Olney UMC Tests Weekend Mission Trip to Lousiana

A group of 13 members from the United Methodist Church of Olney recently returned from a groundbreaking mission trip to Baldwin, Louisiana, where they assembled hygiene kits for disaster survivors—proving that even a weekend can make a lasting impact.

Led by Pastor Harrell Braddock, the group became the first ever team to complete a weekend mission at the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) depot, which typically hosts volunteers for week-long stints.

“We were the first group to try a weekend mission. Normally it’s a week long with a Wednesday break,” Pastor Braddock said.

The group included Jan and Harrell Braddock, Carl and Karen Craig, Gail and Walter Spears, Jerry Bunch, Vanessa Garcia, Erin and Riley Lloyd, Lawton Spindle, Lori Davenport, and Mary Braddock, Pastor Braddock’s mother. Together, they made the 8.5-hour drive from Olney to Baldwin, where they stayed in the dorms at the UMCOR facility for two nights.

The mission of the trip: to assemble personal hygiene kits that provide relief and restore dignity to people caught in the aftermath of natural disasters.

“These kits give people a little bit of dignity,” Pastor Braddock said. “After a disaster, something as simple as having your own toothbrush, soap, and towel can be incredibly grounding.”

The Olney team worked a full day in the warehouse, assembling six full pallet loads of hygiene kits. Each kit includes basic toiletries such as a washcloth, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, and comb, all packaged in a resealable bag.

Their efforts come at a critical time as the country experiences a number of weather-related disasters. UMCOR shipped 17,000 hygiene kits to North Carolina last year following Hurricane Helene, and stands ready to respond with volunteers trained to help clean up, get supplies to a devastated area, or just lend an ear and a loving heart to survivors, Pastor Braddock said.

The success of the Olney UMC’s weekend mission has prompted members to consider a longer mission to Louisiana, he said.

Carl and Karen Craig assemble hygiene kits at a weekend mission trip to Baldwin, Louisiana. Photo provided by UMC of Olney

Members of the United Methodist Church of Olney posing with the fruit of their labor at the UMCOR facility in Baldwin, Louisiana, where they assembled hygiene kits for disaster victims. Photo provided by UMC of Olney