Appalachian Service Project 2025
As a 20-year-old, life is full of firsts. In the past few weeks, I’ve started my internship at White Memorial, entered youth ministry for the first time, gone on my first ASP (Appalachian Service Project) trip, and served as anadult chaperone. I wouldn’t have it any other way, but navigating these new roles has been an interesting path so far.
During my second week as a Youth Ministry Intern, I was set to chaperone ASP—a trip White Memorial youth have attended for over 35 years. I was always active in WMPC’s youth program, going on every trip, retreat, or conference I could—except ASP. Manual labor never appealed to me—I’m not a fan of mud, dirt, bugs, or construction work. I figured I’d always dodge ASP, but this summer, I was called in as an adult.
Appalachian Service Project is a ministry that makes homes “warmer, safer, and drier.” ASP partners with 20–30 communities in central Appalachia, coordinating volunteers from churches nationwide to assist with home repairs for low-income families.
I wasn’t too nervous. I had previously gone on a Mexico mission trip as a youth, which helped me know what to expect from service-based travel. All I knew about ASP was that we were going to rural Appalachia and maybe building houses? That’s part of it—but the experience ended up being far broader and more meaningful than I anticipated.
Going to ASP with White Memorial was no small feat. We brought nearly 30 youth and 10 adults on a six-hour bus ride, all sleeping in the gym of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in downtown Charleston, West Virginia. I was thankful to be joined by two college friends—Gabe Edmonston and William Corkey. We were in it together. With 30 students going, we had to get creative when it came to leaders. Our Safe Sanctuary policy usually requires adults to be five years older than the oldest youth, so bringing in a few college students (like me!) meant checking in with every family first. Thankfully, everyone was on board, and we made it work.
Inside St. Anthony’s, students made the most of their free time—singing along to friends playing their guitars, improvising ping pong matches, playing cards, and having a mix of deep and silly conversations. Manual labor and long days brought together 30 teens from different schools and grades, with phones rarely in sight.
I was initially concerned about my role. Only two years out of the youth program myself, I was close in age to many participants—and even friends with some of them. I also wasn’t sure how I’d connect with the older adult chaperones.
But looking back, that closeness became a strength. The youth saw me as both a friend and a leader. I felt respected, and I was able to connect with the adult leaders as well. I sometimes struggled to relate to adults when I was younger, so I hope the students felt safe being themselves around me, while also seeing me as someone they could go to for support.
When it came to the work, there were a lot of moving parts. Our large group was split into four smaller teams, each assigned to different locations. I helped demolish and rebuild a deck, working alongside adult leaders Colleen and Christopher Edmonston and Justin Wallwork. It was physically demanding and often exhausting, but we made real progress.
ASP runs for six weeks, so unfinished work from our week would be picked up by groups coming after us. This system ensures that homeowners receive a complete and lasting repair by summer’s end.
Looking back, one phrase keeps coming to mind: “hope through endurance.” In Romans 5:3–5, the apostle Paul writes: “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope…”
While our week was tiring, we always knew we’d return home to comfort. Homeowners, however, live with the daily realities of damage and hardship. And yet, for both us and them, hardship created endurance. Endurance built character. And character gave way to hope.
Despite the heat, sleep deprivation, and obstacles, the Holy Spirit helped our group persevere. And only at White Memorial have I seen such a large group form such meaningful bonds while working hard to serve our neighbors in Christ.
by Caroline Garcia, Youth Ministry Summer Intern