Entry for June 30, 2007

I got this from Jamie- it is actually pretty fun! Fill it out, will ya?

1. Can you cook?

2. What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator?

3. What talent do you wish you had?

4. Favorite place?

5. Favorite vegetable?

6. What was the last book you read?

7. Are you Dirty or Clean?

8. Any Tattoos and/or Piercings?

9. Worst Habit?

HERE COMES THE FUN ...

1. Do we know each other outside of Yahoo 360?

2. What's your philosophy on life?

3. Voyeur or exibitionist ?

4. What was your dream growing up?

5. Worst thing to ever happen to you? best ?

6. Would you give me money or a slap in the face?

7. Tell me one weird fact about you:

8. Would you have my back or kick me when I'm down?

9. Do you Trust me?

10. Have you ever kept anything from me?

11. What do you think of me as a Person?

12. Do you think I'm sane or insane?

13. Would you cry for me if I died?

14. Would you be my crime partner or my conscience?

15. If you could change anything about me, would you?

16. How do you fall asleep?

17. Would you come over to yell at me or just call?

18. Would you go on a blind date if I set you up and you were single?

19. If I only had one day to live what would you do?

20. A million bucks…

22. Favorite thing to do in your spare time?

23. How many times did you curse at me while filling out this thing?

24. Can you sing or dance?

25. In one word, how would you describe me?

26. Will you repost this so I can fill it out?

Entry for June 25, 2007

We made it back to Great Falls. Since we really have a day to wait until our flight, we found the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. Not really a museum because you can touch and do things. The kids all loved it! (See Savannah holding a skunk skin!) We really got a history lesson there! They had a wonderful movie by Ken Burns that told the whole story of the trip to the Pacific by these early pioneers.

Then it was back to the hotel for the kids to enjoy the pool. We're really tired, and setting our sights for home, it will be nice to be back.

Addition to Entry for June 24, 2007

Had to post this picture of Cameron Lake in Waterton Park in Canada! Isn't it beautiful?

Entry for June 19, 2007

10:30pm local time

We made it to Heart Butte, MT! It took lots of driving through beautiful country (that all starts to look the same after awhile!) I know why they call Montana "Big Sky" country- you can see for miles and miles! It is curious how anyone ever gets to know one another- you'd have to drive 5 miles to see your next door neighbor!

We did make it to the reservation on time and how great it is to be here! One of the college interns took us to the top of the "heart"- a peak (butte) with a heart shape on the side. The view was breathtaking! We met a few local people tonight- one lady told us a lot about the tribe, although she is a member of the Flathead tribe on the other side of the mountains. Her husband is Blackfeet. She registered her children as Flatheads because each tribe member gets $1200 a year from the Casino profits. Blackfeet get about $75. And most have no other source of income other than government welfare. No wonder alcoholism and depression are rampant.

The sun started to set about 9:30 tonight and it was light until almost 10:30pm. They say the sun rises here at 4:30am! We'll see soon!

Entry for June 24, 2007

We got up early this morning to go to church near the Canadian border. Our minister was filling in for the minister there (yes, we came 2500 miles to hear our own preacher!) but he had a great service. We outnumbered the regular people in this tiny church, but they were very pleased to have us here. I think my favorite part was the offering- we were asked to put the offering in the plate and tell what we were thankful for. That is hard to do in a church with 600 in attendance, but in this small group it was very special.

Then we drove up into Canada to see Waterton Park. There is a lake there that is more fabulous than anything I have ever seen. We hiked around and picked up rocks and enjoyed the wildlife. Deer come so close up here- not like at home where they'd run as soon as they saw you. I hate to have to leave this truly special place- we're both hoping that we can come back some day.

We stopped for Chinese food (in Canada) on the way back to the US. Spending the night in Heart Butte and we'll leave for Great Falls tomorrow.

Entry for June 18, 2007

9:10 pm Montana Time

Today was so busy that I know I won't remember half of what we did. Checking out of our Custer SD hotel was easy- loading the van with our things and the Wesson's was even more challenging. But we got it all in and were soon on the road.

Devil's Tower was amazing- that this tower rises from the earth, when nothing else around it looks like it, shows me that God can do anything! We spent 2 hours hiking around it and it is the same amazing sight from all angles. We even watched 3 climbers descend from the summit.

Then it was a long car ride! We stopped for lunch and then drove some more. We got to the Little Bighorn Battlefield about 5pm. The rangers really gave us a good account of the reasons the battle happened and the reasons it had the outcome it did. White man was not kind to the Indians and gave them no recourse but to defend their home. A marker shows the spot where General Custer fell, although he is interred at West Point. The view over the area allows you to almost imagine the Indians camped along the river and the Calvary charging up the hill.

More driving brings us to Billings MT- the Springmaid Marriott. Savannah would live here, I think! There is a mini-bar (unstocked), a seating area, recessed lights, granite countertops, a desk with a swivel chair, and closets! Thank goodness a guy in our church works for Marriott and got us these rooms- we probably couldn't have afforded them any other way! We're going to test how comfy the beds are now- it has been a long day!

Entry for June 23, 2007

Glacier Park is breathtaking! We hiked in to some waterfalls and drove through the prettiest mountains I have ever seen! The rivers are green and reflect, I think, the greenest rocks I have ever seen! God really is amazing in all He has created! We went to a lake that sat at the bottom of a canyon- and it was freezing cold! We had to put on our heavy coats just to be able to stand there and enjoy the sight! The teenagers told us a lot about the area including the names of the mountains, and the meanings of the names of the mountains. It was great to have them along. We bought them dinner at the casino (sounds strange, doesn't it?) and they were grateful but almost embarrassed that we were spending money on them.

Entry for June 22, 2007

Well we finished the tile floor! It was hard but it turned out well. Even did the baseboards! Don (pictured above) was a big help- I didn't realize until today that he is homeless. He lives at the shelter. No wonder he was so proud of his work! (He was honored that I asked to have my picture taken with him, too!) Angie and Judy were great helpers and we all worked well as a team!

We can't do what we had planned tomorrow since something went wrong in planning on the Browning end. So we get an extra day of sight-seeing. We're taking the Padgett teenagers- Eli, Katie, and Cece, to Glacier Park.

We did get a chance to meet Travis, a local guy who makes beautiful jewelry. Savannah and I are both coming home with necklaces! When he showed up here the first day he was drunk (as are most of the people around the reservation at any given time) but the next day was sober. By today he was clean shaven and even stayed for evening devotion. So maybe we are making a little difference. Also something that Kevin Kickingwoman told us the other night sticks with me- his life was changed by something a counselor said- he doesn't remember their name but what they told him stuck with him and helped him break free of the despair that seems to surround this area. So maybe something one of us said this week will make a difference to someone at some point in their life. We may never know but it is nice to think!

Entry for June 17, 2007

8:50pm local time

My body knows it is almost 11pm even if it is still light outside! We got the kids out of the pool here in Custer SD. Why is it that kids will travel 2000 miles from home and want to swim in a pool? Or play putt putt? You'd think that they would want to do things that they can't do at home! Tonight's buffet- style dinner was good. David Colvin told a neat story- he woke up really early and wanted some time to listen to God, so he went looking for a place to watch the sunrise over these rocky peaks. He ended up at Mt. Rushmore- thinking of his own father as the light hit our founding fathers. Apparently he was moved by his thoughts but only on returning to the hotel did he realize that it was Father's Day. God is so good and He knows us so well!

Entry for June 17, 2007

4:15 pm

This is beautiful country! The mountains just seem to jump out of the prairie and are well preserved in their natural state. Mostly pine trees spring up from the rocks, I guess because they don't have deep roots. THe wildlife is amazing- we saw buffalo, antelope, chipmunks, coyote, prairie dogs, and donkeys- who would stick their heads right in the windows of the car! Looking at this land really makes you believe that there is a God- and He is good!

Mt. Rushmore is amazing. Not only the story of how it was built, that it was built, or that it is preserved, but that you can see it from so many places- even through two strategically placed tunnels! Crazy Horse will be even more mind-boggling than this if and when it is ever completed.

Jeff had a good devotion this morning from Ephesians 2. We were created by God and were created for good. You can see that in this whole country, too.

The group of people we are with are a lot of fun! David, Lisa, Will, and Judy were having a picnic at a lookout area. Lisa S. fed her grandson ice cream for lunch, the Wessons are a lot like me in the way they think, so I hope we will continue to get along well on the rest of this trip, especially since we are sharing a car. Gotta go get ready for supper now!

Entry for June 21, 2007

Today was interesting- we pulled weeds at the senior center and song a few songs at the care center in Browning. I felt rather useless at that, but then discovered that I was cooking supper for 70 people by myself! Tired doesn't describe it- but I also feel fulfilled!

Kevin Kickingwoman, a local teacher, came tonight to sing native songs and explain a lot about the culture of the Blackfeet. Then I had a chance to meet Wishy and Arlene- Wishy is 77 years old and has one semester left to finish his degree in criminal justice. We also met his grandson and 2 great grandsons. Arlene is a teacher and is fluent in the Blackfeet language. They had many stories to tell of their life (yes, Wishy had to walk two miles to school) and Arlene rode her horse- which had a field to be turned out in! Hearing their stories tells me that these people have a chance to break out of the despair they have and create a better life.

I also met Joe Bear and Don at the homeless shelter today. Joe Bear is the director and Don has been doing work around the place. He has prepared a hallway to be tiled, laying the sub-flooring and painting the walls. Don took a lot of pride in this work. So Judy, Angie, and I are going to lay the tile tomorrow. I cannot believe that our time is running out here- it seems that we are just getting settled in.

Did I mention how beautiful the mountains are around here? On the drive to Browning today we crossed a beautiful river with the snow-capped mountains in the distance. This is a breathtaking place and I'm coming home with about 200 pictures of mountains!

Entry for June 16, 2007

Well we made it! There for a minute I thought this trip was never going to end. We got to the airport in Charlotte a little early. Security was smooth and we were soon in the air. We arrived in Chicago at 11am local time. Since our plane was scheduled to leave at 2:30, we found some food and prepared to wait.

Little did we know that was our first test- patience! That 2:30 flight finally left the ground at 4:00. But we met a nice couple from Lincoln NE just returning from Ansterdam and Barcelona. They had neat stories to tell and the time passed somewhat faster. We did arrive in Rapid City, SD with all our luggage (another blessing) and got to our hotel just in time to eat dinner with the group. Savannah and I decided not to go to Crazy Horse with the group but stay at the hotel and get settled. We swam in the pool to get the travel kinks out and met a group of youth from Colorado Springs who just left the Pine Ridge Reservation on a mission trip. They were from a Methodist church. So now I'm tired and it is time to sack out! It is also storming so I bet the Crazy Horse group is going to get wet!

Entry for June 20, 2007

9:30pm local time

Our first real day of work and the task was to tear apart and rebuild a wheelchair ramp and extend a porch for a local lady so a stretcher could fit down it. It was frustrating because we didn't have the right tools and needed more supplies, which are not easy to come by around here. We took Eli, a local 16-year-old with us and he was a big help. He also knows a lot about his heritage and history and loves to talk about it. We worked all day in the hot sun- no wind. Weren't we told that Montana is cold and the wind blows all the time? Of course, we get the heat wave week!

Working with our team was fun though- everyone contributed to the project and even I figured out a lot that helped. We were the last group to get back tonight and I am really tired. But it is a lot of fun!

Ready to go

Well we're all packed and ready to go. I'm going back and forth between excited and anxious- anxious because I haven't flown in years and there are a lot of differences between then and now. And excited to be going somewhere I've never been! Anxious because this is a really poor area and excited because we could really make a difference to these people. Anxious because I'll have a 10 year old with me that I want to keep safe and excited because she is going to see and learn so much!

I am going to bed and get a good night's sleep- tomorrow will be a full day of travelling!

Love you all- keep us in your prayers!

Dish

Heard from Chris

Chris has been able to call a couple of times from basic training- he called from the Ft. Worth airport and again from Oklahoma City. I didn't think about it but he was actually scared to fly- he's never been in a plane before! He sounded so much better once he was in OK!

He says that it is cold in the mornings and very hot in the afternoons! The first day was horrible- they're herded around like cattle, get the gorgeous haircut (which he is miffed about even though his hair was only 1/2" long!) and got all their supplies. The second day wasn't as bad but he says the fun stuff hasn't started yet. I don't know what he thinks is going to be "fun" but I don't know that it will ever start!

Just pray for this kid- he is a kid in so many ways and I know he is going to do an immense amount of growing, changing, and maturing over the next 10 weeks!

Let's have compassion

I have heard a lot of talk about being compassionate today. I don't know why this subject came up everywhere I went today, but it must be the theme of the day.

I don't think I am any more compassionate than other people. I do care about others and want to help, but the preacher used me as an example of a compassionate person during his sermon today. Now, he did this mainly to let the congregation know that I took a group of kids from the church yesterday and visited two of our local nursing homes. We sang songs and did a couple of silly skits. The kids get a lot out of that and so do the residents. I don't see this as being compassionate, only as opening these children's eyes as to what "doing for others" really means.

So what is compassionate? I had the chance to talk to a man after church who stutters- I listened until he had gotten out what he wanted to tell me, then thanked him for his compliments. Is that compassion? Or just good manners? Are we born compassionate, or does it have to be taught?

It is my hope today that more people will just think about others sometimes. If that is compassion, then I guess I have it every now and then. If we all try to get a little, the world will be a better place.