The Lake Orion Church of Christ will hold their second annual Mission Possible program August 5-11. The program is a stay-home mission trip, where those who participate help local residents with home repairs.
The idea for Mission Possible started when a bible study group decided to stay home instead of going over seas for a mission trip. ‘We thought it would be great to set up a mission trip to serve our community,? explained John Swantek, Community Outreach Coordinator from Clarkston.
Last year about 40 members of the church participated, staying at the church each night. The parking lot and grounds became a temporary home to half a dozen tents and a few RVs, while some members slept inside the church.
By staying home for a mission trip more people were able to participate because the limitations set by going overseas, such as medical and food expenses, were not a factor.
Breakfast and dinner were prepared by a small group, consisting of three women and Kelly Kilgore, who filled in as head chef.
They spent time in between meals to visit at the local nursing homes and do other small projects.
‘The food was awesome,? noted Lake Orion participant Matt Boyd.
This year 55 people have already commited to the mission trip, andmany of those have put in to take a week’s vacation from work.
Those who could not get the time off work still help when they can. According to Swantek, the whole congregation is behind the program.
Mission Possible projects involve both indoor and outdoor work. Kevin Kadrich, of Oxford, will lead the teenagers in landscaping. The older members will work on projects like roof and floor repairs, cleaning out attics and gutters and replacing siding on a home.
The younger children also get involved by taking cookies to the nursing homes and weeding flower beds. ‘They work just as hard as the adults,? said Kilgore.
The church receives some of their projects as referrals from a year-round group at the church called ‘Hands of the Master.? A clothing and food bank in Rochester provides leads from their local clients, the Orion senior center calls with ideas, as well as individuals looking for help.
Randy McClure, of Lake Orion, has checked out several possible project sites, explaining that the projects are ‘things that the elderly can’t do.?
Not all of the people being helped are elderly; some do not have the means of taking care of the projects themselves.
Sometimes the people who are helped by Mission Possible would like to do work in return. Some offer to come in for the week and help answer the phones, while others bake cookies or volunteer their services.
After each day, everyone who was helped is invited back to the church for dinner.
According to Swantek, the best part of the week is helping others and seeing the gratitude they express. ‘You open peoples? hearts that way and get to know them better.?
The Lake Orion Church of Christ is located at 1080 Hemingway Road. Stay with The Review for more.