Youth arrive to serve community

Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Jason E. Silvers/Tribune photo A group of high school students from the Catholic Diocese of Wichita play cards during free time Tuesday evening in the Kennedy Gymnasium located behind the St. Mary's Catholic School. The students are among more than 40 students who are participating in the "Prayer and Action" program.

A group of high school students are making it their mission to help the Fort Scott community.

More than 40 high school students from the Wichita area, as well as their chaperones and a support team, arrived in Fort Scott last weekend for two weeks of interaction and work in the community through a summer Catholic youth ministry program called "Prayer and Action."

Each summer, two Catholic parishes from the Catholic Diocese of Wichita visit other parishes for a time of praying together and working together to serve those who are in need.

Janet Buntain, secretary of the Mary Queen of Angels Church of Fort Scott which is part of the Wichita Diocese, said 44 students, their chaperones and a team from Wichita that is running the program and working with the students, a total of about 70 people, arrived Sunday for a two-week stay. The group visited Halstead in June for four weeks before traveling to Fort Scott.

"It's completely free volunteer work," Buntain said. "They do it in Jesus' name. They help people with yard work, they've done some painting, some cleaning and things like that. Ideally, it's for those most in need, but they're also helping anyone who needs help. It's a week of service to others."

The support team arrived Saturday and the students came on Sunday evening. The program kicked off with dinner provided by the Knights of Columbus, Buntain said.

The students work on community service projects throughout the daytime hours, usually between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., then return to the St. Mary's Catholic School and church campus for evening activities such as meeting, socializing and planning, as well as prayer and worship.

Some free-time activities, as well as a large pasta dinner, took place Tuesday evening in the Kennedy Gymnasium located behind the school building.

Sleeping arrangements have been made for participants on the parish campus, Buntain said.

Emily Lindeman, one of six staff members working with the group, said the program serves as both a "mission trip" and "retreat" for youth.

"They serve the elderly, the poor and the spiritually poor," she said.

Lindeman said evenings for the group are centered around "prayer, Mass and Rosary, as well as Adoration." She said there is also time for "silence, praise and worship."

"In the evenings, they reflect on their day and share their experiences," she said.

The purpose of the program, Lindeman said, is to help the students "deepen their relationship with our Lord."

"And to express it, actually," she said. "And it's about teaching kids that prayer can be through serving others."

Lindeman said the students are divided up into six different crews that have completed work such as scraping and painting houses, staining decks, lawn maintenance and landscaping since they have been in Fort Scott.

The group has even painted a chicken coop, she said.

Lindeman said this is the third year for the program as part of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita. The program originated in the Catholic Diocese of Salina.

Cecilia Knapp, who will be a senior next year at Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School in Wichita, is in her second year with the "Prayer and Action" program.

"I think it brings people of all types together," Knapp said. "It's great to get people involved in a community."

"I think what's most helpful is you get to be yourself here," she added. "And you get to share your faith with your fellow students."

Knapp said she has been working this week with a "really great crew." A recent project involved painting a house.

"It's fun to see people's reactions," she said. "They're usually very happy. The residents are happy and excited we're there."

Depending on the individual, the program can also serve as a "building block" for a person's faith.

"It's a constant joy that doesn't go away," she said. "You get to meet many great people."

Knapp said she has learned from the program.

"I learned that working with teenagers, and when you're painting, it doesn't always go well," she said with a laugh. "You have to get dirty. But we always have fun doing it. It's also helped me open up more about my faith."

And it's not just a learning experience for the youth involved, Knapp said.

"The adults are having fun as well," she said. "They want to be here."