WHITESBORO, TX -- Many teens look forward to time off from school and work during the holidays, and being home with family and friends. But this year, one group of students from Whitesboro gave up their Christmas, to serve others far from home.

A few years ago Whitesboro Pastor Tom Bilderback was looking for a mission for his Youth Group, when a news clipping about a church in need in New Orleans came across his desk.

"I called the church and found that there was a real need, so we went to check it out and figured out that is where we were supposed to be," Bilderback said.

Vieux Carrie Baptist church is located just off of Bourbon Street in New Orleans, and provides care and service to many of the city's homeless.

Despite their age, the teens from First Baptist Whitesboro, are not going to the Big Easy just to tag along, they go to contribute.

"They do services, they lead worship, they do the bible studies," Bilderback said.

And the mission isn't just about words, its focus is action.

"We do a lot of hands-on work when we are down there."

Students clean and paint, make meals, and pass out coats and blankets. It's all in an effort to help those most in need, in a city still recovering from one of the worst natural disasters in modern history.

These students say, while the give, they also take away life lessons from the experience.

"It makes me appreciate my parents."

"I think I have changed because now I am grateful for what I have."

Students and pastors have gone to New Orleans several times already, and they say they will keep going.

"Oh yes, definitely go back, without a doubt."

"Until God lets us know to go somewhere else we are going to keep going there."