Heelan graduate to go on mission trip to Tanzania

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
June 15, 2006

A young woman from the Diocese of Sioux City will travel to Tanzania, Africa later this summer with Siouxland Tanzania Educational Medical Missions (S.T.E.M.M.).

Staci Bauerly, a 2006 graduate of Heelan High School in Sioux City, has always wanted to go on a mission trip. She will leave July 20 and return Aug. 6.

"It has been a long time coming," said Bauerly. "I have wanted to do this forever."

When a representative from S.T.E.M.M. did a presentation about the organization in September, Bauerly decided that she wanted to go on the mission trip.

"It wasn't until March that I started pursuing it," she said. "We watched a video about the invisible children of Uganda that made me want to get going on this. I decided that I was going to go over there."

Bauerly is raising the money herself to be able to go on the trip and taking care of any expenses along the way.

The mission of S.T.E.M.M. is to follow the example of Jesus Christ ministering to people's needs medically, educationally and spiritually. In doing so, they hope to build a bridge between the people of Tanzania and Siouxland.

"There is a medical branch of it, but I am with the orphanage branch, since I don't have a medical background," said Bauerly.

She explained that the medical personnel going on the trip will work in the hospitals and do orthopedic surgeries. The branch that she is a part of will do projects around the orphanage - paint, build a fence, other odds and ends - the first week. The second week she will be able to work with the children.

"We take toys over there for them, such as things we take for granted like balloons, spin tops or nail polish," said Bauerly. "We interact with the kids and help the orphanage give the children baths and help take care of them."

Not only will the group be taking toys and other things to the children at the orphanage, they will collect medical supplies to take as well.

Each person is able to take two bags with them. One is for personal use and the other will be filled with toys or medical supplies. According to Bauerly, the supplies have to be light weight because the bag has to weigh under 50 lbs. She plans on purchasing toys to take the children of the orphanage before she leaves.

"They have nothing and we have so much," said Bauerly. "It will give me a new appreciation for life. It will teach me something and it will make a difference in the children's lives."

She pointed out that there are 11 other people going on the trip this year. She will be the only student going.

Bauerly requested prayers for her and all those going on the trip.