Spots are still available for any students interested in going on the free, final Weekend Campaign in Laredo from Friday to Sunday.
Jaymee Myller, a senior nursing major from Arvada, Colo., is one of the leaders of the campaign. She is responsible for the location of the campaign at the Latin American Lutheran Mission.
“My grandparents have been actively involved in supporting the Latin American Lutheran Mission for over a decade,” Myller said. ” I heard their stories about this organization and what it does for the poor in Texas and Mexico, and I thought that it would be a perfect opportunity for a weekend campaign.”
A lot of planning and detail management has gone into organizing this campaign. Myller had to communicate with the mission to determine what kind of projects could be accomplished, along with the best dates to come work.
“We will be helping clean and paint a sanctuary at a Spanish-speaking church in a little town called El Cenizo,” Myller said. “We will also be putting together a VBS for some of the kids from the congregation.”
The Latin American Lutheran Mission provides service to the poor in Laredo and many are immigrants who speak little English. However, participants do not need to know how to speak Spanish to go on the campaign.
“We will have the chance to attend a Spanish-speaking church service in the community on Sunday morning,” Myller said. “It’s a great opportunity to learn about the life and culture of the people this mission serves.”
Another leader this weekend is Rachel Smith, a senior English major from Wiggins, Colo.
“I want to be as helpful as possible,” Smith said. “I know the most important thing is that I will be there to serve.”
Smith has been involved in weekend campaigns since her freshman year. She started as a regular campaigner and moved up to the leadership position for campaigns in her second semester as a freshman. She has been a leader ever since then.
“It first started out as a friend thing,” Smith said. “All of my friends were going, and it was a good way to get out of Abilene. I continued for the next three years because of the feelings that came along with being able to help people.”
This weekend will be her last campaign before she graduates in May. Smith said she is looking forward to seeing the younger members on the trip step into the roll of being a servant and taking ownership of making a difference in someone else’s life.
“Weekend Campaigns are like a complete retreat where I can serve others and act as a light for God in a community that sometimes doesn’t have one,” Smith said. “They have helped me focus on what’s important in my faith throughout my college life in a way that wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t done it.”
To sign up or for more information email weekendcampaigns@gmail.com.
