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May 2012 |
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Off the Beaten Path-A different Kind of Spring Break
by Don Schafer
Spring break conjures up images of loading up cars heading south for sun, white sand beaches, theme parks, and good times. Moms and Dads busy themselves the week before getting ready for a little rest and relaxation, while the kids are filled with anticipation of meeting their favorite cartoon characters, thrilling rides, or awesome waves.This spring break a group of eighteen, mostly families, decided to spend spring break a little differently. Yes, we headed south with the rest of the masses and there was sun and there were certainly good times. But there was little rest, no theme parks, and no white sand beaches. This group headed for Natchez, Mississippi where they would spend five days working in the community. During our five days, this group scrubbed toilets,cleaned houses, re-built stairs, painted a porch, did landscaping, built bunk beds, planted a garden, served food to the poor, helped re-open a thrift shop, and more importantly made relationships. So why give up the theme parks and white beaches for a scrub brush and shovel? It is a calling – a gentle nudging for some and a strong pull for others. For some the initial reason was to create a legacy of giving as a family, for others it was to spend time serving a community that we love, and for a couple it was a first experience.
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