Revolutionizing a living space prepared for children whose parents don’t care for them, an energetic and diligent group of college-age Christians made a powerful difference this past weekend.  A team consisting of eleven students and leaders involved with Lobolight, the campus ministry based at the Christian Student Center, traveled to Gallup New Mexico and worked under the leadership of Garrett Schmille to improve a house at the Manuelito Navaho Children’s Home.  They also enjoyed some time with the children who live there adding personal value to the material service that stands to facilitate the nurturing of other neglected children in the future.

House number five has stood vacant for years and is now very nearly ready for occupants due to some impressive painting and plumbing performed this weekend.  The student participants selected great colors and painted beautifully.  The clean edges and smoothness of the final product reveal the amazing attitudes that motivated the volunteers.  They painted as well as possible though their only reward is the confidence that they created a space of comfort, safety, and dignity for someone whom they have not even met yet.  That quality likewise characterized the work of the remodeling crew who updated, improved, modified, and renovated a shower.

In addition to dramatically improving the experience of being in and dwelling in that house, they enjoyed playing some football with the children who already live at the home and a few lead the supporting congregation’s youth class during the Sunday morning assembly.

Maddie Greene, one of the students who served, said “I have the itch to do it again.  It was a wonderful experience.  I wish we could have hung out and spent more time with them.  I mean, we played some football for an hour and a half and watched a movie with them.  It was fun but I wish we could have gotten to know them more personally.”  The rest of the group agreed on both counts, highlighting the gracious attitudes that permeate them all.  They should expect to enjoy even more experiences like this.  This kind of service is a priority of the Lobolight ministry.