Teen group travels north to help the poor
By Sophia Fischer sfischer@theacorn.com

URBAN MISSION- Area high school students take time out from helping San Francisco's homeless population during a recent mission trip to the city by the bay. The trip was sponsored by Westminster Presbyterian Church in Westlake Village.

While many kids spent their summer at camp or on vacation, one group of local teens devoted their time off from school to help the low-income and homeless residents of San Francisco.

Forty three Conejo Valley high school students spent July 29August 5 in the Golden Gate City preparing, delivering and serving food at homeless shelters and to residents too ill to leave their homes.

Accompanied by 10 adult chaperones, the group also helped care for disadvantaged children at a day camp run by the Salvation Army.

"We saw things in a whole new light. The homeless people, the poverty. . .we're not really exposed to that here in Oak Park," said Jeff Robertson, 17.

"It was awesome to do this. It felt good to do things for other people," said the Oak Park High School senior.

The students were in San Francisco as part of an annual summer youth mission trip coordinated since 1986 by Westminster Presbyterian Church in Westlake Village. The church worked with Center for Student Missions, a Dana Pointbased group that provides shortterm service opportunities for kids and adults throughout North America.

The organization connected the teens with the various San Francisco social service organizations, including the city's food bank, the Salvation Army and Project Open Hand.

"It was just eye-opening for the kids, the diversity in the city- that you can drive through a big business district and then three blocks away find such poverty," said Agoura Hills resident John Robertson (no relation to Jeff), who has served as a chaperone for the past 19 years. Robertson's daughter, Kelli, 17, also was on the program.

"They worked really hard, starting at 6:30 in the morning and weren't done until the evening," said Rob Douglas, director of youth ministries for the church.

Each year the church chooses a different destination for the teens. Last year they assisted a community in Appalachia, W. Va. In prior years they have supported communities in Illinois, Washington, Pennsylvania and Mexico.

"Our goal is to have three to four completely different opportunities to serve while in high school," Douglas said. "We moved deliberately from rural to inner city to possibly a reservation next year so they can experience something they would never experience here."

What made this year's trip particularly meaningful is that students had direct contact with those they helped, according to Douglas.

"They really got to know and hear people's stories, hearing what their lives are like," Douglas said.

The students stayed overnight at the First Baptist Church of San Francisco, sleeping on floors or in old bunk beds. Each participant paid $699 for their room and board and transportation to San Francisco by rented van. To help cover the trip's cost the youth group held car washes, garage sales and provided babysitting, petsitting and gardening services. Several training sessions were held prior to the trip to educate the students about the people and area they were visiting.

"It's fun going with friends," said Jeff, who has participated in four mission trips. "We really felt like we made a big difference."