news-record.com

Each night, high school youth from Westover Church hit the streets with members of City Limits Church in Allentown, Pa., to hand out groceries and cold water, to talk to people and to pray with them.

This year was Westover Church’s 23rd annual Project Serve mission trip, with hundreds of students divided into teams each day to work and serve. Their theme was “Take It All,” which is based on Psalm 62:5: “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.”

Also this summer, the middle school students at the church traveled to senior homes, rescue missions, and homes of people in need during a mission camp focused on Mars Hill and nearby areas.

“Our hope is that every person on this trip was challenged, and our desire is to see them come away with a deeper understanding of what it means to be a servant who works for the Lord and not just for men,” said Robert Dawson, the middle school summer intern.

Here what the high schoolers left behind in Allentown, according to the people they helped:

“There are not words to express our many thanks for all you have done here at CareNet. Thanks to you, we have a bright new look that is appealing to all who serve here and those we minister to. We praise God for you.” — CareNet of the Lehigh Valley.

“Thank you so much for putting mulch down in the garden and cleaning up the laundry room. It makes a big difference.” — Residents of Turner Street.

“On behalf of Old Allentown Preservation Association, we would like to thank you and all of the Westover Church youth volunteers for helping us tackle cleaning up the Union West End Cemetery, painting the fence and assisting St. Michael’s Church with a spring cleaning. We are extremely grateful to you for helping us achieve our goal in our neighborhood. We greatly appreciate the many hours the youth spent helping to improve our neighborhood.”

The imprint the middle schoolers left behind in Asheville, according to the thank you notes from residents at the Vanderbilt High Rise Living Facility:

“This card is just a small way to say 'thank you’ from all the folks at Vanderbilt. We enjoyed your visit so much! The young folks and adults were great. Thanks for all the hard work and the entertainment! Some of the elderly here get very few visitors outside of caretakers, etc. We hope you can return next year.”

“Thanks for cleaning my tub, refrigerator top, and mopping the kitchen and bath floors. Needless to say I have enjoyed my big Hershey bar, even without the almonds, am enjoying also my hot pink and red silk scarf, and will give my son his T-shirts for his upcoming birthday or share some of them with the guys here. Thank you to all you do — it takes a lot of commitment and preparation I know. God Bless you all — looking forward to next year!”

“Thank you all for taking time out from your summer helping us here. We appreciated your help very much. But most of all your company.”

“Thank ALL of you. God Bless each of you. PLEASE come back. We love all of you.”

“We appreciate your help so much. We need more people like you all, especially this day and time. God bless and keep.”