Day 4 – whew!
It’s been a long but good week so far. Day 4 seemed to pose extra challenges for several teams.
The travel team arrived at Little Eagle for a couple hours. The number of children there was lower than other sites, but our portrait team still took 22 family portraits! That was a new record! Unfortunately, we had to leave after only two hours and go to Bullhead, where they took 32 portraits! So suffice to say, our portrait team stayed late printing all of them out.
The folks at Bullhead reported that one member on their team had accepted Christ in addition to a Native! 2 conversions for the Lord, praise God! They seemed to be really strengthening ties from previous years as I saw several address exchanges with promises to write and send goodies.
Today is our last day capped off by a powwow at Fort Yates tonight. Some teams are heading on this evening, while most others are leaving in the morning.
Please pray for continued strength today and safe travel this weekend.
Enjoy yesterday’s pictures!
We found Week 1, Day 4!
On Day 4 of Week 2, we are posting up Week 1 Day 4! Please pray for us as we work today. We’ll try our best to have today’s updated posted this evening.
We had a busy day Thursday with construction continuing at Ft. Yates, McLaughlin, and an additional unexpected couple of jobs at Little Eagle Community Center.
The travel team had two site carnivals today – Bull Head & McLaughlin….lots of bouncing, face painting, popcorn, and snowcones. Even had a surprise tire explosion! Medical team continued to see many folks and continued with handing out dresses and jams as well as foot care, health screenings, and reading glasses.
The numbers continue to grow at all three sites – Little Eagle, McLaughlin, and Porcupine. Little Eagle and Porcupine folks are excited about seeing their old friends from VA at the same time they have enjoyed making new friends. The folks at Porcupine want to know if we’ll come back next year! So all in all things are going well.
Some of the supplies were delivered today for the construction work at Cannon Ball next week! And we understand the 2nd truck left Roanoke for Standing Rock – we’re ready!
Here are pictures from last week:
Days 2 & 3
Day 2
John Powell and myself are part of a travel team to take pictures at each site. Yesterday we were diverted to take John’s truck to Lowes in Bismarck to get supplies for the team at Fort Yates. On our way out of Grand River Casino & Hotel, we ran into Harold Cook. Our Lowes trip now included supplies for the team at McLaughlin.
Now, for those that don’t know, Bismarck is 2.5 hours away from Mobridge, the location of our hotel. Combined with stops at several sites for money and instruction plus a 3 hour visit at Lowes to round up all the supplies, yesterday was quite long.
Thus, we don’t have pictures from yesterday. We were supposed to be at Fort Yates, so we started there this morning.
Day 3
The day started wet and cool cold. Rain + wind + July 29 + 55 degrees = One Chilly Morning. The rain moved out by the middle of the afternoon, but still the temperature only went up to the mid 60s. We’re not complaining though – we’d rather take highs in the 60s and 70s than the 90s and 100s!
Upon arriving at Fort Yates, Eric Spano of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church told us that the day before they had 70 children. Today’s numbers were lower because they were competing with a Vacation Bible School at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. Still, they had a large crowd.
Several children made wooden airplanes and were “flying” them around the building. Others decorated hats and bags. Out of the 30 plus people on that team from Mount Pleasant, only 3 were there last year. Still, they seemed to have everything in hand.
Curiously, only one family asked to have a portrait done yesterday. Very few adults come down to the center – mainly kids came.
We were told the same would be true at McLaughlin. Yesterday they served 140 meals, but only a couple adults showed up. Surprisingly word got out and 18 family portraits were taken!
By my estimate about 60 or children were there to eat dinner along with about a dozen adults. Still, we were told this was a “low” day!
Large construction projects are happening at both Fort Yates and McLaughlin. An addition is being added to First Baptist Church, Fort Yates. A house behind the center at McLaughlin is being renovated.
Please pray for strength – many of us are still willing to serve but are weary. Please pray that the construction projects will be completed on time. Pray that in all things Jesus would be emulated through us.
Below are 40 pictures with captions from today.
Week 2 – Day 1
Yesterday was a great start to our second week. The crew at Wakpala were nervous as, being their first time on the reservation, they were responsible for opening a brand new site. By all accounts, that went very well. The community center is a lot smaller than the ones at other sites, but they made it work.
The team at Little Eagle believe that, because there was a team present last week, the center would be clean. However, the center was open all night after the powwow this past weekend, so they had to use some elbow grease to clean before starting their programs.
Bob and Judy spent the morning at Ft. Yates helping the new team there get acquainted to the community. Afterwards, they traveled around to nearly all the sites to make sure everything was going okay.
I spent most of my day in Cannon Ball. The team there had a large crowd on their hands. There were at least 25 children, about 10 women, and even a few men. 13 families received family portraits from the traveling photography team.
The Roanoke team there worked with a high school team from Community Bible Church out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Iowa church has sent teams to Cannon Ball for over 20 years.
Several of the food teams reported higher numbers than expected. Because we’re serving at the end of the month, many families have run out of benefits for July. One site leader reported that 10 different people inquired about a meal as they were hungry.
Please pray for God to provide resources for feeding more than expected. Please pray for continued strength as we love on these families. Please pray for Bob and Judy as they are our problem solvers. Please pray for safe travel as teams shuttle back and forth.
Enjoy these pictures and the following video. The first few are from Sunday’s meeting at Cannon Ball. The rest are scenes from Cannon Ball on Monday.
We’re here!
We’ve been incredibly busy since we arrived on the reservation, thus this will be quick. All of the teams arrived yesterday and met at Cannon Ball. From there we distributed out supplies and the groups headed out to their respective places of lodging.
There are 177 people here this week from 39 churches. Last week we opened Porcupine, this week we opened Wakpala.
Tonight we will update again with a few pictures and prayer requests.
Day 5
Well, we’re not sure what happened to Day 4’s update, but enjoy Day 5:
Today the teams begin to change as the 150 from all over VA pack and leave while the team from Roanoke starts coming in tomorrow. There are many tears today as we visit all the sites…little children, young people, and adults beginning the wait until they see each other next year. This is exactly what we hope will happen because the whole reason we come is not to bring or do stuff, instead it is to build relationships – and that has been done!
The Porcupine site has been a wonderful new site and they have asked if we will return. We excited that we can now work in six sites – we’re looking forward to opening the Wakpala site this week.
The Pow Wow tonight was a wonderful time with our Native American friends. They invited the VA team to “dance” with them in the Intertribal Dance and several members did so. The children were especially excited to see their friends participating with them. One very touching moment was seeing one of the ladies from VA and one of the Native ladies participating and holding hands while doing so. God has certainly helped us share His love as He has used us here.
The first phase of the construction has been done and hopefully we can finish those projects this second week. We certainly now have an open door to help individuals with their homes as well as the two churches and pastors with their buildings and homes.
Pray for safe travel for team members as they travel to and from the Reservation this weekend.
Pray for those of us who are entering our second week that we will have endurance and a fresh enthusiasm for a second week of very strenuous work.
Pray for continued relationship building as well as the opportunity to share the Gospel message.
Pray for our Bible studies this week with all ages.
Enjoy pictures from Day 5.
Next week’s communication should be more reliable. Look for pictures and video from Week 2.
Day 2
Day 2’s update finally made it… albeit a few days late.
Well Day 2 was just as busy as Day 1
Construction teams made progress in both McLaughlin and Ft. Yates. Half the floor was poured and the walls almost up at Ft. Yates – the floor in the trailer finished and new door installed. In McLaughlin the outside drains were adjusted; the inside walls lined in visquine and stopleak…framing begun and more materials purchased.
The travel team was in Cannon Ball today & from I hear they used 25 pounds of popcorn and made over 500 snow cones. The medical team had a great day doing health screenings and handing out dresses and jams! They will be meeting in the morning with some health folks from the tribe. The travel team also was afforded the opportunity to meet and hear from the Cannon Ball District Chairman who wanted the chance to tell everyone how important this mission is to the community, especially the children and youth…in his words “You bring us hope” (And we do through God’s love).
Let me also tell you that the comment was made by one of the team members that when the ladies asked about the Roanoke team and the medical team told them they would be here next week, they said their faces just lit up! They are so excited to see their friends from VA again!
At Porcupine the numbers grew, about 15 teens came around today and we were able to interact with them. Sewing and boxes are a couple of the big items at this site. One lady wants to come back each day so she can learn to sew in order to make the regalia her family wears at the powwows.
Jackie Marsh (Mrs. Pastor Boots) rode with Bob & Judy to observe all the sites and was in the van when leaving Porcupine they were called on to help herd some cattle from one place to another. (Someone commented that was the only way people over 60 could herd cattle was in the van!)
McLaughlin grew tremendously today as the boys and girls rode the vans and buses to come to the big, blue gym. They were so excited about making the crafts, hearing the Bible story, and BookNet.
The folks at Little Eagle were busy with lots of activities – seems like they have had about 60 different children so far. The ladies there are busy quilting and learning to knit. The children were busy with mosaics, making wooden stools, and Book Net.
Needless to say at all sites the cooks are busy preparing food for the teams and the families on site. God is blessing us with new opportunities to establish new friendships and renew old ones – all for the purpose of sharing His love with a forgotten people group who desperately need some hope for their downtrodden lives!
Prayer needs:
1. The medical team who have a meeting tomorrow with tribal medical people so that we might find how we can be of assistance to them.
2. Children and families hearing about God’s love and the hope that only He can provide.
3. Endurance for the team as we approach the middle of the trip and begin to feel the tiredness setting in.
4. District chairmen and tribal leaders as they try to provide for ways to meet the many needs of these friends.
5. Children and young people – there have been many suicides in the last 6 months – there have been many children taken from their families due to unsafe lifestyles.
6. Pastor Boots Marsh and Pastor Alex Sosa whose jobs are literally 24-7 with overwhelming needs seemingly impossible to meet.
Here are the pictures from Day 2:
Day 3…
Day 2’s update is temporarily lost, but here’s Day 3:
Well we’re midway through the first week and all is wonderful! God is blessing our sites with more & more children as well bringing in the adults who seem to be open to ministering in Jesus’ name. Our team in McLaughlin met a wonderful lady today who was very frightened because she had just discovered she has breast cancer and enters the hospital tomorrow. Our ladies were able to comfort her and spend time with her today!
The group at Porcupine were having a wonderful experience there with an expert in constructing a tepee as well as a wildlife walk. I know we’re all watching where we step as there are lots of wildlife out this year. As a matter of fact we have seen deer, buffalo, badgers, beavers, birds (thrush, meadowlark, ringneck pheasant), snakes…you name it we’ve seen it! We’ve also had much cooler weather than usual as the mornings have been in the 50’s and highs in low 80’s. We’re expecting highs in 70’s the first of next week!
The travel team and medical team were on the road to Cannon Ball and Porcupine today (as well as a quick run to Bismarck for a few more supplies!) Folks everywhere are asking where we’re from & commenting on how they’re hearing that we’re here. Our being here is an encouragement to them they all tell us!
The construction teams have been very busy trying to keep up with the requests that are flooding in. That door has really opened for us so God has certainly been working in that area. We love that the people trust us enough to share their needs with us…this is the first year that has happened in the construction area.
We were able to spend a little time with Alex and Deanna Sosa (Ft Yates pastor and wife) and Cara Lee their daughter who is going to be in the fourth grade this fall. Deanna graduated with her Associate’s degree from Sitting Bull College this spring and is already working on her baccalaureate degree to be completed Dec a year from now. She has begun a work in a group home for teen girls. And they expressed how much the team from James Madison was a blessing to them a couple of weeks ago when they came to work at Sitting Bull College.
Today’s prayer needs:
1. More opportunities to minister to the adults as well as the children
2. Significant ways to minister to teens – 9 suicides since Jan. 2009
3. Deanna Sosa as she leads Bible Study at Group Home
4. Pastor Alex Sosa as he works with Ft. Yates High School football team as swell as serving on Ft. Yates city council
5. Pastor Boots Marsh as he continues to serve in Cannon Ball as well as serve as our liaison in the other communities and with Tribal leaders
6. Jackie Marsh as she begins new work with the women at Cannon Ball this fall as well as planning and carrying out the ongoing programs of ministry like “Hallow Him,” “Thanksgiving for the Elders,” “Christmas Celebration and Shoebox Ministry for the Children”
7. Our teams as they share the love of God tomorrow!
Pictures from Day 1
Here are some pictures from Day 1 on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation:
Day 1 – A great day!
From Bob and Judy:
What a great day we’ve had. It started with several storms which caused us to consider our plans for the day. Because there was a funeral at the big, blue gym in McLaughlin, we decided that the city park would be a great change of venue. However, the lightning, wind, and rain changed our minds so we contacted Donna Archambault, our McLaughlin believer who went to city hall and made arrangements for us to rent city hall for the day! We had our group inside complete with nice room, bathrooms, and a kitchen…God prepared the hearts of the folks there before we ever asked! Tomorrow we should be back in the big, blue gym.
We also had our first day with the travelling team on the road. The medical folks made contact with the tribe medical folks in Wakpala and a continuing relationship has begun. Further, the inflatables were up and going in the storm and the children were storming the area to get to come! They were bouncing and eating popcorn and snowcones while waiting to play the games and have their faces painted! They’re also very excited that we’ll have a team there next week! (The rain didn’t even slow them down) And the inflatables are in Little Eagle tonight where we had a group working all day.
Besides McLaughlin and Little Eagle we were opening a new site this week at Porcupine. What a blessing when our team there found the folks there wanting to work together with us at the site to serve lunch to our folks!
The construction teams in both McLaughlin and Ft. Yates have their work cut out for them this week. They rise early and begin the work of building a room in a basement of a house in McLaughlin and building an addition to the church at Ft. Yates. A few other jobs have cropped up at Ft. Yates as the floor in one of the trailers the church uses needed repairing after a large hole appeared Sunday. And a new door at that trailer, sealing of the roof, as well as work on Pastor Alex Sosa’s deck are also on the docket for this week at Ft. Yates.
Pray for safety as we travel around the Reservation. Pray for endurance for those already tired from a long journey. Pray for continued unity as we not only talk about the love of God, but demonstrate it as we work with our friends on Standing Rock as well as our friends from VA. Above all else, pray God’s love will be overwhelmingly presented in all we say and do!
[Pictures will be added later this afternoon]
