Kristopher Sledge
Team Leader
Christian Ministries, Senior
Senior Resident Assistant
Hometown: Selinsgrove, PA
Interests: Jesus, Reading, Volleyball, Friends, Family, and having deep conversations
I’m a senior at Messiah College and have the joy of co-leading this trip to Northern Ireland. I have had a plethora of experience outside the USA, but only to developing countries. This trip to Northern Ireland will be a unique experience for me. My conviction and desire for reconciliation and social-justice all around the world leads me toward this trip. This trip to Northern Ireland will put the concept of reconciliation into practice – by facilitating conversation, hearing stories, and learning about the struggle for peace and unity in Northern Ireland. And at the beginning of this all is my yearning and desire for the love, peace, and unity of Jesus to be the foundation of our time and the foundation of this reconciling effort in Northern Ireland.
Christian Ministries, Senior
Senior Resident Assistant
Hometown: Selinsgrove, PA
Interests: Jesus, Reading, Volleyball, Friends, Family, and having deep conversations
I’m a senior at Messiah College and have the joy of co-leading this trip to Northern Ireland. I have had a plethora of experience outside the USA, but only to developing countries. This trip to Northern Ireland will be a unique experience for me. My conviction and desire for reconciliation and social-justice all around the world leads me toward this trip. This trip to Northern Ireland will put the concept of reconciliation into practice – by facilitating conversation, hearing stories, and learning about the struggle for peace and unity in Northern Ireland. And at the beginning of this all is my yearning and desire for the love, peace, and unity of Jesus to be the foundation of our time and the foundation of this reconciling effort in Northern Ireland.
Genna D'Aleandro
Team Leader
I am a graduate student in the mental health counseling program at Messiah College. My hope is to eventually become a college counselor and to work internationally. Currently I work at Red Lion Area Junior High School as a middle school Family and Consumer Science teacher. I am looking to retire soon. Kudos to you if caught that. My class is focused on nutrition and cooking. My job is never boring and I learn something from my students every day! I am beyond excited for this trip because conflict resolution is a passion of mine especially when it concerns religious intolerance.
I am a graduate student in the mental health counseling program at Messiah College. My hope is to eventually become a college counselor and to work internationally. Currently I work at Red Lion Area Junior High School as a middle school Family and Consumer Science teacher. I am looking to retire soon. Kudos to you if caught that. My class is focused on nutrition and cooking. My job is never boring and I learn something from my students every day! I am beyond excited for this trip because conflict resolution is a passion of mine especially when it concerns religious intolerance.
Dave Downey
Job: Residence Director
Education: Social Studies Education degree from Taylor University, Masters of Arts in Higher Education & Student Development from Taylor University
Interests: Basketball, golf, running, tennis, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Bears, Chicago deep dish pizza, spending time with my wife Emily, walking my dog Amber
My relationship with Jesus is the most important part of my life. As a Christian I am convinced that having a global perspective, and using my time, talent, and treasure to serve is extremely important. This motivates me to get involved in service opportunities at Messiah. I love how I learn and grow as a result of being a part of service and missions teams. I also love getting to know new students and helping them process these service experiences. I am really excited to go to Northern Ireland!
Education: Social Studies Education degree from Taylor University, Masters of Arts in Higher Education & Student Development from Taylor University
Interests: Basketball, golf, running, tennis, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Bears, Chicago deep dish pizza, spending time with my wife Emily, walking my dog Amber
My relationship with Jesus is the most important part of my life. As a Christian I am convinced that having a global perspective, and using my time, talent, and treasure to serve is extremely important. This motivates me to get involved in service opportunities at Messiah. I love how I learn and grow as a result of being a part of service and missions teams. I also love getting to know new students and helping them process these service experiences. I am really excited to go to Northern Ireland!
Daniel Aleman
International Business Major, Junior
SGA Vice President of Diversity
Chair of Multicultural Council
Hometown: Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Interests: Friends, Family, Real Madrid, Volleyball, Movies, Reading, Music
I'm really excited for this awesome opportunity of meeting people from other parts of the world and see how we can learn from them. I'm excited for a new culture, new food, new places and the important learning that goes with that.
SGA Vice President of Diversity
Chair of Multicultural Council
Hometown: Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Interests: Friends, Family, Real Madrid, Volleyball, Movies, Reading, Music
I'm really excited for this awesome opportunity of meeting people from other parts of the world and see how we can learn from them. I'm excited for a new culture, new food, new places and the important learning that goes with that.
Mikaela Bennett
Middle Level English Education Major, Junior
Resident Assistant
Hometown: Southern York County, PA
Interests: Baltimore Ravens & Orioles, ICE CREAM, photography, spending time with friends & family, traveling, music
Growing up as a member of a loud & proud Irish family, I've always had an interest in my heritage. When you add this with my desire to serve and my love for students, you'll find that I am most excited to see so many aspects of my life come together on this trip. God has blessed me with the amazing opportunity to give back to the community of Lurgan. I am ecstatic to travel on an international service trip through Messiah and with this wonderful team!
Resident Assistant
Hometown: Southern York County, PA
Interests: Baltimore Ravens & Orioles, ICE CREAM, photography, spending time with friends & family, traveling, music
Growing up as a member of a loud & proud Irish family, I've always had an interest in my heritage. When you add this with my desire to serve and my love for students, you'll find that I am most excited to see so many aspects of my life come together on this trip. God has blessed me with the amazing opportunity to give back to the community of Lurgan. I am ecstatic to travel on an international service trip through Messiah and with this wonderful team!
Taylor Dellastatious Pfaff
I'm a double-major: Christian Ministries and Sociology and Anthropology. I am a Junior and I am very interested in gender, race, and religious studies. I love reading and listening to music; especially with a piping-hot, black coffee in hand. I felt led to serve because I have a lot of passion for reconciliation and learning from others. I am so excited to experience Ireland's people and to learn more about society, religion, and myself from them. My favorite dog breed is gerbil.
Nicole Redmer
My name is Nicole Redmer and I am a senior at Messiah! I am a Human Development and Family Science major and I am looking to get a job as a preschool teacher after graduation. I am extremely excited about my first trip out of the country to the beautiful country of Northern Ireland! My hobbies include working at Messiah as a tour guide as well as working at the preschool on campus. I love to take walks outdoors and enjoy the beauty of nature and I love photography! I will be the official photographer for our trip and I can't wait to share our photos with you! Thanks for following our trip!
Stephen Nase
Major: Computer Science
Hometown: Perkasie, PA
Interests: Skiing, Exercise, Technology, Family, and Friends
My name is Steve Nase and I’m a sophomore Computer Science Major. I’m excited to meet new people and have a great experience in another part of the world. I felt led to go on this trip because I want to experience new culture. I’ve asked God to show me something on this trip, and I know he’ll deliver. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for our team while we’re in Ireland!
Hometown: Perkasie, PA
Interests: Skiing, Exercise, Technology, Family, and Friends
My name is Steve Nase and I’m a sophomore Computer Science Major. I’m excited to meet new people and have a great experience in another part of the world. I felt led to go on this trip because I want to experience new culture. I’ve asked God to show me something on this trip, and I know he’ll deliver. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for our team while we’re in Ireland!
Mitchel Watson
Nursing Major, Sophomore
Hometown: Greensboro, NC
Interests: Singing, playing guitar, listening to music (favorite band is Copeland), lacrosse, nursing, & dogs
I spent some time in Northern Ireland a few years ago with a group called Youth With A Mission (YWAM). The focus of this experience was learning about social justice and reconciliation and how it applies to the divisions in my own life as well as the divisions between people in Northern Ireland, divisions that separate Christian from Christian. I believe that the heart of the gospel is advancing the kingdom of God, and that starts here on this earth. It is uniting people in the truth and the love of the Father to strive for one purpose: to be Jesus to the world. It is my hope that through this short trip our team will see reconciliation at work, even at its beginning stages, in the people with whom we interact, and that God will teach us and maybe even use us to demonstrate love and forgiveness to one another no matter what our differences may be.
Hometown: Greensboro, NC
Interests: Singing, playing guitar, listening to music (favorite band is Copeland), lacrosse, nursing, & dogs
I spent some time in Northern Ireland a few years ago with a group called Youth With A Mission (YWAM). The focus of this experience was learning about social justice and reconciliation and how it applies to the divisions in my own life as well as the divisions between people in Northern Ireland, divisions that separate Christian from Christian. I believe that the heart of the gospel is advancing the kingdom of God, and that starts here on this earth. It is uniting people in the truth and the love of the Father to strive for one purpose: to be Jesus to the world. It is my hope that through this short trip our team will see reconciliation at work, even at its beginning stages, in the people with whom we interact, and that God will teach us and maybe even use us to demonstrate love and forgiveness to one another no matter what our differences may be.
Liz Vande Bunte
Nursing Major, Freshman
Hometown: Holland, MI
Interests: I love dogs, tennis, skiing, out west, Lake Michigan & coffee.
I wanted to be apart of this trip for so many reasons. One, I want to leave the country and see new places! What grabbed me was the idea of "service-learning" all in one. I wanted to be a part of a mission trip, but not just so I could be a light to others, but how they could be a lot to me as well. I want to see how God works through other people, circumstances and places, and how we as a group from Messiah can play a part in that.
Hometown: Holland, MI
Interests: I love dogs, tennis, skiing, out west, Lake Michigan & coffee.
I wanted to be apart of this trip for so many reasons. One, I want to leave the country and see new places! What grabbed me was the idea of "service-learning" all in one. I wanted to be a part of a mission trip, but not just so I could be a light to others, but how they could be a lot to me as well. I want to see how God works through other people, circumstances and places, and how we as a group from Messiah can play a part in that.