Mission Trip Birdsboro was started by St. Paul’s UCC in Birdsboro in 2014 to help local homeowners in need with maintenance and home repairs. Five years later, it has grown to six local churches working together to help in the community.
This year Mission Trip Birdsboro has the largest number of applicants for assistance yet with 35 residences and three community projects. The work days are Wednesday, July 18, through Saturday, July 21. A celebration for those who received assistance, volunteers and supporters of Mission Trip Birdsboro will be held on Sunday, July 22.
The final preparations are being put in to place and the teams are working hard at getting things finalized. This year there will be 85 total volunteers working for Mission Trip Birdsboro. There will be 56 on-site workers with tools in hand to complete the labor. The other 29 volunteers will supply crucial support such as providing breakfast, lunch and dinner to all of the volunteers; organizing and managing tools and materials for each job; offering opportunities for spiritual development and listening to those receiving aid; and of course photography to record this year’s experiences.
Mission Trip Birdsboro has been growing each year as it has become recognized within the community as a way for those unable to care for their homes to find needed help with maintenance and repairs without worrying about financial burdens, personal ability or other limiting factors. Sponsorships from local businesses and individuals has stepped up to provide the means to purchase needed materials.
The number of local churches involved has also been growing providing the hands needed to carry out the work. While the churches are from different Christian denominations, common to all is the desire to live Christ’s teaching to love and serve one another. We are taught that we should love our neighbor as ourselves but it is so easy to fall short of this practice in daily life. 1 John 3:17-20 says: “How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?
Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.” Mission Trip Birdsboro has become a means to strengthen ones resolve to strive to do what’s right and encourages individuals to step out of the daily grind and to join with others to live out their faith within the community and share Christ’s love in truth and action.
