June 2023 Mission Trip

Many miles were covered on this trip, where the message of Christ-centered 12 Step Healing was brought to many people across 7 states, in various churches, reservations, and meeting places — as far east as North and South Dakota. Bibles and 12 Step workbooks were given away. The next trip is set for September 4th–12th, flying into Rapid City and training in Wanblee, SD.

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On June 4th, Joe set off on this summer’s mission trip early in the morning, heading for Kingman, AZ, where he met up with Steve Sage — also known as “Stever the Believer.” Stever currently ministers to the Hualapai and Havasupai, and joined Joe for the rest of the journey.

Shiprock, NM — June 5th–9th

On June 8th and 9th, there was a 2-day 12 Step CR Native Nations gathering at the Shiprock Chapter House (one of 110 total Chapter Houses in the Navajo Nation). A total of 58 people were in attendance — most of whom were Behavioral House Center employees. 50 Bibles and 50 CR workbooks were distributed at the end. A plan was set to return next year for training in both Shiprock, NM and Chinle, AZ.

Twin Falls, ID — June 10th

The next stop was Lighthouse Christian Fellowship, where they attended a 12 Step meeting.

Kalispell & Polson, MT

Under the category of “things don’t always go as planned” — there were a few miscues. After Twin Falls, they went to Kalispell and Polson, MT and attended a 12 Step meeting at Polson Four Square Church, only to find out that the meeting locator had the wrong day listed. They also attempted to connect with someone from the Flathead Reservation without success at first, and found that the 12 Step group on the Blackfoot Reservation suspends meetings during the summer. But God always makes a way — while visiting and speaking to a 12 Step group in Helena, MT, they met some women from the Flathead Reservation who took materials and planned to present them to their Tribal Elders the following week.

Bismarck, ND

Joe and Stever met up with Chris and Tashena Chase — Chris is a Hunkpapa Sioux whom Joe had met at the 2022 Summit in TX. Chris and Tashena purchased a building in downtown Bismarck and share the same vision: teaching job and life skills to Native Americans alongside 12 Step meetings. Though schedules didn’t allow for attending a CR meeting, plans were discussed for the future. They also connected with another 12 Step leader in the area.

Devils Lake, ND

Home of Lake Region 12 Step, they toured Cankdeska Cikana Community College and met up with Kim Paulson, who gave them a tour of the reservation. Joe Clark shared: “I was blown away by the woodworking program, especially because it’s my passion — and one of my goals is to teach woodworking as a job skill. They build an entire house from the ground up as their project, and at the end of the school year, gift it to one of the graduates.”

Sioux Falls, SD

They found and visited Celebrate Church, which had a 12 Step program — and spent two nights visiting and in discussion.

Rapid City, SD

They visited multiple Christ-centered 12 Step ministries: Hill City Little White Church, Word of Hope, Fountain Springs East Campus CR, and Countryside Community Church in Spearfish.

While in Rapid City, Joe and Stever made a 2-hour drive to Kadoka, SD, where they met Gus and Terry Craven and planned an upcoming 2-day training for September 8th and 9th. On the same trip, they stopped in Pierre, SD — the state capital — where they met a Sioux pastor named Cheryl and her husband Tito, a Navajo woman, and another local pastor named Russell, to plant the seeds of establishing Christ-centered 12 Step ministries in those areas.

Alliance, NE — Heading Home

On the long trek home, Joe and Stever connected with Cyndi Crawford, a 12 Step Ministry Leader, and a young Sioux woman named Jolene.

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After all those stops, great adventures, and meeting so many amazing people — they made it back to Kingman, AZ on June 25th, just in time for Keely Sage’s (Stever’s wife) birthday the following day.