Florida Youth Find Mission at Mosaic in New Mexico
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More than 1,500 miles from home, 44 volunteers from Florida created an accessible, raised garden for people served by Mosaic in Farmington (New Mexico).In July, a youth group of 34 high school students and 10 adults from St. Stephens Lutheran Church in Longwood, Fla., helped construct a garden area, including building fences, benches and planter boxes for flowers.
"These volunteers have big hearts and big spirits to come out here and work in this heat," said Amy Dickson, Mosaic's Community Relations Manager.
Kenny Champagne, the Youth and Family Ministry Coach with St. Stephens Lutheran Church, said his group of volunteers takes a trip across the country one week every summer for various mission activities, and this year his group wanted to travel west.
"We got in touch with Mosaic out here last October or November, and thought New Mexico would be a great culture for our kids to experience," Champagne said. "Mosaic is a great organization to help out, so we loaded up the bus and here we are."
Mosaic's Executive Director, Joanna Smith, was grateful for the volunteers' work and the contribution to the people Mosaic serves.
"It means everything to (our clients) that they can come out and be in the shade, enjoy their lunches, and have a nice place to go where there is a garden," Smith said. "The garden also helps them and teaches them how to take care of themselves. They can plant vegetables and flowers, which helps them grow skills that are very normalizing."
(Contributed by The Daily Times, Farmington, New Mexico)
