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Montezuma youth group raises money for summer mission trips
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
MONTEZUMA — The Community Hope Church Fellowship Hall was filled with church and community members Sunday, Jan. 11 who were there to support area youth mission trips.
Guests were treated to chicken noodle soup and chili along with grilled cheese sandwiches and all the fixings. Youth group members are raising money to pay for two different mission trips planned for this summer.
A total of 48 students are going on the mission trips. Twenty-three of the students are traveling to Nashville, Tennessee from June 22-27. They will help feed the homeless and perform small home improvement tasks such as painting or building a wheelchair ramp.
Youth group members will be traveling to Nashville by bus and each needs to raise $600 for lodging, food and ministry materials.
Ava DeWeese, an eighth grader, will be traveling to Nashville for her first mission trip. “It is very sad how many homeless people there are in Nashville,” said DeWeese. “I’m looking forward to this trip and making a difference.”
Seventh grader Elijah Ahrens is also traveling to Nashville for his first mission trip. “I’m looking forward to learning and understanding what people in need are going through,” said Ahrens. “I’ve always wanted to go on a mission trip because I want to help where I can.”
Twenty-five students will be traveling to Jamaica from July 19-25. The youth will be performing cleanup work from damage left behind by Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes on record and the strongest to ever hit Jamaica. It made landfall Oct. 28, near New Hope, in Westmoreland, Jamaica with sustained winds at 185 mph.
This will be a first-time experience for many of the youth group members. Youth group members traveling to Jamaica need to raise $2,000 each for the trip. That includes airline expenses, lodging, food and ministry materials.
Letisia Wilson, an 11th grader, is going to Jamaica to help with cleanup. She said, “I’m looking forward to going on this mission trip and being a mentor for the youth that haven’t gone before.”
“I’m looking forward to learning about different people’s experiences and spreading the word of God to people in need,” said Ethan Desrochers, a 10th grader, who is going to Jamaica.
Isaiah Wilson, a 10th grader, is also going to Jamaica. He said, “This is the first out of country mission trip that our youth group is taking part in. I’m looking forward to helping a lot of people experience God and helping improve their living arrangements.”
Paige Wilson, youth group director, said that the youth will learn more about what they will be doing to help once they arrive at the locations.
To donate to the mission fund, send checks to: Community Hope Church, 501 N. Front St., Montezuma, IA 50171. Write “Youth Mission Trip 2026” in the memo line.
The church is working with Mission Discovery, based in Nashville, Tennessee to help organize the two mission trips.
