By Joanne Poff
Former Board Member and Adult Counselor with Fremont United Methodist Church, Portland, OR
Years ago, I sent a wild teenager off on some unknown youth group adventure, called Sierra Service Project. Little did I know that the young man who would return from that trip would be so changed by his experience.
I remember my son telling me that he never knew you could be a crazy Christian. When I asked him to explain what a crazy Christian was, he told me about love, and acceptance, and helping others as an expression of faith. I was so impressed by his new attitude, that I began volunteering with our church youth group.
The next time our church sent a group to SSP, I was invited to be a chaperone. Little did I know how much that experience would change me! I was hooked. I became our church Youth Director and took fourteen more trips to SSP.
It is hard to find an opportunity where everyone benefits, from the homeowner, to the staff, to the volunteers, and the youth. Why do I donate to SSP every month? Because it is important to me that the SSP experience continues to lead people to be crazy Christians.