Danielle Goetzke (Co-Leader)

 Meet Danielle Goetzke, one of my two co-leads for this young adult mission team.

Danielle with one of the children at Gertrude's orphanage. 

Danielle's fun-loving personality is hard to miss!! 

Danielle graduated from Hill- Murray High School in 2008, where she was highly involved in peer ministry, volleyball, hockey, and softball. Currently, she is a student at The College of Saint Benedict. She was just accepted into the nursing program, and is finishing her minor in psychology. Danielle has high hopes of someday working as a hospice nurse, and is now building her experience as she works as a nursing assistant at Heart to Home, a senior care facility. Danielle says, "I get the opportunity to walk the elderly to the gates of heaven to meet their maker, daily." In addition to her busy schedule, Danielle still finds time to work another job at the St. Cloud Country Club as a beverage cart girl. 


I had the opportunity to meet Danielle in the spring of 2011 after I returned home from Haiti. We met for coffee on our study breaks at a coffee shop on campus and shared in conversation about Haiti.  Danielle was preparing for a trip in August with 8 other people from  Eagle Brook. While in Haiti, Danielle was touched by the beauty of seeing the face of God everywhere. She says, "I loved the person I was in Haiti and knew in my heart that I needed to get back there ASAP. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to travel to Haiti again in June as a co-lead. I am ecstatic about the experience and to see what God has in store for our team. You really feel God's glory at all the ends of the earth." 


I am so blessed to have Danielle on my side as a co-lead. She has such a gentle heart and optimistic personality... I know she will make a great co-lead and help strengthen the team. After Danielle's trip in August, the two of us connected again and thought it would be neat to lead a young adult mission team in Haiti. Our original plans were to make it a Bennie-Johnnie team, but as the months passed God placed other young adults in our paths; He had something else in mind for this week... and both of us were open and excited for God's plans!! Danielle and I have been dreaming of this trip for 9 months.... and it's truly a blessing to watch it come to life. I look forward to serving beside Danielle in June!! Who would have thought that one year ago, while chatting over coffee, we would be leading a team of young adults to the place that broke our hearts... changed our lenses to life. 


Please lift Danielle up in your prayers as she prepares her heart for co-leading our mission team in Haiti. May God strengthen her for the journey and provide for her needs.