
High School Summer Mission Trip
TRIP DATES
From approx. 2pm on Sunday, July 11, through approx. noon on Sunday, July 18. Please note that at this time, we are not able to accommodate planned late arrivals. It is important for students to arrive in time to participate in the orientation in Yakima at 5pm.
REGISTRATION
Contact Danielle to inquire about open spots for this trip: daniellem@bethanypc.org.
COST: $900 with scholarships available.
MINISTRY PARTNER/HOST
Mending Wings, Yakama Reservation. Please read more about this trip here.
(For our debrief time we will be hosted by Youth Dynamics/Stonewater Ranch)
FOOD
This trip can accommodate (with advanced notice) food allergies/restrictions. However, we are requesting that you bring a protein bar or non-perishable snack that you love for each day of the trip in case the amount of food served does not meet your needs. The trip does NOT include snacks on travel days (so pack them!) or lunch on 7/18 when we return at noon.
TRANSPORTATION: rental vans, driven by Bethany leaders.
LODGING
- July 11-16: Inside at a local church in Wapato. Please bring a small air mattress and sleeping bag. The church has Sunday School classrooms that we sleep in. There are indoor bathrooms and showers on site. We are the only church group staying at this facility during this week.
- July 16-18: Stonewater Ranch, owned by Youth Dynamics, in Leavenworth. During this time we will be camping and shared tents will be provided. However, there will be no showers during this time. There will be other groups there during this period, but each group has a campsite and field that is very distant from each other, so we will not physically see another group when in our area. All eating is done outside and in our own area.
ANTICIPATED DAILY SCHEDULE
(Please note that this is not set in stone and requires flexibility. Mending Wings will change some of the order of these things as situations evolve. Students will be given daily morning updates.)
- Sunday: Arrive, dinner, Community and Cultural Orientation, first small group time
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: Community Service Projects during the day. Late afternoon game time. Evening Cultural Activities including making Tule Mats, Native Talking Circle, Worship, and small groups
- Wednesday: Cultural Day including visit the Treaty Grounds, Walla Walla Museum, Frenchtown Historic Site, evening Dancing Our Prayers Night with the Mending Wings Youth Group and Salmon & Frybread Dinner, small groups
- Friday: Pack & load vehicles, drive to Stonewater Ranch. Unpack and set up camp. Afternoon lawn games, short hike, etc. Evening debrief of trip to reservation, firepit, prayer time.
- Saturday: White Water rafting through Youth Dynamics (guided trip). Please note, this does depend on water table levels remaining stable.
- Sunday: Pack up and drive back to Bethany
EVERYTHING COVID
First, we have a Bethany COVID Parent team who has been helping me make necessary protocol for this trip. Additionally, our host organization, Mending Wings, has had their own COVID safe protocols that we will be honoring. Here is what you need to know:
- Mending Wings (MW) leaders will all be vaccinated and be tested weekly this summer.
- At MW request, all Bethany leaders (Staff and Volunteer) will be fully vaccinated and test before leaving.
- At MW request, all Bethany students attending need to have a negative COVID test before arriving in Yakima. At this point, we are recommending you plan to get a test Wed or Thursday prior to the trip, but we will update you further as we get closer. We are basing this on current wait times right now and that might change in 2 months.
- The MW folks were hit hard with COVID. They take this very seriously, and we are very comfortable with all the protocols they have in place. Because our safety is their priority, we are asking you to get tested out of respect for the tribe.
- On your registration form, we are asking your vaccination status by July 11.
- We will do as much as possible outside: playing, eating, learning, working.
- The facility where we are staying will be regularly sanitized.
- White Water rafting: Each boat has a Youth Dynamics guide in it, as well as 6-7 Bethany people. During the rafting trip everyone will need to be unmasked due to water safety. It also will not be possible to be 6’ apart from everyone, including the guide during this time.
- After June 1, when we know exactly who is going on this trip, we will host an evening parent Zoom to specifically discuss all things COVID about this trip. At that point we will go deeper into some decisions that are still unfolding, like if singing during worship would be safe.
Here are some questions we anticipate you might ask:
- Why is the cost so high to go to Yakima, WA? Here is just some quick math: Mending Wings charges $400 a participant. Youth Dynamics charges $120. There are two meals we are covering ourselves in travel, budgeted at $25 pp total. Our rental vans, including all insurances, are $250 pp for the week plus gas. Your leaders pay zero dollars to attend, but we are also still charged these per person fees for them to come, which are approx. $150 per person. Without anything else, we are already over $900.
- Scholarships? How do I get one? Email Danielle daniellem@bethanypc.org. This will be confidential. No one will miss out because of money, seriously. We have a generous scholarship fund. Let Danielle know what amount your family can pay, and we will gladly go from there. Please ask. Register fully and simply at the last page do not follow the link to payment.
- What are the work projects? Community Service projects will be outside work in the community and at locations selected by Mending Wings staff. You will not be interacting with vulnerable elderly people due to COVID. Please bring work gloves and clothes that will get messy.
- Do we have fun? Yes. Get ready for volleyball games, spike ball, lawn games, all things goofy, card game time, etc.
- Will we have time for things like a message from a leader, worship, small groups, etc? Yes, on the regular. We will worship (in safe ways) as a Bethany group and with/alongside/lead by Mending Wings. We also will spend a lot of our debrief time in prayer together, doing affirmations, and sharing with each other.
- What if my COVID test comes back inconclusive (and I’m pretty sure I don’t have COVID)? We are going to ask you to retest, and stay home until you have a (negative) result. At that point, your parent can drive you out to us. [yes, we understand this would be extremely disappointing.]
- My student is an 8th grader that I am not sure is ready for this trip (for whatever reason), can they go on the Middle School Camp instead? At this point, yes, but Danielle would love to have a conversation with you before that is a final decision. Email Danielle daniellem@bethanypc.org to set up a time to chat.
- Are phones allowed on this trip? Nope, no technology will be allowed. We are focusing on connecting with each other and Jesus. Students will be asked to leave phones, headphones, tech stuff at home. Leaders will have cell phones to use as GPS, car playlists, and in emergencies. We will have cameras available to document everything your iphone would have. Those images will be made available to you 1 week after returning.
- Are there more forms after this one? Following your registration, and after June 1, you will receive 4 additional forms that are required by the various organizations we are traveling with. We understand your family loves forms as much as we do, but these are all required to participate. This includes a full medical form, a Mending Wings release, a Stonewater Ranch release, and a Youth Covenant of behavioral expectations from Mending Wings. Sylvia Lidell in the church office has generously offered to manage the form collection this year, so you will work with her on those details.
We hope that you will consider joining us. We know that this year has been hard and disappointing. This is a great way to reconnect with BPYG if you have struggled during Zoom, or hang out with your friends after too much time away, or spend some time deepening your relationship with Jesus.