A group of Ohio State Marion students, alumni, and other members of the Marion Campus Coalition for Christian Outreach (CCO) student organization partnered with Missio Dei Anglican Church of Houston, TX over spring break as part of the Resurrect Houston project.
In the wake of the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, Resurrect Houston pulls together volunteers to assist those unable to repair their lives on their own. The Resurrect Houston project actively seeks out locations for strategic relief projects. Aligning volunteers across the country with work sites where significant material need is not being met through other means.
According to junior social work major and CCO member Karly McMillin, the group drove from Marion to Houston and called Missio Dei Anglican Church home for one week, while signing-on for volunteer projects throughout the community.
McMillin was joined on her spring break mission of goodwill by fellow students Andrew Chaffin, Brent Bennett, and former student Jordan Henderson, as well as former Marion Technical College student Canyon Gamble, and CCO minister Andrew Ryckman.
Additional teams from Columbus campus and a number of other college and university CCO groups from around the country joined together in Houston to help replace sod and clean debris, build a ramp for the disabled, hang doors, drywall, and demo bathrooms and kitchens destroyed by the August 2017 storm.
The group came to Houston with the idea of doing a number of smaller projects, explained McMilllin. Pointing out that Resurrect Houston project had a waiting list of homes that needed redone.
“We wanted our presence in the community to help bring some beauty back to the Houston suburb of Edgebook,” said McMillin.
“I think it was a great opportunity to put my faith in action,” she added. “I actually care about the community of Houston. I got to have real conversations with the people of Houston.”
“For anyone to have those conversations with people and help a community back to normal it is much more meaningful,” McMillin added. “You realize what you can do when you put forth the effort.”
McMillin felt everyone in her group came away with a better understanding of what the people affected by Hurricane Harvey are still facing today.
“I got a different perspective. It’s not just something I saw on television,” said McMillin. “I now have a heart for the people of Houston and what they went through.”
Despite not having particular skills, McMillin shared, volunteers were still able to help, because of the sheer volume of homes, structures and neighborhoods that are in a state of disrepair.
“At first glance it seemed daunting to do something so difficult over spring break,” McMillan said, “but I think what we did in Houston was much more beneficial because of the relationships we built, and the good feeling of helping a community.”