Opportunities to Serve

    In the last year, we have taken a team of 11 adults and 10 youth to Lake Charles LA, an area that was devastated 2 years prior by hurricane Rita. To draw you an illustration, this town has a freshwater lake, Lake Charles. The gulf of Mexico is approximately 1 hour away by car. Sea water came in through the storm to Lake Charles and dumped all this salt from the ocean into the lake, killing all the fish in the lake, which was then largely polluted by debris. We worked with a family of 7 handicapped children in which a single mother had adopted as her own. Their home had shifted approximately 5 ft, and left moisture in the home that was causing the growth of black mold, and all were living in one room to avoid illness caused by the mold. We were able to install instillation, a new ceiling, and 2 new wheelchair ramps. What an amazing experience just to be a witness to that family. We also made a trip to a local children's home for a week. That was an awesome experience, and helped our youth to appreciate what they have--a family. And even though these kids had very little, they were so grateful for what they did have, their faith and each other.

   What will the future hold for our mission team? We have adapted a "Multigenerational" approach, where all members of the church can be a part--young and old alike. What better way can the adults and seniors make a greater difference with the youth but to teach and lead them? This summer we are planning a trip to Greensburg Kansas, which was hit last year multiple times by tornados. We will be taking a team to go and help this community pick up the pieces, literally! We will be working to help them clean up and rebuild. We are also planning another trip to the local children's home, possibly a trip to the United Methodist Boy's Ranch in Gore. We are planning an international trip next year to either China to Happy Children's Home, an orphanage that is created and sponsored by the Tulsa District UMC, or Bolivia.

    We participate in monthly mission fundraisers, and we are not talking about just selling candy bars (not that there is anything wrong with that)! In the last year we have conducted "wash and worship" car washes, pancake breakfasts, McDonald's fundraisers where we assist McDonald's and they donate a portion of their sales to missions, mazzios and ribcrib fundraisers where all you have to do is eat! And the company donates a portion of their proceeds to missions. Yes, we have done candy bars, and jelly sales. Currently we are running a "flamingo flocking" fundraiser that allows you, for a small fee to have a "flock" of plastic pink flamingos placed in a church members yard, have them removed from your yard and placed in someone else's yard, and you can also purchase flamingo insurance to keep their birds from invading your yard. This fundraiser has created quite a noise! And what fun it is to do sneak attacks using flamingos on your church family!

Our youth are great supporters of missions, and participate in anyway possible, they are a tremendous help, and they are the future for our church.  On January 19th, 2008 SSUMC hosted DERT training, or Disaster Early Response Team training that will allow members of the team to respond to disasters that occur in our community, locally, and nationally. There are even DERT teams that respond internationally. Oklahoma is not a stranger to disasters, were are actually rated #1 in the country for disasters (yeah, we're number 1!). This will allow us to go and help those hurting after a disaster to rebuild their lives. Our job is to make things safe, sanitary, and secure. The training consisted of 81 members from Tulsa and Stillwater district to be trained and certified. VIM said it was the largest group that they had ever had! We are looking at having additional training for this to enlarge our team, our team is excited!