With 77 days remaining until graduation, the Wisconsin Academy senior class of 2007 loaded the bus early on Sunday morning, March 11. The 26 students and seven faculty and sponsors were bound for Port Arthur, Texas, to aid in relief efforts following Hurricane Katrina's less-publicized counterpart, Hurricane Rita. After spending four years holding fund-raisers, hosting dinner theaters, and cleaning stadiums, it was finally the seniors' turn to use their class funds for a mission trip.
Though the seniors first planned to rebuild a school in the Fiji islands, a political coup there early in the school year left the class searching for another option. Door after door closed until finally the students were informed they would have to take a trip within the United States. The seniors were surprised and didn't know where God was leading, but kept moving forward. Through contacts with the Wisconsin Conference Adventist Community Services director, Floyd Brock, Lutheran Disaster Response expressed a need for roofing repairs and drywalling assistance in southeastern Texas. Plans fell into place, and the Wisconsin Conference offered to cover some expenses using funds collected following the Katrina and Rita hurricane disasters.
Arriving in Port Arthur after two long days of driving, the seniors unloaded their things and prepared for the coming day. The next morning they waited for job assignments, but were dismayed to hear that due to federal grants roofing was quite inexpensive for needy residents, and roofing jobs (approximately half of the work assigned to the group) were no longer needed. This left students moving from job to job daily—painting, doing yard clean-up, or installing drywall. They were able to impact dozens of families in just a matter of six work days.
The best view of the impact the seniors were making came on Friday, March 16. At high noon, a "last-nail" ceremony full of hymns and psalms re-dedicated a small home in Port Arthur. It was announced that the time had come for the homeowner to move back home for the first time since the storm. The program was led by members of the Southeast Texas Interfaith Organization (SETIO), and it offered the class another amazing opportunity to share by presenting a check to SETIO in excess of $20,000 from the Wisconsin Conference.
The class's transportation to Texas was not simply another coach bus; it was the class gift, purchased on eBay and repaired using class funds. In addition to their mission trip, using the money earned from their fund-raisers, friends and family, and the donations of constituents throughout the conference, the seniors were also able to contact former principal John Thomas in Africa. They learned of the need of an orphanage to house children of AIDS-stricken families, so they sent a check for $15,000 to cover all expenses of the orphanage.
Despite the seniors' initial disappointment, God blessed the money earned through their work so they could funnel it to numerous locations and needs.
Jessica Stotz is a 2007 graduate of Wisconsin Academy.
