Our best Pine Ridge Mission trip ever.  Planning for our trip began shortly after the conclusion of last year’s trip.  The PR2012 mission trip was complicated because Mo. Cordelia Red Owl was ill and she was without a vehicle:  But God intervened.  Her health was restored with medication and we helped her replace her 280,000 mile old vehicle.  TRIP ON!!!  The adult staff planning meetings began in January.  Meetings continued through July planning fund raisers, transportation, recruiting, reservations, food/meals/supplies, daily VBS sessions, service project commitments, daily crafts, daily schedules, daily team/task assignments, excursions, necessary equipment, patience, prayers.

OH YEA:  PR2012 – OUR LARGEST GROUP EVER!  46    The Saint Andrew’s annual Pine Ridge Mission Trip has attracted kids and adults from outside the doors of Saint Andrew’s.   I was very encouraged that our kids recruited their friends and other adults several young adults learned of our ministry and volunteered to join us.   WOW what a blessing!

This year our theme was to provide everybody with a better understanding of Native American people.   The kids wanted to know more about their friends of Pine Ridge.  Now they know of the Lakota, Nakota, Dakota people all of the Sioux and more of their history, culture and heritage.  We visited Crazy Horse Memorial Monument,  and attended the Ogallala Sioux Annual Pow-Wow held in Pine Ridge.  We even did a Smudge at one of our evening fire pit talks; these happen before our nightly compline sessions.

Our visits with the reservation kids went great.  Our day began with a morning prayer.  We had many different  crafts available for everyone.   The kids just love working next to and with one another to make a special keepsake.  Daily kickball games were very competitive.  VBS time was just awesome with some of the best performed skits I’ve seen there, that involved plenty of interaction with all the kids.  The Outhouses were repaired and are now anchored, (they ain’t goin anywhere).  We even had time to repair and paint the front fence.  We all were very proud of the team’s performance.

We met all our goals this year.  I’m thinking we’ll set our goals even higher for 2013.  I would like to thank all of you for your support and commitment to this ministry.  Please take a moment to acknowledge and thank those that attended:

The kids:

Kayleigh Baker, Bridgette Baker, Isabelle Adcock, Charles Adcock, Corrinne Cosgrove,  Legare Dixon, Henry Halgren, James Halgren,  Evan Price, Elizabeth Nelson,  Audrey Coonce,  Hannah Coonce,   Haley Mulnack, Connor Mulnack, Max Mulnack , Hope Cudly, Chelsea Kamman, Katya Ward, Nata Ward, Cheyenne Rowe, Anna Trufolz, Ally Trufolz, Lauren Dominello, Cassis Oliver, Jay Bridgeman,   Sydney Hawekotte, Madison Beda, Lauren Carnes, Hannah Smith, Maddie Rall, Kelly Doran, Edita Dornan, Nakita Dornan, Priyanka Godbole, Julia Gollobit, Nathan Giambattisia.

The adults;

Adam Chevalier, KayCee Wise, Lacey Taylor, Wayne Culp, Anne Dixon, David Adcock, Dan Coonce,  Kieran Conroy, Fr. Bill Graham, Keith Gourley.

Thank You once again for the opportunity

Keith Gourley   “The Pine Ridge Guy”