Youth on mission of love

Westminster Presbyterian team reaches out to Native Americans

By LINDA M. LINONIS

religion@vindy.com

boardman

Members of the youth group of Westminster Presbyterian Church have a lot to share about what they did during summer vacation.

The group went out to present a vacation Bible school and help refurbish a church in Dallas, S.D., just east of the Rosebud Indian Reservation. They did that but the essence of the trip can be summed in up a realization from 17-year-old Alys Cook. “We went out there to teach but left with more than what we taught.”

Twelve teens, accompanied by adult leaders, packed up two 15-passenger vans and drove 1,300 miles to the western state. The nine-day trip, which began June 25, included four days of of travel to and from their destination and five days on tribal land. Those days involved faith, bonding and a learning experience that probably will last a lifetime.

Jamie DiSibio, youth director, and Diane Crowe were leaders; other adults on the trip were the Rev. David Joachim, church pastor, Walt Holokai, Jan Gleichert and DiSibio’s wife, Jaclyn.

Recently, Jamie DiSibio and Loryn Holokai, 16; James Hamilton, 16; Laura McEwan, 17; and Alys Cook met at the church to share memories of the trip. The youth group recently presented a program on the trip to a packed church.

DiSibio said the youth group, ranging in age from 15 to 18 years old, fluctuates between 15 to 20 members. DiSibio said the Rev. Bob Offerdahl helped him make the connection to the Native American site. The Rev. Mr. Offerdahl has led mission trips from Eastminster Presbytery to the Dakota (Native American) Presbytery.

“We haven’t attempted to take a trip of this scope for a while,” DiSibio said. The group didn’t know exactly what to expect or all that they would do.

“I wanted to go to help with children,” Laura said. “The kids really wanted someone to talk to.”

Alys said she went “for the experience.” “This was so different ... and interesting,” she said, adding that the trip was “something completely out of the box of my experiences.”

She noted that seeing the poverty and struggles of the Native American families and children that the group met “made me more appreciative of what I have and my church family.”

Loryn agreed. “We saw how other people live. We’re so used to our lives.” She said the group “gave of themselves.” Loryn reiterated what Alys had said. “The kids there taught us something,” she said.

James said he saw the trip “as an opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life.” That’s something, he noted, people often get to do in their everyday lives. “This was about touching the lives of people ... who are less fortunate.”

Some in the group taught “Heroes Headquarters,” the theme of Bible school but this project turned into more than the usual VBS. The youth group ended up providing transportation and breakfast and lunch, which they didn’t anticipate. But DiSibio said the group rose to meet the unexpected.

Though the youth group provided food, water, crafts and games, there was a spiritual side as well. “It was about sharing God’s love with them,” Loryn said.

“They knew they had a safe place here,” Laura said. “I think we demonstrated our faith through example,” she added.

Alys noted that the children “have seen hardship” but it was important for her to share with them that they “always had God’s love.”

“God will always be there for them,” Loryn added.

James said the Bible School was an “opportunity to share what we believe and express our faith.”

He and others on the trip worked on the Mniska Presbyterian Church, which was built in 1863. The church had been closed for some 20 years. Along with two elders from the reservation, youth group members painted and sided the church. “It has a really beautiful cross inside,” James said.

DiSibio added that church members have been meeting in a tent and trailer.

Youth group members said the trip was a bonding experience and they became close-knit. DiSibio added that young people got along sans cell phones except to call their families at night.

DiSibio said after the activities of the day, the group would discuss their experiences. “I saw a lot of growth in them,” he said of the group. “They are the future of the church.”