Green Country Youth Group Returns After Joplin Aid Work

A church youth group is back from a Spring Break mission trip to help people in Joplin. They hope to help the city hit a home run on the road to recovery.

In the days following Joplin's destructive tornado, Rhema Bible Church sent hundreds of volunteers and several semi trucks of supplies.

They promised to return.

"These are our neighbors, and one of the things we need to do for our neighbors is we need to help them in their time of need," said Keith Nachbor, Axis Youth Minister.

With the lasting need so great, volunteers with Rhema kept their word and came back, this time, refurbishing a tornado victims' home, but also stepping up to the plate to save the baseball season.

"They chose to step out and realize first of all that a mission begins in your backyard," said Matt Shirley, Axis Youth Minister.

When the tornado hit Joplin, like so many other things, the baseball park facilities were destroyed. About 50 teens from the Rhema Bible Church youth group, youth pastors, and others are rebuilding what the tornado destroyed.

"It's a landmark. It's very notable in the community, and it's a big deal," Shirley said.

Rebuilding the baseball park is a big deal, especially when you've been through what the folks in Joplin have been through.

"They said that anything that we could do to bring back that sense of normalcy to their lives, helps everybody out," Nachbor said.

"Life tends to fall apart for people when they don't have constants that keep them solidified or founded," Shirley said.

Baseball can be one of those constants on the road to recovery.

"We were at a stoplight, and a guy next to us rolled down his window and said thank you for all the stuff that you're doing over there," said volunteer Daniel Orrison.

"Everybody has been really supportive and really thankful and it's cool to see that," said volunteer Lauren Keich.

It's also cool to see young people making a difference while learning to serve others.