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2011 Mission Trip to La Puente
ALAMOSA TRAVEL JOURNAL
June 18-25, 2011
Welcome to the “SALT” travel journal written by Salem Youth and leaders on their summer journey to Alamosa, Colorado. “SALT” refers to Serving And Learning Trip, and is inspired by the passage from Matthew 5:13-14: “you are salt to the earth, you are light to the world.
Seventeen Middle and High School Youth are participating in SALT – they are: Kevin Cashman, Mike Cashman, Max Driftmier, Paul Driftmier, Michael Fiez, Nadia Graese, Nicolas Graese, Josh Hart, Kati Hart, Kaitlyn Hopfensperger, Alex Nechvatal, Zach Nechvatal, Jackson Pundt, Zoe Shaw, Abbey Wilbricht, Laura Williams, and Isaac Worley. Four adult leaders are privileged to join them – Angie Shaw, Dick Steele, Chris Worley, and Laura Kolden. Our Bus Tour Driver is Teddy Lubick, and already is a much beloved and adopted member of our SALT team!
Our destination is Alamosa, Colorado where we will spend a week as guests of the La Puente Community. La Puente – “The Bridge” is a wonderful community service agency that offers community meals, shelter, housing assistance, a food bank, and supportive living and housing transition skills to the many people of the San Luis Valley in which Alamosa is located. An after-school and all day summer program for high risk children called PALS is another integral part of helping people break the cycle of poverty and homelessness that is so prevalent in this area. La Puente also sponsors a 2 local thrift stores, an antique boutique, and a coffee shop which jointly serve the community and by which all profits go to support the La Puente programs.
Our group will be divided into smaller work groups and rotated through different programs so that we can make a positive contribution to the community even as we learn and grow in our own skills and understanding. We will also have time to explore the San Luis Valley and it’s treasures, all the while surrounded by the beauty of the mountains that line this high Alpine Valley.
As you read this, hear the powerful stories that witness to God’s leading and presence in this remarkable journey that we are taking together. We are deeply blessed to have the encouragement, prayers, and support of our families, friends, and the Salem UCC congregation who, by their help, are companions on this journey as well.
Itinerary can be found at the bottom of the travel blog.
Sunday, June 19
Laura Kolden
We arrived safely in Alamosa at 4:00 pm today, after leaving Verona at Noon on Saturday! It was a long overnite bus ride from Wisconsin to Colorado, but by the time we arrived to see the majestic red rocky formations at Garden of the Gods early Sunday morning, spirits were high! Breakfast and morning worship at 7am was followed by time to hike and explore what Dick renamed as “God’s Garden”. The beauty of the area, even under gray skies, was only exceeded by how good it felt to get off the bus for a while! And before we left, the skies cleared – crystal blue clear, and we were able to see Pike’s Peak rising up close by.
We are now comfortably settling in to our digs as guests of the Alamosa Presbyterian Church. Tonight, as each noon and night, we will have our meals at the La Puente shelter; some of those meals, we will be cooking and serving ourselves! It is a warm and welcoming community of people, and we already have been thanked by many for coming to Alamosa to volunteer.
I do not normally lead off our travel journals, but I will so today because we are all needing time to settle in and rest before we begin our work here in Alamosa tomorrow. We are at an altitude of 7,400 feet – in the largest Alpine valley in the world (the state of Conneticut easily fits in the size of the valley) – and we need time and lots of water to get adjusted! That said, we are all doing well.
This is an incredible group of young people and leaders that I just love spending time with. We care deeply for each other, laugh a lot together, look out for one another, and are embracing this adventure with great enthusiasm. I am so deeply grateful for this opportunity, and for all the many “God moments” which are already unfolding. God is in this place, God is in us; God is good.
Sunday, June 19
Garden of the Gods and Cliff Dwellings
Monday, June 20
Zach Nechvatal
Today was our first workday, and my group’s jobs were first to cook and serve a meal at the La Puente meal center which is a lot like Meals for Madison and then to fix a fence. I went into the day with a very negative attitude thinking it would be terrible because I had a very bad cold and I woke up to a nose bleed. To my surprise, the day did not end up bad at all and I actually enjoyed it. I learned how to be a pro at chopping vegetables and washing 50 dishes will make your hands very pruny. When we served I got a feel for what most of the people that were there were dealing with as some came in not very talkative and sad, while others were very friendly and talking to me. Between lunch and when we were suppose to build the fence, we were sitting outside not really doing anything at all, when a girl came outside with Laura. She couldn’t have been over 14, and I had seen her in the meal line earlier. I remembered that when I asked her if she wanted pickles she just shook her head and didn’t say anything to anyone in the line. When she came out with Laura she didn’t say much at all just like before but she wanted to show us the horned toads she found in her yard. After we had accepted her into our group and started talking to her I saw another side of her that she must hide from many. I felt very good that I had not just ignored her like many would, but I talked to her about the toads and she seems very comfortable around me and the group. I can’t wait to talk to her more throughout the week.
Mike Cashman
Today we had our first day of work. My group and I went to work at a garden that provides food for the town food pantry. It was rather cold out side, but it was still nice working outside. After we were done at the garden we ate lunch and went to work at the thrift store. All in all it wasn’t a bad day.
Alex Nechvatal
Today we had our 1st day of work. My group worked at the PALS program and helped with the little kids and cleaning the river. It was cold out but as the day went on it progressively got warmer, after all of that we went back to the church. All together it was a really good/fun day.
Nicolas Graese
I had a great first day today at the work sites. I was helping out with the kids at the P.A.L.S. program by being a “Big Buddy”. It was really fun. First the kids had breakfast and then did stretching. I got the honor of leading the stretches. We played some small games and then had a little “school”. When school was over we made windmills like the big wind turbines in honor of “Be Green” week and learning about alternative energy sources. After lunch we headed down to the Rio Grande to pick up trash along the riverbank. It was actually a lot of fun. I also made many “buddies” along the way, including Zane who was my main friend. There was also a little girl named Cynthia who was very scared of me until the very end of the day, when I finally got her to be my friend. I think that the first day of our trip was no let down!
Tuesday, June 21
Dick Steele
La Pente-what an awesome place this organization is. They serve on average 70 guests three meals per day usually with what ever is available to prepare the meal with. Salem’s youth have all worked very hard so far at what ever task they have been given to do. I have been so proud of each of them. Today part of my group started out harvesting spinach, weeding garlic and the other part was relocating fences. We also had an opportunity to hear stories from migrant workers living here. Tonight we are off to walk the Stations of the Cross on the mountain side. I know I have said it before but what a great group.
Abbey Wilbricht
Tonight we made our voyage to the Stations of the Cross in San Luis, the oldest town in Colorado. We picked a great night to make the ½ mile hike to the top of the small mountain and we able to watch the sunset through the mountains, walk around the chapel at the top, and explore the land even more on our own. Most of us decided we needed a better view of the mountains and hiked our own paths up to the top of an even HIGHER mountain, but we got called back down because of the possibility of running into a rattle snake. Over all we had a great second day exploring the land and surrounding towns of Alamosa.
Kevin Cashman
Today, after our work group made dinner, we made our trip to the Stations of the Cross. The Stations of the Cross is a ½ a mile hike that goes up a mountain in the town of San Luis, the oldest town in Colorado. It was a very magical experience that changed my life forever. The trail up the mountain had different statues depicting Jesus’ journey to the cross. The scenery from on top of the mountain was beautiful and the whole hike was an awe-inspiring experience.
Stations of the Cross in San Luis
Wednesday, June 22
Michael Fiez
Today my group made lunch at the shelter. The meal was really good, but the bread gave us some problems. We tried putting it in the oven, and in the microwave, but no matter what we did, the middle of the bread was still frozen. After lunch, we went out to paint a fence. The boards were so dry and old that they just sucked up the paint before you could spread it much. We went through most of the remainder of our paint supplies just trying to paint the thing. It was scorching out, and I still can’t tell if I’m burnt or just tan. We have to go build another fence soon so I’ve got to make sure to drink a lot of water. I can’t wait for the rest of the night, we have a free night so Josh, Abbey, and I are going to walk around town and hang out as a sort of farewell to mission trips for our class.
Josh Hart
Today, I worked at P.A.L.S. (Positive Activities Lead to Success). P.A.L.S. is a summer camp/after-school program for at-risk children from the Alamosa area. We had a lot of fun with the kids there and the kids seemed to have a lot of fun with us. Last night, we traveled to Stations of the Cross in San Luis. Michael and I decided we would briefly look things over as we passed by and we conquered the ½ mile hike, enjoying the view as we passed. We also went through a memorial walk of Mexican martyrs who died for their religion and were all given the title of “saint.” However, we also decided we weren’t going to stop halfway up the “mountain,” so we climbed all the way to the top and walked across the plateau to the other side and saw the most beautiful sunset ever. Later, Michael, Abbey and I will be taking a little walk around downtown Alamosa to finish out a fun time in the youth group full of many trips around the nation. Just for fun, I’m to going finish my final journal entry by saying, “This is Josh Hart, signing off.”
Max Driftmier
Today, I was working at a work site painting all day. Most of the time I like to paint but today, not so much. I still enjoyed it but it was hot. Other than painting I had a nice time. :)
Thursday June 23rd
Laura Williams
Yesterday I was sick. I had a low fever and was feeling queasy. I was not up to working so I stayed back and slept most of the day. Laura was also feeling crummy, but she took good care me. This morning I felt much better, but not 100%. So I’m taking it easy. We went to the Great Sand Dunes National Park today. It’s a big stretch of huge sand dunes at the base of the mountains. We climbed up almost to the top in about 2 hours. By then the sand was really hot and I burned my ankles a little. We headed back because everyone was really hot. Hiking up the sand was difficult and the dunes were really steep, but the view was amazing. It was fun watching people sled down. The dunes were so steep that the angle at the bottom caused them to wipe out. Katie came back covered in sand. Today was fun but tiring and I’m excited for the rodeo tonight.
Nadia Graese
It has been a long journey for me. I can’t get that out of my head. Five years ago I was one of the two sixth grade kids – and we were kids – present for the Cleveland, Ohio mission trip. I was terrified of my group, I was terrified of leaving home, I was terrified of meeting people and working with them. And then I was there, reading Harry Potter over Emily’s shoulder, telling Ellen that she could have my hair, absolutely in awe of them and Abbey. Maybe the three of them weren’t always overly enthusiastic about everything, but they were there, and they were throwing themselves into the trip – and more than that, they were including me, and making me a person.
Now, here I am again, a soon-to-be high school junior, with a number of trips behind me and a wide-open future ahead that I’m sure will include a few more memorable trips with this group. This group has changed so much since then, but it’s not just the members. It’s not just the fact that as I’ve gotten older, my companions have gotten younger. It’s the fact that I now want to be here. I love doing this. I love growing alongside these other kids who are so very different from me, in gender, in skills, in interests, in age, in experiences, and yet so entirely similar.
That was a general reflection of the week. Here’s the one for right now: we aren’t helping people in poverty. That’s not at all what this is for me. Yes, we are working alongside people who don’t have the cars and the television sets – and the markers to finish a coloring project that wasn’t completed in time. Yes, we are walking the same streets as the men who pass the time walking the streets between meals at La Puente. You can’t judge those men. You can’t read these words and assume that they’re lazy. We don’t know that story. But we share that road with them. We are surrounded by people with very little. Driving the PALS children home yesterday, I was somewhat saddened to see the single-room homes, left partially unpainted, a bit unappealing.
By saying this, I don’t want to appear the middle class, I-can-get-what-I-want-and-more-with-little-effort girl that I undoubtedly am, but these people are not the bottom of the totem pole. I’m not dismissing their struggles or the fact that they are treated differently, but the people in the community of La Puente are a family. They understand each other. Before every “free” meal is served at the center, a number of diners must sign up to perform a chore, such as washing dishes, in order to keep the place clean and running smoothly. No one eats until the sheet is filled – and they fill it without complaint, even if they do twiddle their thumbs and look away for excruciatingly long periods of time as they hope against hope that someone else will volunteer to mop the floors instead. Long story short, they are a family, they care about each other, and they may not have many possessions, but that opens up time for fellowship, for taking in the world. I don’t want to change my lifestyle. I like having my “stuff.” By saying this, I’m trying to show that these people have nothing. They eat at a shelter because, for the most part, they can’t afford decent food themselves. And yet, so many of these people will smile at you and say hello.
There are two more things that I’d like to write. The first of these is the notion of “person.” (This is an idea I am kind of borrowing from Angie, having heard her discuss it with Dick on the bus ride out to our sand dune destination this morning – on a side note, I had a wonderful time walking approximately twenty feet across the sand over three minute stretches, while I borrowed/ stole (with the intention of returning) Kati’s camera in order to take pictures of her, Laura Williams, and Jackson, as we tried to traverse the hot terrain.) You may choose to reread the first sentence of this paragraph. Anyway, Angie noted that our regular greeting is a “Hello” or “Hi,” and that sure, it acknowledges someone there, but who hasn’t cried “Hello, there!” in that syrupy sweet voice to a cute puppy or something, right? It’s generic. It’s impersonal. Don’t you feel different hearing “Hi, (your name here)” then “Hey”? When they use your name, they recognize you as another person, and not just a personal, but an individual. Someone important. Calling us guys instead of Kati, Laura, Jackson, and Nadia, is, admittedly, easier, but we aren’t individuals anymore. Yes, that’s a harmless example, but there’s still a sense of it. I haven’t had the courage or strength, I suppose, to speak to many of the adults at the center, but spending time at PALS was right up my alley and the kids were a different story. The kids there, Leticia, Patrick, Zackary, Fabian, Cynthia, Joy, DeAndre, Gavin, Brooklynn- they really put faces to the poverty. It’s very easy to dismiss living conditions of those who have less than you, especially when they aren’t there. But I saw where these kids lived, and I heard a little girl cry, “But I don’t have markers,” in response to being told to put away the art supplies for the day. You can’t forget that these are people. Many of these kids have separated parents, a few of whom may be in jail, a few more in rehab, a few more simply unable or unwilling to care for them. They aren’t the bottom of the totem pole here, as I’ve said, because La Puente has this amazing community of people who truly care about everyone else, but they are people, they have identities, and it may be easier to clump them together, but stereotypes don’t work. Whatever anyone’s conditions in this world, we are all people. We all have the same basic needs, and we all want to be included.
This leads me to my last point. We are not helping. That has been pounded in again and again. We aren’t helping. When you help someone, you are inherently the superior party in the encounter. You are the one who can afford to give something up. We aren’t giving up anything. If we go into it with an appropriate attitude – that being willingness to do whatever we’re asked to do with open minds – then we aren’t losing anything, not even time. At the same time, the people here aren’t the ones helping us. We do have what we need to survive; we wouldn’t need to be here. We are serving each other. We are living with each other. Once again, my most comfortable place was with the children. I colored for the kids, and drew for them, and gave them my macaroni and cheese – or, rather, gave Zackary my macaroni and cheese after listening to him plead for five minutes. I laid down with them during naptime. But I truly wasn’t helping. My only superiority was my age. These kids gave me as much as I gave them. They showed me their will to overcome extremely troublesome pasts, and their eagerness to do it with a vigor. Every one of them worked hard on community projects, –weeding – educational activities, showing respect. They welcomed me with open arms, tugged me after them. Without their initiative in allowing me to share a sliver of our mutual life, I would never have drawn anything at all. To sum up this last part, then, La Puente is an amazing place doing wonderful things to give people a chance to improve their lives, it’s a place where you are not stereotyped but are truly an individual with an identity, and in the end, none of these mission trip activities are about helping because we are giving and we are taking. We are serving. And I am so thankful to all of you at Salem for giving me this opportunity. I hope to be a good representative of what we stand for and I hope to be a good representative of the equality and care for our fellow humans, no matter what their state in life that God advocates. Once again, this trip has been, as they always are, simultaneously illuminating, fun, and rewarding and I thank all of you for it.
Isaac Worley
Today was a very memorable experience. Not a normal memory was created. Not with pictures or words, but one with feelings. The night before we were going over our group’s roles for the next day. When I heard I group 1 had received P.A.L.S. tomorrow I was slightly disappointed. I mean little kids are fun and all, but after awhile they tend to become tiring and a very needy based job. So I went to bed that night and was hoping tomorrow wouldn’t be as bad as I was thinking it was going to be. I woke up the next morning/today and went through the general process; get dressed, eat breakfast, brush your teeth and wait at the door until it was time to leave to our sites. We walked to the coffee shop and met up with Alyssa who helps us around town and with our jobs. 15 minutes later our separate smaller group of five kids went to P.A.L.S. We went in and one little girl was already there. Her name was Joy. Angie started a conversation with her and eventually we all joined in and introduced ourselves. She told us all about herself and how the things worked at P.A.L.S.. Several minutes later one of the teachers there came up and said the rest of the P.A.L.S. were arriving. Up the stairs came a hustling bunch of 16 kids. They went in, had breakfast and sat down for what was called circle time. That’s where everyone said their names and answered the question of the day. As the day carried on, several P.A.L.S. start to hang with one leader or another. I had two kids, DeAndre and Brooklyn who seemed to always be by my side. A puppet show had been planned for that day at the park and the P.A.L.S. were planning on going. We all hopped into the huge vans that could hold up to twelve people. Brooklyn was begging for me to sit next to her so I had to squeeze myself all the way into the back of the van. At the puppet show, it was really hot but worth it. It seemed like a worthwhile experience for the kids, especially for that fact that several parts of it were in Spanish. Brooklyn sat in my lap and almost fell asleep. DeAndre was over by Mr. Tim, one of the teachers. When the puppet show ended we went to the playground just a close walk away. Kevin and Josh were having a great time chasing the kids around and playing tag while Zach and I were pushing kids on the swings. We took the vans back over to P.A.L.S. and had naptime and worked on the projects the puppeteers gave out. And to end the day with our P.A.L.S. we went and got some ice cream. The day ended with all the kids extremely happy but sad to see another group they had just made best friends with, leave. The experience knowing that this kids were having tough times at home really touched me that I had helped their lives be better that one day. Those small experiences can build a great base for their future lives. Overall, it was one of the most fun and memorable experiences full of feelings I have ever had.
Chris Worley
First I’d like to thank Laura for all her hard work putting this mission trip together. She has worked extremely hard (to the point of exhaustion) to organize this enlightening mission trip. Let’s just say I don’t envy all the work she has gone thru, but I do very much envy what she has helped to create. Of course the other integral component of this equation are the kids. They have experienced and seen events that I am certain will remain with them for the rest of their lives. They have interacted with children who have been abused and/or neglected. Helping the kids with their schoolwork, playing and most important being their friend. For me the most indelible moment was having Patrick who didn’t know me (and again comes from a troubled family background) walk up to me and ask if I would be his buddy. Then proceeded to hold my hand the rest of the day and allow me to be a part of his life. Wouldn’t it be a different world if all of us could be brave enough to take a stranger’s hand and take time to be a part of their life?
We all had a chance to work in the food kitchen. Aside from the stress of not having a lot of cooking prowess (I’m speaking for myself here), it was a rewarding experience for all of us. Not only did the kids work together well, they created a delicious meal that was served to over 70 individuals (men, women and children). I conversed with several individuals and shook their hands, but I have to be honest when all the meals were served and we had our chance to sit down and eat, I found it very difficult to pull up a chair and sit next to someone I didn’t know and start conversing and eating with them (please refer to my question in the previous paragraph). Moving out of your comfort zone was discussed, but again for me it was hard (learned a little more about myself) item to overcome. Dick Steele did it and maybe others as well!
Seeing all this has certainly been an eye opening experience for me. I of course have had a peripheral sense of some of the issues associated with homelessness, the hungry and the forgotten, but to be more involved (I won’t say being immersed because even what we have experienced is only a small part of their lives) has certainly shown me what everyone really desires; to be wanted, accepted and be respected. You won’t find any of this on any computer game! This might sound odd but the other feeling I have experienced here is a little guilt. I won’t say my life has been sheltered but I certainly have had a good life with literally no exposure to any kind of hardship (losing a child, unemployment, abuse, drugs, illness) and to see people down on their luck for whatever reason makes me feel thankful for what I have….mixed in with a twinge of guilt for having this.
We helped mend/paint fences, weed gardens and help out in the thrift shop. Again all of this involved hard work and working together to reach our goals which the kids did every single time.
I won’t paint a picture of all work and no play. Laura certainly had this planned out as well. The kids played as hard as they worked. We saw many beautiful sites, went to a hot spring pool where the outside temperature was predicted to hover near the freezing point and the pool water was a balmy 98 degrees. We sand boarded/sledded at the National Sand Dunes (I would insert Mountains in place of Dunes) and some of us ate a little sand when flying off the boards. Everyone is going out to eat at an authentic Mexican restaurant tonight and then off to the Rodeo.
In closing, I certainly have to thank the parents who are raising wonderful kids who want to make a difference in society and expand their own worldly views and spirit. The congregation deserves a big thank you for your incredible support. Obviously you all know what a great youth group you have.
Thanks,
Chris
Friday, June 24
Kaitlyn Hopfensperger
This trip has been wonderful, and quite challenging for me. I began very confused and uncertain about what the week would be, but it has turned out to be a very productive, and fun week. All the work we have done has been awesome, and everyone worked so hard and got so much done. There were several highs for this trip and very few lows. The highs include working at P.AL.S, creating meals and feeling a sense of greater appreciation for the people who cook meals that I eat, gardening and harvesting lettuce for the shelter, meeting so many great people, and creating better friendships with everyone who came on the trip. The lows were feeling guilt for often complaining about my life, and seeing that so many people have it so much worse than I do, and leaving the children at P.A.L.S after I had connected with several of them and knowing that they have to go through so much transition meeting new people every day and often, never seeing them again. But this trip wasn’t all work, it also contained very well-planned (by Laura) activities. We went to the hot springs pool, which felt amazing in the near freezing weather we were experiencing, travelling to the oldest city in Colorado, San Luis, and exploring there, sand boarding and sledding at the National Sand Dunes, going out to dinner, and of course, the rodeo. We also celebrated Angie’s birthday with several surprises planned, such as having the people at the restaurant we ate at serenade her and dress her in a sombrero, decorating the kitchen and eating area with streamers, throwing her a mini surprise party complete with cake and noise makers, and having everyone at the rodeo shout “Happy birthday, Angie!” This trip really has been eye opening for me, and I want to participate in much more missionary work. I really felt a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment and I loved helping people out, and hearing several of their stories. The group that came here is wonderful, and Dick, Angie, Chris, and Laura were truly the best chaperones imaginable, even staying behind with people who didn’t feel good and missing out on some of the fun things we did. I am so glad I came on this trip because it was so fun and a learning experience for me.
Angie Shaw
Greetings from sunny Alamosa, Colorado! It never rains here, or so they say. I felt about 3 drops the other day, so I guess that was an anomaly! I can’t even begin to tell you how very proud I am to be with this group of young people. They surprise me daily with their energy, selflessness, flexibility and patience. I love each and every one of them as if they were my own. We truly become family on these adventures! I have learned something new about almost everyone in our group, and I expect they have much more to teach me. The ‘work’ has been very rewarding, and the ‘play’ has been very fun. The gang blew me away with birthday surprises yesterday, and absolutely warmed my heart. I even got a rodeo belt buckle given to me by a local National Guard. Such a hoot! The time we’ve had here has been so rewarding, and I am deeply appreciative to all the families for entrusting their child(ren) with us, and for the many who made it possible for us to have this amazing Service And Learning Together (SALT) time. Blessings and joy to you all! See you soon…
Jackson Pundt
Ugh I’m tired. But a good tired, you know, like after a long day of fun and hard work. For that’s exactly what today was. I was over at Rainbow’s End making clothing bales which, by the way, is a lot harder than it sounds. It was a lot of fun, though, and other than PALS was probably the best work day of the trip. You know, I should probably talk about the deep and sentimental stuff too. I really noticed how Alamosa is a lot like Verona in the sense that everyone is helping-I guess I really mean serving-each other out. Throughout the week, I noticed that there were almost as many volunteers at La Puente sites-Milagros, Rainbow’s End, PALS, and the shelter itself-as there were people being served at these various locations. That really conveys a sense of community, which I thought was nice. I also thought that the people at the shelter-and the kids at PALS as well-were really positive and happy in spite of their bad situations. I really admire that, especially for the little kids. In fact, PALS was one of my favorite places because of this. But we had some fun this week as well. Like yesterday we went to the sand dunes and then a rodeo. I seem to have picked up a bear claw necklace and a pink vest. Unfortunately, I have had a cold since we arrived on Sunday. A stomach bug has plagued our group, and I just hope I don’t catch it. Birthday parties, pools, a lost and found iPod, and a garden for gods are some other things that made this trip memorable. Oh, and the climate. Let me tell you how much I don’t miss the Wisconsin humidity. Well, I’ll tell you that Serving And Learning Together has been successful, not just for me but for everybody. Well I need to go pack, because that will take a while with one arm. So if you ever find yourself in the San Luis Valley, like visiting the Sand Dunes or something, take some time to drive through Alamosa and look at your surroundings. It will be well worth your time.
Paul Driftmier
I think we really did a good thing for the people here in Alamosa Colorado. We helped them with gardening at the comunity garden, cooking at the shelter, taking care of small children at P.A.L.S., and cleaning at the thrift shop and the Boutique. My favorite was probably the thrift shop and the boutique, because I got two vinyl records because they are slightly chipped at the edges. I also got a new suit for free at the boutique because I helped clean all morning, and I‘m in Scouts. So, apparently it is a scout suit. My second favorite was coking at the shelter. I am apparently was the fastest onion chopper in the entire group. That is what everyone who saw me chopping them. though, I did not like the way they were always telling me to slow down when I was making the sauce for the spaghetti and the lasagna.
Zoe Shaw
Well… this week has been absolutely great, surprisingly. I cooked, painted, gardened, worked at the thrift store, and today I went to P.A.L.S. It was a great way to end the week. Listening to the stories of some of these kids broke my heart. A 9 year old named Ariel poured her heart out to me. She told me about her abusive dad and how she had to go to foster care where one of her 4 sisters was adopted. Her Mom is still fighting for full custody. It made me realize the people I was helping all week. It made me realize why I had to help these people. I have never experienced homelessness or actual hunger or even abuse. Forms of this happened from the elderly to small children every single day. Struggling everyday and having nothing to do but live with it is devastating. La Puente makes it possible for people have the chance to pull through. This community in Alamosa is so in poverty; they need support. We made a difference helping people who truly need it. Putting food on their table, bettering their living conditions, and giving them a friendly atmosphere makes all of the difference. There is no way to completely solve their problems but little by little we can do good. God accepts everyone, so everyone can make it. We were that’s piece of God this week that brings them faith to keep trudging on everyday. Whether seen through the children’s eyes, or the parent’s, every smile, handshake, and simple conversation is God. Yes, everyone is different. But here in La Puente everyone is fighting for the same thing with God by their sides. This week showed me what “doing good” really means. I always thought “Oh these people are just lazy, why should I help?” and now I know that they are people just like me. But they are truly survivors. Some thing I admire very much. In the beginning I was just looking for a fun filled week going to the pools, sand dunes, and the rodeo, but by the end I changed. Helping people does mean hard work, which I am not too good at, but it makes me feel satisfied to make other people happy. An experience this trip has given me, that I never would have thought would happen. I have to thank La Puente, my mom and God for showing me lessons I needed to learn about other people just like me, but with a harder challenge.
Kati Hart
Call them want you want: stereotypes, boxes, labels, etc. The world is full of them, but how many people actually fit them? So much is said about homeless people and immigrants that isn’t true about most, if any. Alamosa, and the San Luis Valley in general, have high poverty rates. While working at La Puente I was able to see how people in this situation lived, and I learned the stories of how some ended up in their current situations. There were similarities between some of the stories, but each story was different from the next. The events that happen to us help define who we are. It’s not any different for these people, and each of them is an individual. So often they are separated from the rest of society. They are seen as homeless people not as human beings. I leaned that if you take the time to notice their actions and listen to what they have to say, you can see so much more of who they really are.
Friday Evening, June 24
We leave Alamosa tonight at the end of a day’s work, with full hearts and rich community. We are deeply thankful to the people of Alamosa and particularly to the La Puente community for opening their homes and their hospitality to us. We are deeply thankful as well, for all the love, support and prayers of all of you who have journeyed with us in spirit, and who have done so much to help make this trip possible. For the many blessings of this experience, for safe travels, and for the journey we have shared, we thank God, mindful that our journey does not end when we return home, but continues by God’s leading and love. We close with “a simple prayer” that is printed in The Voice of LaPuente Photo Journal, 2010 and written anonymously ~ we trust that La Puente staff and the unknown author will not mind us sharing this here.
A Simple Prayer…
May God bless you with discomfort
at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you will live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger
at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you will work for justice, equality, and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed
For those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war,
So that you will reach out your hand to Comfort them and change their pain into joy.
May God bless you with the foolishness
to think that you can make a difference in the world, So that you will do the things others tell you cannot be done
-Unknown
Current Itinerary
Saturday, June 18
Depart Salem UCC at Noon sack lunches on bus, dinner stop on the road, Nebraska at night!
Sunday, June 19
8 am – Arrive at Garden of the Gods (Colorado Springs) for picnic breakfast - Hike and explore following breakfast
10 am – Tour Manitou Cliff Dwellings in Manitou Springs
11 am – Depart for final leg to Alamosa, lunch enroute
3:30 pm – Arrive in Alamosa – settle in and showers at Alamosa Pres Church
6 pm – Community Dinner at La Puente Shelter
Evening – La Puente Orientation
Monday, June 20
8:30 am – PALS orientation (children’s program)
9:00-12:00 – AM work group assignments: cooking the noon meal, work in garden, All day at PALS
Noon – Lunch at shelter
1:00-4:00 – Worksites: fence & gate repairs and painting, thrift store, (PALS)
6 pm – Dinner
6:30 – debriefing with La Puente Volunteer Coordinator, Alissa
7-9 pm – trip to Hooper CO – Hot Springs Swimming Pool
Tuesday, June 21
AM Work Sites – Cooking the noon meal, work in garden, Construction Project:Fence Repair at a second La Puente property site.
Noon – Lunch at shelter
1:00-4:00 – Tour of Tierra Nueva – immigration center immigration simulation, learning and discussion
6 pm – dinner
6:30 – debriefing
7:00 pm – trip to San Luis, Evening Hike Stations of the Cross in oldest town in CO
Wednesday, June 22
AM Work sites – Garden, Cooking Noon Meal, PALS
PM Work Groups – Thrift Store, Construction, Cooking Evening Meal, PALS
Evening – free evening
Thursday, June 23
Free Day to explore the San Luis Valley, including sandboarding, sledding, and hiking at the Great Sand Dunes National Park, Dinner at a local Mexican restaurant, evening rodeo. It is also Angie’s Birthday!
Friday, June 24
AM Work groups – garden, PALS
PM Work groups – Construction, Thrift Store, PALS
6 pm – Community Meal, closing goodbyes with La Puente community
7 pm – Return to Church for final packing and group reflection
By 9:00 pm, roll out of town
Saturday, June 25
– arrive at Salem by 7 pm Verona time.
SALEM YOUTH MINISTRY
The Youth Ministry of Salem United Church of Christ offers a welcoming community for our church's youth, their friends, and their families that:
- surrounds Youth with unconditional love and fellowship in a safe, supportive, and joy-filled environment
- anchors Youth in the life and traditions of the Christian faith
- nurtures and affirms the diverse gifts and experiences of each individual
- encourages spiritual awareness and growth towards God-Centered lives
- energizes, equips, and inspires Youth to extend the love of Christ into the world
Salem Youth Ministry programs are open to all Middle and High School Youth. Middle and High School groups meet both together and separately throughout the year. Friends are always welcome.
What We Do
Salem Youth meet regularly on the first and third Sundays of the month from 5:00 - 7:30 pm, with additional activities scheduled at other times. Our monthly meetings include dinner, worship, time for fun, and a program that focuses on service activities, discussion groups, or special events. Sunday evening "Open Door Nights" are the focus of our evening gatherings once every two months and are an unstructured evening of games, fellowship, and "hanging out" together - of course, there's always food!
Some of the highlights of our year include a fall hayride, participation in Wisconsin Conference youth activities and retreats, planning and leading a Youth Sunday worship service, overnight lockins and retreats, involvement in local missions, and summer learning and mission experiences.
2009 Mission Trips
- Middle School - Madison Mission Trip
We explored issues of homelessness in the Madison area, through conversations with staff and participants in Porchlight, Inc., The Road Home, Luke House, and United Methodist Food Pantry. Through several service projects and a guided tour of State Street, we discovered a perspective of Madison we hadn't known before. Plenty of time for outdoor fun with swimming, a picnic and bonfire at Picnic Point, and ice cream at the Union! - High School Mission Trip - Pipestem, West Virginia
Our group of 14 Youth and Leaders worked to finish the interior of a home being rebuilt by a young family on a Mountain top outside of Talcott, WV. Lots of drywall, mudding, and laying floors! We finished the 10-day trip with a day of whitewater rafting in the New River Gorge.
- Middle and High School Youth
Attending the UCC Great Lakes Regional Youth Event
in Defiance, Ohio June 16-20 - Middle and High School Youth
Youth Outreach Day of Activities - A day in the life of a mission trip, focusing on local mission and outreach capped off by an evening of water fun, reflection, and worship.
- Open Table
High School Juniors and Seniors meet usually on the 3rd Wednesday at a local home or restaurant for food and conversation. - Sunday School Classes for Middle and High School Youth
Sunday mornings, 9-10 am - Ushering and Liturgist Responsibilities
Youth serve as ushers and liturgists in worship on the first Sunday of every month. - Music
Youth Choir, Directed by Claire Jurs
Youth Handbells, Directed by Kelli Mallueg
Contemporary Music Band
Youth are warmly invited to participate in all aspects of the life of our church community. The Youth Ministry team encourages youth to explore the use of their gifts and talents in ways that meaningfully contribute to God's witness and mission throughout the life of the church, and in the greater local and world-wide community.
Programming is supported by the annual budget of Salem Ucc. In addition, we sponsor several fundraising projects each year to support our summer learning and mission experiences and keep family costs to a minimum.
Leadership:
Associate in Ministry - Laura Kolden
The Youth Ministry Team (YMT) is a group of adults who are committed to mentoring youth in their personal and spiritual growth, supporting opportunities for youth programming, and welcoming them into the fellowship of Christian Community.
Parents are encouraged to participate by hosting and/or chaperoning youth activities, providing transportation, snacks, or a Sunday evening meal, and volunteering in roles and tasks that support youth and their programs.
Salem UCC is a Safe Sanctuary Church.
Our Safe Sancuary guidelines require all adults who participate in leadership roles to complete a background check and Safe Sanctuary Training with periodic updates.
In keeping with Safe Sanctuary, we ask that all parents complete a yearly Parental Consent Form which provides us with emergency contacts and any pertinent health information. Parent Consent Forms are confidential to the Associate in Ministry and leaders at a given youth event.. Any off-site activities requires an additional Parental Consent specific to that activity. These consents are posted on the website.
All youth and leaders are asked to sign the Youth Covenant each year, to remind us of our privilege and obligation in keeping Salem youth Ministry a safe place for all. The Youth Covenant is posted on the website.
Youth Newsletter
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MISSION STATEMENT: We witness to the word and work of Jesus that all people may know the welcome of God, worship with joy, grow as disciples, live as servants, and share the strength of Christian fellowship all for the glory of God. |
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