Week 2 - Day 6

Sylvia Cerna

Wow! What an amazing week, I can’t believe that it’s already Friday. I was one of the adult leaders on the site for Northwest Harvest and what a blessing I was given to have an amazing group of teens. They all worked very hard and never complained about where they were asked to work. On Tuesday they got the experience of working one of the largest food banks, Yakima OIC, and they truly connected with this opportunity to help serve these wonderful people as well as getting the to chance to hear their stories; when the day was over they begged to work food banks the rest of the week and they did. They got to go to 3 different food banks and help serve people. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart as each and every one of your teens has touched my life forever!


Luke Kemper

Today was fun because I was immortalized in a food bank in Yakima. We did silhouettes of each other on the side of the building as a mural (which was my idea). We all made different poses and sketched them with pen and then went to town and painted them and made them look good. Also we had a paint war, between Nick, Julie, and I. Julie started it so Nick and me finished it and she got the most paint on her. Also, I got a handprint, in paint, on my butt; thank you Julie. THE END!!!


Noel Buslon

This mission trip has been my third and final mission trip. Each year I take something different away from the trip. But this year has been such a blessing. Knowing that this year is my final mission trip, I believed that I wanted to leave behind something with the younger generation to take to their next trips. I tried to teach them more than what was asked and to be a leader and take action. They also taught me very much. One in particular was Will Dittmar. At our work site he made the connection with Lucille a little more genuine than I thought it would be. From his acts of kindness and openness to someone new, our connection with Lucille went from strangers to a family. This site wasn’t exactly the worst site you can imagine. But I knew God had a plan for each of us as we embarked on this mission. We are all capable to working hard and getting work done, but I do believe that we were there because something was missing in our own hearts and something was also missing in Lucille’s heart. By our paths intertwining together we were able to be open and feel so good about ourselves. I knew that it was fate for our lives to be crossed because of a prayer of the psalms. I received a Psalm 23 prayer card in a Home Depot parking lot when I was 14, and I have kept in my wallet with me ever single day. I didn’t know why I kept it in there, but I did know that one day it was going to be very special. And it was. On Wednesday Father Ed came and had prayer with us. We prayed for all our families and the things we usually pray for. But when Father Ed asked Lucille what her favorite Psalm was, I knew this was the time that that little card in my wallet was meant to be for her. The following day I lead a prayer with Psalm 23, and I have to say that it was one of the most touching moments I have ever witnessed. Possibly one of the most powerful prayers I have ever prayed. It really meant more to me because it was Lucille’s favorite and she broke down in tears because of the beauty of it.
As our week comes to a close I am both happy and sad that we are finished and we accomplished it. I am happy because the joy we were able to put into the Harris family, but I am sad because for one week I felt like I was part of that family and she was my own grandmother and now I am leaving it. This mission week has taught me lessons I never expected to learn on this trip. I expected to learn humility, and not to be judgmental, but I learned the real lessons of family, and how we connected not just as a mission team but as a whole including everyone that we were able to meet. My mission trip was a trip that I am truly going to remember. I am going to miss everyone I worked with and especially Lucille, because she put a light in my heart that is irreplaceable.


Mike Cappetto

As the week is coming to an end I really started to think about what has happened. From the time we got to our site until we finished I really saw a drastic change. At first the little kids were not too sure about strangers coming into their homes and making changes. But no sooner did we bring out the paint they were right there helping all of us. As for the Mother and Grandmother they stayed at a distance watching TV all the time. This was bothering our team because we couldn’t get them to open up for us until today. The Grandmother had a very interesting story; it involved her being in a prison for 9 years. I feel bad for her because it isn’t her fault and she still has to deal with the consequences from it. I hope that the examples that the Young Neighbors set this week will stick with a lot of the people we’ve met, and stick with us.

Week 2 - Day 5

Mike Prelesnik

Today was cool because I was at a food bank and served homeless people and helped them carry their bags to their cars. But, what made the day really fun was that we had lunch at Lucile’s house, which is the house that another group was painting. They kept saying that she made excellent iced-tea, and she did. She was also the nicest person I have ever met.

Julie Balza

Today definitely felt like the longest day of the week. We got to go to a new food bank called “Our Daily Bread.” Most of the clientele were homeless and some looked just like we did. It gave us a real variety of people and helped us learn more. After that we got to go eat lunch at Lucille’s house. She is such an inspiring person and she actually brought me to tears. We did a prayer including her favorite quote from the bible (Psalm 23) and after we read that, she said a prayer for her family and all of us. It was really touching that even though we had just met us, she was already praying for us. After that we went back to the Yakima Food Bank we went to yesterday and help them sort out things for distribution tomorrow. Overall, this week has been an amazing experience and I can’t wait until next year.

Caitlin Hendricks

I have had the most amazing site and really love Lucille. Lucille is 72 and she is full of personality, I am really blessed to be able to meet her. She calls all of us her babies and she is very grateful for our help. She is very appreciative and the first time she saw what we were doing she started yelling from joy, “Bless your hearts, bless your hearts” over and over. She loves to cook, she makes us ice tea everyday and I do not like ice tea but I could not say no so I tried it and it was amazing. On Wednesday she made us breakfast with biscuits, bacon, eggs, home made syrup, and grits. Everything tasted amazing and she made us an angel food cake today. I really enjoy going to her house and just talking with her. She told us all about her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her two great grandchildren came over on Tuesday and I was playing with them and the eldest, Destiny, wants to be a dancer like meJ. Another amazing woman is Rosie. Rosie is Lucille’s daughter and Rosie explained that Lucille was her angel and best friend. When Father Ed was talking with Lucille she said that she refuses to take medication and her reasoning was that Jesus suffered so she can too. She was talking about how people complain too much, which I think, is absolutely true. She is really an inspiration to me. I hope that I can be as gracious and welcoming as Lucille has been to all of us. Other than talking with Lucille we have done some work, we are painting her house two different shades of gray. The house is one story but the peaks go up about 20 feet and the sides are covered in shingles so it is impossible to roll. I spent an hour using a roller and brush to finish about a 4’ by 4’ square. We finally went and rented a commercial paint sprayer that was amazing because it made the job go so much faster. Today was definitely the hardest and dirtiest day for me. Kelley and I were working on the roof because her house had a jut out on the roof that also needed to be painted. We were on our backs lying on the roof looking up painting the overhang and we were covered in paint. On the sides of this jut out the walls got smaller and smaller and it was in the shape of a triangle. I had to climb all the way up into this area and paint. I have never had to paint at such weird angles before. I have scratches from the roof shingles all over my legs and stomach and I am sore all over because the roof was so hot it burned (likely 110 or 120 degrees). I washed my hair four times and I am still finding paint everywhere. Even though I got filthy I had a great time and I would do anything to help Lucille. We are almost done we just have some cleaning to do and I am hoping we can go out to the Reservation tomorrow. The weather is great by the way…

Look for her pictures on the photo album site.
- editor


Hello Families and Stockholders

I would like to say that you invested in a great group of teens. They have been fantastic. We were kind of apprehensive about having a week with 150 folks but it has worked out very well. All of the staff members have praised how well the teens have worked at their sites. I have heard nothing but compliments in regard to our teens.
At the site that I am on with my partner Grace Daniel and six wonderful teens we are working at a White Swan residence that needs oh so much work done to it. When we got our assignment they had a pretty substantial list of items that needed to be taken care of and once we got there we knew that we wouldn’t finish them all so we picked the ones that would make life better for the family that lived there. This entailed removing a water damaged ceiling, re-insulating and re-sheet rocking it, removing and replacing a heavily damaged floor, removing and replacing a toilet, relining a tub enclosure, cleaning the kitchen numerous times, cleaning out the dining room, washing walls, priming them with Kilz and painting. The crew did all of this with many young children around with lots of energy. The situation at the house was less than ideal and the teens did a wonderful job of accepting the challenge and working longer hours than the norm. I would like to congratulate all of the parents and or guardians of the teens (Sean, Morgan, Marie, Adam, Laura, and Michael) for raising such wonderful kids. They have been a great joy to work with and I am sorry it is coming to an end. This is why I continue to come on mission each year. Thanks! Patrick Cappetto Week 2 Lead

Annissa Cerna

During this past week I have discovered so much more than what it feels like to help someone out with work, I have discovered the true meaning of family. I have been painting a lady’s house who to me is truly an angel…she has let us into her home willingly and with so much thanks and love. She is one of the most amazing lady’s I have ever met, we are so blessed to have gotten her house as a site, she treats us like more than just a bunch of obnoxious teens, she treats us like her own “babies”…like her own family, and like a family does we have stuck by her side and have done a beautiful job on her home.

Adam Jorgensen

During this week I have realized that being poor is not just because you don’t work its because there is a story of things just failing, actions that lead to you feeling like there is no hope in your life and you give. At my site I only saw hope in the kids’ eyes. They came to help us right off the bat to help us to make the house in better condition. The weird thing is that the mom, dad, and grandma just sit where their big screen is and just watch movies. The funny thing is that all the thing that I want, electronically, like movies and stuff, they all have, but the things I have like a roof over my head, etc., they don’t have. So it’s like opposite worlds. But I am happy that the family looked at their house and decided that this house did need some work to be better. Then they called us for the help.

Sean Cossano

We arrived at the site on Monday and there was no one there so we cleaned up the outside for about two hours before the grandma showed up and let us in to reveal that the lady was there the whole time. We don’t see her too often but her five kids are the most helpful kids I’ve ever met. We tore out the ceiling in the bathroom to expose two rats’ nests; it has taken until today to get it back up. We were at the sight from 11 to 7:30 and it was quite a day. I’m so glad I got the hard site again though, it always helps you realize how easy we have it, and it never ceases to amaze me how god truly works through us to get through to those who need our help in ways that we must see to honestly believe.

Week 2 - Day 4

Duane Rhodes
Wednesday was another full day of serving the Yakima and the Yakama Nation communities. Everyone made their way back to the Holy Family center in the afternoon and were immediately hustled back into the vehicles and driven to the Franklin Community Park and Pool. We were all treated to a picnic barbeque, ice blocking (a summertime sledding-type event), and swimming! After an evening of playing hard and great food we returned to Holy Family and prepared ourselves for Mass. That night the Eucharist and Mass was presided by Father Ed White. Our day was extremely full, exhausting and most of all, spiritually fulfilling.

Week 2 - Day 3

Nick Thorpe

My second full day on mission felt much more productive than the first. We were told by Northwest Harvest to go to OIC, a food bank, to help distribute the food. In no time at all, the line was out the door. I had to restock all of the food that we were handing out, and that was not an easy task. Every few minutes I would restock the mashed potatoes, the salad, beef jerky and Corn Flakes, and before I knew it, we were out of mashed potatoes again. Somehow I managed to work up a sweat, even though it was much cooler in the food bank than it was outside (by at least twenty degrees). Our whole group was very productive, but I did have to teach everyone the proper way to collapse the cardboard boxes. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the week has in store for me, and the rest of the teens here.

Week 2 - Day 2

Will Dittmar

Today was a very fun day. We are in the process of painting a house. The owners name is Lucille. She is extremely kind. She made us home-made ice tea and she was the sweetest person I have ever met. I’m looking forward to the rest of the job.

Mike Prelesnik

This is my first mission, and so far it has been really fun. Today we picked apricots from trees and then sorted a couple tons of cucumbers. It was better than working outside because it was air-conditioned. Picking apricots is a lot harder than I thought it would be.

Matt Miller

For my 4th, and final, mission, I am on the same site as Will. As he said, we are working at a woman named Lucille’s house, painting and doing some repair work on her bathroom. What really struck me today was the difference that just being on one side of the street can make. On the block that Lucille lives on, the majority of the homes (Especially Lucille’s) are all well-kept, and are graffiti-free, and it seems like your typical middle-class neighborhood. However, when you go to the next block over, you can tell that a different type of person lives there. That block reminded me so much of a mix of those old photos that you see of homes during the Great Depression, and the Los Angeles ghettos. All the homes are run-down, some have the windows boarded, and all have some kind of graffiti on them.

But at the same time, even though I know that so much more could be done at that block, I feel extremely fortunate to be working for such a kind old lady like Lucille. She is the definition of selflessness, and she will not take no for an answer any day. She brewed us the best iced tea, and she was very welcoming from the moment that we all got there. Although her well-kept house and yard are not what you would define as a “Mission Home,” her outright gratitude to have us there is going to make this a great experience.


Duane Rhodes

When we pulled up to Miss Lucille’s home I thought that we had the wrong address. We were there to paint the outside of a house. This house, on first impression, seemed to be well kept with a fenced yard with flowers, a nice porch, and hanging birdbaths.
Miss Lucille met us after a couple of knocks on the door and welcomed us all inside. She is a most gracious person with sharing her family history. Her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren came to visit too. We all were able to get to know her and she got to know us too. She is one of those people that could be everyone’s grandmother, she is so sweet and generous.
To top it all off, she made southern sweetened iced-tea! I’m not usually a sweetened iced-tea lover, but she made one out of me.
We are all looking forward to completing the mission and giving back to Miss Lucille by giving her home a fresh coat of paint.

Scott Styer

At the beginning of the day our group went to Northwest Harvest to see what they had for us to do. We were there for about a half an hour talking about how people got to where they were. Northwest Harvest is a food distributor for food banks all across the state. They had us drive to a apricot field where we picked fruit for about 2 hours. We filled up about 10 boxes, which is not very much in price. After 2 hours we went back to the warehouse to pack loaves of bread into boxes and put cucumbers in boxes and weigh them. The work was not very labor intensive and I hoped that I would sweat a little. That is okay though because it is work that had to be done.

Morgan Anderson

I was working on the White Swan reservation today. When we first arrived we knocked and knocked but no one was home… So Pat (our site leader) made a few calls and we decided that we would just clean the yard until they got home. The yard had many cars and piles of cans, trash and car parts. As the afternoon progressed we divided and conquered the yard to the best of our ability by having the girls stuffing all the trash into garbage bags and the guys move old furniture away from the house. After awhile it started to get hotter and hotter and we started to run out of water. Thankfully the family came home and there were four kids and they were ADORABLE. Laura broke the ice by playing catch with them and after that they were sold. They helped with everything. The oldest son was awesome. I was scrubbing the floor and he without asking brought me a bucket with water because he thought I might need it. He is 12 years old! I hated doing anything at that age that was a chore. The second oldest helped me wash down all the walls and the two youngest ran around saying random things and yelling “look!” and then would throw things. But what can you expect? It was hilarious!! Overall today was a pretty productive day considering it started so late. We scrubbed all the living room walls, Laura tackled the kitchen and now you can see the counters and all the boys basically destroyed the bathroom and tomorrow they will fix it. Everyone did an amazing job at helping wherever it was needed. I love my group

Julie Balza

Today I went to Northwest Harvest. I had heard of them since its main warehouse is in Kent, but I never really knew the importance of it. Their main job is to distribute food to different food banks around central Washington. When we arrived, we learned that for the first portion we would be picking apricots. It gave me a lot of insight to those who pick fruits in orchards as a living. We were only out there for 2 hours but I couldn’t imagine being out there for a full day. After that we returned to the warehouse, we sorted bread and cucumbers. It was a little boring at first but after we got going, it gave us time to learn more about each other. Over all, today was a good experience and I’m excited for the rest of the week.

Mission Week 2 - Good to go

Week 2 - Day 1

Eric Besel

We haven’t gone out to our work sites at all yet, and I can see the Spirit working among us. The initial get-to-know-ya games and activities have quickly dismantled the barriers that we all erect to keep us in our comfort zones. The teens from the different parishes are intermingling easily. Everyone seems to be included and welcome in the various small groups that are forming. I am optimistic about what the next few days will bring…

Online Photo Gallery

To see more pictures of our mission to Yakima go to http://ststephens.albumpost.com