Salem Indian Church makes history!
Eight persons from West Michigan have just returned from a very successful mission trip to North Dakota. The youth, young adults and adults from Salem Indian Mission Church and Marshall UMC made history. It was the first time the Spirit Lake Ministry Center in North Dakota had ever hosted a Native American mission team. This was also the first mission trip for the Salem Church.
During the week-long stay on the Spirit Lake Reservation the team replaced an old porch deck, added a wheelchair ramp, and participated in a weekday Sidewalk Sunday School program for Dakota children. Special thanks to the congregations and to and the Indian Workers Conference of the Michigan Area for their encouragement and support. And a very special "Miigwetch" (thank you) to Terry and Mindy Stickley for their unfailing support of this project.
Perhaps the best part of the experience is that everyone wants to do it again! May the success of this trip serve as a seed for continued Native American outreach projects, most especially from Native American churches.
Near Devils Lake, North Dakota, the Spirit Lake Nation has been in the area since 1867. It's a UMVIM destination (United Methodist Volunteers in Mission) and hosts volunteer teams from all over the country.
~reported by David Begg of Marshall UMC