The Refuge is a brand new mission trip destination for United Methodist youth in Utica, NY. sponsored by the Utica Eastside Mission. This site offers youth groups the opportunity to spend a week in this culturally diverse community leading vacation bible school day camps for children. Many of the children in the community are part of refugee families, and The Refuge's mission is to provide them with a quality Summer program. Now youth groups are invited to use the provided curriculum and scheduled activities to make this program happen!
Interested youth groups are invited to come to Utica during one of The Refuge's 8 weeks of camp, July-August. Accommodations will be at Asbury UMC, with lunches provided, a kitchen for groups to prepare their own dinners, and showers at other local facilities. The day camp runs Monday through Thursday with Fridays reserved for field trips so participating youth groups can take their own time to see some of the Utica area's best attractions - Howe Caverns, The Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Adirondacks Mountains. Evenings are also reserved for youth groups to plan their own devotions and groups building activities.
The Refuge mission trip only costs $200 per participant, so the best way to support this unique ministry is to bring a youth group! Utica Eastside Mission hopes to open a second site for their after-school kids program in Fall 2012, and a strong Summer 2012 with lots of great youth groups participating is their plan to do it. If interested in bringing a group please call Mary at (315)292-1239. Also, local churches and groups in Utica can donate lunches, books, theater costumes, sports equipment, and healthy snacks for children.
Courtesy of www.UMYOUTHMISSIONS.org
