Woman uses dance in her mission work

Shauna Johnson moved to St. Bernard Parish in the spring of 2006. Since then, she has combined her two passions -- doing mission work and volunteering at a dance studio.

Shauna, 26, and her husband, Aaron Johnson, 27, first came to the area with Crossroads Missions in March 2006 from Louisville, Ky., to assist with a spring break college trip. They helped organize 200 volunteers and worked gutting houses and doing street clean-up.

"We knew that God was leading us to stay," Shauna Johnson said.

Prior to visiting St. Bernard Parish, she had done mission work in several countries. She also attended Lincoln Christian College in Illinois, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in international studies.

Throughout her college years, Johnson did mission work in the Ukraine, Russia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Chile.

"I love the challenge of learning the language in different countries," she said. On the various trips, she helped with Bible studies, taught English, and helped build schools.

"I've always loved to dance," she said. "God has given me a passion for it."

While in high school, Johnson was part of her school's color guard. Later, in college she took private dance lessons on an on-going basis. Since that time, Johnson was eager to use dance as part of her ministry.

"So, when I found out that there was a Christian dance studio in the parish, I was eager to help," she said.

For the past year, she has been volunteering two nights a week at Leap of Faith Dance Studio in St. Bernard community, which is owned by Wendy Hauck.

"I help with ballet, jazz, and tap," Johnson said. "We try to be a positive influence for the girls."

Johnson said through her volunteerism at the dance studio, she and Hauck hope to use dance to show students "how God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things."...