Fostoria youth serve in poverty stricken Boston suburb

from WTOL Toledo

By Shelley Lee,

FOSTORIA - Mission service in the suburbs. Sounds like easy work, help a few kids at a Bible school program, serve in a soup kitchen. No problem.

Not quite.

Just seven miles from prestigious Boston neighborhoods, working in the town of Lynn, Mass., where 11 Wesley United Methodist youth travelled last week was anything but easy.

With 53 percent of the population listed as low income, 80 percent of the school age children on the free lunch program, and a ranking of the fourth highest percentage of homeless in the state, this place was no walk in the park. Healthcare is also mandatory in Massachusetts which creates a serious financial problem for many.

Jenny Miller, youth director at Wesley U.M. for nine years, led the group with Paul and Krista Harrison, and Neil Ickes.

"Lynn has the highest number of shootings in all of Massachusetts," said Miller.

Why not then, the highest number of murders? Because the shooters are often inexperienced 9- and 10-year-olds recruited by gangs.

"That whole thing is just so horribly wrong!" says Miller about the heartbreaking lives of the city's children. "It was very eye opening for the [Fostoria] kids."

The week-long trip that began June 29 brought the group through a myriad of cultural experiences.

The high school youth went on this trip aware of certain restrictions. They were not allowed to bring cell phones ... at all. Gasp.

They could not bring curling irons, flat irons, etc. Deep breath.

ipods were allowed for the drive only. Phew.

Girls had to wear one piece swimsuits if they swam. OK, it is just for a week.

Two children of Brian Jones, the Wesley pastor, were part of the group. His wife, Kelly, laughs about one of the youth members not wanting to go on the trip. Yet, at the end of it she was one who did not want to come home.

Youth Works Community Ministry is the organization they worked with. This Lynn, Massachusetts 501(c)3 is housed at Washington Street Baptist Church. They invite youth groups from anywhere to volunteer for week intervals.

This particular week, seven groups came from Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and a Chinese Bible church in Boston.

The 70 youth served alongside eight chaperones at eight different sites, divided and mixed in with the other youth from around the country.

The five sites that Fostoria youth served at were varied and challenging (and did not have air conditioning).

My Brother's Table is a soup kitchen that feeds over 300 people daily with no federal funding, therefore, no restrictions on who can come to eat. The youth had to take stock of the pantry and prepare a meal that would serve 150 people the exact same meal for lunch.

Another group helped clean at Northshore Christian School. They take in children from the extremely overcrowded public schools at low tuition costs.

In the city of Lynn preschool is scarce and kindergarten is non-mandatory. Both are run on a lottery system. So, most children come into first grade not knowing basic letters, sounds and colors.

The Boys and Girls Club of America Camp was another location, this one 30 miles away from Lynn, getting inner-city kids away from it all.

The Youth Works Kid's Club located at their home base church is where another group served. They would run a mini vacation Bible school-type program providing free lunch and activities for needy children.

"The kids would just flock to this," said Miller, adding that there would be 4-year-olds wandering in on their own from blocks away.

The Wesley Youth will share a PowerPoint presentation and stories from their trip July 27 at 10:30 a.m. during the church service at 1200 Van Buren St.

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