An Easter Blessing in Eastern KY

Teen Mission, USA, held Easter programs/services at two different locations in Eastern KY on Saturday, April 4th.
In Booneville, KY, our team worked with over 60 elementary age children at the Owsley County Elementary School. Nearly 30 volunteers from Catalyst Christian Church (Nicholasville, KY) helped in making this event possible.
The event was a huge success as volunteers worked with the students in making crafts, telling Bible stories and transforming the gym into a carnival-like atmosphere. The day concluded with a massive Easter egg hunt involving nearly 2,500 eggs!

A second program took place in the mountain community of Spencer Ridge (Lee County). Jason Brown (TM Board member and minister at El Bethel Christian Church/Owenton, KY) helped organize a great program that involved preaching, worship, a Bluegrass band and an egg hunt. Also helping out with the program were several folks from Leesburg Christian Church (Cynthiana, KY).
Over the past few years, we’ve done several programs in this community, meeting in a vacant Church of Christ on the top of a mountain. One of the ladies in the community came up to thank us after the program. Her story is very special...

She told of bringing foster children, in her care, to our services last year. Not too long after they came to her home last summer, she saw that a mission group (one of ours led by Jason Brown) was doing a Vacation Bible School at the church on Spencer Ridge. As far as she knew, the foster children had never attended any church function. The VBS was a great success and her first-time VBS attendees had a great time! In fact, when one of them could not sleep at night due to some painful memories from the past, she told the child to think of something good. The little one began singing a song she learned at VBS. That helped the child relax and drift off to sleep.

Its stories like that one that makes this area (Lee & Owsley County) a special place for both me and Teen Mission, USA. In fact, we, as an organization, have “adopted” this community and have committed to doing ministry there throughout the year. Eventually, we would love to have staff people there in the area serving as the mission “hosts” for our short-term mission teams.

Once again, a big THANKS goes out to all those folks who helped with this year’s Easter event. You did a great job! You’re helping bring hope to many people in Lee and Owsley County.

In Him,
Greg Herriford (Teen Mission, USA)