Lake Providence, Louisiana, Good
Neighboring Trip 2008
Lake Providence Reflections by Sister Mary Angela Sackmann
Jesus said, "What you do to the least of my brothers and sisters that you do unto Me." This was my motivation for taking the long trip to Lake Providence. I knew in some small way I could be of service to someone. The scraping and painting was hard work, but it was all worthwhile to see the joy it brought to the families whose houses we made look like new.
We were 12 in the group, reminding me of the 12 apostles. Even though we came from several different towns, it didn't take long for us to bond and have fun on the job. Of course coming home to the very comfortable "Zimmer" home on the lake made it easy for us to relax, share and pray together. We laughed a lot. Even the 70 degree weather was in our favor.
Thanks to Sister Kathy Wiesneski, Mike and Linda Schmidt who organized this trip and saw that everything went smoothly. God blessed all 12 of us and I'm sure we will be blessed in the future.
Lake Providence Reflections by Lori Jonas, Prescott, WI.
Every year I have gone down to Louisiana has brought great experiences. Since I graduated from UW-Stout in May of 2007, I have felt lost in my faith. When at college, I was involved with Newman.
The service trip this year helped me get back on the right path to further my faith. I am here to help and serve others. I miss doing the volunteering that I did through the Newman Center at Stout.
Over time, I am sure I will find my place in my community where I can help others. Serving others, especially in Louisiana, helps me to be very appreciative of what I have and who I am. The people in Louisiana that we help are very thankful for what we do because they cannot fix their houses by themselves. I was able to build a new walkway for a lady. The smile on her face made all of my hard work worth it.
Lake Providence Reflections by Sister Kathy Wiesneski, Menomonie, WI
What can I say about this year's trip to Lake Providence, LA? I could talk about the interesting range in age that was present, or the side splitting times we spent together just laughing in a real genuine way. I could also talk about hard work and sore muscles. But what stood out for me was the dedication and faith that I saw present in each and every one who participated. I saw genuine concern for the people of Lake Providence as well as the openness to reach out and help one another during this time. The weather was great, the food fantastic, but it was the spirit of these wonderful volunteers that touched me the most on this trip. I has caused me to rethink the makeup of future trips. We need the energy of the young but we also need the wisdom and humor of the more mature.
Lake Providence Reflections by Russ Mancl, Merrill, WI
This was my second trip to Lake Providence, LA, through the "Good Neighboring" program. I found all the people who worked together very focused and goal oriented. A sense of humor turned many trying days into memory makers. I came away with appreciation for the slow pace that seemed to prevail in much of the day-to-day world of the people in Lake Providence. They seemed to enjoy what they were doing and how it was being done. Everyone taking the trip drifted in and out of their comfort zone and experienced people who perhaps they never came into contact with in their normal day. I found out the it is OK not to fix all the problems that exist. Sometimes a friendly face or smile was worth more to many of the people we met then any financial assistance or repairs on their home could generate. I was able to be compassionate to the needs of family pets that seemed to get lost in the shuffle. I wonder what will become of these animals. I hope other individuals have the opportunity to experience "Good Neighboring," in Lake Providence and right in their own backyards.
