By Rozella Hardin
Editorial Director
rozella.hardin@elizabethton.com
Madison Grace Younce, a fifth grader at Happy Valley Middle School, is on a mission. She hopes to raise $8,000 in the next few weeks — money that will be used to put a roof on a church in India.
“I heard about the church and its need for a roof from my papaw, who has been to the church,” said 10-year-old Madison, “and I wanted to do something to help them. My papaw suggested we raise money to put a new roof on their church.”
Papaw is the Rev. Bill Younce, pastor of Lighthouse for Mission Church, 2860 Highway 19E. Rev. Younce has been on four previous mission trips to Hyderhbad, India, but has not been in about four years. “The cinderblock church has a roof of grass, and when the monsoon season hits, the people are unable to worship there because the roof leaks so badly. The monsoon season hits the last of June and runs through the last of September. During that time it constantly rains,” said Rev. Younce.
He along with Madison hope to raise enough funds to get the church in the dry before the monsoon season hits.
Rev. Younce noted that Hyderhbad is a very poor community and that close to 100 people attend the village church. The church has a dirt floor and no seats. “When the people come to worship, they sit on the dirt floor,” he explained.
When Rev. Younce visited the community, he did revivals and visited the leper colonies located nearby.
This is not Madison’s first fundraising venture. She has done candy sales and other funding projects for her school. “But this time, I wanted to do something for my church and other people,” she said.
Donations for the church roof can be given to the Lighthouse for Jesus Missionary Building Fund, which has been set up at Carter County Bank.