More Compassion

Outreach and Ministry in Oklahoma
April 17, 2019

OKLAHOMA CITY – On March 6, young people from across the union arrived in Oklahoma City to register for the More Compassion Outreach, a yearly event sponsored by the Southwestern Union. Youth from Arkansas and Texas joined Oklahoma youth to serve. Daniel Ortega, Oklahoma Conference youth director, organized and mobilized over 75 youth and young adults into groups to serve at various locations doing various jobs for two full days.

The youth worked with local organizations that the Oklahoma Conference youth department had partnered with such as The Toby Keith Foundation, City Rescue Mission, Feed the Children, OKC Regional Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity.

They served meals to the homeless, packed food boxes and care packages for families in need, sorted and organized clothes, cleaned and sanitized rooms for cancer patients and families and performed minor home repairs for a family in need. At the end of the two days, our young people put in more than 450 hours of compassionate service into the community, ministering to those in need.

On Sabbath, nearly 250 young people attended a special service with Helvis Moody, Southwestern Union youth/young adult director and Jose Cortez Jr., North American Division associate ministerial director for evangelism. After enjoying a lunch at Parkview Adventist Academy, the group gathered at the Myriad Botanical Gardens and kicked off the rally with the Drum Corp from God’s Army Pathfinder Club and marched around the city block in downtown Oklahoma City. Then they settled in at the Water Stage Amphitheater to hear from four of our conference youth directors who shared messages about compassion and offered prayer for our youth.

One of our Oklahoma City young adults, Elizabeth Montes, shared, “I had the opportunity to volunteer at three of the local organizations. Being out there really made me realize how much need there is in our own state. As a young adult, I know I was truly blessed. I want to urge others to not wait for these beautiful events to make a difference in your own town. You'd be surprised how a small act of kindness can make a world of change.” See the weekend review video at https://bit.ly/2TNx2s3.

By Carol Chadwick