wfn.org | Orlando convention sparks interest

[Beth Hawn]

Microsoft Mail v3.0 (MAPI 1.0 Transport) IPM.Microsoft Mail.Note
To:  'Worldwide Faith News'
Date: 1998-08-12 15:04
Priority: 3
Message ID: 03CB999FBA31D211AAB0006008075ABF
Conversation ID: Orlando É97 convention sparks summer interest in missions

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August 12, 1998
Mennonite Board of Missions
Beth Hawn
219-294-7523
<NEWS@MBM.org>

Orlando '97 convention sparks summer interest in missions

ELKHART, Ind. (MBM) -  One year ago last week, about 4,000 Mennonite
teenagers returned home from the Orlando '97 youth convention with
sunburns, new friends and a new commitment to voluntary service. A year
later, the sunburns have gone away, but the commitment to serve has not.

Mennonite Board of Missions has noticed an increase in this year's number   
of
applicants to its summer and year-long service projects, a trend that   
could
be credited to the emphasis on voluntary service at Orlando '97, a youth
convention sponsored and planned by the Mennonite Board of
Congregational Ministries.

"We are having the largest year ever in both Youth Venture and Group
Venture, and we attribute that to the service emphasis at the Orlando and   

Winnipeg [Man.] youth conventions," said Del Hershberger, MBM short-term
missions coordinator.

MBM and the Commission on Home Ministries jointly offer several service
opportunities for youth, including Youth Venture, a one- to two-week
assignment at one of five North American or two international locations;
Group Venture, which provides very short-term service locations for youth   

groups and their leaders; and Service Adventure, which places youth in a
community for 10 1/2 months.

Because so many youth and youth groups plan to attend the biennial youth
convention, the number of service participants generally drops in
convention years - explaining the increase from last year. However, the
number of participants in this year's programs is higher than in any   
other
off-convention year in the past.

Although the total number of Group Venture participants for 1997-98 is   
not
currently available, more groups applied and have volunteered this year
than ever before. In 1995-96, 34 youth participated with Youth Venture -   
44
participated this year. 49 youth volunteered with Service Adventure this
past year compared with 22 in 1995-96 and 21 in 1996-97.

In the past, Mennonite youth conferences had focused more on spiritual
experience and renewal. Planners of Wichita '95 in central Kansas,   
however,
began to emphasize voluntary service as well. "Wichita was a   
breakthrough,"
Hershberger said. Convention planners worked closely with local
Mennonites and the Mennonite Housing Authority in Wichita to create   
service
opportunities for the youth.

Their task was more daunting in Orlando, however. "There was a much   
larger
number of teens, and there is no Mennonite service agency in Orlando,"
Hershberger said.

Jorge Vallejos, MBM director for short-term missions, organized the
service opportunities at the convention. He contacted 19 different   
service
agencies, assigned volunteers to their preferred locations and arranged
transportation to and from the service locations.

Vallejos intended to give the youth a practical, hands-on approach to
learning about service and missions. "I strongly believe that the best   
way to
get youth involved in missions is to give them the chance to experience   
it -
experiential learning is the most effective learning," he said.

Orlando convention attendees proved to be excellent learners. In all, 943   

volunteers showed up for work at the 19 "Healing and Hope" service   
projects,
which presented service opportunities from painting and yard work to   
making
Christmas ornaments and packing grocery bags for distribution.

The volunteers brought many changes to the Orlando scenery, but perhaps   
the
most important changes happened in their own lives. According to
Hershberger, a youth convention is a "terrific resource to make a   
difference
in the city, but also a difference in the youth. Giving of ourselves is   
part of
the learning."

Several young people noted that their decision to participate in service
programs this year was influenced by the Orlando convention. Many at
Orlando '97 signed commitment cards that were distributed there. The   
cards
called participants "to share God's love in our broken world."   
Hershberger
said, "For a lot of people, the Orlando commitments were very   
significant.
They want to test the next step for where God might be calling."

 "Our group had a really good experience at Orlando '97 and came away   
from that
experience with a real desire to serve others in the name of Christ,"   
said one
Group Venture applicant. "There are many in our group who are also ready   
to be
verbal witnesses of their faith in Christ."

Several teens at Orlando '97 committed one year of their lives to   
voluntary
service. "I want to tell you how much I enjoyed Orlando and how much   
closer to
God I became," wrote one Service Adventure applicant. "I was one of those   
that
answered the call to give a year of their life for complete service to   
God. God
was there, not only during the altar call but especially afterwards. A   
lot of us
stayed and we just had a true worship time - it was definitely what   
heaven would
be like. A little taste of heaven."

* * *

Rachel Lewis