Friday, July 15, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Thursday July 14, 2011
Up early again so to get up to the reservation and get our projects complete. This is a big day and it is going to be a hot one. The forecast is for 95 degrees, twenty degrees higher than yesterday. We reminded everyone to remain hydrated. While many looked forward to today with a degree of excitement due to the completion of projects and the handing out of backpacks filled with school supplies, there was also a sadness that permeated our morning routine. The folks from North Carolina and Hastings packed up their stuff. They would not be returning to St. John’s after we finished up.
Still we had the whole day ahead of us and off we went. Part of the team stopped along the way to visit with the Episcopal Habitat for Humanity office in Mission. It is adjacent to the building we worked at our first year on the reservation. We wanted to show the team from NC other options for ministry that were available. Since my last visit there, I was pleasantly surprised to see that their dormitory is now complete and so is the chapel. The dormitory can house up to 32 people now and has two communal bathrooms. With its own kitchen and dining area, it would make a comfortable setting for a team to work out of. While its relative proximity to the town in which we were working is attractive, to use it would mean breaking a growing relationship we have with St. John’s. Besides, what would the team do with itself if they could not visit the pool, go to Frosty’s, Subway, or Dollar General. I am not sure the kids would be able to cope.
Once we arrived, part of the team quickly went to work finishing the inside and outside of the Vicarage while another part began to set up for the day’s activities, and the rest gathered around the ramp to pull the finishing touches together. By the time the kids arrived, we were ready to go and so were they. It was amazing to watch the local kids run to the new friends they had made and visa-versa. Before we knew it, the kids were enjoying another of the skits we offered each day. You could tell that we had become friends because there was feedback during and after the skit. It was really neat to see how much had changed in just four days. Even Ryliegh was excited about the day ahead.
Today we followed up on our colors theme with sand art and tye-dyed pillowcases. The designs the kids came up with were really pretty cool. Despite the heat, all had a great time and when it came time to collect the crafts they had made throughout the week, and load up the van, there wee many hugs and goodbyes and even a fair number of I’ll see you next year. I pray that we are able to do so. What has begun here is nothing short of amazing. I am not just talking about fun and games that amuse, but the beginning of real relationships. Several of the local kids remembered members of our team from last year and that helped us quickly overcome the awkwardness of the first day. By today, all that was replaced with a shared energy. Who says God still doesn’t work miracles?
Following worship, the service project team put the last touches on the ramp, pouring some concrete to level out the end of the ramp and the sidewalk. There were many oohs and ahhs as team members came over to survey the work. Don Eagle was very grateful for all that we did to help make the new ramp a reality.The team then went and once again signed the back of the church sign with team members who were here last year signing over their previous entry. Lots of handshakes and farewells and off we were to the Lakota Historic Society’s display hall. There were many artifact to amuse and intrigue our team. Some quickly noticed a picture of Webster Two Hawks and read about his election to Reservation Chairman over a more seasoned opponent. What followed was another amazing moment for our team. We gathered on the front porch of the museum and shared with one another our most memorable memory of the trip. Most of the memories centered around the relationships we had formed amongst ourselves and our new friends in Rosebud. We closed with a prayer circle, the Lord’s Prayer, and a final blessing by Fr. Tom. After a group hug and many goodbyes, we said next year we will once again meet in this place. I truly believe we will. God brought our two organizations together for a reason.
We closed out the day by going to the pool in Valentine and then we began to pack up for an early start tomorrow morning.
Still we had the whole day ahead of us and off we went. Part of the team stopped along the way to visit with the Episcopal Habitat for Humanity office in Mission. It is adjacent to the building we worked at our first year on the reservation. We wanted to show the team from NC other options for ministry that were available. Since my last visit there, I was pleasantly surprised to see that their dormitory is now complete and so is the chapel. The dormitory can house up to 32 people now and has two communal bathrooms. With its own kitchen and dining area, it would make a comfortable setting for a team to work out of. While its relative proximity to the town in which we were working is attractive, to use it would mean breaking a growing relationship we have with St. John’s. Besides, what would the team do with itself if they could not visit the pool, go to Frosty’s, Subway, or Dollar General. I am not sure the kids would be able to cope.
Once we arrived, part of the team quickly went to work finishing the inside and outside of the Vicarage while another part began to set up for the day’s activities, and the rest gathered around the ramp to pull the finishing touches together. By the time the kids arrived, we were ready to go and so were they. It was amazing to watch the local kids run to the new friends they had made and visa-versa. Before we knew it, the kids were enjoying another of the skits we offered each day. You could tell that we had become friends because there was feedback during and after the skit. It was really neat to see how much had changed in just four days. Even Ryliegh was excited about the day ahead.
Today we followed up on our colors theme with sand art and tye-dyed pillowcases. The designs the kids came up with were really pretty cool. Despite the heat, all had a great time and when it came time to collect the crafts they had made throughout the week, and load up the van, there wee many hugs and goodbyes and even a fair number of I’ll see you next year. I pray that we are able to do so. What has begun here is nothing short of amazing. I am not just talking about fun and games that amuse, but the beginning of real relationships. Several of the local kids remembered members of our team from last year and that helped us quickly overcome the awkwardness of the first day. By today, all that was replaced with a shared energy. Who says God still doesn’t work miracles?
Following worship, the service project team put the last touches on the ramp, pouring some concrete to level out the end of the ramp and the sidewalk. There were many oohs and ahhs as team members came over to survey the work. Don Eagle was very grateful for all that we did to help make the new ramp a reality.The team then went and once again signed the back of the church sign with team members who were here last year signing over their previous entry. Lots of handshakes and farewells and off we were to the Lakota Historic Society’s display hall. There were many artifact to amuse and intrigue our team. Some quickly noticed a picture of Webster Two Hawks and read about his election to Reservation Chairman over a more seasoned opponent. What followed was another amazing moment for our team. We gathered on the front porch of the museum and shared with one another our most memorable memory of the trip. Most of the memories centered around the relationships we had formed amongst ourselves and our new friends in Rosebud. We closed with a prayer circle, the Lord’s Prayer, and a final blessing by Fr. Tom. After a group hug and many goodbyes, we said next year we will once again meet in this place. I truly believe we will. God brought our two organizations together for a reason.
We closed out the day by going to the pool in Valentine and then we began to pack up for an early start tomorrow morning.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Wednesday July 13, 2011
This morning there were some moans and groans as the morning wake up jingle was sung. We had some tired folks after a hard day’s work. While the kitchen crew got busy, the rest of the team seemed a bit sluggish. Scrambled eggs and hash browns were on the menu and cooking in quantity was new to some of our kitchen helpers. Breakfast ran a little late, but before we knew it we were finishing the morning chores and packing up for the days trek north. However, loading was slowed slightly by the constant drizzle that soon turned to rain. Another dreary start to the day; the rain seemed to fit right in with the mood.
Before heading out we came up with a backup plan for the day just in case the weather stayed like this up on the reservation. Sure enough the rain was pretty hard and pretty constant all the way up to Mission. However, as we turned down BIA 1 heading towards the town of Rosebud, the rain seemed to stop and there was only a slight haze. By the time we unloaded and began to set up, the weather started to improve. It was still a bit chilly, but with a lot of our team’s work indoors, the day’s prospects began to improve. Our first indoor activity was to continue to clean the inside of the Vicarage. As the house has been empty for the last six months, our goal was to spruce it up and make it more move in ready. We worked hard on it up until it was time to go pick up kids.
We were anticipating low attendance with the weather but most of the kids returned; we even had a few new ones show up. After lunch we were given a real treat. The Rev Webster Two Hawks came to visit us and talk about growing up on the Reservation and the changes he has seen over his life. He visited our team in 2009 and it was good to renew our acquaintance. After his story, he asked and took questions and we learned a lot more about what the Lakota people really need. While the gifts we give are appreciated, what he said the kids of today really need is hope, mostly because our nation’s policies have changed the Lakota from an independent people to a much more dependent society. The resulting sense of apathy and hopelessness over the generations has left the Lakota people with little to look forward to. However, thanks to the efforts of the local high schools and university, the people of Rosebud have begun to reclaim their traditions, including their native language. Deacon Webster, twice tribal chairman, and a former chief of the Sicangu Lakota, closed our season with the Lord’s prayer in his native tongue. These are words well known to every Christian, but the beauty and poetry of hearing it in Lakota was mesmerizing.
After finishing, we headed over to the community center for our skit and crafts. The weather while better for the most part, still did not lend itself to outdoor activities besides running in the parking lot, so our game time was limited to what we could do indoors. With all the completed crafts nearby, there was just a little less energy to jump and shout. The one place there was no lack of energy was the team working on the ramp. By the end of the day, Don Eagle, Phil Lambe, Greg Burke, Troy Peoples and Rob Ryan had the new ramp floor boards installed. All that is left is to trim them flush with the stringers, tweak the transition from sidewalk to ramp, and install the handrails. The occasional drizzle and cooler temperatures never slowed the team. The plan is that once the pressure treated lumber dries out, the floorboards will be stained and the handrails primed and painted.
Interesting observation today, no matter how cool the temperature, kids still like freeze pops and today’s snack time was no different. And with that, we loaded up the vans, returned the kids to their homes, and packed up the trailer. By this time, the mist had returned and followed us all the way home; kids were hoping the pool would be open, not just to swim, but to take a shower. But as we expected, the pool was closed and showers would once again take place in the campground.
Shortly after our return to Valentine, a reported from the local paper arrived to interview the team about the work they were doing. She was fascinated by what we had to share and loved looking through the collection of photos we offered. She was particularly interested in how it came to be that a church in North Carolina would work with the Diocese of Nebraska youth in a place they had never been before. After sharing our story, she was really impressed by how well we had come together as a team as well as our efforts at the Church of Jesus in Rosebud. Hopefully she will forward us an electronic copy of the article she writes and we can attach it to this blog.
As Laura left, the people of St. John’s began to arrive. Tonight we would celebrate the Eucharist together and then enjoy a hearty spaghetti dinner. As we have done in the past, we told them how grateful we were and how blessed we felt as a result of the generosity. This is the third summer they have opened their doors to our youth and shared in our ministry. As a way of saying thank you, we brought 1,000 pounds of food, donated by the Dean Fricke Food Pantry, for distribution to local Valentine and Rosebud residents. They then shared with us how much they enjoyed getting to know our team and how much they once again enjoyed the sound of teenagers and young adults filling the church. We then set a tentative date for next year’s trip, the third week in June.
As the day came to a close, we once again gathered for Bible study and our daily wrap up. Tomorrow’s lesson is the fruits of the Spirit. When it came time for lights out, our skit team was still mulling over ideas on how to present a text that they found difficult to describe. We shall see what happens. As with last night, when the lights went out, silence quickly enveloped the church (well sort of quiet, we do have a few who snore just a little bit and the whispering chatter went on for a little longer).
Before heading out we came up with a backup plan for the day just in case the weather stayed like this up on the reservation. Sure enough the rain was pretty hard and pretty constant all the way up to Mission. However, as we turned down BIA 1 heading towards the town of Rosebud, the rain seemed to stop and there was only a slight haze. By the time we unloaded and began to set up, the weather started to improve. It was still a bit chilly, but with a lot of our team’s work indoors, the day’s prospects began to improve. Our first indoor activity was to continue to clean the inside of the Vicarage. As the house has been empty for the last six months, our goal was to spruce it up and make it more move in ready. We worked hard on it up until it was time to go pick up kids.
We were anticipating low attendance with the weather but most of the kids returned; we even had a few new ones show up. After lunch we were given a real treat. The Rev Webster Two Hawks came to visit us and talk about growing up on the Reservation and the changes he has seen over his life. He visited our team in 2009 and it was good to renew our acquaintance. After his story, he asked and took questions and we learned a lot more about what the Lakota people really need. While the gifts we give are appreciated, what he said the kids of today really need is hope, mostly because our nation’s policies have changed the Lakota from an independent people to a much more dependent society. The resulting sense of apathy and hopelessness over the generations has left the Lakota people with little to look forward to. However, thanks to the efforts of the local high schools and university, the people of Rosebud have begun to reclaim their traditions, including their native language. Deacon Webster, twice tribal chairman, and a former chief of the Sicangu Lakota, closed our season with the Lord’s prayer in his native tongue. These are words well known to every Christian, but the beauty and poetry of hearing it in Lakota was mesmerizing.
After finishing, we headed over to the community center for our skit and crafts. The weather while better for the most part, still did not lend itself to outdoor activities besides running in the parking lot, so our game time was limited to what we could do indoors. With all the completed crafts nearby, there was just a little less energy to jump and shout. The one place there was no lack of energy was the team working on the ramp. By the end of the day, Don Eagle, Phil Lambe, Greg Burke, Troy Peoples and Rob Ryan had the new ramp floor boards installed. All that is left is to trim them flush with the stringers, tweak the transition from sidewalk to ramp, and install the handrails. The occasional drizzle and cooler temperatures never slowed the team. The plan is that once the pressure treated lumber dries out, the floorboards will be stained and the handrails primed and painted.
Interesting observation today, no matter how cool the temperature, kids still like freeze pops and today’s snack time was no different. And with that, we loaded up the vans, returned the kids to their homes, and packed up the trailer. By this time, the mist had returned and followed us all the way home; kids were hoping the pool would be open, not just to swim, but to take a shower. But as we expected, the pool was closed and showers would once again take place in the campground.
Shortly after our return to Valentine, a reported from the local paper arrived to interview the team about the work they were doing. She was fascinated by what we had to share and loved looking through the collection of photos we offered. She was particularly interested in how it came to be that a church in North Carolina would work with the Diocese of Nebraska youth in a place they had never been before. After sharing our story, she was really impressed by how well we had come together as a team as well as our efforts at the Church of Jesus in Rosebud. Hopefully she will forward us an electronic copy of the article she writes and we can attach it to this blog.
As Laura left, the people of St. John’s began to arrive. Tonight we would celebrate the Eucharist together and then enjoy a hearty spaghetti dinner. As we have done in the past, we told them how grateful we were and how blessed we felt as a result of the generosity. This is the third summer they have opened their doors to our youth and shared in our ministry. As a way of saying thank you, we brought 1,000 pounds of food, donated by the Dean Fricke Food Pantry, for distribution to local Valentine and Rosebud residents. They then shared with us how much they enjoyed getting to know our team and how much they once again enjoyed the sound of teenagers and young adults filling the church. We then set a tentative date for next year’s trip, the third week in June.
As the day came to a close, we once again gathered for Bible study and our daily wrap up. Tomorrow’s lesson is the fruits of the Spirit. When it came time for lights out, our skit team was still mulling over ideas on how to present a text that they found difficult to describe. We shall see what happens. As with last night, when the lights went out, silence quickly enveloped the church (well sort of quiet, we do have a few who snore just a little bit and the whispering chatter went on for a little longer).
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Tuesday July 12, 2011
As I suspected, the building grew very quiet quickly after the lights finally went out. As everyone headed to their sleeping bag, one of the girls found she had some visitors surrounding hers. She found ants crawling along the base of the wall and over her suitcase. We brushed everything off, applied a treatment along the base of the wall and swept out the area. Even though there were a few squeamish thoughts of sleeping in the area, they were soon fast asleep and we saw no return of wandering ants today. We were up earlier today. With the scope of the project we faced, we decided it was best to get up to the reservation an hour earlier. After a breakfast of pancakes and sausage we loaded up the trailer. It was a bit more crowded in the trailer this morning, we had a load of lumber to use on the ramp rebuild.
When we stepped outside this morning we also noted it was much cooler than it had been the day before. Overnight a front rolled through with lots of rain. Some heard the thunder but said they rolled right back over to fall asleep. There was also a slight mist and we wondered how this would affect the work ahead of us. All the way up we drove through some pretty thick fog, probably a little less than a quarter mile visibility. Just outside of Mission, SD it all of a sudden cleared up. It was still overcast, but the fog and mist went away and there was hope that we would be able to get everything accomplished we had planned.
That extra hour was a real gift. In that hour we were able as a team to finish clearing the ground around the church and getting the lawn mowed. What a difference that made. At the same time, some of the team finished ripping out the old ramp and began to frame the new supports. By the end of our time, the upper part of the ramp was rebuilt and the lower ramp supports were in place and the posts were cemented in. All in all it was a very successful day. Our service project team worked extremely well together and when other team members had free time, they were over there chipping in as they could. There is something about the sound of power tools and sledge hammers that seems to attract a crowd. We noticed that traffic on the church street picked up as spectators checked out what we were doing.
As for VBS, our numbers were up slightly today, but not as many came as we had hoped to. We reminded ourselves later that day it didn’t really matter how many kids came, if we could make a difference in just one life, or our lives were enriched by the efforts of just one person, we knew that was what God really intended. We began as usual with lunch and headed across the street for worship that again included a skit a few songs. Today’s skit was the Prodigal Son. The crew did a great job and our guests seemed to really enjoy their work. Song time was even more fun as we repeated some of the songs from yesterday and more of our guests felt more comfortable to participate. There were arms flying, fingers pointing and even a few foot stomps along the way and through it all, Jesus was praised.
The kids all headed over to story time and found Bob Orr ready and willing to share with them. The kids all loved him. Their favorite craft today was the glow in the dark beaded cross. Every guest wanted one so our team worked with the little ones to help them put it together. Some of the kids had to go into the bathroom and close the door to see if they really glowed and they came out happily saying they really glow. We then went out to the field to play a little wiffle ball. Only one minor incident, one of our own base runners ran into our third baseman while they were trying to field the ball. One young lady walked away with a bid of a headache, but all were well.
Before we knew it, it was time to pack up and head back to Valentine. Unfortunately, while the day had warmed up to a pleasant 75 degrees, the pool had stayed closed. This left us with a bit of a dilemma, shower or no shower. To shower meant we would have to go to the campground and some of those who were hear a few years ago still remember that experience. A couple of the adults braved the rumors and took off to check things out. When they returned and reported clean showers and warm water (not hot) a crowd quickly gathered for the chance to clean up. On the way they were reminded about sharing and when they pled back into the van, there wasn’t one complaint about the showers or the water temperature. Later, after dinner, some of the kids (and a few adults) all headed to Frosty’s for ice cream with a stop at Dollar General on the way back. I am sure glad we can help the local economy. It is amazing that there are any sodas or any snacks left in the store.
We closed out our night with a Bible study on tomorrow’s topic, Pentecost followed by a discussion of how the day went, what we did good and what we could do better. Everyone agreed it had been a good day and all of us hoped for another great day tomorrow. As Compline was finished, all headed off to bed and another good night’s sleep.
When we stepped outside this morning we also noted it was much cooler than it had been the day before. Overnight a front rolled through with lots of rain. Some heard the thunder but said they rolled right back over to fall asleep. There was also a slight mist and we wondered how this would affect the work ahead of us. All the way up we drove through some pretty thick fog, probably a little less than a quarter mile visibility. Just outside of Mission, SD it all of a sudden cleared up. It was still overcast, but the fog and mist went away and there was hope that we would be able to get everything accomplished we had planned.
That extra hour was a real gift. In that hour we were able as a team to finish clearing the ground around the church and getting the lawn mowed. What a difference that made. At the same time, some of the team finished ripping out the old ramp and began to frame the new supports. By the end of our time, the upper part of the ramp was rebuilt and the lower ramp supports were in place and the posts were cemented in. All in all it was a very successful day. Our service project team worked extremely well together and when other team members had free time, they were over there chipping in as they could. There is something about the sound of power tools and sledge hammers that seems to attract a crowd. We noticed that traffic on the church street picked up as spectators checked out what we were doing.
As for VBS, our numbers were up slightly today, but not as many came as we had hoped to. We reminded ourselves later that day it didn’t really matter how many kids came, if we could make a difference in just one life, or our lives were enriched by the efforts of just one person, we knew that was what God really intended. We began as usual with lunch and headed across the street for worship that again included a skit a few songs. Today’s skit was the Prodigal Son. The crew did a great job and our guests seemed to really enjoy their work. Song time was even more fun as we repeated some of the songs from yesterday and more of our guests felt more comfortable to participate. There were arms flying, fingers pointing and even a few foot stomps along the way and through it all, Jesus was praised.
The kids all headed over to story time and found Bob Orr ready and willing to share with them. The kids all loved him. Their favorite craft today was the glow in the dark beaded cross. Every guest wanted one so our team worked with the little ones to help them put it together. Some of the kids had to go into the bathroom and close the door to see if they really glowed and they came out happily saying they really glow. We then went out to the field to play a little wiffle ball. Only one minor incident, one of our own base runners ran into our third baseman while they were trying to field the ball. One young lady walked away with a bid of a headache, but all were well.
Before we knew it, it was time to pack up and head back to Valentine. Unfortunately, while the day had warmed up to a pleasant 75 degrees, the pool had stayed closed. This left us with a bit of a dilemma, shower or no shower. To shower meant we would have to go to the campground and some of those who were hear a few years ago still remember that experience. A couple of the adults braved the rumors and took off to check things out. When they returned and reported clean showers and warm water (not hot) a crowd quickly gathered for the chance to clean up. On the way they were reminded about sharing and when they pled back into the van, there wasn’t one complaint about the showers or the water temperature. Later, after dinner, some of the kids (and a few adults) all headed to Frosty’s for ice cream with a stop at Dollar General on the way back. I am sure glad we can help the local economy. It is amazing that there are any sodas or any snacks left in the store.
We closed out our night with a Bible study on tomorrow’s topic, Pentecost followed by a discussion of how the day went, what we did good and what we could do better. Everyone agreed it had been a good day and all of us hoped for another great day tomorrow. As Compline was finished, all headed off to bed and another good night’s sleep.
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