Sammy Aguilar voulenteers his time to paint the side of a house for a local mission sponsored by the LeFlore County Community.

 

By Jenny Huggins
News Reporter

 

The much anticipated local missions program Reach ‘09 was conducted July 8 and 9 in Poteau.  Several Poteau residents were surprised when the group of teenagers and their sponsors showed up to work on their homes. Reach ‘09 began when Nina Morgan and her husband went to “World Changers,” a Christian program held during the summer of  2007. “God told me I needed to do a project like that in Poteau,” Morgan stated.

Reach ‘09 is made up of 52 adults and 63 students who wanted to help their community.  The group of nine churches banded together and took on eight jobs last week to help in the community.  They completed two roofing jobs in two and a half days, a room addition, painting, general home repairs, yard clean-up and window replacement.  

 

The coordinators of the program would like to thank Poteau Public Schools for allowing the participants to stay at Pansy Kidd Middle School throughout the project.  This program was made possible solely by donations obtained throughout the community. Donations of materials and funding were made by area businesses, churches and individuals.  The students were divided into groups. Not by church or age, but mixed into groups so they were able to make new friends during their mission.  

 

Every morning the children were up and working by 7:30 a.m. and were done by 4 p.m.  At night they enjoyed fun and games with a devotional before bed.  The students ranged in ages from 10 to 18.  Not only Poteau Churches joined the mission, Howe, Pocola, Red Oak and Monroe sent participants. Each church sponsored a group. The groups attended their respective churches on Sunday to give their testimony about their experience.  Plans are to continue the program next year hoping to make it bigger, include more jobs and churches.  The planning should begin in January with the application process beginning next spring.