As I write this on Thursday evening our Guatemala team members are presumably stuffing their travel bags with final “I can’t go without this!” items and spending precious time with their loved ones before taking an 11-day intermission from their home life in the United States. For on Thursday (May 18) at 2:30 we meet-up at SeaTac International and begin the first leg of our journey to Central America.
For some of us it will be familiar times, for others an experience that is brand new, and perhaps even a bold stretch. For months we’ve been preparing with monthly meetings, fundraising, and sharing the scope of our journey with others. Now it’s action time. Let’s get on that plane and go build some stoves!
But first, a few words of introduction to each team member (in their own words) so that you may keep us all in your hearts (and maybe your prayers) as we load up and go.
By the way, I am very happy to have two of my brothers along: my identical twin Greg for the second time and our youngest brother (of five boys in our family) Tom for his fifth mission trip. But we are not the only sibling mix on the team – Kay Miller and Kurt Krueger Stevens are also pairing up. This is Kay’s second time on a Hands for Peacemaking mission, Kurt’s first. In addition we have our two Steves, who are related in that Steve Drury’s wife Vicky is Steve Schmalz’s brother. For the record, four of our team members (Tom, Suzanne, Erich and Zachary) are connected through their mutual employment at one of Washington’s largest retailers, Costco. Another three (Conrad, Greg and Karyn) are connected through their respective involvement in the Fauntleroy United Church of Christ in West Seattle. Most of us don’t know each other very well, but after nearly two weeks of traveling and living in close quarters that will soon change!
Conrad Wesselhoeft
Conrad worked as a tugboat hand in Singapore and Peace Corps Volunteer in Polynesia before embarking on a career in journalism. He’s served on the editorial staffs of five newspapers, including The New York Times. He’s the author of two young adult novels published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. He’s an avid ukulele player who embraces the philosophy, “It’s about joy, not perfection.” He lives in West Seattle with the brilliant musician-composer Bronwyn Edwards. His three children live and work in Seattle. This will be his first mission with Hands for Peacemaking. He’s excited to be going to Guatemala.
Brian Dirks
Brian enjoyed a 40-year career first in print journalism then as a communicator and program manager for several State of Washington agencies before his retirement in 2020. His extensive non-profit work includes four terms as president of PTSA groups at the elementary and middle school level, the past seven years as board president for the Everett-based Hands for Peacemaking Foundation, and now three years with the World Affairs Council of Tacoma. This will be his eighth mission trip to Guatemala through Marine View Presbyterian Church, which he attends, and seventh time as team leader. In 2020 (when the raging pandemic meant a team couldn’t go) Brian raised funds to help a village through his “Old Goat Challenge” event. The WSU grad is an outdoor sports enthusiast, with a particular interest in cycling, snow skiing, hiking, and boating. “It takes a village to help a village,” he says, and is gratified for the support Marine View mission teams have received through the congregation and others over the years. He is the proud father of a daughter, a son, and a stepson, all adults, on their own and matched up. The grandfather of three lives in the Federal Way area with his wife Dee, and spends as much time as he can at his family’s shared property on Camano Island and with family in the Olympia area.
Scott Mannering
Scott Mannering is a husband and father who has committed his life to education and serving others. He has volunteered in a range of community development projects, including the construction of water and sanitation systems, as well as remote airstrips in Oaxaca and Chiapas, Mexico. Scott has worked in orphanages and schools in Managua, Nicaragua, providing much-needed assistance and support to vulnerable children. His favorite volunteer experience was building a school and church in Ibarra, Ecuador, where he worked closely with local communities to identify their needs and develop sustainable solutions.
Kay Miller and Kurt Krueger
Kay lives in Federal Way. She went to Guatemala for the first time in 2018 after learning about the huge impact Hands For Peacemaking makes on the lives of the poorest Guatemalan villagers. That trip was life-changing, and she’s excited to go back for a second time. After sharing stories from her first trip with her brother, Kurt, he decided to come along! Kurt, who lives in Lake Stevens, is looking forward to getting outside his comfort zone, and making an impact in the world. Besides working hard to make a difference, they’re both looking forward to sharing some brother-sister bonding time and continuing their tradition of playing (mostly harmless) pranks on each other!
Steve Drury
Steve is a retired chemical engineer living between Port Ludlow and The Kenney retirement community in West Seattle. This will be his fifth trip to Guatemala. This is also a family adventure; his wife has been three times and once for his youngest daughter. Steve is also the vice chair for Hands for Peacemaking. He enjoys his five grandchildren and helping at his youngest daughter’s oyster farm on Hood Canal.
Steve Schmalz
Steve Schmalz was born in Utah but has lived most of his life in far northern rural California. After a varied career path, which included truck driving, a teaching credential, and working on an oil rig, he settled on being a builder. He raised his two beautiful children, (with his beautiful wife), in Kneeland, California. Retired now, he aspires to move to Washington, and live in a city where he can walk to a coffee shop and indulge his love of travel via an international airport. He is looking forward to giving back via this Guatemalan adventure.
Greg Dirks
Greg, otherwise known as “Twin A”, had an extensive career performing various sales and marketing positions within the telecommunications industry before hanging up his career in 2020. He serves in leadership positions in the West Seattle Rotary Club and Fauntleroy Church. Greg enjoys choral singing, playing trumpet in the West Seattle Big Band, hiking, skiing, boating, travel, and long walks in the park. Greg and his wife, Nancy, have three adult children and will joyously welcome a daughter-in-law to the fold in September. He is thrilled to serve a second year with Hands for Peacemaking and looks forward to again making an impact, one stove at a time.
Lisa Ruppel
Lisa has worked for her husband’s Auburn-based home improvement company for the past 28 years. She has three daughters, two who live and work in Seattle. Her youngest is finishing her sophomore year at WWU in Bellingham. This will be her second trip to Guatemala with the Marine View team. After seeing firsthand the difference the stoves make in the lives of Guatemalan families, she feels blessed to be able to support Hands For Peacemaking and join Marine View again on this trip!
Tom Dirks
Hi, I am Tom. This will be my fifth trip down to the villages above Santa Cruz Barillas. I go because I want to give back and increase the opportunities for villagers by getting the smoke out of their homes, reducing risks of burns, and cutting the use of wood. I was born and raised in West Seattle, where I live with my wife and two boys. One of my sons, Andy, and my wife, Suzy, had the opportunity to go down with me on previous missions. My favorite part of the trip is seeing the smiles, and the welcoming hearts of the people of Guatemala. That’s what will keep me coming back for many years to come.
Suzanne Palmer
Hi, my name is Suzanne, and I am so excited and blessed to return to Guatemala with the team from Marine View. I grew up in North Carolina and transplanted to Washington State in 1997. I am a mom of four and grandma of seven! I have previously served in the mission field in Mexico with my children to build homes. I have a heart for service and more specifically “labor” missions, where you can build something that helps improve someone else’s life. May we be Christ’s hands and feet! (Suzanne attends Eastridge Church).
Karyn Frazier
Rev. Karyn Frazier spent the “first career” part of life in education with a focus on improving literacy for all ages as a teacher in California, presenter and writing assessment facilitator in Washington, and as a coach for Boeing, Microsoft, City of Seattle and beyond. Her “second career” part of life has been a call to ministry. She served as the Christian Ed. Director at Fauntleroy Church, UCC, and is currently their Associate Pastor. Karyn loves to “wonder” and the way Spirit keeps calling, “Come and see!” Following that adventurous Spirit got her to jump out of plane, pushed her up Mt. Rainer with friends as her guides, and sent her exploring holy spaces in Israel and on the island of Iona. It was that same Spirit who kept her feet on holy ground while she finished her MDiv at Seattle University. And now on to Guatemala, her first mission trip with Hands for Peacemaking! But the most important thing you should know about Karyn is that she’s the proud mother of four fabulous young adults and grandmother to four of the most remarkable human beings: Henry, Eleanor, Theodore and Emerson.
Zach Perrine
Zachary is a dad of one child. He works in the telecommunications industry for Costco (similar to Price Smart in Guatemala). He enjoys swimming, basketball, pickleball, skiing, and hiking. A favorite hobby is playing board games at Kent Faith Church.
I’m excited about my first adventure to Guatemala! Hopefully I will successfully help assemble 10 grills, and inspire a few people to accept clean and living water.
Erich Winkler
Hello, my name is Erich Winkler. I grew up in the Seattle area and still work and live here with my wife and three fur babies. I am incredibly excited to go on my first trip to Guatemala and serve the people of that great country. Previously I served a two-year mission for my church among the Hmong people and had an unforgettable experience. I am looking forward to another opportunity to build friendships through laughter, service, and the love of our fellow brothers and sisters. (Erich attends The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Enumclaw).
Since we will be traveling my posts from the field, when possible, will likely be shorter in text but have more photos and videos. Thanks for following along, as a team we really look forward to this mission of serving!
Brian
Great Team
and great pictures all smiling
Happy to see you all going
😃😄😊