Man spends  his vacations helping others

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By Virginia Burroughs, Staff Writer Updated 8:31 AM Friday, August 14, 2009

Princeton Heights resident Jeff Sparks uses vacation time from his job to go on work missions in devastated areas.

“Last year, we went to Iowa after the floods there and did demolition and cleanup,” he said.

In November, he’ll make his sixth trip to New Orleans.

Sparks, a Louisville native, settled in Dayton after serving in the Air Force from 1973-90.

“I applied for a job with the post office and was doing odd jobs in construction when I received a letter from the postal service in 2000 and was hired the next day,” he said.

Sparks has been a mail carrier working out of the Dayton View branch since then, so “I live and work in my neighborhood.”

A former Baptist, Sparks joined Ginghamsburg Methodist Church in Tipp City. When that church bought the vacant Ft. McKinley Church in Dayton, Sparks took a class to become a lay pastor there.

“We use the Ft. McKinley Church as our Dayton project, and so I now attend there,” Sparks said.

It’s through his church that Sparks goes on the work missions.

“Our church has sent 53 teams to New Orleans,” he said. “About 15-20 members are on a team, and I’ve formed a group that meets every few weeks that’s gone with me on five or six of the trips. We stay for a week, and although the majority just want to serve in any way that’s needed, some know a lot; there’s a roofer, and one guy built a whole house.”

Although Sparks has a construction background and builds privacy fences and decks on the side, “when I go as a team leader I show everyone what to do and then take over the kitchen — l love to cook.”

Team members pay their own costs to serve on the mission trips.

“In New Orleans, we always work out of Slidell, just outside of New Orleans, which was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina,” Sparks said. “The United Methodist Committee on Relief Corps has facilities down there, and they assign tasks. Hundreds of faith-based teams come from all over, even from other countries. Our church sends at least one team a month.”

Sparks said his dream is to serve on a mission in Sudan.

“Our church adopted Sudan for a five-year project, although it will last longer than that,” he said. “Teams go in, talk to villagers, give them tools and train them. We’ve also built schools and trained teachers.”

But, the Sudan trip is expensive, “and it’s a 10-day work trip. I only schedule seven-day vacations. But, I hope to be able to go in 2011.”

Sparks’ wife, Marcia, doesn’t go on the same trips he does, but goes on other projects.

“She’s a nurse and has gone to Mexico on medical missions. Doctors who attend our church lead the missions, and she does whatever’s needed,” he said. “Our mission is to go out and serve.”

Contact this columnist at (937) 276-4441 or vburroughs@woh.rr.com.

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