HIS Nation - New Triplex Gets Blessed
Triplex 1 appreciation CEREMONY and House blessing
On Monday, January 3, triplex #1 was blessed, and we honored volunteer project manager Randal Schafer and the many supporting friends that contributed to this project.
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The Man Behind the Mission
Randal Schafer, a semi-retired surgeon, and supporter of Holbrook Indian School (HIS) has headed the triplex building project since 2019. He has always worked on a volunteer basis, and since taking a step back at work, he spent more time on this project over the last two and half years.
Schafer's connection to HIS began with both an honest desire to help Native Americans and for his own growth spiritually.
"I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the Indian people," Randal said. “I had been praying and asking God to strengthen my faith.”
The opportunity presented itself for him to step forward in those desires.
“I had also been praying and asking God to strengthen my faith. ”
Randal usually goes on mission trips with various groups, but after a period when there were no trips available for him to be part of, Randal saw an opportunity to look into possibilities for fulfilling his wish to help Native Americans. “Maybe this is a good time to see Holbrook Indian School,” he thought.
Randal spoke with HIS Principal Pedro Ojeda, who told him about a need for staff housing. HIS needed funds and labor for the construction of two apartment buildings. It was one of the school’s most pressing needs at the time, but it was also a need that it could least afford in terms of time, labor, and cost.
“If you would like to help with this, it would have to be on a volunteer basis,” Mr. Ojeda told Randal candidly. “Our small maintenance crew are already occupied with their duties on campus.”
Randal says the weight of the demand was not lost on him.
This meant he would have to recruit labor and take on the responsibility of managing the project, including doing some fundraising. After visiting Holbrook to scout the land and speak with staff, Schafer decided to take on the challenge and accept the call.
“I started raising money, making building plans, and recruiting help,” he said. John Materne responded immediately and remained for almost the entirety of the project. John is a retired plumber.
Tyler Dick, who has plenty of construction and equipment experience, also has spent extensive time working on the project. With members of his church and his brother, who worked in construction, Schafer raised funds and started moving forward on the project in 2019.
The building site was chosen and marked in late 2019, and site preparation began in January 2020. Some of the building construction was done in his absence, but Randal maintained supervision.
Shortly thereafter, COVID-19 came on the scene. This initially created an opportunity for further help as it canceled many international mission trips. There were groups who still wanted to carry out mission trips domestically. The triplex project provided that for them.
At the same time, this also was fulfilling Schafer’s desire for increased faith as unique challenges came from the pandemic.
“For me, this whole project has been a walk of faith. God has, again and again, supplied funding and volunteers, just when we need them. It’s a beautiful thing. I have just been amazed many times,” Randal said.
“For me, this whole project has been a walk of faith. God has, again and again, supplied funding and volunteers, just when we need them. It’s a beautiful thing. I have just been amazed many times.”
As both triplex buildings come close to completion, we are extremely grateful for the dedication and hard work Randal has given to this project. We also thank all the volunteers and groups who have contributed their time, skills, and resources to complete this project.
For an up-to-date status of the triplex project, and to see photos of the project’s progress over the years, visit our Triplex Project page.
When you give to Holbrook Indian School, you are not just helping our students learn. You are helping them gain confidence and discover their potential by providing something many of our students don’t have: a safe haven where they can live, learn, and grow. You are giving them the opportunity to overcome trauma and a mistrust of people that may be holding them back.
If you would like to find out more about the needs of Holbrook Indian School, contact the Development office at (928) 524-6845 ext. 109 or development@hissda.org.