Mission Photos & Trip Report: All Nations Center

Sixteen Upper Columbia Academy students joined the Walla Walla City Church on a mission trip to the All Nations Center in Wapato over spring break. Projects this year were coordinated by Eric Hanson, Tom Black Eagle, Doug Brown, Wade Brooks and Mike Hanson, Bob Gable, Terri & Jeff Weijohn. UCA sponsors were Tony & Kathy Purvis, and Lynda North. Many contractors such as Tony Purvis came and headed up projects.

• Roseanna
• Aubriann
• Clarissa
• Bradley
• Amanda
• Cody
• Re’Jean
• Jacob
• Brian
• Aryel
• Jake
• Sunwoo
• Lianne
• Yuji
• Zach
• Spencer

Participants helped with the church service on Sabbath; with remodeling several homes including one for Tom Black Eagle; built woodsheds; split and stacked wood; painted stairs, wheelchair ramps and other items; picked up and hauled away trash; and held a Vacation Bible School in Adams’ View, a neighboring community.

Each day the students enjoyed having breakfast and worship together in the morning, a busy morning of projects, VBS in the afternoon and then playing in the gym after dinner in the evening.  Students visited the Cultural Center, a museum, and Miners, a nearby restaurant. Several native elders also visited and spoke to the group. Projects were aimed at assisting elders of the community.  All recipients of assistance and the VBS were invited to a Salmon Feed sponsored by the ANC and the local lumber company. It was very-well attended and several elders got up and expressed their appreciation for the help they’d received and for the quality work.

Special thanks to the Weijohn’s for letting us stay with them: Jeff and Terri; Bud and Mary. It was greatly appreciated!

Thank you so much for everyone who was able to contribute with prayers, and donations for this trip.

View the Mission trip Photo Album

Thoughts and Comments from the students:

Aryel:

“On the mission trip to the ANC we did a lot of jobs and also a VBS where I met a lot of little kids who were awesome. There was one little boy who stood out the most to me… One day while we were there he was saying” You’re the church people!” “You’re the church people!” I asked him, “Why do you keep calling us the church people?” He told me, “I like it when you guys come. I love you guys!”  That was the best thing that happened while I was there. It made my week even better.”

Aubriann:

“Teaching the people about Jesus and showing kindness really changed their hearts. We now see peace, thankfulness, and happiness in their faces.

Roseanna:

“My favorite thing about the mission trip was to see all the people’s smiles, and how they said they don’t know what they did to deserve it, and that they must have been doing something right for God to be giving them something like this. And they also said that God was good.”

Anonymous:

“Over spring break I went to Wapato, WA to the All Nations Center. While we were over there we worked on the Indian Reservation fixing up houses. We built and painted wheelchair ramps, built woodsheds and moved their wood into them., picked up trash, and painted some houses. My favorite part about it was giving to the people without expectations of anything in return. I think mission trips are the best way to praise God and bring both you and God joy. A lot of the time I just want to stay in my comfort zone, but staying in my own world doesn’t allow God to work through me. I had a lot of fun on the trip bringing other people happiness, which gave me a lot more joy than if I were to do something for myself.”

Anonymous:

“One family dragged a 98-year-old woman to the door to talk with the girls who were helping to paint her wheelchair ramp. Then she came to the salmon feed and was so happy to be there and for all of us.”

“The students were so touched by all the kindness and appreciation they received from everyone there. They are all wearing their key chains in their hair or using them. They really like them. They really enjoyed the visit to Johanna’s bead shop.”

-This report was written by Trip Sponsor: Lynda North

Comments