Welcome Back! Members of the Senior High Mission Trip Team have returned from Mobile, Alabama, where they worked with Urban Mission Camps with Government Street Presbyterian Church. Look for their reflections in next month's Trinity News.

Bon Voyage! And off they go again... this time the senior high group and leaders head to Montreat, NC for retreat. Pray for them as they share a time of fellowship and learning together from July 19-26.

Trinity's senior high members will be going to Urban Mission Camps with Government Street Presbyterian Church in Mobile, Alabama June 7 through 13th. Pray for our youth as they engage in mission work and look for a reflection from the youth in the Trinity News next month.

Come watch the big game while helping raise money towards the Senior High trip to Montreat and their mission trip to Alabama.

When: February 3^rd, 2008 from 5:00-end of game

Where: Trinity's Fellowship Hall

Donation: $5 for adults & $2.50 for kids under 12

*Food *contests *games and activities for kids *silent auction

- Rhonda Dunbar, Youth Leader

The Senior High Youth's primary fundraiser again this year is a silent auction of items and services and a Family Football Night. The auction consists of items donated by YOU the members of Trinity Presbyterian Church. Yet again, we are overwhelmed by the generosity of Trinity members, but we can still use more. If you have a talent, a service, or an item you would be willing to put up for bid, please contact me as soon as possible (rhobear3@hotmail.com). Please include a brief description, your contact information (phone and email please), and if you want a minimum bid (not necessary for most items, but helpful for some). The auction will begin Sunday, February 3^rd so we need your items by January 27th. Thanks so much - and please bid on the items as well. Bidding starts after worship on Sunday, February 3rd and will be open until after fellowship on February 10th. This fundraiser supports the Youth Mission Trip to Mobile, Alabama, and the youth trip to Montreat, NC.

See pictures from the mission trip here.

Wawokiye (pronounced wah-whoa'- key-yea) is a Lakota word that loosely translates into "helping the people stand."

This year the Senior High Mission team consisted of Dylan Devine, Paul Devine, Rhonda Dunbar, Hanna Evans, Wyndham Ferris, Blair Klostermeier, and Zach Roman. We spent the week at Re-Member, an outreach to the Oglala Lakota on the Pine Ridge Reservation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. Re-Member's mission is to heal the wounds of the Lakota, to "Re-Member," by putting back together that which is broken, and build hope for the future. We thank everyone who made this incredible experience possible! The following reflections were written at the end of each day.

DAY 1 - Wounded Knee

Today we went to the Massacre/Battle of Wounded Knee. Many innocent people died at this site. We heard the story of what took place and then we had communion. After communion, we picked up trash around the mass grave and the rest of the cemetery. The graves looked different from what we were used to. Instead of flowers left by the visitors, there were offerings of toys, cigarettes, and bread. It was explained to us that the Lakotas bring and leave anything that is of importance to them. At first we thought of these items as trash, but we realized what seemed to us as trash was actually offerings and items of importance to others. It was a very spiritual place; however, we couldn't help but feel disheartened and guilty for the actions of our ancestors.

Community Dinner

Tonight was Re-Member's first community dinner of the season. The community dinner is a weekly event on Re-Member's grounds. The purpose of the dinners is to provide a good dinner to the Lakota guests, allow us (the volunteers) to buy crafts, and most importantly to bring the communities together. Before eating we played softball and tag with the Lakota children and partook in the flag raising ceremony. All the volunteers, staff members, and Lakota guests stood around the medicine circle which surrounds the flag pole. The flag was raised while an Indian Elder sang and a volunteer walked around with burning sage. Then a spirit plate was placed at the base of the flag pole. We were told that the spirit plate was the way to recognize those who have passed away be setting aside a little of all the food we were about to eat. Kelly Looking Horse, a Re-Member staff member and Lakota elder, told us if a spirit is bothering you to give it some food. After dinner we talked to our Lakota visitors, looked at the crafts that were for sale, and played with the children. Two Lakota boys decided to follow Zach around. They wrestled with him and used their "spears" of grass to attack him. We enjoyed spending time with the children.

DAY 2 - The seventy volunteers were split into twelve work crews. Three crews worked together each day.

Hanna volunteered to stay back at Re-Member and work in the kitchen.

I washed dishes, swept, cooked lunch, cooked dinner, and helped prepare for some of the upcoming meals. I loved spending the day by myself. The entire place was quiet.

Blair, Wyndham, and Zach spent their Wawokiye day at a family's home.

Today we played with two kids, painted a room, and cleaned up the family's kitchen. We think that we made a positive impact on their house. The family was welcoming and they at lunch with us. Even though we would have liked to stay longer and do more, we feel we made a difference.

Dylan, Paul, and Rhonda spent their Wawokiye day cleaning out an old trailer.

Today was a very difficult day for us. We walked onto a property that looked uninhabitable. We were shown to the trailer. It was filled to the top with garbage. There is no garbage pick up on the reservation so the family was using their old trailer their "dump". We do not know how to describe what we saw and witnessed. Everything that a typical family throws away was in the trailer including dirty diapers. We felt ourselves start to judge the family based on their trash. Tonight we find ourselves in conflict between our sense of charity and self-righteousness. We are concerned that the new trailer that arrives next week through Re-Member will return to the same state. We continue to ask ourselves if we have a right to put limits on our charity.

DAY 3 - Blair, Wyndham, and Zach spent the day placing beds.

Today it was gratifying to go into these homes and see how happy the children were to get a new bed, sheets, blanket, pillow, and book. It was eye-opening to see their living situations. The houses were small, smelled, had many children, and trash was everywhere. Despite this, we were welcomed into their homes. Our last family invited 10 of us to dinner. Our dinner consisted of fried bread, spam, and Kool-Aid. The dinner was sparse, but filling due to their generosity. We are struggling with the question whether or not what we are doing is enough?

Dylan, Hanna, Paul, and Rhonda spent the day at Re-Member.

Today we spent the morning in the workshop at Re-Member sanding and staining bunk bed components. The staining and sanding are completed outside the building in the sanding stations. At times it felt like a never ending job, but it felt good when you finally completed sanding a piece of wood that you know will eventually become a child's bed. After lunch it was raining. We were frustrated that we wouldn't be able to get more done, but the extra time during the day allowed us to spend time getting to know people we hadn't had a chance to before this day. Rhonda and Paul had the opportunity to get to know Susie Looking Horse (A Lakota who runs the kitchen at Re-Member) on a more personal level. Dylan and Hanna had a chance to spend time with the youth from the other groups. Overall, it was not the day we had expected but it was the first time we all felt fully part of this community.

DAY 4 - Tour of Pine Ridge Reservation

Today we all climbed onto the bus for our tour of the reservation. We first drove around and saw the government housing and saw the housing the doctors lived in. The doctor's homes were an extreme contrast from the average Lakota's home. Then we went to the Red Cloud Indian School. This school is a Catholic school. Our tour guide talked about their high graduation rate and continuing education percentages. She also told us about the graduates that are coming back and starting businesses. This gave us hope because we feel it could improve the living conditions if there were more job opportunities. The tuition is held to a minimum; therefore they must raise 10.4 million dollars a year to keep the school running. We then went across the street to the Heritage Museum's juried art show. It was amazing to see the Lakota art. We learned quite a bit from our tour guides about traditional and contemporary art.

Our next stop was dinner at Bette's Kitchen. This is a restaurant out of Bette's home. The scene we saw was amazing as we ate our buffalo burgers, chocolate cake, and fried bread.

After lunch we stopped at Singing Horse Trading Post. We talked to a Lakota man there that broke horses for a living and is training his son to take over the business. After Rosie's we went to the Oglala Lakota College. They had an amazing museum that contained pictures from the time period of Wounded Knee. It was a great experience.

Craft Night

Tonight we made dream catchers with Kelly and Susie Looking Horse and beaded bracelets with John and Lawanda Her Many Horses. We felt it was very spiritual and relaxing once we understood the process. After finishing crafts Blair, Dylan, Wyndham, and Zach danced with the rest of the volunteers while Kelly played drums and sang and Susie explained what to do. Kelly explained how important a hand shake was and that in the Lakota culture a "weaker" hand shake shows respect. At the end of the dancing we all shook hands and in our heads we were thinking about how were shaking hands what it meant.

DAY 5 - Wyndham's opportunity for a special tour with Kelly Looking Horse.

The highlight of today was getting to meet the great-, great-, grandson of Red Cloud. He talked to us and we were able to ask him questions. It was amazing to be able to sit there and listen to his wisdom. After listening to the great-, great-, grandson of Red Cloud we went to a retirement center and met a code talker from World War II.

Blair and Zach spent the day in the workshop at Re-Member.

All morning we sanded the bed components. In the afternoon we started to put the beds together. It was cool to finally be able to put the beds together after sanding all day. We felt like we accomplished something.

Dylan, Paul, and Rhonda spent the day placing beds.

We had a good day being able to set up beds in people's homes. At one home, the room was so small that only a couple of people could work at a time. Dylan felt it was surreal to sit in a Lakota man's home watching "Little House on the Prairie" with him while the group was putting the beds together.

Evening

Tonight we had pizza and sundaes. It was awesome to end the week watching the sun go down with all our new friends. It was an amazing day.

ROSES AND THORNS

Every night we gathered with the other groups in our housing building for "roses and thorns." Roses were the good things that had happened and the thorns were the lows or our worries. Here are some of our roses for the week:

Dylan Devine - Watching "Little House on the Prairie" with the Lakota man while placing beds.

Paul Devine - The entire week was emotionally and spiritually challenging and this experience pushed me.

Rhonda Dunbar - On Monday I was able to talk to Jerome and Tereasa about their lives and views on what is happening on the reservations. This conversation gave me insight into what they are struggling with everyday and gave me an opportunity to know them on a more personal level.

Hanna Evans - I was sick for a majority of the week, but Marcy and Courtney (two of the Re-Member interns) helped take care of me when I didn't feel good.

Wyndham Ferris - Meeting Red Cloud's great-, great-grandson.

Blair Klostermeier - Interacting with the people I met at Re-Member and the Lakotas.

Zach Roman - Eating fried bread with a Lakota family after placing beds in their home.

After the Trinity Senior Highs returned from their Mission Trip to Maryland last summer, they received the following letter from their friends there.

Dear Rhonda, Paul, Blair, Griffin, Ashley, Zach, Hanna, Magdalene, Brian and Jamie:

We miss you all very much! All we have to do to feel a touch of sadness is to see one of the bracelets on the kids. You left a wonderful, deep impression on the children especially. They are eagerly looking forward to other groups coming, because they had the expectation that they will be just like you folks. We all will be very fortunate indeed if our other groups this summer were like you. You set a very high standard, and we learned to love you all very much. I think you could tell that you were not just a "group" to us, but very special individuals and we think of you that way. You worked really hard last week and gave it your all, but your friendship and care was what made the week so special to us. I don't think we can ever do anything to say "thank you" which would be adequate for all you did for us - but we can say that we love you very much.

The real meaning of our week together was the living Spirit which moved among us while you were here. We may never know what great and amazing tings will grow from the seeds which were planted among us, but we can be sure that so much good will continue to come from our experience together. Only God can grant that increase, but it is satisfying to know that we shared together as partners in the amazing work of redemption.

May the road ahead be filled with opportunities for service for all of you beyond anything you can imagine. May God's loving-kindness, gentleness, and peace continue to be the source of your greatest strength.

Shalom, Peace - Carl (For all at Meeting Ground)

"If you have come to help me you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together!" - Lilla Watson, educator and activist

This year's mission trip team consisted of Ashley Bender, Griffin Devine, Hanna Evans, Blair Klostermeier, Brian Min, Jamie Schoeberlein, Maggie Schoeberlein, Paul Devine, Rhonda Dunbar, and all of our prayer families.

We spent the week at Clairvaux Farm which is part of Meeting Ground. Meeting Ground's mission is to provide shelter, food, and education to the homeless and help them obtain permanent housing. Meeting Ground, though, provides much more than these basic needs to their residents; they provide a community. Our group was welcomed into the community at Clairvaux Farm from the moment we arrived. Clairvaux Farm was the perfect place for our group to explore this year's theme of community and how it relates to our life and faith.

Below, mission trip participants share their reflections on their experiences.

In my opinion, a community is simply a group of people who share a connection with one another. Here at Clairvaux Farm, there are countless different communities within the larger community. One of thee communities that has affected me the most is the community of children. The day after arriving at Clairvaux Farm, I noticed a little girl from far away and decided to approach her. Her name is Jiera. She was too young to talk but immediately clung to me and for the remainder of the week would always perch herself on my hip. While this behavior is seen all throughout the country, I found it especially important in an environment such Clarivaux Farm, a homeless shelter. Not only Jiera but all of the other children loved playing with all of us and their parents immediately trusted us. I truly felt a strong sense of community within the children of Clairvaux Farm; stronger than any connection I ever felt at such a young age. - Ashley Bender

We started our journey to Earleville, Maryland, at 5:30 a.m. at Lambert airport. We then flew to Philadelphia where we rented to mini-vans. After renting the vans we started the hour and a half drive that took us from Philadelphia into Delaware and then to Earleville, Maryland. Earleville is a rural farming community located in the Chesapeake Bay Region.

After driving up the long driveway to Clairvaux Farm we were met by Debbie. Debbie explained that we had arrived at the end of the Meeting Ground's annual meeting and weekly chapel service. We were then shown the building that would become our home for the week. After unpacking the mini-vans, we went in the dining hall for dinner. The dining hall was full of activity; there were people standing around talking, others preparing food, and children weaving themselves in and out of all the people. The bustle of the dining hall was overwhelming at first, but early in the week our group became accustomed and a part of all the activity.

Some of our projects for the week consisted of demolishing the old barn, organizing the donation barn, cleaning an empty residence's room, organizing the pantry at Wayfarers house (Meeting Ground's women's shelter), cleaning up at the community kitchen (a weekly soup kitchen), and splitting wood. In addition to our projects we took part in the daily chores of Clairvaux Farm by helping out in the kitchen preparing and cleaning up the meals.

After our day's work, we spent the evening with the children living on the farm playing basketball, making crafts, and playing on the playground. One of the most meaningful parts of the week for me was watching our group interacting with the children. It was remarkable to see the transition in such a short time that the relationship went from strangers to part of the same community. Our group quickly became part of the community of children, exchanging nicknames and jokes.

We ended each day back in our building exploring our theme of community. We did this through music, discussion, Bible readings, Play-Doh, drawing, and writing. This time gave us an opportunity as a group to explore our faith questions and draw loser as a group.

Our week at Meeting Ground changed my view of who is homeless and what a shelter is and can be. The residents taught me that circumstances change quickly and homelessness can happen to anyone. Clairvaux Farm is not just a shelter, but it is a community of people of all ages and backgrounds that live and work together. The residents welcomed us into their community and shared their stories and daily lives with us. I truly feel blessed to have had the opportunity to become part of the Meeting Ground community at Clairvaux Farm. - Rhonda Dunbar

All the members of the community did chores for the community daily such as cooking, cleaning, and gardening. While cleaning after dinner one night, I was surprised to be working alongside some of the residents and not just other volunteers because I had never been in that kind of situation before. The soup kitchen that I had worked in always had people come eat and leave and there was little to no sense of fellowship between the volunteers and patrons. This place was very different, though. Everybody seemed to know each other and were all very friendly to everyone. This week has taught me that many people would love to open up if you take interest in their lives. - Brian Min

Clairvaux Farm in Maryland is a huge community. Everyone is part of it too and everyone contributes. As we have come to learn this week, members of a community contribute towards its well being. When we came here we were welcomed with open arms and we became members of their community for the week. We contributed like everyone else. We all took turns in making breakfast and lunch and cleaning up after every meal. We worked on the farm making the area better for the community. We fit right in and we had a great time working and hearing everyone's story. - Zach Roman

My experience at Meeting Ground was awesome. I felt that I could really say what was on my mind instead of everything being sugar-coated or a half-truth. It was easy for me to talk to the residents about their problems because I've been in a lot of situations that are similar to the ones the residents have been in. I felt that I really had something that was worth talking about and talking to someone who actually knew what I was going though was so different from talking to someone who had never been though something like that. I will never forget how great that was to be able to open up like I had done. I will never forget this experience. - Maggie Schoeberlein

One of the many communities I saw at Clairvaux farms was the community in the kitchen. I personally did many shifts in the kitchen, either cleaning or cooking. In doing so I worked with many different people that are staying there. There was always such a good flow. They are used to working together and I was welcomed into the different groups. When I would be in the kitchen I would hear stories of people's lives and how they arrived at the farm. Even though the work got monotonous sometimes, the people made it interesting. The people who cook have a responsibility to the other people. Community is all about responsibility. - Blair Klostermeier

Along with suitcases, sleeping bags, air mattresses, digital cameras, cell phones, and ipods, some of the other baggage we brought with us this mission trip was a bundle of preconceptions about the people we would meet and the place we would stay. These notions come from a variety of sources - personal experiences, television, movies and even ignorance. Most of what we hear and see about the homeless involves drug abuse, alcoholism, and mental illness. Mass media portray the homeless as isolated loners, frightened of everyone, connected to nothing. This was my vision of the people I would meet Clairvaux Farm. What I discovered was a community.

Rather than shutting themselves off into tiny enclaves, the residents had formed a true community. The residents and staff shared much more than space; they shared purpose. Each person had duties and responsibilities. All took turns cooking, cleaning and caring for each other. Jim was up at 5 a.m. each day to make coffee and kept the pots full until evening. Gail kept the kitchen stocked and made sure that each meal on each day had several people to prepare it and several more to clean up afterward. Even food stamps and other assistance was pooled to provide for the whole community.

What was most amazing was that none of this sharing appeared to be done grudgingly. One or two of our group would assist the residents at meal time and clean up and everyone seemed happy to shoulder some of the load. They functioned as a family, with each doing his or her part to feed, clothe and raise the other. Of course, as with all families, there was some discord from time to time. You cannot live in community without ruffling someone's feathers every so often. But the tensions came not from a sense of isolation or fear, but rather from the frustrations that truly working together can cause. The Meeting Ground is not immune to those frustrations - it shares them because the members share themselves. They are a true community. - Paul Devine

This past week was awesome. I've met a lot of people who don't have a lot but are trying to start over and reach a common goal: to have a home of their own. The kids that I've met here are so happy and care-free. The kids were always very fun and happy which made it even more enjoyable to be around them. I've learned a lot about people who are homeless and what it means to be homeless. I didn't know that there were places like this where homeless people could come and stay and try to start over. I've really learned a lot about the homeless and what they can do to start over. It was also cool to meet and talk to the people who are homeless to hear their story. I'm definitely glad we came here. - Hanna Evans

This week I have learned a ton! I have learned that to be a good community you need to be there for every and anyone. For example, there is a woman by the name of Danielle. She has three kids ages 15, 13, and 1. Danielle never has to worry about her kids being alone or unsafe because the other people here at this farm will step up to the plate and say "Hey, I'll watch them for you." On top of stepping up, no one ever complains. That being said, when another parent had to go to a meeting she asked Ashley to watch Lee, but Ashley had to clean up after dinner. I said that I would watch him even though I could have been resting after my long day's work in the donation barn. I ended up with Lee and four other kids and didn't complain because that is one of the real meanings of communities. - Jamie Schoeberlein

From a young age I've had Sesame Street and other children's shows preaching the idea of universal love, openness, and community. However, at every turn I've been disappointed by a world in which war is rampant, the individual is non-existent and is led by a mix of governments that don't care about the individual and a closed minded church. However, I have finally found a realization of this ideal community. At Clairvaux Farm the populace is made up of people who have every right to reject the idea of community. We heard over and over stories of how communities let them down, and yet each and every person was open to our presence and grateful for us being there. They openly shared their stories and made us feel not like outsiders but actual members of their community. It is very hard to be open as an individual; for an entire group to be welcoming is astounding. The inhabitants at Clairvaux Farm have done more than just welcome us in to their community; they have reinforced a societal hope that had been quieted in me. They have reminded me that despite the fact that many times communities do not meet their responsibilities some are going far above and beyond. - Griffin Devine