First United Methodist Church

Lockport, Illinois

RED BIRD 2007

Early Sunday morning on July 29th, fourteen Senior High Youth and four adult chaperones departed from the Church parking lot to head for their bi-annual trip to the Work Camp of the Red Bird mission in southeastern Kentucky.  While there, the group removed a rotted front deck on one family’s home and replaced it with a new one.  They removed and replaced  5 windows in a second family’s home.  By the end of the week, these jobs were complete and they were hard at work improving the grounds at the Red Bird Mission itself.  As one member of the group said in the trip journal, “Today we dug ditches.  Enough said.”  There was also a long hike to a waterfall and swimming hole, a picnic under the trees, a unique skit for “Talent / No-Talent Night” and many, many laughs along the way.  Lastly and most importantly, this group of young men and women found time to gather in Christian fellowship, where they reflected on their own journey of faith and their place in God’s world. 

REBUILDING LOUISIANA

A group of volunteers headed to Slidell Louisiana on December 30th. After a long trip and a very disappointing Chicago Bears game they accepted the challenge of installing a kitchen in a room with no right angles. The house had been gutted down to the studs. When they left at the end of the week all that remained to be done in the kitchen was to install the appliances, which were on order and tile the kitchen floor.

At every turn the Louisianans expressed their gratitude for the help they have and continue to receive; it is very clear that the enormous number of hours furnished by volunteers is the only route to recovery in a place of such devastation. Thank God we are able to contribute, and thank you for making trips such as this possible.