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Volunteers Come Together

Volunteers Come Together for Community

By ERIN SNELGROVE

Yakima Herald-Republic

A year ago, a handful of local church leaders began talking about organizing a festival that would have a profound and lasting effect on the Yakima Valley.

Now, those words have turned into action.

"There is a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of excitement. This is what we were called to do," said the Rev. Rick Harpel, pastor of West Side Baptist Church in Yakima. "We’re glad to put our shoulder to the plow and see God do the work."

Earlier this week, Andrew Palau from the Luis Palau Association visited Yakima to discuss upcoming events with area church and community leaders.

First comes the Season of Service campaign, which launches in May. Through the campaign, hundreds of volunteers will work through their local churches to tackle everything from homelessness and neighborhood revitalization to school and health needs.

The Yakima Valley CityFest follows July 17-18 at Yakima’s State Fair Park. The free, two-day event will feature music, action sports demonstrations and the words of Andrew and his father Luis Palau, an internationally known evangelist and author. Luis Palau was invited to Yakima by residents familiar with his work.

"This is a great opportunity for people to get beyond themselves and to get to know their community," Andrew said. "It’s about breaking down barriers and sharing the good news of the Bible."

More than 60 congregations have already teamed with the foundation to host Yakima Valley CityFest. Christian messages will be delivered in both English and Spanish.

"Something really great is happening in the Yakima Valley," Andrew said. "People dream that real change will happen."

Asking people for help

Luis Palau has shared the Gospel with more than a billion people. One such way has been through the festival, which begins with a variety of community service projects.

Through the Season of Service, hundreds if not thousands of believers across a region are mobilized to address specific community needs.

In Yakima, some of the projects planned include painting homes for widows, the elderly and veterans, building a house with Habitat for Humanity, revitalizing a neighborhood near the fairgrounds and helping build a trail to add to the Yakima Greenway.

The hope is to engage people in a cause that has meaning to them and to continue the work churches are already doing, said CityFest Director Randy Burtis. Already, more than 60 congregations from throughout the Yakima Valley have pledged their support.

"We’re breaking down complex problems so individuals can make a significant contribution," he said. "The end result is we get more people involved and expand the scope of what they’re doing."

In past years, the Luis Palau Association helped organize 3,500 volunteers in Portland to weed, mow the grass and wash windows at 40 schools. In October, it helped train more than 3,000 volunteers in Little Rock, Ark., to become literacy coaches.

These efforts, and others, have continued and grown since the initial festivals, Burtis said. Besides Yakima, San Diego is planning a similar CityFest for September.

"We really work hard on the sustainability part," he said. "Rather than raise a big ruckus and leave, we want to see it continue."

For Harpel, the projects give people a way to get involved and hopefully stay involved in bettering their community.

"I think a lot of people realize the needs are great. It’s true in every town," Harpel said. "Sometimes you just don’t know what to do. (This) will give them a place to start."

CityFest will be big

Some details of the summer festival are pending, but one thing Burtis knows for sure is that it will be big.

It will include performances by top Christian artists, who will sing in English and Spanish. Face painting, a ventriloquist and games will entertain the children, and a slew of motorcycle and BMX bicycle riders will perform stunts for the crowds -- estimated to be upwards of 15,000.

Through Homeless Connect, a variety of resources will be offered to the homeless -- from food and clothing to counseling and housing assistance. Luis Palau will also spread the word of God in the hopes of bringing people together, Andrew said.

"We recognize people are spiritually searching. This is a natural place for people to come to hear about that and to make their own personal decisions," he said. "People can expect to be surprised by what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ."

Harpel agrees, saying the intent of the festival is to have fun and encourage spirituality in a comfortable way.

"It’s not pushing anything down anyone’s throat," he said. "This is a message we believe in, and this is a great way to present it -- verbally and in action."

Andrew said Yakima Valley CityFest intends to bring Spanish- and English-speaking people together. It will enable business and church leaders to know one another and to pool their efforts on the same causes.

It will also, hopefully, ignite a commitment to service and faith that will continue in the years to come.

"We really want everyone coming down there to feel welcome. That’s really what it’s all about," Andrew said. "There’s no gates, no seating, no admissions or offerings. It’s free and open to everybody. ... You really wouldn’t want to miss it."