Students to help communities 'Bounce' back after disasters

DALLAS - Texas Baptists are turning to students to help communities "bounce" back after disasters.

This fall, the convention is launching Bounce, a pre-packaged missions experience through which students minister in the wake of disasters. Bounce makes taking youth teams on mission easy, working out logistics for leaders such as where a group will stay, what they will eat and what they will do on mission.

Students will serve communities through debris removal and cleanup, construction and other ministry projects that will accelerate the bounce back recovery process.

"A lot of folks have a sense of hopelessness after disasters," said David Scott, who leads the effort after serving as World Changer National Missionary for the Western U.S. "Through this ministry, we seek to restore hope. That happens a lot of ways."

Scott believes service opportunities are vital to any effective youth ministry. Through Bounce, students will better understand what it means to be an active part of the kingdom of God.

"That's such an important thing today," Scott said. "Any youth ministry that doesn't have that, they're really missing something."

Scott is narrowing down a variety of locations and opportunities to four concentrated periods of summer mission work for 2014. Texas Baptists will be able to serve in those areas June 16-21, June 23-28, July 7-12 or July 14-19.

By bringing together youth groups, Texas Baptists are mobilizing a generation seeking to make a difference in the world. During a well-organized week, a multitude of young people can make quite a difference in lives of those who have been affected by disasters.

"It has been my responsibility over the past years to visit major disasters sites in Texas, the U.S. and around the world," said Chris Liebrum, who leads Texas Baptists' Disaster Recovery. "Seeing the need, I really think middle and high school and college students could make a big difference in this area.'"

For more information about Bounce, call David Scott at 888-244-9400 or visit www.texasbaptists.org/bounce.