Youth Summer
Trip
JUNE 26
- JULY 4, 2010
Spirit Lake
Reservation
This summer, the youth
will participate in a fabulous hybrid trip - a
balance of performing and working on construction
projects.
The trip destination will take the group to
Spirit Lake Reservation in North Dakota during the week of
June 26-July 4. Please check out
their website:
www.spiritlakeministrycenter.org
Based on the thoughtful discussions last year about the
type of trip the youth should experience and based on the
positive feedback from last summer’s hybrid trip, the Summer
Trip Planning Committee agreed that the hybrid trip should be
offered again.
The youth were given the opportunity to voice their
opinion about the “type of hybrid trip” (a scale sliding from
“more singing/little construction” to “little singing/more
construction”) and the “type of location”. The majority of youth
answering the survey were interested in an equal balance
between the singing and construction work. Half of the
respondents were interested in working on a reservation; the
other half were interested in an urban setting. Because our youth have
had several urban experiences, the planning committee chose to
honor the interest in reservation
work.
Spirit
Lake Reservation Mission
The
Spirit Lake Nation are peoples of the Dakota tribe. They
have been located in this particular area since 1867 when the
Treaty between the United States government and the
Sisseton
Wahpeton Oyate was established.
The mission project at the reservation is handled by
Spirit Lake Ministry Center. This Ministry Center is
part of the United Methodist Volunteers In Mission (UMVIM).
Every summer they have mission teams volunteer here.
They are set up to accommodate youth groups with jr and
sr high students. The group will be housed at the
Ministry Center where there are 3 dormitories, shower
facilities, a workshop, kitchen/dining facilities, 3 separate
devotional areas, and a fire pit that the group may use.
All meals are provided.
Our group will work on construction projects (home
repairs, building ramps, painting, etc) serving the elders of
the tribe and/or those with disabilities. Additionally,
we have the commitment to help with their VBS in the afternoon
for those youth who are interested. On Thursday
night, a group from the tribe will entertain our youth with
some sort of cultural experience -- may be food, may be a
cultural dance...
Some of the free time activities available: Nearby Devils Lake and
parks offer swimming, sand volleyball, softball fields,
basketball courts, mini-golf. Also to explore: Sullys
Hill National Game Preserve, old historic Fort Totten, hiking
up Devils Heart or on the 80 acres of land where the
Ministry Center is located. A pool and waterslide are
also located nearby.
Our Performances
The script is underway and the route to Spirit Lake
Reservation is soon to be determined! Once the route is
calculated, churches, nursing homes, and other venues will be
contacted for the group to perform. (Google Map "Spirit
Lake". If you think you have a contact somewhere along
the way, please pass that information on to Susan Bergmann or Stacey
Boucher.)
| 
