The older citizens who participate in LIFE Butler County were excited Thursday to get a shot of youthful enthusiasm by a group of young Christians from Michigan.

JAM Youth Ministry of Midland Evangelical Free Church in Midland, Mich., made the annual pilgrimage to Butler last week that they’ve been making for about 19 years.

The Rev. Chuck Lloyd, youth pastor at the church, said nearly two decades ago the church was looking for a way to connect its youth with a mission trip and found Adventures in Missions.

That group was affiliated with Fishbone Ministries of Butler, and a mission connection was born.

While Midland no longer partners with Adventures in Missions, the youth group’s connection to Fishbone Ministries in Butler’s Island neighborhood has only strengthened over time.

Every year, 20 to 50 middle school-aged Jam Youth Ministry members ride south in the big vans to Butler to provide any services Wishbone Ministries has in store for them.

The youth stay in houses on Shore Street owned by Fishbone Ministries.

“They’re doing lifesaving work,” Lloyd said of Fishbone Ministries. “They are coming alongside people in desperate need.”

This year — in addition to removing a decaying back porch for a neighborhood woman and building a new one, playing with kids in Rotary Park who may never have been exposed to Christianity, helping at Fishbone children and youth programs and a vacation Bible school at Rotary Park, and a prayer walk in which youth ask people on the street if they need prayers — a handful of JAM members visited the LIFE Butler County Adult Day Center on West Diamond Street.

The young people chatted with the older residents who participate in Lutheran Senior Life’s LIFE Butler County, which stands for Living Independence For the Elderly, before helping with a watercolor painting project.

During the craft, the young people chatted with those wielding paintbrushes about the importance of Christianity in their lives, fetched art supplies or just provided a friendly ear.

“It’s a way for them to reach out to past generations and serve people who are sometimes very lonely,” Lloyd said. “The number one goal is to share the love of Jesus.”

He said five to six training session on everything from how to operate a power tool to working as a team to communicating with the elderly are held at the church in Michigan before the mission trip.

Noah Adamcik, an adult leader with JAM Youth Ministries, said the six youth who came to the day center stopped on the sidewalk before entering Thursday morning.

“We had a prayer before we came in because in everything we do, we are seeking God’s will first,” he said.

Adamcik, 23, was last in Butler as a sixth-grader in the JAM program.

“God has worked a lot in my heart to serve my church and being part of youth ministry is one way I can do that,” he said.

Rowan Stoddard, 13, enjoyed his second trip to Butler County with the JAM program.

He spoke at length to a woman painting a square of Popsicle sticks about the importance of each person’s connection to Jesus.

“Noah taught me a tactic known as the way of the master,” Rowan said of talking to the LIFE Butler County participants. “You show them their sin, then show them how they can be saved through Jesus Christ.”

He also enjoys interacting with the kids and adults in the Island neighborhood “who don’t know Christ.”

“We can show people how to live through Christ,” Rowan said.

He said he is normally not much of a talkative, chatty person.

“But when I’m talking about the Bible, I can’t stop,” Rowan said.

Amaya Leach, 15, has participated in the Fishbone mission trip to Butler three times.

“I’m always excited to go,” Amaya said. “I make a lot of memories here.”

Mariruth Gramz, a LIFE Butler County participant, enjoyed her watercolor project with the JAM youth.

“I think it’s great because we get to meet people from a different state,” she said of the youth group’s visit.

Mark Haggerty, also a LIFE Butler County participant, hoped the visit was beneficial to the young people.

“They get to travel and see other places,” he said.

Desiree Cronkhite, a recreational therapist who led the watercolor project on Thursday, said the visit by the JAM youth is always uplifting for the LIFE Butler County participants.

“They enjoy the conversations with the young people,” Cronkhite said. “They look forward to them coming every year.”

She sees subtle changes in the participants when the JAM youth visit.

“The young people provide them with some energy and they love sharing their life stories with them,” Cronkhite said.

Adamcik said the youth always enjoy themselves during their time assisting Fishbone Ministries in Butler.

“The students have shared with me their previous experience in Butler, and they always don’t want to leave,” he said.