An eight-member multigenerational team of members from FPC spent June 7-11 with Reverends Charles and Diane Wonnenberg at the Mniska Mission in South Dakota.  Our primary objective was to demonstrate support for their ministry in the largely Lakota Indian community they serve, which is battling alcoholism, broken homes, domestic abuse, poverty, crime, and the highest unemployment levels in the nation.  Every person we met on our trip shared a personal story that included drug abuse, suicide, or both.

 

Each member of the team was asked repeatedly before leaving, "Why are you going to South Dakota?  What will you build?"  We went with the purpose of building relationships, and of laying foundations for future partnerships between our congregations.  We met the men that the Wonnenbergs are mentoring to take leadership positions in the Mniska congregation, and we toured their beloved historic church and cemetery.  We led vacation Bible school for 22 children and provided meals for them.  We hosted a community-wide hot dog roast and participated in worship services with musical offerings.  But above all, we visited and listened.

 

There is a great need for financial resources to facilitate the Wonnenbergs work, but the need for human resources is even greater.  Their focus is to raise up this generation of youth to break the cycle of poverty, substance abuse, depression and suicide.  To do this, they need to prepare lay leadership for roles in ministry and administration of this once vibrant Presbyterian congregation.  Charles and Diane specifically mentioned their desire for guitars and lessons for members of the youth to provide the musical leadership during worship as they presently don't have the means to make instrumental musical offerings.  They also voiced concerns about the transportation issues they face as they must pick up and drop off many of their congregants, some of whom live up to one hour away. 

 

As the trip unfolded, it became clear to us that the people of the Mniska congregation were, above all, touched by our presence and by the simple fact that a group of people from Nashville, Tennessee care about them.  Because of this, regular presence among the people of Mniska is critical.  Numerous churches have closed their doors in this part of the country in recent years.  We all left South Dakota resolved to continue in partnership with these brothers and sisters in Christ. 

2009 Trip Participants:  Drew Austin, Lindsay Ison, Mark Ison, Paul Roark, Cindy Waller, Katie Wallker, Rev. Rob Weingartner, and Terry Weingartner