First United Methodist Church UnityYouth Mission Team travels to Mississippi
Katie Hightower
The First United Methodist Church of Scottsboro’s UnityYouth Mission Team took a trip to the Midtown area of Jackson, Mississippi. The trip was filled with touching moments where the team witnessed and became a part of God’s good work to an impoverished community in our nation.
Dr. Hardin Coleman, Youth Mission Teams Leader for over the past decade, guided the group of youths on the trip. The group’s first project was to research the area. They watched, Ghosts of Mississippi, to introduce the youth to the Civil Rights struggle that happened in Jackson, Mississippi.
Then they visited the Perkins Foundation and served by working in the service center, community garden and with other projects on the property. It was at the Perkins Foundation where they had the opportunity to speak with 94-year-old Civil Rights Champion, Dr. John Perkins.
“It warmed my heart when Dr. Perkins accoladed the youth for not waiting for an evangelism opportunity to come to them but going out and finding it in mission work like this week. We will never forget our casual time of conversation with this living legend of Civil Rights History and amazing ambassador for Christ,” Coleman said.
The group met up with Pastor Scott Fortenberry who is responsible for the Soul City Church. Fortenberry’s goal for the church has been to become a central hub for Christian hope and love within a community that is underprivileged. There, the FUMC group met with individuals in the community that inspired the missionaries. Soul City Church acquired and renovated an abandoned community park and pool so that the underprivileged youth in the community can have a place to go and as Coleman said, “just be a kid and experience the love of Christ as part of His community.”
Later in the week, the FUMC group chose to give back to Soul Church by cleaning the inside and the outside of the church building.
One day, the group met up with several other ministries to help people facing food insecurity with a drive-through food bank. At the food bank, members of FUMC had the opportunity to pray with each recipient. There was a special moment between one young lady who attended the trip as a college counselor, Emma Cunningham, and a lady receiving a food supplement at “We Will Go.” The lady receiving the food shared her battle with breast cancer. Cunningham knew all too well of the struggle as she had a family member who also struggled with it. Cunningham gave a pink “hope bracelet” she was wearing to the lady. It was a gesture Cunningham had prayed to God about for months when she asked God to find a person to receive the bracelet. The two exchanged prayers and hugs and it made the trip extra special for Cunningham and the people who witnessed the interaction.
On the last day, the FUMC group worked with an organization called Shower Power at an area where an empty lot downtown was turned into a place for the homeless to bathe, get food, clothes and other needs. There, the homeless had a safe place to build connections within the community.
“It may be scary but I would rather go and obey God than to stay here and know that I disobeyed His Calling,” said Gracy Coley, one of Coleman's students.
“Before we departed, I challenged the students to return in a week changed. They returned very grateful but also blessed to be used by God and desiring only more opportunities to be emissaries for Christ. Their mission field was Jackson, Mississippi, but now it is everywhere God puts their feet and lives in their heart,” Coleman said.
