DPC Summer Youth Mission Trip to Raleigh Youth Mission

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A Re(New) ed Lens for Our Youth
By Jamie Neal, Seminarian for Youth Ministries

On June 22nd, our team of six youth and leaders set out from DPC to participate in a variety of unique and enriching service opportunities through Raleigh Youth Mission (RYM) in North Carolina. We came not with answers but with open hearts and willing hands. RYM’s theme for the week was A Re(New) ed Creation, we witnessed God’s work unfolding in real time through sweat-stained t-shirts and face-to-face interactions with neighbors on the margins.

By the end, it wasn’t only the community around us that had been touched—we ourselves were transformed.

Each day offered a new opportunity to serve and to learn. At First Baptist Church’s Clothing Ministry, we helped sort shoes and garments in a warehouse full of donated items from Wake County residents. The ministry has served thousands since it began in 1983, offering clean, quality clothing to families, individuals re-entering the workforce, and people experiencing homelessness. One of our youth, Tyler, shared this reflection:

“I’m feeling grateful that this church organization provides clothes and shoes to the homeless population in Raleigh. While we were there, I found myself helping sort through shoes. As I was sorting, I was grateful to think of how these shoes would help so many people who might not have any. This experience has amazed me—we really helped make an impact in a community with such a great need.”
— Tyler

We served alongside St. John’s Metropolitan Community Church, Raleigh’s only overnight shelter. Each evening, up to 130 people—men and women alike—find safety and rest there. But the need is overwhelming. Sam, who runs the shelter, works tirelessly to connect guests with jobs, housing, and dignity. Charlie captured the tension of that day well:

“That shelter was the only one in the surrounding 17 counties and beyond… only able to hold an approximate total of 130 people out of the collective thousands. Sam also had mentioned that he had raked in two kids from upstate NY because this was the only place they had access to… What astonishes me the most is that there is no scarcity in resources to give more people access to these shelters—only a lack of resource management.”
— Charlie

At Farm Church, we harvested the final green beans and cherry tomatoes of the season—produce that will be donated through larger networks to feed hungry neighbors. It was meaningful, hands-on work that reminded us of our connection to creation and each other.

Later, we served at the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, sorting through massive crates of potatoes—saving what was good and composting what wasn’t. By the end, we had packed over 9,100 meals. It was a labor of love, and we knew those boxes would soon feed families across 34 counties.

We also visited a church-based summer camp filled with young children—most of them Hispanic or Latino—where we played sensory games, blew bubbles, and simply listened. One quiet moment became a lifelong memory for Rebecca:

“A camp leader said I probably wouldn’t get too much out of this little girl playing with a ball in the corner. I walked over, sat down, smiled, and said ‘hello.’ She didn’t respond. I said ‘Hola.’ Her face lit up, and she replied in Spanish that she was four. These little interactions with the girl opened my eyes to the world she lives in.

This building is a place she feels safe. Moments like these are ones that I know will stick with me for life.”
— Rebecca

One afternoon, with temperatures soaring to 102 degrees, we loaded ice chests with popsicles, Italian ice, and cold water and set out into the streets. We handed out 131 cold drinks and treats in under two hours. And it wasn’t just hydration—it was hospitality. One man, Tyler, lingered to talk. Our conversation, sparked by a sticker on my water bottle, turned into a story about addiction, street violence, and hope.

“Today,” he told me, “everyone was just grateful. No one wanted to fight. For one moment, there was peace.”

Each evening, we…