Perry, FL – SYP – June 15-21, 2025

Two vanloads of nineteen lively young people and their leaders from the Kidron and Akron, Ohio area arrived in Perry, Florida late Monday afternoon. This unique group was made up of Congolese Mennonite Church youth and rural Mennonite church youth who were here to experience getting to know each other through service. The long-term volunteers had already been here a week, getting all the RV campers, kitchen trailer, office trailer, dorm trailers and shower trailer hooked up and ready to go.

The group divided into three teams. One team worked at Miss Annie’s house. They packed up glassware, removed kitchen cabinets, drywall, paneling and kitchen flooring. They installed insulation and electrical boxes. They sanded and mudded drywall and replaced rotted termite-damaged floors in the bathroom and kitchen. They put up drywall in the dining room ceiling, put in a new gas valve at the stove and reset the toilet in the bathroom.

The second team worked at Ella Mae’s house. They removed the ceiling and flooring in the bedroom, removed paneling in the den and tore out the kitchen ceiling. They mudded and installed drywall on the ceilings and wall. They fixed the damaged floor and installed new flooring.

The third team worked at Eldon’s house. They tore down drywall, replaced the bathroom fan and painted the bathroom ceiling. In the laundry room, they mudded seams and painted. This was a small job and they finished this project in two days. The job card for Eldon is signed off. This team then moved on to Patty’s house. They removed siding and installed new windows. They began the drywall process. They removed a tree and brush.

The entire group spent Tuesday evening at Keaton Beach. They enjoyed the outing so much they went back again on Friday evening! We had a special supper on Friday. Three of the girls stayed back and, working with the cooks, prepared an African meal for us. They served a special chicken dish with rice, delicious fry bread, an egg mixed with French fries dish, a tomato onion salad and brownies with ice cream for dessert. Indeed, a unique and fun meal!

The Team at Perry, Florida

Lou Erb, Doug Goertzen, Josie Swartzentruber, Leon & Carol Brubaker, Marilyn Schlabach, Bill Beachey, Adam Blough, Lucinda Shirk