DAY SIX
Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Last day of work.
Day six was spent finishing up the last little bit of painting, moving pews and furniture back into place and picking up all of our supplies. We also tackled fixing up the sign out front which consisted of adding a new roof, painting exposed wood, and adding a light fixture.
Of course with a majority of the work having been done the previous day it was time for some fun at bear country. The bears are the main attraction but we also got the chance to see various animals roaming the park.
After a week of work and a fair amount of play our mission was complete.
Last but not least was the new and improved sign for the church that brought everything together.
DAY FIVE
Monday, July 15, 2024
Busy Day!
Lots of odds and ends on day five! With everyone working together we were able to change out the narthex light fixture, shine the central chandelier, remove a ceiling fan, and tape off the rest of the church in preparation for painting. With taping out of the way we were also able to get a majority of the painting done as well.
Time was also spent outside sanding and painting railings. Base and door trimmings was also cut to fit within the narthex to complete the space.
It was definitely a long and tiring day but that also meant we were able to get a lot of progress completed on the church.
DAY FOUR
Sunday, July 14, 2024
All dressed up we head to church for Sunday Service. Its a beautiful morning with the sun lighting up the pews. We spend the morning talking with parishioners and enjoying delicious homemade food.
Although we are not spending the day working at the church, we still have a full day of activities planned. Shortly after changing we all head to our first stop of the day, Custer State Park. We stop at a gas station for a fill up and some snacks for the long journey ahead. Arriving at the park we head straight towards the visitors lodge to learn about the largest American bison herd in the world. The park rangers were able to point out where the burros and bison herds were roaming that day. Sure enough, driving along the wildlife loop we spot burros just off the road. Father Joseph thought ahead and provided us all with some baby carrots to feed the burros. There were adorable baby burros sticking closely to their mothers, who were more than happy to let us say hello in exchange for a treat. However, we soon ran out of carrots and had to head back to the cars to explore the rest of the park.
In addition to the burros we spotted plenty of prairie dogs, some pronghorns, a few rocks, and after much searching we were able to locate the herd of bison. A few of us had to walk down to the tree line to get a better view but it was worth the trek.
Our journey progresses as we make our way to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. We walked through the Avenue of Flags up to the four stone profiles carved into the mountain side. With the sun shinning through the clouds we were able to capture some pretty good pictures of the Statues. Before we leave, we pop into the ice cream shop to try some of Jefferson’s Vanilla Ice Cream. I’ll just say, there is a good reason it is still being made to this day.
Our next stop: Crazy Horse. We weren’t able to make it in time to see the Crazy Horse Memorial up close but we were able to catch a glimpse driving by. The sculpture is still in progress but the face of Crazy Horse and Part of his hand are visible even from the road.
After a long day of site seeing, the hunger starts to set in. We head towards Custer in search of food. Sage Creek Grille is our dinner stop for the day as we refuel and rehydrate. We also glimpse bison statues on the street corners decorating the town of Custer.
Even with food in our bellies, everyone is feeling exhausted from the day. After arriving back at the house it doesn’t take long for us to settle in and promptly go to bed.
DAY THREE
Saturday July 13, 2024
Another beautiful morning in South Dakota! We start our day with some breakfast at the house before heading to church. We finish setting up for Summer Bible School and preparing the narthex for painting just in time for service.
Promptly after service the kids are swept away to class for a fun and educating day as painting is underway.
Only a few kids were able to make it for the day but we were able to supply bags for the other kids in the parish as well. Books were also left at the church for the kids to enjoy. They learned about the sacraments, Jonah and the Whale and more. They played bingo, decorated their bags, and especially loved playing outside.
Meanwhile, the rest of us spent the time removing trim, taping, and painting the narthex walls.
Day three was a busy day, we even traveled outside to clean up the church’s sign and sand railings. We also discovered that having the cover off of the narthex lighting provided to provide more light to the space. A chandelier was purchased and will be replacing the current fixture.
The following pictures are what the walls looked like after day three. We completed painting the narthex and also removed the iconography from the chapel to be prepared for painting on Monday.
The work day was done so we head back to the house to clean up for evening vespers and dinner. The service was lovely and some of the parishioners were even able to join us for dinner. Father Joseph introduces us to Colonial House. I think we all managed to eye the pies and pastries lining the display cases as we walked to our table. There is always room for dessert!
A filling meal and delicious slice of pie later, the tiredness sets in as we all enjoy our evening back at the house. We turn in for the night and await the fun day of exploring we will be having in the morning.
DAY TWO
Friday, July 12, 2024
We start our morning with some breakfast and head to the church for morning prayers. Then the work begins.
The two big projects of the day were mudding the wood panels on the entrance wall and setting up crafts and books for the Summer Bible School taking place on Saturday. The supplies for the kids had already been unloaded and brought to the church. It was further sorted, set up, and organized between rooms and tables. Multiple trips to Menards were also taken, in order to get compound, paint, trim, and other tools for our various projects. Mudding the wood paneling proved tedious but we added a texture to the wall to bring it all together. The only thing left to do was let it dry.
After our first day of work, it was time to clean up and get ready to meet some parishioners. A couple was gracious enough to host us for dinner. Let me tell you the food was spectacular, so much so that most of us got a picture of the Dahl (lentil curry) dish that was served.
We retire back to our beds to rest and wake up refreshed for the day ahead.
DAY ONE
Thursday, July 11, 2024
Welcome to the Holy Trinity Carmel 2024 Mission Trip blog. I am excited to share this experience and journey with all of you!
Our day starts off at the Indianapolis airport at 5:30 in the morning. Just a few short flights later, our group arrives in Rapid City, South Dakota just in time for some lunch. We are met by Father Joseph, as we gather our bags and settle into the dry South Dakota heat. Tired and hungry from travel we start our journey with food in mind. Father introduces us to a spot just up the road called Pizza Ranch. Something unknown to us Indiana locals. After a healthy fill of pizza and chicken we continue our journey to St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church just down the road. We pull up to a white rectangular building and promptly begin organizing supplies, books, and getting a first look at the walls that need painted, furniture that needs to be moved, and other various projects throughout the church.
We then head to our Bed and Breakfast to reset, unload our luggage, and get ready for our evening activities. Upon arrival we claim our beds and also discover we now have access to a trampoline in the backyard. Which will be put to good use in the coming days. But for now we head to our next stop: Deadwood.
After 45 minutes of driving through mountains and scenic roads we arrive to the historic city of Deadwood. The brick streets are lined with visitors waiting for a shoot out to take place in the middle of the road. Actors dressed as Wild Bill Hickok and other town folks play out scenarios from way back when Deadwood was first born. The loud shots woke us all up a little as we walked by casinos and started exploring local shops. We grabbed some refreshing beverages at Main Street Espresso and then head into Scott Jacobs Art Gallery. He is definitely worth a quick google search, his paintings are very detailed, vibrant and eye catching.
We enjoy the mountains towering around us we continue our walk around town popping into stores and exploring the streets. It eventually turns into dinner time and Father introduced us to FLYT Steakhouse. We enjoy our meal and some cold water before heading back towards our Bed and Breakfast. But just before arriving a few of us decided to head to the store and stock up on some food and drinks for breakfast before heading back.
We settle in for the evening, decompress and promptly head to bed after a long first day in South Dakota. Tomorrow the work begins!