Mission Trip 2018 - Houston Texas

Shaw, Mississippi is hot, but even afternoons gardening and playing kickball in this heat wasn’t enough preparation for the heat of Houston, Texas. We recently had the blessed opportunity to spend a week of mission work partnering with Emmanuel Baptist Church from Alexandria, Louisiana, and South Main Baptist Church in Houston. Earlier this summer South Main came to Shaw to volunteer their time with us, and it was our turn to give back.

Throughout the year our Youth Leaders volunteer their time in Shaw, and work diligently to better themselves and serve their community. We arrived at our center at 6:30 am, bright eyed and ready to go. What was supposed to be an eight hour drive ended up being eleven hours through backgrounds and singing loudly to songs as we anticipated a long and exciting week. We were met eagerly by the youth group from both churches, and immediately we knew it was going to be an incredible week.

Throughout the week we worked on different mission projects including, Feeding the Hungry, working in a community garden, helping with a home that was affected by Hurricane Harvey and even assisting with a community concert in the 5th Ward. We also heard from members of South Main Baptist that were affected by the hurricane, and the aftermath of natural disasters. During our free time we played games, worshipped, and built relationships. On our free day we visited NASA, the Holocaust museum, and even took a trip to Galveston where we rode on a ferry and swam at the beach! It was a rewarding trip, we gave back to a community that needed it, and built new relationships while also strengthening our existing ones. Here are a few testimonies from our youth, and what they learned from the trip.

Nathan Watts: “I didn't know what to expect when I arrived in Houston. But as the days passed, I didn't want to leave. I've met some amazing people from Houston and Louisiana. We've worked hard, played hard, and prayed hard. It was an amazing experience helping those in need with people that are your friends. It's an experience I hope to see again one day.”

Sha’Niya Bryant: “It was a great pleasure for me being able to SERVE & RELIEVE people back in Houston. Although it came with many challenges we still managed to make it through!! I got a chance to FTH (Feed The Hungry), visit NASA, help out in gardens & many more. I met a lot of people & became close with them also over the week. First Mission Trip, Many More To Come!”

Japhabian White: “I experienced a lot of different things and people that I never knew. I also experienced some of different places we went to and some of the fun games we played. And last I experienced the work we will had to complete in the hot heat. I really enjoyed myself in Houston!”

Tyler Feltson: “My experience in Houston was AWESOME! I’ve met so many hard working, wonderful, and graceful people from Louisiana. We dug up dirt together, we visited NASA together, we taught each other how to play different games, we learned about the Bible together, and the most amazing thing was that we stayed together. Now, I know I’m getting off topic, but 50+ years ago we wouldn’t be able to do all those great things together. I’m just so thankful that I was able to meet those people.”

Ambrysha Townes: “First off I would like to thank everyone for making our mission trip to Houston Texas a great success!! I experience some great things!! I love how in just one week that us and Emmanuel Baptist Church came together and united as if we have known each other for so long. Something that I did which I had never done before was that I fed the hungry and the experience with that was almost emotional because of how they was smiling and showing that they greatly appreciate me for coming to there community and helping out. This mission trip was truly a blessing for me and for others!!”

Makala Washington: “To the school thanks for letting us work on bringing things back in the school after the flood it felt very heart warming for a little group like us to work with you guys. Thanks so much.”   

Jakieus Phillips: “I had a lot of fun in Texas. The group from Louisiana really touched my heart. All three ministers told me I had a light inside of me that shines bright and that really made me feel special. I saw a lot good and bad things in Texas and it was a very humbling and exciting trip and I loved it.”

Roderious Phillips: “Houston was fun. I got a chance to meet new people and make friends. I got a chance to see the damage that hurricane Harvey did. When you are actually there and not just seeing it on news is tough. I was just happy to put a smile on some of the victims of Hurricane Harvey.”

Jacorius Nailer: “I had a great time in Texas. I got a chance to make new friends and meet a group from Louisiana. It was tough for me in Texas because I saw many people that lost a lot of their homes and things to Hurricane Harvey. That’s why my mission was to help the people of Texas out and put a bright smile back on their face. It also showed me to be grateful for what you have.”

Trinity McDaniel: "My trip to Houston was amazing!! I did a variety of things. For example, I fed the hungry, pressure washed houses, painted bricks in a garden, made new friends, and much more! I really wasn't ready to come home, the trip was beyond everything I expected! Honestly, I can't wait until next year for our next mission trip. I'm hoping that it will be as spectacular as this year's trip!! :) "

Keon Rice: " The week I spent in Houston was beyond wonderful. I'm very thankful for the Houston group for showing us a good time. Being in Houston showed me many aspects of life. It also showed me that you should be grateful for the things you have." 

Brittany Rodgers: "My Houston trip was exciting. I got to help feed the hungry and help the people from Hurricane Harvey. Even though I was shy, I came out of my shell and got to talk to people." 

Tamyra King: "Houston was pretty fun! The most part I liked was pressure washing the house. Feeding the hungry was pretty overwhelming for me. The activities they had for us after working in fifth ward was pretty awesome! Overall, I had an incredible time and I experienced a lot of great things!"
 

A Student Response

Shantaria Thomas is a high school student completing her degree at Delta Hands for Hope through the Families First for Mississippi NLRO program. Because of her inspiring hard work and dedication, she is sharing her motive for completing her degree and her dreams for the future. 

What motivated you to get your high school degree?

As a young woman, I have always wanted to be beneficial to this world. I never really had the urge to be a scholar, but I’ve always wanted more for myself educationally. When you are used to just doing enough to get by, you fall complacent in many aspects of your life. I made the choice to broaden my horizons by enrolling into this program. I’ve been devoting time to finishing assignments to reading for basic knowledge. I want to accomplish this for my family, and most of all, my son and myself. He needs to see his mother striving for greatness so that he may strive just as well. I’ve always loved learning and have many talents. I’d like to go to college and try some of them out. Although I’m not sure of my field, I do know I will press on and get my high school diploma this year.

How have your friends and family helped you? 

My family has been supportive in my pursuit of a high school diploma. I’ve researched, read numerous articles and readings for class projects and assignments. My cousin has been an influential party in me working towards this milestone. She has answered every time I’ve called, assisted with assignments and been my biggest supporter. She is an educator as well. I am very thankful for the help she offers. She believes in me and for that I am grateful.

 What do you hope to gain from getting your high school degree? 

I hope to feel better about myself and regain the excitement and confidence to go to college. With whatever I decide to do, I know I will be great at it. I have learned perseverance, and the hope and joy of trying to fulfill my dreams. Life is a gamble. Good decisions are not! To those who are down, just believe in yourself. You can do whatever you want. You were already made from the beginning with everything needed to succeed. Just do it!

Outstanding Volunteer Leadership by a Youth group

Six of Delta Hands for Hope's youth leaders have been selected as the Outstanding Volunteer Leadership by a Youth Group by the 2018 Governor's Initiative for Volunteer Excellence (GIVE). This prestigious award honors organization's volunteer accomplishments.  

The youth leadership group on a mission trip in South Carolina

The six youth who were selected are Brianna Townes, Makala Washington, Roderious Phillips, Jakieus Roach, Japhabian White, and Keyveon Rice. These are the original 6 youth leaders who are also high school seniors. They are responsible for the creation and growth of Delta Hands for Hope's leadership program, and have volunteered over 3,000 hours

They will be honored at a ceremony in Jackson on Monday, April 16, where they will have the opportunity to meet Mississippi's Governor and First Lady. 

You can read their nomination here.

Makala Washington selected as a CBF "2018 Youth to Know."

Makala Washington, a youth leader at Delta Hands for Hope and a senior at Shaw High School was selected by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship as a "2018 Youth to Know." This award is intended to recognize exceptional youth that are active members of CBF churches or partner organizations who are making a difference in their community.

This is what Lane Riley, the Executive Director of Delta Hands for Hope, wrote for her nomination:

Makala takes on many roles at Delta Hands for Hope. She participates in all of our high school programs, but also volunteers to lead middle school programs. She is a co-leader for our middle school Bible Study class, where she plans lessons and activities, helps the girls with their activities, and leads by example. When I am out of town and not able to lead class, she will lead it by herself. She is one of the best youth leaders I have, and is always finding ways to make Delta Hands for Hope a better organization. She helps clean and pick up out building, and will help younger youth with homework and school projects. During the summer, she is one of my most dependable youth to come and help. She is always looking for ways to serve, and will do whatever is needed with a great attitude. 

Makala is a someone that is going to excel in whatever she chooses to do in life. And right now, she is choosing to be a youth leader and volunteer with Delta Hands for Hope. 

She models leadership and a Christ-like attitude, and demonstrates how other youth should act. She always has a great attitude and is a friend and mentor to many. She is well-liked in school. She always completes her assignments and is respectful to her teachers and classmates. She is the perfect example of what I expect from my other youth leaders.

Youth Leaders Nominated for Award

Delta Hands for Hope has 6 students that are graduating high school this year. We have watched them grow, learn, and are so so proud of them! I wanted to share the nomination I made honoring their achievements and success over the past three years. 

I am nominating the six high school seniors that are involved in Delta Hands for Hope’s youth leadership program for the 2018 Governor’s Initiative for Volunteer Excellence. These youth are Roderious Phillips, Keyveon Rice, Jakieus Roach, Brianna Townes, Makala Washington, and Japhabian White.

The youth leadership program at Delta Hands for Hope began in the summer of 2015 during the second year of summer programming for Delta Hands for Hope, and about 25 children (K-5th grade) were expected to participate in our summer camp. On the first day of camp, over 50 children showed up, and the next day, we had almost twice that many. Delta Hands for Hope needed to find additional volunteers quickly. I asked several high school students, including the six students mentioned above, to help me, and they spent their summer volunteering every morning leading children’s activities. These students, most of whom had just finished their freshman year of high school, then decided they wanted to continue meeting throughout the school year and start a leadership program.

During the next three years, I have been honored to watch as these youth grew from freshman to seniors and desired to improve themselves and their community, which is why I would like to nominate them collectively for this award. As a team, they have worked tireless to benefit the town of Shaw, Mississippi and provide valued and necessary leadership for Delta Hands for Hope as well as for the community. Delta Hands for Hope could not have grown as a non-profit without their encouragement and support.  Through the leadership of these six youth, the leadership program has expanded to include more than 20 youth. In the leadership program, these students have developed their soft skills, explored career opportunities, participated in cultural awareness opportunities through trips, volunteered extensively, and provided necessary leadership for summer and afterschool programming for children in K-8th grade at Delta Hands for Hope.

The following is just a snapshot of their service to their community.

DHH youth leaders have spent the last two summers volunteering in other communities working with Delta Hands for Hope partner churches. In 2016, they spent a week in Dallas, Texas, and worked with a children’s reading camp, organized socks for Buckner International, passed out meals with City Square’s food truck, and organized clothes at a resale shop that supported local nonprofits in Dallas. In 2017, they traveled to Greenwood, South Carolina where they volunteered at a food bank, a homeless shelter, a children’s home, and Habitat for Humanity’s Resale Store.

This summer, the high school boys decided they wanted to improve their weight room to make it a better space for all student athletes in Shaw. DHH youth leaders planned a 3-day service project where they cleaned the weight room and repaired and painted the lockers.

They have worked the past three summers with Delta Hands for Hope’s children’s camp and have added additional responsibilities each year. They are now responsible for planning and leading children’s activities. They watch the children and encourage them to behave and participate. Each of the nominees has served in various capacities, but this past summer, they were each in charge of a different activity. Roderious and Japhabian were group leaders for recreation. Makala led the kindergarten and 1st grade rotation, and Keyveon led the 4th grade rotation. Jakieus and Brianna were co-leaders for enrichment activities.

They organize and participate in community-wide clean-up days, and are currently helping build a park, repair and paint the bleachers at the school. They always work hard and provide encouragement for others to work hard as well.  They have worked at several churches, painting, cleaning, and doing minor repairs. At our center, they have painted, organized, cleaned, moved bricks, scraped paint, did heavy lifting, and more. They have worked at their school in the school garden, painted classrooms, cleaned hallways, built benches at the baseball field, and painted bleachers.

One of the things I am most proud of is to see them teaching our younger youth leaders what it means to lead and serve. They patiently help our middle school and lower classmen high schoolers on service projects and are excellent role models.

Delta Hands for Hope youth leaders have invested over 3,000 volunteer hours in their community, and the seniors I am nominated have served almost half of these total hours.

I want to nominate these six youth because of the example they lead, not for only younger children, but for the adults in the community. They encourage and inspire the entire community. Because of this leadership program that they initiated, these youth have a brighter future, and they are motivating the younger generation to do the same. When I first met them, they wanted to volunteer because it occupied their time. Now, they are planning their own volunteer projects and are actively seeking additional opportunities to serve without prompting. They come out to serve on the hottest days of the summer and the coldest days of winter. They wake up early on weekends and school holidays, and stay late until projects are finished. Their dedication inspires me to do better and work harder to make sure that these youth have all of the opportunities that can be afforded to them.

These youth are very deserving of this award. My job is made easier because of them, and I would love to see them honored for their dedication and commitment. 

Experiences with the Summer Food Service Program

The Summer Food Service Program, a program run by the USDA to provide meals for children in low-income communities, made Delta Hands for Hope’s first summer camp possible. You have probably heard radio commercials or seen social media posts about this national program but may not understand its importance for communities like Shaw, MS. During the summer of 2014, our first summer in operation, Delta Hands for Hope served 416 meals to children in the community, and at the time, this number seemed huge. However, over the next two summers, we served over 10,000 meals! By participating in the Summer Food Service Program, we are providing a much needed resource for children in the community and expanding our outreach opportunities through communion and fellowship.

Bolivar County, where Shaw is located, has a childhood food insecurity rate of 31.9%, which is extremely high. This means that about one in three children who walk through our doors don’t have consistent access to nutritious food at home. During the school year, children can eat a free breakfast and lunch at school, but during school holidays, parents may struggle to provide healthy foods for their children. Because Shaw is roughly twelve miles from the nearest grocery store, access to fresh fruits and vegetables can be tricky for parents who don’t have access to consistent transportation. For many parents in Shaw, their access to groceries is limited to the stock at convenience stores, where most foods are processed and packaged. Summer months tend to be the worse time for children in food-insecure homes.

This number was hard for me to process. Because one in three children are food insecure, the entire Delta region has one of the highest concentrations of childhood food insecurity in the country. Nationwide, the food insecurity average is approximately one in seven.  I know the research, the statistics, and what these implications mean. And I encourage you to research food insecurity as well. But it’s another thing completely to have a relationship with these kids, to see their faces, and to know which kids don’t have enough food to eat at home. By interacting with the kids in Shaw, these statistics become personal.

Through the Summer Food Service Program, Delta Hands for Hope can feed nutritious meals to children all summer long. We have the resources to serve breakfasts and lunches that are healthy, filling, and expose children to various fruits and vegetables that they might not have access to otherwise. Even during the school year, we keep healthy snack options at our center because we don’t know who will have access to healthy foods at home. Participating in the Summer Food Service Program has been a fun journey for Delta Hands for Hope. We have introduced our youth to new fruits and vegetables, and foods that they don’t eat at home. We have learned how to compost our leftovers and how to plant some of our own vegetables in a community garden at McEvans School. During camp, we employ a local pastor to prepare the food for us, and our high school youth leaders help the younger children carry their plates to the table. We have had two different sponsors that help make the Summer Food Service Program possible, and we have sponsored other local non-profit sites as well. But most importantly, we have served hundreds of children thousands of meals.

When you support Delta Hands for Hope, you are helping us by providing excellent school year and summer programming for the children and young adults in Shaw. But you are also giving us the resources we need to make sure that every kid who comes to the center has food to eat. Providing food for children and youth is part of Delta Hands for Hope’s identity. As long as our doors are open, we will make sure that children have access to healthy food, and we are thankful that you and the Summer Food Service Program help us do that. 

From a mission partner

Another Voice on Missions from The Tapestry, a publication from Wilshire Baptist Church

If you’ve ever heard me talk about my hope for missions at Wilshire, you know I continu- ally preach two things. My first hope is that missions becomes an integral part of our identity as Christ followers and not just something we do. My second hope is that missions is not just about what we can give but what we can receive.

I believe our participation in God’s mission is a mutually transforming experience, which cannot happen without engaging in life-changing relationships.

Two years ago Wilshire entered into a partnership with a CBF- affiliated ministry in Shaw, Miss., called Delta Hands for Hope. Over the course of our two-year partnership we have sent
four mission teams to Shaw. These teams have completed many tasks, but more importantly have formed many new relationships. We have sent church members who have participated in worship at a local church, planned summer camp activities and completed building improvements at both McEvans Elementary School and the Delta Hands for Hope building.

Lane Riley, program coordinator for DHH commented: “Because of Wilshire teams, I have witnessed progress not only as a result of walls being painted or shelves being built. I’ve witnessed the personal growth of my youth when they realize they can dream big- ger, or when we have honest conversations about cultural differences and poverty.”

Because both Delta Hands for Hope and Wilshire value the idea of reciprocity in mission, we had the opportunity of receiving Delta Hands for Hope’s first mission team of 12 youth to Dallas last month. These youth participate in a leadership program and were required to volunteer at least four weeks at a local summer camp in order to travel to Dallas. At the beginning of the summer, 12 youth were trained, and at the end of the summer 12 youth walked away with job experi- ence, improved leadership skills and experience giving back to others.

While in Dallas, they volunteered with several of our local mission partners includ- ing CitySquare and Buckner, while also help- ing us host our reading camp at the Veranda @ Midtown apartments. This was the first time any of their youth have volunteered in a different community. Many of you invited them into your homes and prepared meals; they slept on the couches in the Youth Center and participated in our youth group events.

Lane extends her deepest appreciation to Wilshire for granting them this opportunity. “Shaw is an impoverished town, and there is much we don’t have. The community has seen many groups come to help us, and we are very grateful for all the selfless sacrifices others have made on our behalf. But this trip to Dallas has been an eye-opening experience for these youth leaders. My youth now know that although we need additional help in Shaw, they also have much to give. This trip allowed 12 youth from Shaw to use their gifts and skills to help another community. Thank you to Wilshire Baptist Church for welcoming us and for giving us the opportunity to give back.”

We plan on taking a team to Delta Hands for Hope in the spring and would love for you to make plans to join us.

—Heather Mustain, Minister of Missions, Wilshire Baptist Church

Summer 2014

Smiling faces for the first week of the Summer Food Service Program

What are you doing in Shaw? This is the most common question I get asked when I talk to people about Delta Hands for Hope. Although answering "a little bit of everything" would be easier, I tell people about all the programs that we are doing, about the people I am meeting, and about the planning I am doing for the future. Summer 2014 has been very busy, and now that school is back in session, I have time to tell you what we've done. Our first program was a USDA grant for the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), sponsored by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Mississippi (CBFMS) where we were able to feed kids ages 18 and younger twice a week all summer long. This was a perfect first program for us. 

Here are some of the other programs/events we did in Shaw this summer:

• Teen Pizza and Game Night
• Baking Day
• Feed and Read (Literacy program on the days of the SFSP)
• Community Clean-up  (co-sponsored with the City of Shaw)
• Shaw Community Leadership meeting
• Beautification projects

First Baptist Church Waco at the Forever Youthful Center in Shaw

We also had three churches come to Shaw. University Baptist Church (Hattiesburg, MS), First Baptist Church (Waco, TX), and Wilton Baptist Church (Wilton, CT) all came to help in Shaw. UBC Hattiesburg helped set up a CBFMS-sponsored welcoming celebration for me, worked with the Presentation Sisters, and planned projects for future trips to Shaw. FBC Waco painted several classrooms and hallways, and redid two bathrooms at McEvans Elementary School in Shaw. They also worked the Forever Youthful Center, hosted a baking day for the adults and children, and planned science and art projects for the SFSP. WBC (CT) helped with a leadership meeting in Shaw, met with ministers in Cleveland, attended Rotary and Exchange Club in Cleveland, helped with the SFSP, and sponsored a end-of-the-summer carnival. I am blessed to have met every person that came to work with me in Shaw, and I look forward to them coming back to Shaw!

I observed many things from hosting groups in Shaw. Some had come several times before, and some were coming for the first time. For all the workers who had come before, it was wonderful hearing about what they had done before, who they had worked with, and all the experiences they had. For the first timers, it was great hearing their initial impressions of Shaw. I have noticed when people come to Shaw for the first time, they initially notice the poverty and all the typical stereotypes of what normally comes with poverty. After a day or two, they talk about all the wonderful things about Shaw: the amazing kids, the leaders that are working tirelessly to benefit their community, and the great potential. I loved seeing the transformation in their views about Shaw!

I am so excited to be working with Delta Hands for Hope. Shaw is a wonderful place to be, and I love working with the kids and meeting the adults. DHH is in the process of buying a building in Shaw, and we are planning for many different events for the fall. I'm excited to meet more of the kids, and do many different and fun projects with them! Great things are happening in Shaw, and I'm excited to be a part of it!

How Did You Get Here?

It was me (a pastor in Connecticut but originally from Shaw, MS), a retired math teacher from Connecticut, a president of the largest exposition company in the world, a graduate student in social work, and the youth minister from a sister church in Connecticut. We were in Shaw to meet with local leaders about developing a partnership in Shaw, Mississippi, that would benefit school-aged children. It was my hometown, so I was personally invested, but we didn’t know what to expect. We had already developed a good relationship with a church in town and the mayor was very open, but no one knew what might happen.

We were driving around town before our meeting with the mayor when I saw something unusual in Shaw—a little lady, who was a little older, opening the front door to the old drug store on Main Street in Shaw. What made this unusual was the fact that the drug store had been closed for decades AND I didn’t recognize the woman opening the door! In a town the size of Shaw, everybody knows everybody, and I didn’t know who this was. Beyond that, Shaw, like most of the smaller towns in the Mississippi Delta, had experienced a mass exodus of white people over the past thirty years. According to the 2000 Census, only 7.3% of the population of Shaw was Caucasian. So, the most striking mystery to me was: Who was this little white lady and what was she doing in the old drug store?

I parked the car on Main Street and went into the old drug store to investigate. When I entered, there were actually three women—white, senior citizens—who were organizing papers in what looked like a classroom—the old drug store was not a drug store anymore! I introduced myself as a former resident of Shaw and then simply (but awkwardly) asked, who are you and what are you doing? One woman kindly responded, “We are running a tutoring center for the children of Shaw.” AND, she said this with a thick Irish brogue! After confirming that all three of the women were from Ireland, I asked with amazement, “How did you get here?” Sister Una responded, “The Holy Spirit brought us here!”

That’s how we met the Presentation Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They are our ministry partners in Shaw now. When we met, they had only been open for seven months and had seven students. They said that had been praying for over a year for others who would like to partner with them. We told them we were in town to find partners who may be interested in working with school-aged children! I told the Sisters that I had been praying for them all my life… Today, the Sisters own their own building in Shaw and have 32 children in their tutoring program. How they came to Shaw is nothing short of a miracle of God and I am deeply inspired by their commitment to the town. If God can call three Irish Catholic nuns to Shaw, Mississippi, then God must have a big plan. God is at work in Shaw and we are so thankful and humbled to be a part of it.

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