Much can be accomplished with volunteer labor. Just ask the teens who volunteered to join a local mission trip, the Teen Pathfinder Mission Adventure. This local outreach to Moses Lake, Wash., began the first Sunday of spring break.
On the group's plate was a long list of adventures: painting the Moses Lake Adventist School; helping a blind lady organize and clean her home; visiting the residents of a nursing home; baking cookies and delivering them to the people they met during the week; and building a bus garage for Moses Lake Crestline Christian School Bright Beginnings Daycare.
With a list like this, one would think there is a well-oiled group planning all of these activities for the Pathfinders. You’re right, but there is more to the story. Last year the organizers were Frosty and June Cross and Steve Meharry. Since last year’s event, June Cross and Meharry have both lost very important parts of their lives; June’s husband, Frosty, passed away, and Steve Meharry lost one leg. In spite of this, the behind-the scenes organization for this mission trip has still been accomplished.
Meharry is the organizer and planner, and June Cross is on board with her energy, writing and photo skills. “God is good to us and has provided us the energy and the strength that we need," says Meharry.
While Pathfinders worked on organizing and cleaning the inside and outside of a blind lady's house, Wayne Hicks, Upper Columbia Conference Pathfinder director, called the city garbage office to find out how to get rid of the brush, garbage and unneeded household items. They were too late, explained the lady at the office. But miracles still happen, and the truck came down the street. They were able to put all the trash in the truck, and there was no extra charge for all the extra bags and yard waste.
This trip gives young teens an opportunity to be a part of a mission trip for only $100. They stay within Upper Columbia Conference and still have the satisfaction and camaraderie of working together just like those who go halfway around the world. The cost allows many to participate who otherwise could not.
The bus barn will be framed, walled in with trusses and roofed. The Pathfinders worked side by side with other adult volunteers to make this much-needed building possible. The school needed this for their van storage because of vandalism and siphoning of gas on a regular basis. The approximate completed value of the new garage for the Bright Beginnings Daycare vans is $29,000. The anticipated labor donation value of the Pathfinder Teen Mission Adventure members was $8,600.
Teen Pathfinders head out to their heavy-hauling jobs.
Teen Mission Adventure staff members hold worship each evening, sharing their testimonies of what Jesus means to them.
Teens remove an old sidewalk so a new one can be poured.
Framing begins for the new bus garage at the Bright Beginnings Daycare center.
Teens sort and bag apples at the food bank to hand out later.
The teens prepare and serve food for the homeless in Moses Lake.
Teens shovel new bark at the Crestline Christian School Bright Beginnings Daycare.
