Leonard at large 6/25

During their summer vacation from school, many youth are taking advantage of camps and conferences. There are a wide variety of things available to young people to choose, including sport camps, music camps, youth group camps, including church youth camps and subject matter camps such science camp and many others. Many colleges are offering programs for young people so they can gain knowledge in subject matter as well as participating in an educational program on campus -- introducing them to life on the college campus. Other than in the family, camp is the best place to learn human relations. At camp, youth can experience playing and living and with others who are sharing their learning experiences. Many times, lifetime friendships are developed. These experiences are valuable to the youth. Many of the churches are also providing mission trips for their young people. Generally these groups are using the mission efforts for work projects --which are often referred to as work camps. While I have never beem on one of these mission trips, I have thought for several years that they are valuable. Like all things, I view some of them as better than others. This is also true with any camping program or conference. I have my own personal opinion about some so-called mission programs, knowing that others have a different opinion. I would question some of the mission programs that put young people on the streets to encounter people. I feel that youth involved often lack the maturity and the experience of human relations to be effective. I feel that the ones that go where there is a need for fixing up a camp site, to work on a church, to work on a housing project, to help in cleaning up and fixing a community and other types of projects can be of great value. It's not only valuable for those they are helping, but it gives those doing the work a good experience. Many churches and denominations have work programs of this type. I have heard several young people over the years giving reports on what they had done. One example of this occurred two years ago. I attended the worship service at the Presbyterian Church when a group of young people gave a report on a trip they had taken for a week. Their report was impressive and they provided a valuable service while on the trip. Part of this experience is the opportunity to travel and to be involved in a different setting. At the same time developing new relationships within their own group. While the youth in this area, travel to other places to provide their service, we may not think that there is a need for a work camp in our own community. However, poverty and needs exist in this area. This week, a group of 47 youth from Texas is using the Nevada United Methodist Church for a dormitory as they hold their work camp. This group is from a church of the Central Texas Conference, Arlington, Texas. They choose this location to help Stockton community in their efforts to clean up and to recover from the tornado damage. This is a senior high group. The same church recently had 78 junior high youth that went on a work mission. A few weeks ago, a group of eight from South Dakota stayed at the church working on projects in this area. Two weeks ago, there was a youth mission team from the Central Texas United Methodist Conference staying at the church. There were 78 in attendance, representing several churches. During that week, we saw their vans driving around town. One team was over at the Moss House, working on a project there. They also had workers going down to Stockton, but most of them were working on projects in the Vernon County area. They were doing such things as building wheel chair ramps, cleaning yards, roofing, and doing other home safety repairs. They were doing this for those unable to do the work due to financial situations and disability. The group furnished their own tools and materials for the projects. While they were here, they used the YMCA for showers. A group of ladies from the church kept their towels washed and they are doing this again this week. I have had experiences of organizing and conducting camps and youth conferences during my extension career. I was quite impressed with how well this youth mission team was organized. There is one person on their conference staff that works full time on setting up these mission trips. He makes visits to establish possible work sites and then organize the team and trips. It took several adult volunteers. It's impressive that several adults took time out of their busy schedules and assist the youth with this program. During that week, there were 100 youth at sites in Missouri and Kansas. They all met on Saturday after their week in Tusla for a final assembly, before going home in Texas. They had three ladies who did the cooking. I have had reports that the stoves and refrigerators have never been so clean as they were after the group ended their conference. Even though the church had been used as a dorm, you couldn't tell it by the following weekend. I visited with one of their leaders, Gary Matthes. He is an engineer and had been a test pilot in the Air Force. He said that right after the service on Sunday, they took an inventory of every room to determine where all of the tables and everything was located. When they left, they put everything back. He said if a book was located on a table, it was put back in the same spot. The youth in attendance showed good manners and politeness. The Men's Fellowship served a meal for them. When the youth went through the serving line, they were thanking the men for the meal. I have been in situations with youth when this was not done. A reason to stay at United Methodist Churches is to help the young people to become better acquainted with the church members. It is a small world. While visiting with the volunteer from Texas, he told me that Roy Martin is a good friend of his. Roy is a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Martin. They lived in the Moundville area. Roy was an active 4-H member when I came to Vernon County to work with the 4-H program. His career is a test pilot. the two met in the Air Force. How 'bout that?