Visiting Salem youth help local towns

LIND – A team of 27 students and 12 adult volunteers from Salem, Ore., spent their spring break helping folks in Adams County communities last week.

They painted buildings in Benge, cleaned up the community garden in Lind and freshened the Ralston cemetery, according to high school student Lauren Halliday, a member of the youth group.

"In the afternoons, we've been holding Vacation Bible School for kids from kindergarten through eighth-grade," student Daniel Nemecek said. "We play games, talk about Jesus, and help with small groups."

Youth leader Robert Beckley shared his perspective.

"These students have been preparing for this trip since January," he said. "They held a massive garage sale to raise money and wrote support letters to family members and friends. Between the fundraising proceeds and financial support from family and friends, most of the students don't have to pay out of pocket for these trips."

In addition, the team has collected sufficient funds to pay for materials, according to Beckley.

"That way we don't burden the communities with extra costs," he said.

This is the group's third year visiting Lind and nearby towns.

"We're thankful for the partnership that's grown between our church and the Lind Community Church," Beckley said. "It seems like the town is looking forward to our visits, and our kids are developing relationships with local youth."

Although the group is affiliated with Morning Star Community Church, a non-denominational assembly in Salem, Ore., the students come from a variety of public, private and home schools.

"These students give me hope for the future," Beckley said. "There's a lot of negativity about the younger generation these days. These students don't fit that mold.

"They are selfless, competent, and kind-everything you would hope for in the next generation."

They also have something to stand for, he said.

"It's more than being good people. These young people believe in Jesus. He shapes everything they do," he said.