Emma Weseloh and Camrie Farran remember Ronald, the disabled man they met on a mission trip to Daytona Beach, Fla., in 2016. He hugged them and held their hands every day, and asked them to write down songs, television shows and movies they like so he could listen to and watch those things.
It was just nice to see were actually affecting peoples lives and it makes them happier, Weseloh said. Its taught me not to take things for granted because a lot of people dont have the opportunities I have and they dont get to do the things I get to do.
Thats the kind of memory they and their peers plan to make next month, when 23 youth and seven adults with the Wesley United Methodist Church Youth Group attend a Youthworks mission trip in Philadelphia. It will be the sixth mission trip for the churchs youth group; Weseloh is a veteran, having attended three such trips. Many of the youth also attended the Daytona trip, while some will experience their first mission trip.
The group will leave July 21 and return July 30. Theyll stay at a Philadelphia church and will have a little bit of time to take in some of the local sites. Lori Cooper, an adult leader, said the group wont find out what type of work theyll be doing until they arrive. In previous trips, youth helped with things like serving meals at a homeless shelter, working with foster kids at a recreation center and helping disabled adults build first aid kits.
The trip is the culmination of a year and a half of planning and fundraising. They have about one fundraiser a month, including a rummage sale next weekend during Iolas citywide garage sales. About 30 families donate items for sale, including tools, furniture and clothing. The sale takes place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 1, and 8 a.m. to noon Sunday, June 2, at the church at 301 E. Madison.
The fundraisers provide most of the costs of the trip. Each youth is expected to contribute about $200; the trip costs about $800 per attendee, Cooper said.
FUNDRAISING efforts take much of the groups focus, but they also spend months preparing themselves on a spiritual level, youth group member Haley Carlin said.
We meet once a month to do devotionals so we can get in touch with each other spiritually, and we have prayer partners. We check in once a week and pray, Carlin said.
The trips help build your faith in God, but also in yourself, Sadie Overall said. Going away from your home environment puts us in a setting to get out of our comfort zone and help other people, to think of someone besides yourself. And it just helps build your faith in God.
Dylan Newland agreed. You see what other peoples lives are like.
Kelsey Morrison and Jeremy Waldman said they look forward to meeting new people.
I like meeting people and being able to hear about their lives and what theyve gone through, Morrison said.
I love traveling and being able to help people is something thats always been important to me, Waldman added. This will be his first mission trip.
Traveling to other communities offers a new perspective, Cole Regehr said. People in a small town dont really understand what its really like in the cities.
Brady Folk said the trip offers a chance to see God at work. I feel like were doing this because were all Gods kids. You see others who are less fortunate and we kind of take everything for granted. I want to help them out and show them what God can do.
Farran, who attended the Daytona trip and worked with Weseloh and Ronald, wants to be an elementary school teacher. She especially enjoyed working with children.
