DANIEL TYLER GOODEN / L’Observateur / October 11, 2000

LAPLACE – Bailey Smith wanted to find a way to continue the ministry she participated in during a missions program and church camps this summer.

“We do this at camp; why aren’t we doing this at home?” Bailey asked her mother, Kathy Smith. With her mother’s support, Bailey got started.Getting help from several friends, fellow youth group members at First Baptist Church of LaPlace, she organized a backyard Bible study for neighborhood children.

The event was held last week at the church.

“Most of the youth had also gone to camp, and we were ready to help,” said Kathy Smith.

Every day the teen-age leaders – Angel Cutno, Angela Nugent, Jason Lindsay, Jesse Spear, Nicole Strode, Michelle Fontenot, Scottey Manson, Dustin Cali, David Cortez and Smith – went around the neighborhood apartment complexes and brought the kids, of parents who were willing, to church. Theyplayed games outside and did arts and crafts projects, all based from a daily Bible lesson.

“The youth have had as much fun as the kids,” said Kathy Smith. So muchfun in fact, much of the supplies for the projects were paid for out of the teen-agers’ own pockets. On Friday one youth rented a moonwalk for thechildren with his own money. Unfortunately, that event was rained out.Bailey Smith, who spent part of the summer at a missionary camp in Florida, felt the kids just needed a little encouragement.

“We all love these kids. They’re so happy if you show them what they cando,” she said.

Though the afternoon camp was only for a week, the teen-agers plan to continue the project. With the activities based outside, Bailey Smith hopes tocontinue having the afternoon camps at different locations around LaPlace.

Using parks as a central location, the teens will gather kids from the local homes and apartments.

“We’re planning on doing more, but we’re taking it one week at time,” she said.

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