Students from a local congregation were recently given a rare opportunity to impact a major American city.
Members of Cushing First Church of God’s Power 4:13 Youth traveled south Sunday, July 13, to San Antonio, Texas. Amanda and Ashleigh Clouse, Krystle, Kathrynn and Dyllon Chrisp and adult sponsors Wendy Clouse and Matt and Miranda McNeal made the 533 mile trek to attend the 46th Biennial International Youth Convention of the Church of God.
In excess of 5,000 students and youth leaders from across the globe flooded the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in Downtown San Antonio for 4 days of worship, prayer, fellowship and teaching. Among the featured guests were worship leaders Charlie Hall and Chris Tomlin as well as speakers such as former Denver Bronco Steve Fitzhugh, and funnymen “The Skit Guys”.
On Wednesday, the third day of the convention, students were encouraged to give something back to the host city by participating in a service project called IMPACT San Antonio. Each group was responsible for planning their own community service and the Cushing group committed 3 hours to the San Antonio Regional Food Bank. The group spent the morning preparing lunch bags for a summer program that feeds children in 13 different communities in the San Antonio area who depend on the school system for breakfast and lunch. Within one hour the group assisted other SAFB volunteers in making over 3,000 sandwiches. By the end of three hours they had put together lunch bags containing the sandwiches as well as carrots, fruit, condiments, and a spork/napkin pack, as well as making 5,000 “starter bags” that contain the spork/napkin pack and the condiments, and cleaning out several large ice chests used to transport the meals to the children.
The students were so affected by their service project that they are hoping to give back to their community. Youth leaders are currently researching food-type programs that could be beneficial to Cushing residents. Anyone who has a suggestion or who would like to help get a program started can contact Matt or Miranda McNeal at (918) 225-0196.
