Mission group chooses next site

The Minneota Area Mission Trip Group has decided on its next destination to assist others in need.
As many as 40 area students and 10 chaperones could embark on the trip scheduled for June 25-30 in Elliot County, Kentucky.
“We had narrowed the choices down to this area in Kentucky, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; or Knoxville, Tennessee,” said Emily Hennen, who is coordinating the 2023 mission trip along with her husband, Andy. “There were 33 students that voted on which place they wanted to go.”
The Hennens have taken over as coordinators from Terri Myhre, who did an outstanding job in the past. The mission group went to Mississippi last summer.
“She is still helping a lot,” Hennen noted.
The group makes a mission trip every other year. Previous trips took them to Daytona Beach, San Diego, Niagara Falls and last year’s trip to Mississippi.
Hope Lutheran Church started the mission trip several years ago. It was then opened up to students from other area churches.
Andy Hennen did some research online to find a program to join. In the past, Youthworks or Sacred Heart Southern Missions organizations have been used by the group, but there were no spots available in June for the size of the Minneota group. So, Hennen chose Next Step as the mission organization they will go through for this trip.
“It’s a great program spiritually and for the mission work. They gave me five or six choices we could choose from,” Hennen said. “I narrowed it down to those three places and let the kids vote for where they wanted to go.”
The students that went on previous mission trips expressed a desire to again do labor-intensive work such as roofing and repairing as they did last summer.
"They liked that they could see a finished product," Hennen said. "So, we will be doing a lot of that type of work on this mission trip."
Hennen, who grew up in South Dakota, became interested in participating in the mission trips after volunteering for one in Tijuana, Mexico while in high school.
"I think it's important for the kids to experience something like that," she said. "Our daughter, Madison, will be able to go on this trip. It's a chance to work together to help others."
The group has been fundraising to alleviate the cost of the trip. They are currently taking orders for baked products such as lefse, Belgian cookies and Oreo truffles. Those interested in ordering can contact Emily at 507-828-6797 or email her at enhaugland@gmail.com.
The group is also working on putting together an area coupon book to sell as a fundraiser.