CHURCH HOSTS SIGNS OF HOPE

More than 50 young people from Pennsylvania, Florida, Houston and parts unknown travelled at their own expense to Texas City to be a part of the Partnership between St George Episcopal and the Long Term Recovery.org. They came to help the most vulnerable in various communities across The Mainland who find themselves still living without air conditioning, flooring or walls.
For the last week these young people have been painting signs of Hope and delivering them to the homeowners where they have been working. The week is an exercise to help them see themselves as signs of Hope to others as they make new friends, working together to make a big difference in the lives of members of our communities. The recovery has been going on for almost a year now and soon 1800 more people from all over the country will be arriving to do exactly what these 50+ young people have done – helping Harvey victims stitch their lives back together.
Not only did they get the opportunity to help rebuild homes, they also spent an afternoon at The Galveston Food Bank sorting food for families in need. This was the highlight of the trip for many of them as the job for that particular day was to sort frozen products which allowed them to spend a little time in the -2 degree freezer – a welcome change from the temperatures in those homes.
After a long day, all were anxious to get back to St George and get a shower and some nourishment and then it was time for worship and reflection. A poignant story that was shared was about a family with a child with autism. The kids noticed that she had coloring books and when she asked them to play with her, they realized she had no crayons and was using her finger and a stick to trace the shapes on the pages. So they took their own money and bought her crayons and a few other toys, as the books were all she had, and returned the next day with their gifts.
Community churches have such a powerful impact on our lives and help shape the fabric of their communities. St George’s may have a small congregation but they are one of the most active in their outreach as the largest churches anywhere. They are powerful because of their faith and their desire to act upon it. How blessed we are to have them and how blessed are these young people that they were able to experience the Art of Giving from some true professionals!