A WITNESS BY ADAM WILLIAMS
Last Saturday, 10 of our middle and high school students and 4 adult volunteers journeyed down I-64 East and the Boulevard before arriving to the historic and beautiful Byrd Park. Our job for the morning? Meeting up with other Richmond-ers for a city-wide day of service in parks, neighborhoods, food banks, and other locations that often need the loving touch of a volunteer. After going over a few guidelines, strapping on our safety vests, and securing our work gloves, we were off and running, cleaning up storm debris and trash strewn about the park after our recent bouts with inclement weather. What was supposed to be a two-hour job was shortened to an hour because of just how hard our team worked to help restore a place that so many enjoy.
Working alongside of our students as they respond to God’s call to take care of their world (see Genesis 2:15) and the people in it is, without a doubt, the most rewarding part of my job. When we act as gracious and careful stewards of creation, we do so much more than simply pick up trash or move tree branches to the curbside. We help give people pride in their neighborhoods; we help make parks and playgrounds safe for children to play; we help reinforce that all of God’s creation is good and is therefore deserving of our attention and love. Our students, with bright smiles on their faces and dirt on their clothes, understand this quite well.
— Adam Williams is the Minister to Students at Christ Church Episcopal
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