Amber tells the group something about herself as we got to know our brothers and sisters from Denver.
The painting teams did an exceptional job completing almost two days work in one. The first coat of paint went up without a hitch and there was actually more paint on the wall than on our youth or the floor. While they were working hard, another team went out to distribute fliers throughout the nearby housing development in hopes of generating some interest in VBS. After returning to Valentine, we learned that the pool was closed due to the cooler weather. So we packed up the team and headed to a nearby campground to grab a quick shower. It had to be quick because except for the first few people, there was no hot water; brrrrrrr. They say cold showers builds character; if that is true, we laid a good foundation today. Tomorrow we may let some of those who were at the end of the line take a shower up in the facility we are working out of.
We ate an early dinner and headed back up to Rosebud to join the group from Denver to hear Fr. Two-Hawks speak about reservation life and culture. He was really interesting to listen to. One of the things he said that was really key to our increased understanding of the Lakota people was his description of their history in relation to the land. One thing that makes the Lakota different is that they don’t strive to own the land, but to learn how the land owns them. When he related this to their historical understanding of God, it was very powerful.
Back in Valentine, we relaxed before gathering to discuss the day’s activities. While this day may not have gone as we expected, it was surprising to see how God could turn near disaster into a real blessing. What’s in store for tomorrow? We hope to have the opportunity to work with some kids. Of course there is still much more painting inside the Bishop Jones Facility to do and if the weather continues to improve, we just might be doing some outdoor painting too. Keep us in your prayers.
Omaha & Lincoln area youth preparing to get underway at Church of the Holy Spirit in Bellevue.
What a day! The morning began with a light drizzle, fog, and a balmy 49 degrees. Of course many of our youth were too tired to see it. We learned today that we do not have many who would call themselves a morning person as some slept during the 30 minute car ride. Once there, the vehicles were quickly unloaded and we prepared for the crowds we had planned on. One thing about a plan, it doesn’t always go as expected. The first anomaly we encountered was that the milk and orange juice donations were not ready when we expected. This however was not an immediate problem, because we felt a lot like the rich landowner who threw a party for his son’s wedding and nobody came. Despite our pre-arrival publicity, none of the local children showed up. We did however run into another team from Denver who had come to the same area to work with a nearby crisis center. So we shared breakfast, got to know them, and played a few games before we began painting.
The painting teams did an exceptional job completing almost two days work in one. The first coat of paint went up without a hitch and there was actually more paint on the wall than on our youth or the floor. While they were working hard, another team went out to distribute fliers throughout the nearby housing development in hopes of generating some interest in VBS. After returning to Valentine, we learned that the pool was closed due to the cooler weather. So we packed up the team and headed to a nearby campground to grab a quick shower. It had to be quick because except for the first few people, there was no hot water; brrrrrrr. They say cold showers builds character; if that is true, we laid a good foundation today. Tomorrow we may let some of those who were at the end of the line take a shower up in the facility we are working out of.
We ate an early dinner and headed back up to Rosebud to join the group from Denver to hear Fr. Two-Hawks speak about reservation life and culture. He was really interesting to listen to. One of the things he said that was really key to our increased understanding of the Lakota people was his description of their history in relation to the land. One thing that makes the Lakota different is that they don’t strive to own the land, but to learn how the land owns them. When he related this to their historical understanding of God, it was very powerful.
Back in Valentine, we relaxed before gathering to discuss the day’s activities. While this day may not have gone as we expected, it was surprising to see how God could turn near disaster into a real blessing. What’s in store for tomorrow? We hope to have the opportunity to work with some kids. Of course there is still much more painting inside the Bishop Jones Facility to do and if the weather continues to improve, we just might be doing some outdoor painting too. Keep us in your prayers.
No comments:
Post a Comment