100 Youth serving others

With the hardships that have fallen across our nation this last year, there are many who use their time, talent and treasures to the benefit of their fellow man. A youth organization from Missouri will once again be traveling to spend a week long mission of reaching out to others. This years Operation Overhaul 2010, will be in Baxter Springs, Kansas, June 20-26, 2010. Over 100 youth and adult chaperones will pack up their tools and supplies to serve the needs of the people in the Baxter Springs area. Youth from several counties throughout Missouri will be participating in this years' Operation Overhaul Mission. In the past, this mission group has traveled to New Orleans after Katrina, Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia, downtown Chicago, Indiana and southwest Missouri.

This will be the sixth Operation Overhaul which this group, the Vincentian Marian Youth (VMY) has undertaken since their founding. The theme this year, my soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, will be a time of building homes and building relationships. Each year is a unique experience and the teenagers and adults who sacrifice this week in service to others always receive so much more than the sweat and hard work they give to those less fortunate.

In Baxter Springs, the youth will be repairing damaged homes and buildings, replacing windows and rooftops, building wheel chair access ramps to disabled homes, installing walls and ceilings, painting and staining, cutting trees and other general yard work and house cleaning. They will also build a 10' x 50' addition to one facility that serves the community. In addition, they work with the homeless and other non-profit organizations.

Among the days of hard work, the group will have time for worship and praise, building the body of Christ and sharing their experiences of the day. Through the generosity of a few local churches, the First Assembly of God and Trinity Worship Center, the group has been provided floor space for sleeping and eating. They will also have the opportunity to experience and learn about the Neutral Lands Cherokee. One evening, they will share in singing, drumming, smudging and dancing-Neutral Lands Cherokee style.

It takes many hands and minds to create and organize all the projects that will take place in the one week they will be in Kansas. Most of all, it take a lot of heart. There will not be television cameras on this "makeover" team, as you see on the reality shows, but this will be a true reality of giving back to one another. There will not be big sponsors to support the efforts of this group, only the donations of generous people who hear about the youths' plans and send contributions to help with materials, travel and food for the week. This is a week of giving, so that many may receive. And the ones who receive the most are the youth who do the work.

By the looks of things, they will need to purchase several supplies to complete all the tasks they set out to accomplish. If anyone would like to help with the work of this mission group, please contact Neutral Lands Cherokee (620)856-3400 (Ray) or Vincentian Marian Youth (573)547-3300.