Our Team

A quick glimpse at the 12 of us...


OUR LEADERS: LYNDSEY HYATT (RIGHT)
I love God, I love people and I love to travel. My dream job would involve all three, but I'm still looking for that. If you want me to lead YOUR mission trip, give me a call. I love small towns (born and raised), but I love the city. My dream house would be in both? No, by a river - with a mountain in the background that I could climb. I love country music and I love dancing. My dream date would involve both. I love going fast (on land, water, or in the air) and I love big trucks. My dream car wouldn't be a car at all... it would be a truck and it would be fast - anything but a Nissan. I like Honda Civics, too, though. I love logistics and I love planning trips? My dream trip would anywhere but here... or anywhere I haven't been.

AND EVAN KOLDING (LEFT)
My name is Evan Kolding. I’m a 22-year-old from the suburbs of Seattle who is enjoying the best years of his life! I am a Youth Ministry major who is humbly leading his second missions trip as a North Park student. In my free time you may often find me throwing a Frisbee, playing video games or drinking coffee with anyone who is willing to have a conversation. This will be my first time in Africa as well as a third world country. I’ve spent 2 years in Japan and four months traveling Europe via Sweden. This experience has been one example after another of God’s amazing provision, authority, and grace. It has been one of the greatest pleasures of my life meeting, laughing and growing with all the members of this team.

RACHEL EKSTRAND
I was born and raised in the deep jungle of Africa--I swung on vines, rode elephants to school, carried a huge machete on a hand-made belt "just in case," and cherished my pet monkey. OR NOT. I did grow up in Congo, CAR, and Cameroon, but the first vine I swung on was in Guatemala, I've only seen elephants in zoos, I wasn't supposed to touch the machete (though, I must confess that I "borrowed" it on several occasions to make jungle forts as a kid), and a monkey was the last thing I wanted as a pet. I just graduated from North Park University with a degree in Sociology, own my first digital camera, and I'm excited to explore the world! First stop: Ethiopia :)


JESSICA LYNN MANNING (SOON TO BE JL ROCK)
I am 21 years old. Go to North Park University- obviously. Life as a pre-med student is hard and I am often sleep deprived and bitter at people that get to play outside. I like to eat and dance- but not at the same time. I hate taking time to stretch before excercising. I am engaged to be married to the best man ever- sorry ladies, he is taken. I am also getting a great name when I marry the great guy- Rock. That's right, I will be Dr. Rock someday. I find that reading Henri Nouwen makes me a better person. I compulsively recycle. Without corrective lenses, I am, indeed, legally blind. Psalm 73 is good, read it. Fo' sho'


BJORN AMUNDSEN
hi there
ny mame is bjorn.
I love Jesus, and he is great.
I have never been on a missions trip before.
i like indie music, helvetica, and all things etymological
chicago = good, san francisco = good+1. I'd live in either place.
coffee is delicious and if i were to prefer beverage it would be that for sure
lie ike raphic esign & epxerintemaiton iwth hte ffidernece bwteen mmonicuation & gebilility
i have a tendency to over commit myself, which is problematic from time to time, but God always seems to rescue me.
sometimes i think i will never graduate college and that is ok with me. degrees are overrated.
I love all my friends a lot, if sometimes I spend too much time on computers.
i wish that there were 5 of me to read, work, sleep, learn, and relax.
design has slowly turned me into a selective perfectionist
sigur ros is the most beautiful music on earth
go to www.designbybuild.com
or www.mk12.com
el fin



JANE BLAIR (LEFT)
my name is jane r. blair but that didn't stick very well so most people call me janey. i think jane was just too plain. i am a senior and this is my third missions trip with north park. i am excited to be going to africa. i have a pretty long life list and after this trip i will be close to checking off a visit to every continent and a trip to africa. the list of things i am passionate about is even longer and i know this trip will spark many of those. i can't wait for monday morning.
p.s. i love my family and my small group desiringgodtoo!

ALISHA TILLMAN (RIGHT)
Okay, so my name is Alisha not to be confused with Alicia, seriously they're different. I guess I'm officially a senior now... so weird. My plan in life is to direct movies, what an amazing job, right? I know. So I'm headed to L.A. in the fall for a film program. I'm going to learn how to edit on Final Cut Pro and pretty much have the most amazing experience of my life. Well, second to this mission trip of course. It will be my first time out of the country (except for Canada and I don't think that counts). Oh right, Jesus is pretty much the love of my life. Serving with joy...


ERIK ANDERSON
I love to tell the story again and again, I’s just be a brother from the city of wind. My name be Erik Peter Anderson and I got two brothers named Spencer and Ben. I am a Swedish American that has been devoted to the Republican Party and the Covenant for 23 years. I found my place at North Park University back in 01’. I’m a psychology major who has high aspirations of a guidance counselor after I graduate this year. Some people that you might find me in the street with are Daniel Larouso, B. Arther (or any of the Golden Girls for that matter), and Jesse Jackson. I love the Lord, shuffleboard, track lighting, and sunsets with Evan Kolding and Paul Johnson.


PAUL JOHNSON
I'm a North Park Grad, and now split my time on campus between University Ministries and Campus Development. I've been here 13 years now and have come to love North Park's strangely seductive qualities. This is my 12th missions trip; third with North Park, and second partnering with Habitat. I love to travel and I'm excited to add northern Africa to my list.


TIM KNIGHT
Oh, hello there I didn't expect you for at least another half hour. You want to know a little about me? Well alright, let's get this show on the road. I'm from North Dakota - for some of you that will explain everything, for some of you that will explain nothing. My life is currently taking place in the city of Chicago. I just graduated with a degree in sociology. You want to know what now? What am I going to do with a sociology degree? Well, I'm so glad you asked... absolutely nothing. Well what am I going to do with my life? Well, I'm going to Ethiopia so that's a start, after that I'm just gonna be me and rock out to the sounds of life that occur all around me. It's like my man Ben Harper says, reality is sharp it cuts like a knife everyone I know is in the fight of their life. So there it is, there's my fight, there's my life. I'm so glad you stopped by. Keep in touch it's too bad you have to leave so soon, the steaks should be off the grill any minute and the beer is ice cold.


ERIK HJELM
I’m an Alaskan who goes by the name of Erik Gustaf Hjelm. I’m a recently converted Business major and I love nothing more than to be outside doin what I do. I spent four months in Sweden last semester traveling all over Europe with some of the best friends I have ever had. I’ve also been on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic and I jumped at the chance to go to Africa. I’m a man of few words so that’s all I have to say.