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Church Camps On Rooftop To Spread Message

SIOUX FALLS, SD -On a busy Sioux Falls street, a local church asks for some help with their mission trip to Haiti.

WATCH THE VIDEO STORY HERE

Sunday morning, they started camping in a tent atop the church's roof.

"The idea of ‘lift up Haiti’ is to prepare a mission team to go into the field to do mission work," church member and Mission Haiti Board Member Bruce Millikan said.

Over the next week, members of the church will be staying in the tent day and night to raise awareness and prepare themselves for the conditions of Haiti.

"There are still a lot of tent villages and these were temporary shelters at best,” Millikan said.

Members of the Asbury United Methodist Church will work in five-hour shifts, manning a bucket hanging off the roof for donations. They're also recreating the living conditions of those in Haiti as best as they can.

No computers. No cell phones. No electronics. All church members will have on the roof is books about the culture and a few snacks. The only electricity campers will use are the lights at the top of the tent; they will shine through the night, spreading the church’s message.

Dana LeVan went to Haiti last May with the church. She knows how lucky she is after seeing the country's conditions.

“I feel like it's cleaner. Even though we're on top of rock, it's still probably cleaner than what the tents everyone there lives in,” LeVan said.

LeVan is looking forward to making a difference again this November, but Jayne Anderson still has some nerves to ease before her first mission trip.

“That's what I'm a little nervous about. I'm not sure what to expect,” Anderson said.

But she thinks her rooftop experience will keep her head up high.

“I've never been out of the country for a mission trip ever, so it's kind of a leap of faith for me,” Anderson said.

A leap of faith that will keep her grounded.

During their mission trip, the church will be creating a water eco-system for families to grow food.

UMC

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