Salt River Pima Tribe

Cianna enjoys playing basketball and musical instruments.  Her family is very involved in her tribe with her father serving as a tribal chairman and her mother oversees their tribal pageant.  She has several brothers and sisters so has a fun-loving spirit.  She enjoys meeting new people like the exchange student they hosted this year from Spain.  She has grieved the loss of a sister and brother in different ways but the strong Christian faith of the family has helped them.

Hopi Tribe

Cristine is an talented soccer player and learning to play the guitar.  She has a wonderful way with people of all ages.  She lives with her mom in Tempe, AZ and will be a sophmore in high school.  She is of the Hopi Tribe and yet travelling to the other tribes has been very eye-opening to her.  Chris

Navajo and Hopi Tribe

David is of the Hopi and Navajo Tribe and raised by his grandparents after the passing of his parents.  He is bright and intelligent with a very helpful spirit.  He has grown up in the church where he has taken an active role in greeting personally all that come to worship saying "welcome to the House of the Lord, come in, come in."  He has participated for years in the Hopi Christian Camp and loves to work a puppet or do drama.

Congolese African

Jeftet is a teenage boy that came as a refugee with his widowed mother from the Congo in the heart of Africa. He has not only witnessed very difficult things in the country he came from but also has been facing the loss of his mother from a brain tumor here in Phoenix.  He desires to bring courage to others on the trip by sharing how Christ has helped in his own HOPE story.

Apache and Navajo Tribe

Mariah was raised in two worlds with one parent tugging her towards the native traditionalism and the other parent towards Biblical Christianity.  She is a loving "big sister" and loyal to her family.  She works well with kids and enjoys music.  A few years ago she faced a traumatic experience which led her to turn inward and disconnect.  Through the HOPE Response she reconnected with herself and those who love her with a desire to walk her journey to healing!

Mexican American

Matthew enjoys football and basketball.  He is great at making cross-cultural friends.  Sound and audio tech is something he has taken an interest in doing and got trained in doing.  He has learned to share his "HOPE Story" of how he was adopted from birthparents who partied one night without thinking what would result.  He was sick often when younger and learned to put up with suffering and God has blessed him now with health.

Congolese African

Mika is the young son of a local Congolese Pastor whose church serves many incoming refugees looking for a place to connect.  He is accustomed to serving and their church singing at other churches as part of their outreach.  He too has known many ways in which his people have suffered and wants to bring good news.

French American

Olivia loves working with children and singing.  She is in her sophmore year at Grand Canyon University where she is studying Elementary Education and Special Needs.  She has a contagious spirit that makes many feel comfortable with her.  She openly shares her gratitude to her birthparents for choosing life and not abortion! She shares how their careful decision to adopt instead provided her a rich and wonderful life in Christ!

Mexican American

Zoe is a young lady raised with the heritage of many generations of Christians in her extended family, even those serving as pastors and leaders of the church.   She enjoys drawing, singing, dancing, reading and playing softball.  She has parents who love Jesus and serve Him.  She has special spiritual gifts in evangelizing and praying.