Jessica Krause, Lauren Mearns, Kayla Eisenbarth, Danielle Carruthers, Marianne Wirth, Keelan Ellerby, Sam Krause and Cole Schimke, students from Lighthouse Christian Academy recently spent a week in Vancouver. Each year high school students from the academy take a week from traditional school work to travel to another part of the world to learn, serve in a community and be challenged by who they are as individuals.
This year eight students and two staff members travelled to the downtown eastside of Vancouver. They partnered with established organizations in the area to help out in practical ways such as painting, sorting clothes, food preparation and distribution, as well as meeting lots of interesting new friends. It was a great experience for all involved.
The students put considerable amounts of time into preparing to go by helping in their own community serving, as well as doing their own fundraising. The challenge each year for the students is to take the experience and release it back into their own community once they return.