News-Record