ADDISON COUNTY — Twenty-one people attended the United Methodist Action Reach Out Mission by Youth (UMARMY) July 5-11. Youth did yard work, painted and built one handicap ramp for low-income seniors in the Springfield area.
“I see Jesus in you,” said one of the people we served. “You are such a blessing to us,” said the husband of the woman with multiple sclerosis who would need the brand new ramp soon. The ramp team and the rest of the camp became very close to the couple receiving the ramp. It was hard to say goodbye.
“I can’t believe the sparkle and energy of these teens” and “I have no fears about the future of our country when I see young people like this,” were common comments from the adults working with the teens.
North Ferrisburgh United Methodist Church organized the trip with support from Vergennes and West Addison United Methodist churches. The 13 teens aged 12-18 and the eight adults worked hard and had a lot of fun with the evening programs.
The UMARMY program offers service weeks through out Texas and the Northeast. Youth serve during the day and worship, and have fun in the evenings. Nationally over 5,000 youth will participate this year. Our Northeast area offered six different camps this summer in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Every year there is always one camp for young adults aged 19-30 years of age.
Pastor Kim Hornung-Marcy of North Ferrisburgh UMC says, “In over 30 years of work with youth I have never seen such a fantastic program. It is so meaningful, fun and well run, that if I get a teen to try it 99 percent return the following year.” UMARMY hopes to expand to Florida and Virginia next summer.
Participants from North Ferrisburgh UMC were teens Lindsey Armell, Daniel Emmell, Megan McIntyre, Munro McLaren, Elise Martin, Erich Reitz, Aidan Scott, Jennifer Steadman, Miram Wallstrom and Sofie Wolak; and adults Clare Conner, Ali Elwell, Stacy Gibbs, Robert McKay, Pastor Kim Hornung-Marcy, Bill Reitz and Chris Steadman. Participants from Vergennes/West Addison UMC were teens Matt Becker, Hannah Hatch and Sophie Hatch, and adult Shelly Becker. We were joined by UMARMY staff and five people from the Yalesville UMC in Connecticut.
Editor’s note: This article was contributed by Christine Steadman of the North Ferrisburgh United Methodist Church.