Yardwork

BURLEY, Idaho – “Entitled” is a word too often used to describe teens, and adults, in America today whose lives are centered around themselves: getting their own needs (and wants!) met. 

Primera Iglesia Bautista del Sur in Burley wants instead to guide its youngsters to be outward-focused. 

“It is important to teach our children missions at a young age, to help them think about the needs of others, and how they can help,” Janet Molina told UI Connections. “It’s important for any member to know this. When we help others we’re doing God’s work. We’re serving HIM.” 

Molina wasn’t yet the church’s WMU director when she heard about Children’s Missions Day (CMD) two years ago. CMD was started in 2008 by the Southern Baptist Convention’s Woman’s Missionary Union “to move children in grades 1–6 out of their churches and into their communities to do missions,” according to WMU’s website, WMU.org. “The goal is for children’s groups to create projects that meet needs in their own communities.” 

Molina expanded the concept in 2022 to include the small church’s teens. She invited them to the church, where she had already prepared two cookie sheets containing identical random items placed on them, which she covered with a cloth. 

She separated the teens into two groups, gave each group a cookie sheet, and instructed them to “come up with ideas of ways they can serve others in the community, to be on mission to help others.” 

Under the cloths: cookie cutter, Legos, a flower, balloon, and similar random items. 

After discussing among their group, the children and teens decided they could bake cookies for others, do lawn work, and send birthday cards. For the ‘Legos,” they decided they could build things needed and build relationships. 

This year, Molina found, for $5.99 on the WMU website, a resource for the mid-September Children’s Missions Day.

“I found the material, reviewed it, announced it at church for several weeks, and in the meantime I brought it up at work,” Molina said. “I use any chance I can to bring up a conversation about the Lord with my coworkers. It’s a way to open the door [to them connecting with God] by starting the conversation. 

“I asked my coworkers if they knew of anyone who needed assistance with their lawn or housework. One messaged me and gave me some info on a lady she knew. And I knew of a member of our church who hasn’t been able to go to church since before Covid.” 

The children and youth arrived at the church about 9 a.m. on Sept. 21. Alazay, a  young adult, had prepared a “very beautiful” breakfast spread, Molina said. After the students ate, Molina explained what the group would be doing and gave some preliminary instruction – work diligently, as if unto the Lord, don’t wander off, be respectful, and have fun. 

The first home was the person Molina’s coworker recommended. 

“She had a very nice yard but the sides were very overgrown,” Molina said. “We trimmed trees, trimmed bushes, pulled out bushes, pulled weeds, cleaned the yard of debris, used a leaf blower to clean the deck, rolled up hoses, and put away the hammock. 

“Basically we did the ‘end of summer’ cleanup and put away items she wasn’t going to use any more this year,” the new WMU director continued. “It took about an hour and a half. We got a lot accomplished, more than I thought we would. Everybody got right to work, pitched in, and we got it done!” 

The group included six adults, eight youth, and four children, five and younger. 

“Before we left, she wanted to take a picture. She wanted a hug from everybody,” Molina said, referring to the homeowner. “She had a friend and a couple of grandchildren who watched us. She was sitting in a chair and was talking with our kids when they came close to where she was. 

“I talked with her and asked if she knew the Bible,” Molina said. “I told her we just wanted to love on her like God loved her, and I prayed with her before we left.” 

The elderly church member lived about 10 minutes away.

“He is very independent and likes to take care of his yard himself,” Molina said. “He was out there with us. We were careful to ask, ‘Can we cut this?’ ‘Do that? ‘Throw away that broken picnic table?’ Little by little we were able to help with more.” 

The group was there for about an hour, then went to the pastor’s home for lunch. 

“Afterwards, the youth went back and finished picking up another load of branches and weeds that didn’t fit in his garbage can,” Molina said. “I talked to him a little bit but our youth leader’s husband, talked with him more. He [the elderly church member] spoke to the youth leader more to the end, and prayed with them.” 

At the pastor’s home. Molina shared with the group the story of the Good Samaritan “to emphasize to our youth and children that we are not to only help people we know or who go to church, because of what God teaches us: Love thy neighbor,” Molina said. “We discussed ways we can show other people love by these simple acts of neighborly love.” 

Lucio Gutierrez has been pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista del Sur in Burley since 2006. 

“It helps the children to feel and share God’s love,” the pastor told UI Connections. “It helps us as elders as we instruct our children in the way of the Lord. We are blessed and grateful as a church to have loving leaders to motivate our children and youth to be active in our community,”

His words in Spanish: “Les ayuda a los niños a sentir y compartir el amor de Dios. Nos ayuda como adultos a instruir a nuestros niños en el camino del Señor. Somos bendecidos y agradecidos como iglesia por tener líderes que quieren y motivan a nuestros niños y jóvenes a ser activos en nuestra comunidad.”