A mission team from Cokes Chapel United Methodist Church in Sharpsburg recently participated in its annual River of Life mission (ROL), which began last Wednesday, July 8 and concluded Sunday, July 12. ROL engages young people in service projects designed to assist the elderly and disabled in central Georgia through the Rebuild Macon organization.
“Come, Follow Me,” was this year’s theme said Bobby Totten, Cokes Chapel’s youth director. Totten explained that the congregation also engaged with ROL through a shoe collection campaign. “We set a goal of 150 pairs of shoes, and thanks to the generosity of the church family and community, we collected more than 400 pairs.” Totten added that for many people in the world, having a pair of shoes is a luxury. “This is an amazing project, and I’m thankful to be a part of it.”
The shoes will be shipped to Soles4Souls, an international relief organization that fights poverty through the collection and distribution of shoes and clothing to people in 127 counties around the world.
“When I walked into the Cokes Chapel Contemporary Worship Center and saw hundreds of pairs of shoes, my heart was filled to overflowing,” said Cokes Chapel’s pastor, Mark Jordan, “The shoe collection campaign and the tie to Christian fellowship is amazing. People will see the love of Christ demonstrated in a real and meaningful way — a pair of shoes.” Jordan explained that half of the donations remain in the United States. “This is truly a case of neighbor helping neighbor. Unfortunately, there are people in the U.S. who lack basic necessities, and this project is designed to address that need.”
Totten concluded, “This year our focus has expanded to include helping people all over the world.”
The mission team was comprised of ten youth and three adult chaperones.
