After many months of planning, study, fundraising and prayer, seven members of the YOUTH and their leaders will spend 10 days on Rosebud Indian Reservation, serving with the Rosebud Episcopal Mission. Thank you for your support and prayers!

Sunday, July 5, 2015 – Homeward Bound!

Rosebud last day: We left the reservation super early — 5:30 am — because we were worried about making the 500 mile trip to Minneapolis on a holiday weekend. The Angels guided our van and we had a delicious breakfast at Denny’s in Sioux Falls, prayed at a mobile chapel, and had time to stop for a walk in a park near the airport. After a delicious meal and some World Cup at the Pork and Pickle in Kansas City, we’ll board the next plane in be home in the wee hours of Monday morning. Thank you all for your prayers and support of this new partnership with Rosebud Episcopal Mission.

Saturday, July 4, 2015 – Day 9

Rosebud Day 9: it’s hard to believe that it’s our last day on the Rez. We worked hard for a few hours this morning…. Continued chopping and splitting wood, grading the parking lot, cleaning the tool shed, painting the a/c braces installed earlier this week, and weedwhacking a place for our bonfire. Then back to the Pow Wow before home to pack. We ended the day listening to Mother Laure tell Lakota sacred stories around a bonfire ( with s’mores of course!) A brewing storm created a breathtaking sunset… God blessed us abundantly and we will miss our new friends.

      

 

Friday, July 3, 2015 – Day 8

Rosebud Day 8: today we finished up a bunch of projects… Finished clearing the tree in Cheryl Angel’s yard, cut, split, and stacked the wood, helped Beasley organize the sheds, taught the kids to chainsaw, and graded the parking lot at the Bishop Jones building. In an hour, we’re headed over to see the Grand Procession of the Pow Wow and have Indian Tacos for dinner.

Thursday, July 2, 2015 – Day 7 part two

Day 7 part two: after Mount Rushmore, we visited the Crazy Horse Memorial and Native American Heritage museum. The memorial was commissioned by Lakota chief Henry Standing Bear and the location of the monument selected by the elders so that visitors to Custer County would learn about one of the great Lakota leaders. It was very moving to see the cultural artifacts and take in the exquisite beauty and artistry. After a picnic lunch, we went for a hike in the Black Hills, summiting a 4800 foot mountain and soaking in the gorgeous view from “Lover’s Leap.” As we hiked we were amazed to realize that some of the stone under our feet was pink Quartz! After the hike, we began the journey home, stopping at the Wounded Knee memorial just a sunset. Chills ran through my body as we prayed for all who died on that site…. It’s hard to fathom nearly 300 people, mostly women and children, being killed by the U.S. Calvary when their leader was literally sitting under a white flag of surrender. We were all distressed to witness the disparity between life on and off the reservations (we drove through much of Pine Ridge on our way to and fro). Lord, if it is your will, help us to discern ways to partner with Lauren and the Rosebud Episcopal Mission to bring hope to your Lakota children.

Thursday, July 2, 2015 – Day 7

And on the seventh day, they rested. After a full day of travel and five days of hard work and extraordinary learning opportunities, we’re taking a day to be tourists. This day has been an emotional rollercoaster…. We left early early for Rapid City because David and Henry had to fly home a few days early. Then we headed to Mount Rushmore. While I consider myself a proud American, it was heartbreaking to watch videos of that exquisite mountain being exploded. And having learned that the Black Hills are the holiest of sites for the Lakota, very distressing to find not one mention of the distress this monument to white leaders causes our Lakota brothers and sisters.

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Day five on Rosebud… Fixed a chainsaw, completed setup of phones and computers, finished the drainage trench and repairing the picnic tables at the Episcopal mission, harvested wood from a tree that fell on a building, and helped take down and install a new sign for Church of Innocents, toured a workshop where they see star quilts, and saw a buffalo herd! Tonight we’ll learn to make dream catchers … Abundant gratitude!

Monday and Tuesday, June 29-30, 2015

Another extraordinary day on Rosebud, where I continue to be stunned by God’s grace pouring through these amazing teens and adults. They helped seal the foundation of a building used by the Habitat affiliate, pulled stumps, cut, split, and stacked wood, built a frame for a new air conditioner, and helped Lauren set-up her office. And then ICE CREAM, another chance to help paint the tipi, a swim, and an incredibly moving talk about the spiritual practice of sweat lodges, Sundances, and pow wows. Thank you Jesus for the gift of this day

Sunday, June 28, 2015

A powerful day, full of praising God, pulling tree stumps to cut for more firewood, and an extraordinary, grace-filled surprise. We have been invited to help paint a tipi, which will be offered as a heart-gift of gratitude from Cheryl to her spiritual leader. We are humbled and honored to be helping with this project and learned a tremendous amount of Lakota history and the meaning of symbols and colors from Steve. He is an exceptional teacher of symbology and numerology, and works for the Smithsonian in DC some of each year. Blessings upon blessings unfolding…

Saturday, June 27, 2015 – Evening

A **hot** afternoon of stacking wood for the “Wood for Elders” program run by Mama Lauren’s church. Many elders are raising their grandchildren, great-grandchildren on very limited incomes and this wood will help heat their homes this winter. We cooled off with a quick swim and now are out looking at Saturn and Jupiter and watching for the northern lights. Glory!

Saturday, June 27, 2015 – First day on Rosebud!

First day on Rosebud! We began with a trip down to St. Francis where we visited the Lakota Heritage Museum and a Jesuit church… St. Francis… Aka the purple church! Legend has it that the elders couldn’t agree on the color and the priest got tired of the bickering and asked the children to decide. Ta da! After lunch, a rousing game of spoons and now we’re off to work.