The youth group spent part of their time helping out at the Kid's Club. In this photo, Britta reads to a camper at the Kid's Club.

Khampa with one of the Kid's Club Campers.

Steven helps to paint a home.

Noy, Hannah, Michael, Khampa and Jessica outside of Cave of the Winds.

The entire group from Central poses on the steps of River of Life Church where they stayed for the week.

Hilina, Nalee and Jessica were three of the youth from Central who traveled to Alamosa, Colorado.

 Michael gives a ride to one of the campers.

 Mission Trip to Alamosa, Colorado

This summer, thirteen of Central’s senior high youth, together with youth from five other Minneapolis churches, traveled to Alamosa, Colorado for a week-long ecumenical mission trip. Although the nine adult mentors and 36 youth hailed from separate churches—Central, Lutheran Church of Christ the Redeemer, St. John’s Lutheran, Linden Hills United Church of Christ, Lake Harriet Christian, and Judson Memorial Baptist—the group was united by their common desire to serve and love others as Jesus’ disciples.

Led by “YouthWorks,” an organization based in Minneapolis that facilitates mission trips in the U.S. and internationally, the youth connected closely with local residents by partnering with them in a variety of ways, and learning about Alamosa’s history, culture and environment. Despite the town’s beauty, its majestic mountains and lovely cottonwood trees, the town’s diverse population suffers from poverty and a high unemployment rate.

Indeed, the youth learned at the outset that help was needed in many places. Divided by “YouthWorks” into several smaller work crews, they were assigned to various ministry sites, including playing with and teaching children at a day camp, painting homes, spending time with elderly veterans, and serving at Rainbow’s End thrift store and Milagros, the coffee shop affiliated with Rainbow’s End.

In addition to their service work, the youth prayed, worshiped and reflected together about what it means to be a Christian servant in today’s world, amidst challenges like poverty, apathy, global conflict, racism and other forms of social injustice. Although such obstacles can seem overwhelming, the youth certainly helped their Alamosa neighbors in meaningful and lasting ways, while also growing in their relationships with God and with one another.