Mission trip success for Holy Family J Walkers
Members from the Holy Family Parish were Morgan Wittrig, Carter Wittrig, Mariah Schwager, Wesley Schwager, Jack Stoeffler, Andrew Horner, Sam Peterson and chaperone Mary Stoeffler. Joining the group from St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Eastman was Jaci Bedtka. (Photo submitted)
By Caitlin Bittner
From Tuesday, July 7 to Wednesday, July 15, the Holy Family Parish in Prairie du Chien was able to once again send youth group, the J Walkers, on a mission trip to Birmingham, Ala.
“We were able to go with the help of the George Family Foundation,” said group leader Mary Stoeffler. The foundation gave the travelers from Prairie du Chien $1,500 toward their trip, enabling the area participants to go for $175 each.
The J Walkers consist of high school students from the area of the Catholic faith. It is led by Stoeffler and Kurt Kravchuk. “We’re more of a service oriented group. It is our goal to teach kids to help and to give to others,” explained Stoeffler.
For the trip, the J Walkers joined up with other high school students from the La Crosse Diocese, bringing the group to 30 people in total. Members from the Holy Family Parish were Morgan Wittrig, Carter Wittrig, Mariah Schwager, Wesley Schwager, Jack Stoeffler, Andrew Horner, Sam Peterson and chaperone Mary Stoeffler. Joining the group from St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Eastman was Jaci Bedtka.
The Christian Service Mission was the organization that helped to connect the group with its specific project. “They contacted True Vine Church to house us in an old school. They had bunk beds and showers for us to use. They even provided home-cooked meals for us to eat while we were there,” said Stoeffler. According to Stoeffler, Christian Service Mission connects resources with needs. They provide education and economic help to the communities they serve and others.
On the first day in Birmingham, the group worked to clean three large lots that were overgrown with weeds. “They were 12 to 15 feet high!” remarked Stoeffler.
Stoeffler noted that temperatures and humidity were both high, taking their toll on the helpers. “Luckily, we didn’t see any snakes, but we did have to have three kids treated for poison ivy.”
In working on the project, the group met two of the lots’ neighbors, both of whom were appreciative of the help. “An older gentleman told us he used to keep the lot up, but he burned his lungs saving a baby from a house that burned down on another neighboring lot,” said Stoeffler, the compassion for him clear in her voice.
Every night of the trip, the students gathered for Mass and to talk about the things they experienced during the day. “Each student would tell their experiences. It’s good to have kids your own age to work through these things with. It’s a bond that grows between them. The ones who’d went on trips before all said this was different. Sometimes you felt truly helpless. You wished you could do more for these people, but although they are poor, they are so kind and giving,” said Stoeffler, who added that it was a very emotional and eye-opening journey for the kids and chaperones alike.
In her opinion, many high school students should have an experience like this. “They need to see what they have. Some people don’t know what struggle is. These kids [on the trip] chose to do this,” she finished, pride clear on her face.
The group is already working on next year’s trip, thinking that it will take them somewhere on the east coast, or perhaps a Native American reservation.
Also in the future for the J Walkers is a trip to see Pope Benedict XVI in Philadelphia, Pa., Sept. 24-28. Stoeffler, along with Dr. Mark Grunwald, will chaperone 15 students for the trip.
