Each Day is like a Week....In a Very Good Way!

Thank you, so very much for all of your love, prayers, and support.  We have had such an incredible experience thus far, there is really no possible way to describe it and do it justice. Everyone has continued to say the same thing:  Each day is like a week-in a good way.  We are doing so many things and having so many unique and powerful experiences, that it seems like we have been living here for months, but we've been in Pine Ridge for two days!  It is humbling and life changing to be in a community where people are so open, loving, and welcoming.

We will post many more pictures over the next few days (as I can't keep up with uploading and posting all of them!) Today, we do want to give you a sampling of what we have done since we got here:

Yesterday (June 25), we started the day by doing work projects for the community lead by the Lakota community members. Part of our team went to work on building a porch for a family, the other part of our group worked on painting a church.  The cultural experience started right away, as we learned how to work together within our group, and with people from the community.

We next had "children's time, when the Shared Lakota Ministry Retreat Center (Where we are staying) hosts a play time each day from 4-5 p.m. for kids in the neighborhood. Children come to play kickball, ping pong, puzzles, games, etc. We were fortunate to have the time to play with the kids and enjoy the fellowship of children. 

We then traveled to "Betty's Kitchen where we had a homemade meal created  by Betty, a lovely, welcoming woman who shared her stories of her uncle, Black Elk, with us. 

We  returned to the retreat center where we met "Uncle Will" Peters  (an incredible musician and  Lakota teacher who specializes in youth empowerment.) He challenged our youth to truly be a generation who takes care of their brothers and sisters in Christ and brings Christian unity to those they meet. The message of unity was quite strong, and inspired the kids to want to learn more. He was a recipient of several Native American music awards, and he sang and played his guitar for us.

Today (June 26) God took us to a funeral for a woman named Irma Tenfingers from Ogalala.  It was a humbling experience to be welcomed so completely into the community and into the lives of the people. God was certainly present and we all learned a lot not only about the people of Pine Ridge, but about ourselves through walking together in another's sorrow. We shared our gifts with the people by singing a few songs for the funeral. In my next posting I will share pictures of this amazing experience.

We also toured Wounded Knee, learning about the history of the Lakota people. 

Prayer Requests:

• for the family of Irma Tenfingers
• for health, protection, and unity for the members of our group traveling together this week.
• for an end to racism in our world.

So Many Experiences to share on our first day...

Painting a church

Constructing the stairs.

Many hands make light work--building a new porch!

Connor with the jig saw

Justine painting a church.

Playing with kids at the worksite.

Building relationships

Kids Time at the Retreat Center

God Gives Us Opportunities to Depend on Him

Sometimes all you can do is pray.  It was the first night of our trip, and everyone had settled down for sleep after a fun first day of the trip in Colorado. Suddenly, at 3:30 a.m., Maddi became violently ill.  Worried about altitude sickness, dehydration, or a multitude of illnesses, and knowing we had a long week ahead of us, The decision was made to not take any chances and we departed for the children's hospital at 3:30 a.m.    Times like these teach people how to truly pray.  And pray is exactly what we did!

God is always faithful!  Maddi quickly began to recover--remarkably fast!!  It was evident that God was with us, and no stomach virus was going to take that away!  By 7 a.m. Maddi was released from the hospital, and by 9:30 a.m. we were all on our way to church--everyone together.  By noon we were on our way to South Dakota, Maddi laughing and smiling from the back of the van.

Please Join Us in Bible Study

Throughout this week, we will be bringing our group together each day in bible study and reflection. This evening, we started the book that we will be working from all week,  Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  Our study this evening was on the chapter about "Community". Our community in Christ, through Christ, united in Christ for eternity is a precious gift. We do not want to take it for granted--as all are not able to gather with others as we do. We also know that in Christ we are all here for each other--to support one another in good times and in bad with Christ as our cornerstone. We are empowered to be the people God created us to be, bold in our proclamation of our faith. 

As we look forward to traveling to the Reservation tomorrow, we are reminded through scripture, that although from different cultures, we are One in Jesus.  Our scripture this evening was from Ephesians 2:17-22: Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. ²¹ In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²² And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

We Made It Safely After A Short Delay

Thank you all for your support and prayers!  We made it safely to Denver after a short delay in Tampa.  Our flights went well, and 100+ degree temperatures greeted us upon arrival. Gee, we'll have to go back to Florida to cool off! There was definitely a haze over the mountains due to the numerous wildfires burning in various locations in the mountains. Praying for rain and strength for the firefighters.   

Special thank you to Mark & Dianne Zenk (Mary's brother and his wife) for the  hospitality and kindness. They hosted us for a wonderful meal at a local favorite Mexican restaurant. We were all well fed!

Tomorrow we will be worshipping in  the Denver area at Bethel Lutheran Church before departing for Pine Ridge.  Many, many, many more pictures to follow!


Prayer Requests for the day:

Prayers of Thanksgiving for:

• Safe travel and the adventure before us
• Our families who came to the airport to see us off--we are thankful for big and little hugs!
• The nice people who God has put in our path to help us in this journey

We are raising in prayer:

• The family of Matthew (Justine's friend) who was killed in a car accident recently
• The health of our family members who are so dear to us--that God would bring them healing and peace.
• Those who have lost their homes in the wildfires, also praying for the firefighters and that God might bring rain to the parched land

We also pray for a safe journey and that we might be united in Christ to serve Him.

And So It Begins...

Dear Holy Lord, Creator of Heaven and Earth,

We praise you for your incredible creation, Father, and we thank you for this incredible opportunity you have provided for us. We thank you for the open minds and spirits of those traveling. And we especially thank you for all the people you have put in our lives to help make this trip possible through their love, support and prayers.

As we depart on our journey together today, we ask for your presence in all we do. Guide us, and lead us in our paths. Please help us to keep the sole focus of our travels and encounters, Lord, only on you. Give us eyes to see the world as you do, and give us the strength to be present and open Lord, listening to the Holy Spirit, in our interactions with others.

Please bring us unity in purpose, and keep us safe from the evil one. Please fill us with the humility and unconditional love to be servants to all. We ask that we are emptied of our own ideas, agendas, and egos, and fill us with your Spirit.

In your holy name we pray.

Amen

Mass Transit Travels to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

On June 23, 2012, a group of 7  young adults along with 3 chaperones will be flying to Denver, Colorado before driving north to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation of South Dakota where we will spend a week with our brothers and sisters in Christ there. While in Pine Ridge, we will be learning about the Sioux culture as well as serving the community as God leads. It is our goal to grow in in our faith, gaining  an understanding of ourselves and others that comes from an encounter with another culture.

We invite you to join us on this trip, through this blog, praying that God leads us and guides us in our travels, protects us from harm, and uses us as His humble servants reaching out in love to those we encounter.  We pray that we might grow closer to God and each other through this experience, and that He might open our eyes to our role in walking with others in need as a friend and as a brother or sister in Christ. Amen.

Pine Ridge Retreat Center, Pine Ridge, SD