Its the 2nd day of LJ week and the first real day of kids club. Everyone is very excited to get started with the day and see kids they haven't seen for a year in some cases. I think a solid night of sleep really helped the group to be focused more on the day ahead instead of how tired they were.
I was probably the last one to go to sleep last night and I needed to be one of the first ones up, out of the interns at least. I needed to be up to unlock the doors in the dorms so that when people get up to go over to the cafeteria they can get back in easily. That was a struggle but I was able to make it up and unlock the doors before breakfast at 7:30am.
After I unlocked the doors, I went over to our cafeteria for a hot breakfast, which is always a nice treat on Sunday mornings during Lakota Journey week. I finished eating breakfast just in time to lead a church group to one of Pastor Utecht's churches in Rosebud.
After church in Rosebud, we stopped back at the school to eat lunch, before everybody packed up to go out to their sites. We had churches going to Saint Francis, Upper Cut Meat, Antelope, Spring Creek, and for the first time in three years we had a church going out to Two Strike. Super exciting.
I was the liaison for the church going out to Two Strike, Riverwood church, so it was my job to spend a portion of the day with them. The impact Riverwood could have on the community of Two Strike could be so huge, so I definitely wanted to be there to try to help everything run as smoothly as possible.
Unfortunately, Sunday was a very hot day so the group had trouble finding kids to hang out with them because most of them had gone swimming for the day. That was a little tough on the pastor and some of the leaders I think, but God allowed me to be there with them and just try to encourage them.
I told them that its tough getting started in a community, especially when there hasn't been a consistent church group presence for over three years but year after year it will get so much better, and they will really be able to see the impact they are making as kids start recognizing that every summer a church group will come to see them! I'm thankful that I was able to be there with them.
I spent an hour or two in Two Strike, before I went out to Saint Francis which was about 5min down the road. I was so excited to go in town and see all of the kids who I had hung out with last summer. I was especially excited to see Susie, whom I had already spent some time with since I've been here, Katie, Jessie, and Taylor, whom Brooke had built a strong relationship with over the last two years.
When I got there I saw a lot of people that I recognized and was very happy to see returning to our club this year, but when I saw Taylor, I couldn't help but smile. She is so cute. And the first person she asked about was Brooke. I told her that Brooke had to work this year and she was hoping to come out a little later in the summer. When Taylor heard that she might be coming out later this summer, she got the biggest smile.
Its so incredible to see the impact we have on these kids lives year after year. Now that I've been out here for five summers, a couple winters, and now as an intern, I've learned enough about this place to really question the significance of a relationship built over one week out of an entire year. But it never fails to astound me when I see a kid that I might not even remember, because I may have only met them once, but they remember my name and something I did last summer when I was here. After meeting them one time, my name stuck with them throughout an entire year.
Why? Because, through Christ, we impact the lives of those around more than we can even imagine. God's grace and love work in mysterious ways, but He loves His children and He uses such a small thing as a week long relationship to continue to give them hope in such a dark place. And that fact is why it is so important for us to continue to come every summer. Even if its just for a week. If we open our hearts to God and ask Him to show Himself through us, absolutely incredible things will happen. God is good.
I love every moment I have in Saint Francis. And I enjoyed my time there on Sunday more than I have enjoyed my time anywhere else on the Rez this summer.
I had to leave briefly, after dinner in the community center, because Riverwood was leaving Two Strike around 7pm and I was the only one with a key to lock up. I ran over to Two Strike to make sure everything was closed up, then I went back to Saint Francis, because I knew there would still be people hanging around. I spent another hour or so in Saint Francis then we brought the kids home.
As I was bringing Taylor home, I wanted to talk to her mom because Taylor told me that she had moved to Antelope, and I wanted to know where her new house was in case Brooke came out to see her. When I started telling her mom that Taylor met a girl from our group about two years ago, her mom corrected me and said it was around 3yrs ago. She remembered Brooke! Another testimony to the power of God that even impacts the lives of people that we've never met through our Children's ministry. That was so cool to see.
When we got back to the school, there was a snack and a time for sharing from one of the churches. Each church will get a chance to share about their time out in their community throughout the week, which is always a very encouraging time for us. Worship followed, then it was time for bed.
I had to kick people out of the couch room tonight, which was a little more than I had to do yesterday. But all in all, things went very smoothly once again.
Thanks for taking the time to read these. Especially as I have been late in posting many of these. Hope you enjoyed reading about my day!
Until the next time,
Brenden
Things I learned:
1. God is so good
2. Relationships are such an important aspect of God's ministry here on the rez.
3. I need to learn not to doubt the ways God is using me. If I doubt that a relationship God created could be beneficial to a child or adult on the rez, then I am doubting the infinite power of Jesus Christ. How stupid.
I was probably the last one to go to sleep last night and I needed to be one of the first ones up, out of the interns at least. I needed to be up to unlock the doors in the dorms so that when people get up to go over to the cafeteria they can get back in easily. That was a struggle but I was able to make it up and unlock the doors before breakfast at 7:30am.
After I unlocked the doors, I went over to our cafeteria for a hot breakfast, which is always a nice treat on Sunday mornings during Lakota Journey week. I finished eating breakfast just in time to lead a church group to one of Pastor Utecht's churches in Rosebud.
After church in Rosebud, we stopped back at the school to eat lunch, before everybody packed up to go out to their sites. We had churches going to Saint Francis, Upper Cut Meat, Antelope, Spring Creek, and for the first time in three years we had a church going out to Two Strike. Super exciting.
I was the liaison for the church going out to Two Strike, Riverwood church, so it was my job to spend a portion of the day with them. The impact Riverwood could have on the community of Two Strike could be so huge, so I definitely wanted to be there to try to help everything run as smoothly as possible.
Unfortunately, Sunday was a very hot day so the group had trouble finding kids to hang out with them because most of them had gone swimming for the day. That was a little tough on the pastor and some of the leaders I think, but God allowed me to be there with them and just try to encourage them.
I told them that its tough getting started in a community, especially when there hasn't been a consistent church group presence for over three years but year after year it will get so much better, and they will really be able to see the impact they are making as kids start recognizing that every summer a church group will come to see them! I'm thankful that I was able to be there with them.
I spent an hour or two in Two Strike, before I went out to Saint Francis which was about 5min down the road. I was so excited to go in town and see all of the kids who I had hung out with last summer. I was especially excited to see Susie, whom I had already spent some time with since I've been here, Katie, Jessie, and Taylor, whom Brooke had built a strong relationship with over the last two years.
When I got there I saw a lot of people that I recognized and was very happy to see returning to our club this year, but when I saw Taylor, I couldn't help but smile. She is so cute. And the first person she asked about was Brooke. I told her that Brooke had to work this year and she was hoping to come out a little later in the summer. When Taylor heard that she might be coming out later this summer, she got the biggest smile.
Its so incredible to see the impact we have on these kids lives year after year. Now that I've been out here for five summers, a couple winters, and now as an intern, I've learned enough about this place to really question the significance of a relationship built over one week out of an entire year. But it never fails to astound me when I see a kid that I might not even remember, because I may have only met them once, but they remember my name and something I did last summer when I was here. After meeting them one time, my name stuck with them throughout an entire year.
Why? Because, through Christ, we impact the lives of those around more than we can even imagine. God's grace and love work in mysterious ways, but He loves His children and He uses such a small thing as a week long relationship to continue to give them hope in such a dark place. And that fact is why it is so important for us to continue to come every summer. Even if its just for a week. If we open our hearts to God and ask Him to show Himself through us, absolutely incredible things will happen. God is good.
I love every moment I have in Saint Francis. And I enjoyed my time there on Sunday more than I have enjoyed my time anywhere else on the Rez this summer.
I had to leave briefly, after dinner in the community center, because Riverwood was leaving Two Strike around 7pm and I was the only one with a key to lock up. I ran over to Two Strike to make sure everything was closed up, then I went back to Saint Francis, because I knew there would still be people hanging around. I spent another hour or so in Saint Francis then we brought the kids home.
As I was bringing Taylor home, I wanted to talk to her mom because Taylor told me that she had moved to Antelope, and I wanted to know where her new house was in case Brooke came out to see her. When I started telling her mom that Taylor met a girl from our group about two years ago, her mom corrected me and said it was around 3yrs ago. She remembered Brooke! Another testimony to the power of God that even impacts the lives of people that we've never met through our Children's ministry. That was so cool to see.
When we got back to the school, there was a snack and a time for sharing from one of the churches. Each church will get a chance to share about their time out in their community throughout the week, which is always a very encouraging time for us. Worship followed, then it was time for bed.
I had to kick people out of the couch room tonight, which was a little more than I had to do yesterday. But all in all, things went very smoothly once again.
Thanks for taking the time to read these. Especially as I have been late in posting many of these. Hope you enjoyed reading about my day!
Until the next time,
Brenden
Things I learned:
1. God is so good
2. Relationships are such an important aspect of God's ministry here on the rez.
3. I need to learn not to doubt the ways God is using me. If I doubt that a relationship God created could be beneficial to a child or adult on the rez, then I am doubting the infinite power of Jesus Christ. How stupid.
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