School of Christian Mission - Mission Discovery

Youth from several Western PA churches did construction work at the Mission Barn near New Castle, installed a ramp at the home of an elderly woman, and conducted a Vacation Bible School for children at East Grove United Methodist Church the week of July 13, 2009. It was part of Mission Discovery, the youth component of the Western PA School of Christian Mission, held at Grove City College. They also learned about life and conditions in the Sudan in sessions led by Stella Kenyi, a native of the Sudan who works with The Enough Project. The Rev. Cyndi and Frank Bloise were co-deans of Mission Discovery. Photos are by Frank Bloise.

Mission Discovery teens unload supplies at the Mission Barn, owned by East Brook United Methodist Church and used by the WPAUMC as a processing and storage facility for relief supplies, including UMCOR kits.

Rev. Nelson Thayer, center, director of the Mission Barn and pastor of East Brook UM Church, helped direct Mission Discovery youth as they built handicap ramp modules and made improvements to the facility where UMCOR kits are processed and stored.

Light shines on two teens working at the Mission Barn, where UMCOR kits and other relief supplies are processed and ramp modules are built for use when needed.

Mission Discovery teams unload materials for building ramp modules.

Mission Discovery youth form a chain to unload and stack wood to build ramp modules that give accessibility to people with disabilities.

Mission Discovery teens built ramp modules at the Mission Barn before taking them to the trailer home where a ramp was needed.

Here's the home before installation of a ramp to provide acciessibility for the elderly resident.

Mission Discovery teens and leaders take careful measure as they install ramp modules for a handicap-accessibility ramp.

Mission Discovery teens wrote their personal prayers on the bottom of the ramp they built to allow an ill, elderly woman access to her home.

Mission Discovery teens work together to build a ramp to allow an ill, elderly woman access to her home.

Mission Discovery teen secures guardrails that are important component of a ramp that provides accessibility for the handicapped or infirm.

Here's a view of the Mission Discovery ramp builders and their completed project that will allow an ill eldely woman to enter and leave her home.

Mission Discovery ramp-builders are shown with leaders at right, Frank Bloise, front, co-dean of Mission Discovery, and Greg Forrester, rear, coordinator of Volunteers in Mission for the Northeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church.

A team of Mission Discovery youth installed insulation at the Mission Barn, where United Methodist Committee on Relief kits are processed and stored.

Mission Discovery teens and leaders enclosed and insulated a room at the Mission Barn so that volunteers can process relief kits throughout the year.

Kids from East Grove enjoyed Vacation Bible School at East Grove UM Church led by teens from Mission Discovery.

Mission Discovery teens led a Vacation Bible School at East Grove United Methodist Church in Franklin, PA.

Children enjoyed games at the Vacation Bible School led by Mission Discovery teens.

Mission Discovery teens included indoor games in the Vacation Bible School they led at East Grove UM Church in Franklin.

Stella Kenyi, who fled conflict in Sudan with her family 16 years ago, led a study on the Sudan for youth at Mission Discovery. She recently traveled to Darfur refugee camps in Chad as part of her work with the Darfur Dream Team Sister Schools Project.