I leave for my mission trip to South Dakota this Saturday, May 27th, to visit the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation. I am beyond excited to visit a place I have never been to, but at the same time I am also nervous about being in a surrounding that I am not familiar with. The Lakota people make up the reservation I am going to be visiting. At this reservation, I am going to learn a lot about the Lakota culture, people, and their history.

I am excited to learn about a culture different from my own. I am also excited to help these people through the Simply Smiles organization and the Center for Ministry and Service at Regis. Regis has been preparing me for this mission trip for months now through me taking a course to get a better understanding of the reservation, the Lakota people, and their history. I know this is going to be an emotional experience for me to see a community that does not have everything I have been so fortunate to grow up with. But now that the day is fast approaching, I am beginning to get butterflies forming inside my stomach. The day is finally almost here!

I am going to be working on rebuilding houses on the reservation as well as sponsoring a summer camp for the children living on the reservation with my fellow peers and mentors from Regis. We are going to run games with the children and play with them throughout the week. There will also be another college or university present at the reservation the same time as us. It will be interesting to work together to help making a difference at the reservation. I am excited to explore this mission trip to learn more about the Lakota culture and history. I am really looking forward to hearing from the people on the reservation to learn more about them and who they are.