The group, who ranged from 14 years old to 82, spent a week helping Anthony and other survivors of the November 2013 tornado in Washington, Illinois.
Like many area residents, Anthony soon found out how badly his house was damaged by the tornado. The walls were ruined and many of the windows were broken. When it started to rain, water poured into the structure and eventually ruined the basement. The home became unlivable.
Anthony moved in with his father and, unfortunately, soon found out find out that his father was suffering from a serious illness. By April, Anthony’s father had passed away. “Even through that heartache, Anthony recognized that God spared his life during the tornado and gave him the special gift of time with his father, helping to care for him until his last days,” Schoonveld said.
“Anthony was so thankful that a church group would come and help him repair his house,” says Schoonveld, “and Anthony helped us see how good things can come from a storm.”
There are people across the country just like Anthony who need help getting their homes back in order. Some have been waiting months or years. A group of volunteers from your church, family, or school could be an answer to the prayers of someone like Anthony.
Will you consider a winter or spring reconstruction mission trip with World Renew?
Visit worldrenew.net/drs for potential locations and read the Planning a Short Term Mission Trip document under the Resources tab.
Group mission trip members are always asked, “Do you think you have changed as a result of volunteering with World Renew DRS?” This is how several high school students recently responded:
- “Yes, I have become much more patient and considerate of others.”
- “Yes, I found that I love serving, and I want to volunteer again soon.”
- “Yes, I feel more confident that I can try new things.”
Visit worldrenew.net/drs to get started on planning your next mission trip.
This article was originally published in the October 2014 Spotlight, available under Resources at worldrenew.net/drs.