Newgate Mission

LeTourneau Summer Camp hosted about 500 students this week with more than 80 volunteering for community outreach. Led by Executive Director Ernest Parker of Houston-based Lift Ministries, one of eight camps in the U.S., Lift Ministries' slogan is "Lifting up Christ."
Parker, a Baptist minister, partnered with Newgate Mission of Longview offered the LeTourneau campers' young energy, time and physical labor enabling Newgate to complete several projects and prepare for new ones.
"Newgate gives to so many, we wanted to give something back to them," said Parker. "They serve their community in everything they do from feeding the hungry to offering resources to being a solid rock on the corner for the homeless. We wanted to ‘roll up our sleeves' and give them a helping hand. It's what Jesus would do.
"He commands us to go out into the highways and hedges; to serve the poor, to give unselfishly and unconditionally," said Parker. "We're serving Christ by serving Newgate this week who serves so many every day of every week throughout the year."
The teen volunteers, 14- to 18-year-old summer campers from various churches across Texas, painted and fixed Newgate's dumpster enclosure, painted a mural on outside mission walls, landscaped, weed-whacked, washed vehicles, sorted and organized garments and merchandise for the Thrift Store, built a picnic table and worked on grounds that will become a community garden.
Made possible by American Electric Power and the Stragent Foundation, the community garden will become a reality with its first planting of melons and beans early fall of this year. AEP leased a vacant field adjacent to Newgate to the mission for community garden use.
Stragent Foundation brings Operations Director Steve Crane, funding and volunteers together to make the project happen. A July 15 community meeting will provide details for those interested in this unique people-project that partners with Mother Nature.
The LeTourneau camp volunteers project week culminated with Thursday's Block Party; a communitywide event with teens hosting a program and serving hot dogs, watermelon, snowcones and more. Games for all ages were in the mix as well as live music.
"I plan to go into the ministry one day, possibly as a missionary," said 18-year-old Kyle Ray of Canyon Creek Baptist Church. "Working this week with Newgate gave me a good taste of what it's like to be on the mission field. The Bible says, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.'
"Jesus saw the multitude and had compassion on them," said Ray. "Newgate is reaching those hardest to reach. They seek the lost and shine God's light of salvation. Should we not do the same?
"We're here building our relationship with Christ as we build relationships with the homeless and destitute that Newgate ministers to yearlong," said Ray. "We serve God by serving others. We show His love by loving them ourselves."
"It's never dull around here," said Newgate's executive director, the Rev. Jennene Laurinec. "When you are riding in God's roller coaster, you either cower down, shake with fear and wait for it to be over, or you sit in the front seat, throw your hands in the air and holler, Wheeeeee!
"This week Newgate experienced the LeTourneau campers' passion, caring and incredible hard work. I think of the word joy. It was just a joy having them and moreso," said Laurinec. "It also gave us an opportunity to share with them the gift it is to give to others. The giver always becomes the principle beneficiary of any gift."