Faith in Practice

Sweat and laughter go together in the summer time like teenagers and hard work — at least in the minds of many.

Anniston was recently visited by a parade of passenger vans filled with teenagers all looking to prove that apathy and youth don't always belong in the same sentence.

Collectively, they are known as Team Effort, a Christian organization based out of Georgia that coordinates summer camp missionary trips for churches from across the country. This year these 40-plus kids are donating their days — not to mention a chuck of summer vacation — to help clients and families of Children's Rehab Services, a statewide organization that provides programs for children and youth with special needs.

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Slideshow: Teen missionaries See a group of teen missionaries from Belpre, Ohio, helping Anniston home owners with disabilities.

Over the course of a few days, these missionaries, broken up into three teams, will visit the homes of CRS patients to perform chores ranging from raking leaves to re-decking patios, painting bedroom walls, to cleaning gutters.

"We'll do whatever needs to be done," says Allison Bovell who is leading the Anniston Team Effort camp. "We're here to help … whoever or however we can."

A host of strangers will benefit from their visit. People like Jeremy Dutton.

Jeremy is autistic and blind. But that in no way interferes with the 18-year-old's love of music, which includes everything from gospel to rock 'n' roll, though none of the "hard stuff," promises his mother, Cindy Gay. But on this particular Monday morning, that passion has caused Jeremy to miss out on some very special sounds.

If it weren't for the headphones wrapped snuggly over both ears and the Discman at his hip blaring out a favorite song, Jeremy would likely be enjoying the strange concert being performed right outside his front door.

The members of Team Effort are scattered across the yard — all armed with rakes, water hoses and scrub brushes. Their laughter mingled with the cacophony of busy tools creates a junkyard chorus than would be music to his ears.

But what Jeremy doesn't hear, his mother more than appreciates. Members from Team Effort have spent this surprisingly cool Monday morning cleaning every outdoor inch of the family's home — from rooftop to front yard.

"It's just such a blessing," she says. "There's just no other word for it. I don't even know that these kids know how much it means. We are very blessed and very thankful."

It's those same sentiments that will continue to echo across Anniston in the homes of the handful of CRS clients who were chosen, by matter of priority, to be visited by Team Effort. This was the second Team Effort visit to Anniston. An earlier group from Illinois spent a week in June and built a wheelchair ramp for 7-year-old Chayton Holbert.

And while they work for free, these teenagers' are being rewarded in other ways.

"It's the look in the homeowner's face," says 16-year-old Devon Burnfield from Beltre, Ohio after politely declining a handshake because of the bleach that coats his hands. "There's such joy. And the work's really nothing to us, but it means everything to them.

"That's why we do it … it's all about that look."

They weren't the only ones who were grateful. So were the staff members and professional therapists associated with CRS, all of whom knew the needs that their clients had that simply couldn't be met.

"When it comes to this kind of work, this manual labor, we as an organization just didn't have the access," says Kay West rehabilitation nurse coordinator for CRS. "We don't have the funds. We don't have the expertise, but we're always on the look out for the right resources.

"This just happened to come our way."

But it wasn't only Team Effort members from Ohio who were donating their time and effort this summer. The youth group from First United Methodist Church of Anniston also participated, while Parker Memorial Baptist Church and Friendship United Methodist Church helped to house and feed both the Ohio and Illinois visitors.

It's this kind of selfless dedication that gives teenagers a good name.

"Despite what people think," Burnfield says, sliding off his sunglasses, "there are a lot of teens who have a real burning desire to help others."

And they do get to enjoy a certain amount of vacation along with all their hard work. Team Effort members generally work from about 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. three days during the week. They attend chapel services regularly and are allowed a few hours of free time to go swimming or sightseeing.

But the focus is always on the mission — to improve the lives of others and themselves.

"We don't want them to forget why they're here," Bovell says. "Sure, they're doing work, but it's all for a purpose. These kids are all very service-minded. It's physical, but it's spiritual too.