Sunday, August 8, 2010

Memories of Ozark Mission Project

Our church's youth group recently went to Ozark Mission Project in Magnolia.  Sunday, they had a taco salad lunch after the church service and shared some of their many stories adn pictures in a slideshow.   

I find myself thinking back on my own experiences at Ozark Mission Project many years ago.  I remember in the mornings, just after breakfast, myself and other campers would scatter across the camp that we were spending the week at with our bibles and a single sheet of colored paper, that had a brief devotional on it and some verses or passages from the Bible.  Each day's devotional was different from the previous day's.  I enjoyed this time because it was a period of quiet time to read your bible, pray to God and reflect on your day ahead and the jobs you would be doing that day. 

After a set amount of time, upon completing your devotional and bible reading, your day would begin as you would gather with your family group, which was the group of people that you spent a good part of your week with and worked on your jobs and job sites with. 

Family groups, usually, these were individuals from other churches besides your church and often times other cities.  Family groups normally consisted of 5 people, 1 of which was your adult driver. 

Your family group would gather up the tools and other supplies that were needed to complete the job you would be doing that day.  Most jobs were day long jobs and occassionally you'd get a job that might take a couple days. 

You also would get an ice chest.  Inside the ice chest I remember was a jug of water and a jug of red kool aid.  Also a loaf of bread and sandwich making things.  You would arrive at your job site and work the morning through about noon.  Then you would take a break for lunch.  We would make sandwiches on paper plates and pour either water or kool aid into plastic cups and invite the homeowner or family to join us for lunch.  After eating lunch, we then would resume our job which would last until close to 5:00 p.m.  Then we would return to camp and eat dinner with other campers, then have worship and share stories about the day's experiences. 

Here are just a few pictures from this year's OMP in Magnolia:



The group that went to Magnolia for Ozark Mission Project



One of our church's youth doing some construction.



One of our church's youth doing some exterior home painting.  

Some of the jobs that I did when I was in Ozark Mission Project was yard work, lots of painting, both interiors and exteriors of homes.  My family group also had a roofing job one year.  I don't recall having ever built a wheelchair ramp but I do know that's a common task these days at O.M.P.


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