LANCASTER, Pa. (Mennonite Mission Network)–When 15-year-old Valerie Showalter embarked on a two-week Youth Venture trip to Montreal in the summer of 1999, she had no idea that the trip would be the first of many.
Now, at 27, Showalter has been a leader on four Youth Venture trips, including a trip to South Africa and a return trip to Montreal, as well as trips to Phoenix and Guatemala, which she co-led with her husband, Justin Shenk.
Youth Venture is a two-week summer service program of Mennonite Mission Network. Youth ages 14-20 spend two weeks in a community and work with local congregations to serve and learn about different cultures.
What keeps her coming back to Youth Venture, says Showalter, is the fact that it’s not a typical “mission trip.”
“Youth Venture is about connecting with people in a different place—putting a face with a place,” Showalter said. “It’s helping to expand a person’s understanding of Christ. That part has always drawn me back.”
She said she appreciates spending time with high-school students as they experience the joys and challenges of relating to people from a different culture.
“I have enjoyed actually living with young people for a couple of weeks while they’re going through culture shock,” Showalter said. “As a person who has been abroad, it’s been interesting to be with youth as they’re exposed to different cultures and to walk with them through that.”
Arloa Bontrager, Youth Venture director, says that Valerie’s contributions to Youth Venture and her ongoing commitment to service are inspiring.
“Youth Venture leaders can make or break the experience for the participants,” said Bontrager. “Valerie and Justin have embraced the philosophy of Youth Venture, and I know I can rely on them to not only lead the team, but also share what it means to serve and learn together.”
While her various experiences with Youth Venture have been formative, Showalter said it’s her experience with Service Adventure, another Mission Network program, that affected her most. Upon graduating from high school, Showalter spent a year in Albuquerque, N.M., with the year-long program that connects young adults ages 17-20 with congregations and their work in local communities.
As part of her experience in Albuquerque, Showalter lived in a unit house with a leader and her co-participants. The Service Adventure unit is an extension of Albuquerque Mennonite Church, whose members are involved in social justice and community action projects ranging from nuclear disarmament to immigrant rights to daycare for low-income families.
“Many in our church feel that Service Adventure is an important part of who we are as a congregation,” said Andrew Clouse, current associate pastor, “and that giving young people these experiences is an important mission to support.”
Showalter, who grew up outside Harrisonburg, Va., and now lives in Lancaster, says that Albuquerque is where she was first exposed to social justice issues. “I think that year has really shaped who I am as an adult and given me part of my path,” she said.
“Valerie is definitely a creative visionary,” said Gail Miller, who led Showalter’s unit. “She’s a doer.”
Showalter was an elementary school teacher’s aide in a classroom of children who came from homeless families. The school provided several meals a day.
“Seeing how much these kids came to school hungry, hearing about their home lives, about how they lived in hotels and shelters affected me,” Showalter said. “Hearing kids process questions like, ‘Why am I hungry?’ and ‘Why don’t I live in a house like everyone else?’”
Homelessness and food security remain two of Showalter’s ongoing interests.
“I look at the job that I had there and how it pushed me to pursue the things I’m still interested in,” she said.
As part of their desire to serve, Showalter and Shenk are currently investigating longer-term mission work with Mennonite Mission Network.
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Mennonite Mission Network, the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA, leads, mobilizes and equips the church to participate in holistic witness to Jesus Christ in a broken world. Media may contact Andrew Clouse at andrewc@mmnworld.net, 574-523-3024 or 866-866-2872, ext. 23024.
