For 14 children and 22 adults, summer vacation this year meant a week of service at the Rehoboth Christian School campus near Gallup, New Mexico.
“We wanted to teach our children how to serve others and to show them that other cultures and communities live differently than we do,” said Sheri DeHaan, mother of two preteen children. “Vacations, although valued, can be selfish. This is our summer vacation.”
The DeHaans were one of five families from First Christian Reformed Church in Denver that made up this eclectic volunteer group.
First CRC sends out service teams every summer, but every third year they invite entire families to participate. “Many individuals indicate interest . . . but are unwilling to use vacation time to be away from family,” said Rod Oosterhouse, Project Serve committee member. “A family project allows them to be with family on a project.”
This year’s volunteers installed a French drain system and new gas line, trimmed bushes, painted, and built a fort/castle playground feature and a decorative concrete seat wall.
“We were very impressed with what the Denver group accomplished,” said Carrie Hekman, Rehoboth’s volunteer coordinator. “We are very thankful for the hard work and spirit of service we saw from each member, both young and old.”
