For the fourth consecutive year, the Smithville Church of Christ hosted their summer Work Camp in the local community. The week was spent serving those in the area with maintenance needs and construction projects. Work Camp began on Monday and over fifty members from the congregation worked until late Thursday afternoon to finish their tasks. Six ramps were constructed, houses were power washed, driveways were resurfaced, roofs were repaired, fences were painted, gutters were cleaned, yards were mowed, trees were cut down, and special projects with Smithville Elementary were tackled.

Work Camp is not only to a time to serve those in the local community, but it also gives members a chance to serve one another. There is camaraderie. Camaraderie is a term not heard much these days, as it is more experienced than said. In it’s simple definition, camaraderie is high spirited fellowship. That is what the week was all about. Workers gathered together mid-day to stop and have a lunch provided by other members who spent their morning in service preparing the meal. A cookout and fish fry brought the families back together for evening meals and more fellowship. The Retreat at Center Hill Lake showed their support for the work being done in the community and hosted a breakfast on the last day of the camp to refresh those who were refreshing others.

It would be easy for the members to say "Well, I’ve done my good works for the year; don’t ask me to do anything else until next year’s Work Camp," but I don’t think you will hear that from any of the servants that worked last week. You may hear others asking what else can we do to help our neighbors, but then again, you may not hear anything at all. Because service done in secret brings more joy to both parties. Let me encourage you to find your neighbor and ask one simple question. What can I do to help you today?