The life group called “Creating for Change: How Great Thou Art” passed out art at Morning Pointe nursing home last Saturday as a way to give back to the community, according to co-leader Hyein Lee.
Co-leaders Cindy Rivera and Lee created the life group and started meeting on Feb. 1 in Thatcher South’s White Oak Room.
According to Rivera, the first Saturday they had around 10 students in attendance and the next week it nearly doubled to about 20.
“The main purpose of our life group is it doesn’t really matter what they paint, as long as they have a verse [from the Bible included in their art]. I feel like just [having] a verse gives it even more meaning and can draw people closer to God,” Rivera said.
A typical meeting starts with prayer and an icebreaker, said Rivera and Lee. Afterwards, they have a small worship and then spend the rest of the hour painting and creating art.
“This life group is really cool; I love getting to spend time really relaxing and painting something,” said Cameron Trotter, freshman physical therapist assistant major.
Rivera and Lee are both nursing majors; and as part of their electives, they both decided to take the class Complementary Interventions, which focuses on painting and music therapies. According to Lee, this is where they got their inspiration for their life group.
“Often times, we are so focused on ourselves when we are in school. But this gave us an opportunity to serve others and to use our talents for other people and for God,” Lee said.
Along with passing out their art to nursing homes, the leaders have other goals and projects for their group. According to Rivera and Lee, some of the projects they hope to do in the future include a mural, making and passing out encouraging cards to students on campus, painting with children at a pediatric hospital and giving more of their art to homeless shelters and hospitals.
“We may not know what the person in this facility or place [is] going through. But I feel like whenever you look at a painting, you completely forget about your issues. You completely forget about where you are at that moment,” Rivera said.
Rivera and Lee picked a quote from Leo Buscaglia, American author and motivational speaker, for their group’s motto.
“Your talent is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God,” Buscaglia said.
“Creating for Change: How Great Thou Art” meets on Saturdays at 3:30 p.m. in the White Oak Room located in Thatcher South. This group is open to all students.
