Melissa shares why YouthWorks provides the “best mission trip ever”

Melissa has been a youth worker for 11 years. For the last decade she has taken her service-minded youth groups on YouthWorks mission trips in small, urban and American Indian communities across the U.S. Humbly serving with children and the aging, organizing food pantries, assisting in homeless shelters and painting homes and fences, her youth have emerged with a deeper faith, meaningful connections and inspiration for future service alongside their own communities.

Life-changing impact for youth

“They may not like stepping out of the comfort zone on day one, but by day two, they are ready and willing to do whatever is needing to be done. Heartful, full of life, energetic, spirit-filled. Those are the words I would use to describe the teenagers I return home with. Completely impacted by what they have experienced.”

Community connections that matter

“I loved hearing the stories they told as they came back to church group each night. One day there was a man that appeared to be having a heart attack while visiting Dorothy Day Center. The ambulance was called, and the man was taken to the nearest hospital. Without missing a beat, one of my youth said they needed to pray.  So they circled up and prayed for the man. This doesn’t happen without the encouragement and openness that YouthWorks offers these kids. They feel free to be themselves, to pray when they feel moved. And that hasn’t changed since being back home.”

Living through our faith

“Being able to see God through different eyes, different shoes is amazing, and I have seen the moment that it happens with these kids. Their faith is challenged. They see the struggles. Everything becomes real to them during these experiences. Their faith bursts out through them as they are pushing a wheelchair down the hallway, or scrubbing a toilet, or pretending to be a horse for the hundredth time.”

Attention to the details makes planning easy

“I value the structure at Youthworks! They are organized and well-trained. There are not a lot of surprises, and if there is, YouthWorks staff is fantastic at problem-solving.”

Worth it, again and again

“Every year my kids roll out of the vans in our church parking lot, and say “best mission trip ever.” Every year! YouthWorks makes that happen. I wouldn’t do a trip with any age any other way.”