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February 24, 2000
Volunteer missionaryfunds vocational schoolBY SARA SYVERSON Journal Staff Writer ALDEN -- Some people say that "God works in mysterious ways," and it seems like for one Alden man it may have proved to be true. Harald Petersen, of Alden, returned this week from a special dedication service held Sunday for a new vocational school in Jamaica for which he provided funds for the construction. The school, called Petersen Vocational School, will open its doors for classes this fall. "Forty percent of the eligible students at the public high school in Montigo Bay don't go to school because there's no room for them," said Petersen, "That's why we're trying to help with the vocational school." The school will offer similar classes to those in vocational schools in America, Petersen said. It will have room for 15 girls, 15 to 20 boys, who will be taught by eight teachers. "It's a really amazing thing my parents have accomplished," said Barbara Wurtzberger, Petersen's daughter from Sleepy Eye, "They saw a need and they did something about it." Petersen and his wife Marie traveled to Jamaica with 19 family members, a church group of 22 from the Redeemer Lutheran Church and United Methodist Churches in Wells, Alden and Buffalo Lake, and two television crew members from KEYC Television (Channel 12) in Mankato. The television crew followed the missionary group and gathered information and footage of the eight-day trip. The KEYC Television News Director Derrick Hinds and Dion Cheney, a KEYC reporter assumed the roles of both reporter and photographer on the journey. KEYC will air different footage daily of the trip for seven consecutive days beginning today and Friday at 6 and 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 10 p.m. and Monday through Wednesday at 6 and 10 p.m. "This is about as far as our station has gone to cover a story, and we think it was worth it. We hope people will tune in and watch it," said Hinds, "You don't hear a lot about what the local church groups are doing. This was just an amazing effort. It's folks you know that have essentially given up their vacations and are working as 'part-time missionaries.' It's an important story for our area. We thought it was just a great story and it needed to be told." Hinds said the film footage tells about a children's orphanage in Jamaica, the Montigo Bay area, the reasons people are motivated to be Christian missionaries and also Petersen's missionary work. "It's different. It's not something you see everyday," said Hinds. Petersen's connection with Jamaica began about 10 to 12 years ago when he started doing Christian mission work there. Since then, Petersen has taken more than 300 people on church-related trips to Jamaica. Petersen's mission work has also included helping to establish a new orphanage in Jamaica called the Blossom Garden Orphanage. The children who are staying at an older orphanage now will move to the new facility with a capacity for 100 children possibly in March. "My trip is spiritual to hold babies," said Petersen, "The kids who go down there hold the babies. The children need love as much as they need food. The main emphasis is giving love to the children who are wards of the state. Most of children have been abandoned." Ten years ago, Petersen started a scholarship program. He awards 15 scholarships to orphans most of time, who may be in need of them, he said. "The Lord leads. ... I'm just present," said Petersen, "There are many stories of the people over the ten years." As the Petersen Vocational School seems to be nearing completion, things keep falling into place, Petersen said. "It's quite a job to get it all fitted together, but it just fits. That's the Lord that does that," said Petersen. Since the vocational school project began, a computer specialist from Michigan and a cook from Mississippi and others have donated their talents and other gifts to help complete the work. What remains to be done to the building includes window, door and light fixture installation and also the installation of floor tiling. Petersen said the most pressing need the vocational school will have when it opens will be for a van. If anyone is interested in donating to the project(s), please send them to: Kids of Jamaica; Redeemer Lutheran Church, Alden, MN 56009.
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