Norther can't blow away impact of Texas teens
___By Dan Martin
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CASSIE ROPER (front) from Gambrell Street Baptist Church of Fort Worth and Vicki Weaver from First Baptist Church in Godley help move cabinets at the City Light Missions Building, a ministry of Abilene's First Baptist Church. Volunteer missions projects were a part of Acteens IMPACT, a statewide event sponsored by Woman's Missionary Union of Texas.
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___Texas Baptist Communications
___ABILENE--Even a West Texas blue norther didn't put a chill on the enthusiasm and endeavors of more than 600 Acteens at the IMPACT conference at Hardin-Simmons University the first weekend in March.
___"The norther did drive our activities inside, but other than that, we were able to do our conferences and missions projects," said Emily Row, consultant for Acteens with Texas Woman's Missionary Union.
___The meeting started with almost balmy temperatures on Friday, and the 609 girls and their leaders from 69 churches across the state took part in outside activities as they got acquainted with their counterparts from other parts of the state.
___But outdoor work was cancelled for Saturday, after high winds blew in bone-chilling cold overnight. Instead of the planned activities related to a Habitat for Humanity project and a playground ministry, the teens and their leaders worked at Children's Fun Festivals inside the family life centers at First Baptist Church and Pioneer Drive Baptist Church.
___Other projects included work at the Abilene State School for the mentally handicapped, the Abilene Convalescent Center, Care Inn of Abilene, Parent's Anonymous, Northern Oaks Nursing Home, Day Nursery of Abilene and several low-income apartment units across the city.
___In addition to the missions projects, the Acteens participated in IMPACT conferences, which ranged from understanding Islam to using drama in worship, evangelism and missions work in Japan and Sudan, and staying personally healthy and fit in mind, soul and body.
___Speakers were Mark and Sharon Bennett, Southern Baptist International Mission Board missionaries to Japan; and Ann Clark and Rebecca Johnson of Fort Worth, who were journeymen missionaries with the IMB.
___Row, in her first year to direct the conference as a staffer of Texas WMU, is a veteran of such events. She attended IMPACT for the past eight years as parti-cipant, group leader, consultant and now staff member responsible for planning the event.
___"IMPACT stands for In Missions Preparation As Christian Teens," she explained, saying the purpose of the meeting is to encourage high school and junior high-age girls to participate in missions projects as part of the meeting and "then to go back home and participate in missions activities."
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