Each year the senior high youth, at Pass-A-Grille Community Church, travel in and outside of the country to help those in need. The program, which includes over fifty local high school students, is an exemplary part of our St. Petersburg community. This is a real hands on, helping, good news program.
Two years ago, the group raised enough money to send fifty local youth to the slums of Costa Rica. Here they did everything from feeding children in a relief centre, just outside a drug ravaged city, to digging up rocks to build the foundation for a church. Two of these youth are Caleb and Joshua Renault, who have spent their lifetime involved with this group and their mission programs.
Caleb (pictured right) was on that trip and says, “I really enjoyed Costa Rica because we got to experience a different culture from home. The country is so much less developed and people just didnʼt have anything; it is so poor. While I was there, we not only helped build a church and a home for a family, we also visited children in need and fed them. We really saw the difficulties of their situation. The kids were growing up with little or no food and their parents are involved with a lot of drugs. We were suppose to have lunch at the centre, but when you realize this food needs to last them for the week, somehow your hunger goes away.”
Caleb says, there were times when the work was very difficult and they were in some rougher areas. “You could say it was a little intimidating being in a different country; you just couldnʼt be sure, but I knew our leaders had everything under control.” When asked about future mission he says, “I would love to go back, the feeling you get from helping others is like no other.”
Joshua (pictured left), a sophomore in high school, spoke about his most recent and favorite mission trip to Hollywood, California. A place, he points out, that has the highest population of homeless youth under 30. Josh says, it was an eye opening and humbling experience. “The program allowed us to work directly with the homeless and hear a multitude of stories; it was incredible to learn that they were just like us. Many with a good education, but had a wrong turn. The best story was from one lady who had been on skid row for 15 years, which is a really scary place.”
Joshua says, he also loved getting to spend more time with the group, who only meets once a week throughout the school year. “The leaders were great fun to be around and it was wonderful to get to know them and become friends rather than just have them as leaders.”
It is apparent talking with these youth that mission work has become an integral part of their life. Josh says, “I consider it part of my summer schedule rather than taking time out of it. I just wish I had more time to do more work.”
For his up coming trip, Josh says, “I hope we get to do construction work on peopleʼs houses because you really get to see your work in the physical sense and I think it really helps people out immediately. It is also a great team building time for our group.” One of these group leaders is Jeanne Haemmelmann, Associate of Youth and Young Adults at Pass A Grille Community Church. Haemmelmann, who has been working with youth for over 20 years, says, “during these increasingly tough economic times, community service becomes a cornerstone for our youth. We need to be proud of our youth; they are sacrificing their time and developing awareness to the issues that affect our communities and learning how crucial it is to make a positive impact.”
This year, 45 of the groupʼs youth will travel to Pocahontas, Virginia to rebuild and repair homes for a community in desperate need. But the group’s work doesn’t stop with travel missions, they also reach out to our local community on a regular basis. This year alone, they have made and distributed blankets to the homeless of St. Pete, fed the residents of Pinellas Hope, tent city, and bagged lunches for countless other groups.
To make all this happen the group depends on their families and the church for their funding, but they also
reach out to the community. Their 3rd annual beach run, called Make a Splash is being held on March 2nd, 2014.
The event is designed to raise much needed funds to send these inspirational youth on their next mission. Beginning at 7:30am with their annual 5k run, this year event organizers added a 1K family fun run to follow at 8:00 am. While registration happens on line or in front of Pass A Grille Community Church on the day of, the race happens across the street, on the beach, at 1500 Pass a Grille Way, St. Pete Beach, Florida. Continuing into the afternoon, at Hurley Park, organizers have carnival themed activities from cupcake decorating and face painting, to a bounce house and balloon animals. Be sure to come out and run to support this incredible program and bring your family along to join in the fun.
Organizers recommend that you come early to enjoy all the activities. Admission is free and includes access to the park, the vendor area for food and merchandise, the entertainment area and the silent auction. Additional children’s activities are offered at varied small fees.
TO REGISTER FOR THE RACE VISIT:
https://www.signmeup.com/site/reg/register.aspx?fid=F02V2J7
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/makeasplash5k