Very early last Friday morning, Fr. Steve picked up Maria, Elijah, Shawn and myself and off to the Sioux Falls airport we went! Sarasota, Florida was our destination. Our objective was to host two afternoons of appreciation luncheons for those who hold St. Joseph’s Indian School near to their hearts.
After an hour of driving and letting the boys catch a little more sleep, Fr. Steve began to interview them in preparation for the weekend that lay ahead. As I listened and was able to participate, I knew in my heart these guys were going to do great!
After checking in with the airline and going through security, we all had a quick bite to eat, knowing it was going to be a long day of travel. After all, between shuffling through different airports and making all of our connections we may not get another chance for food until later on that night! So before we ate, we all bowed our heads and asked the Lord’s blessing on our day and the days ahead.
Fr. Steve began each luncheon by thanking everyone for their part in St. Joseph’s success in helping Lakota children. Introductions were made and lunch was served, followed by a slide presentation and a short video giving everyone a taste of what life is like at St. Joseph’s Indian School.
The boys did a great job of not only representing St. Joseph’s Indian School and the nurturing they have received here, but they also did a great job of representing themselves. Though they may not have felt like it, they stood out as very confident young men. I, along with all those in attendance, was impressed and very proud of them.
Everyone received a picture of themselves taken with Elijah and Shawn; a little take-home memory representing all the Lakota (Sioux) students here at St. Joseph’s Indian School. I personally met people who traveled four and five hours to attend this event!
And oh… by the way, the Lord certainly did answer the prayer we made on that Friday morning at the Sioux Falls airport because before you knew it, it was time to head back home!
The trip and luncheons were more than beneficial to all. We were a blessing to all we met and they in turn were a blessing to us. We didn’t have much time to do a lot of sightseeing. Sarasota certainly is a beautiful place. The people we met were extremely nice. Each of us came back with very fond memories; I for one will never forget the Italian priest we met Saturday evening at St. Martha’s. “Mamma Mia…”
Very nice! Thanks for sharing! Theresa
Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2013 14:28:37 +0000 To: theresajowells@hotmail.com