Paul reminded the Corinthian Christians, “This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God” (2 Corinthians 9:12 NIV).
For 20 students and two adult leaders from the University of Mary Washington's Baptist Collegiate Ministries, this Scripture has new meaning after they spent spring break serving in the inner city of Nashville, Tenn.
The group worked at the Martha O'Bryan Center, which provides various services for the residents of the James A. Cayce neighborhood, the largest and oldest government housing projects in Nashville. These services include a food bank, after-school tutoring for children, adult education classes, job classes, daycare, youth mentoring programs, worship services, “Meals on Wheels” and employment opportunities.
A typical day found the group involved in a variety of tasks and opportunities to assist the center in its various ministries. Several students washed the inside and outside windows of the center's main building, while others taped, scraped and painted offices and hallways. A group spent a morning in a light rain tilling, laying down mulch, pulling up weeds and picking up trash. Some folks cleaned furniture; others made bathrooms sparkle and shine.
Each day the students also had the opportunity to meet and work with people directly impacted by the services the center provides. Several students and the adult leaders delivered 20 to 30 “Meals on Wheels” lunches to residents of the area. Claire Cecil, a freshman from Chantilly, recalled, “One lady told us that her brother had died at four [o'clock that morning]. She's also had some serious health problems, but her faith and dedication awed me. She made me evaluate my own struggles and how they are insignificant compared to others.”
Students divided into cleaning crews and spent mornings or afternoons “spring cleaning” the homes of some elderly and/or disabled folks; they cleaned, organized, laughed, teased, and became “adopted grandchildren.”
A group of students spent the afternoons tutoring some of the Somali-Bantu children who live in the neighborhood. Melissa Shepherd, a junior from Farmville, was reminded that kids are kids everywhere: “I was able to help a group of girls with their math homework. They reminded me of my kids in past Vacation Bible Schools because they pretended to switch names and [tried to] trick me.”
The group stayed overnight in Sunday school classrooms at Hobson United Methodist Church, a local congregation a few miles from the Martha O'Bryan Center. Hobson Church is an integral part of the homeless ministry in the community. This includes the “Room at the Inn” program during the winter months in which area churches agree to provide a hot meal, showers, clean clothes and a warm place to sleep one night each week for local homeless men.
One evening the UMW group prepared the meal and ate dinner with the men and their church hosts. Lisa Leung, a sophomore from Fredericksburg, commented, “It was an incredibly personal experience to sit and listen to their testimonies. I think we all feel blessed to get to know a brother in Christ and to see all that God has done and continues to do in his life … [and] in all their lives.”
Judy Gaither, manager of volunteers and special events for the Martha O'Bryan Center, expressed appreciation to the group for their willingness to serve in so many different ways. “The Martha O'Bryan Center always has a task list to be completed; some relate to donor events, some to physical plant and upkeep, some are hands-on opportunities serving our community. Spring break groups and other volunteers accomplish a great number of these tasks. [We are] deeply grateful for each and every … volunteer that performs service here.”
For the UMW students and leaders, spring break 2008 was a reminder that servanthood may be expressed in a number of ways. Some in the group were able to see the results of their labors and the impact they had on people's lives. Some worked in ways that “planted seeds” or built foundations which others will continue. All were reminded that service is not only “supplying the needs,” but is also sharing the love of Christ and glorifying God, whether it be on our campus, in another state, or around the world.
Jennifer Beville and Melissa Shepherd are both juniors at the University of Mary Washington. Rhonda Nash is the Baptist Collegiate Minister at the University of Mary Washington.