Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

    Our first mission trip was a blast. The week was filled with serving in areas from kids ministry to roof repair — and everything in between.

Here are a few of the highlights from my time spent there:

Thursday 

Pastor Gus Craven was running out of jobs for us, but I do not think he had quite realized it. Three of us girls were assigned one very daunting task: to sit with the cats. Eventually we could try to find the lost kitten, but only if we wanted to. We found the kitten and placed the family in their assigned home. The nameless cats received names and a little bit of love that day. The mother was dubbed Marge, and her two kittens Ellenore and Rupert 

*** 

We sat quietly in the run down shack. There were dust-filled boxes of items from years before our time. There were intriguing stacks of letters as old as 1929. "To my dear wife..." I read out loud. It was really fascinating to explore the shadows of a time before our own.  

*** 

I rode the bus that night as we picked up students for another night of Kids Klub. It was interesting to experience the culture of this community where a bus can roll down the streets and people automatically know what to. The kids enjoyed another night of fun and fellowship, and my day was concluded with an inspiring group prayer about being more generous in sharing the gospel. I went to bed eager to do better

Friday.

As I wandered jobless, I sought for a group that was doing a task I could assist in. Ashley came over at a timely moment and gave me her job description. I figured that to "go find the antelope head" could be loosely translated as "go and explore the entire ranch." So I did.
I came across many interesting artifacts and various dead animals, but never the antelope head. I wandered the fields and dreamed of becoming the hero of the day -- dreamed of storming valiantly into the crowd, grasping the horn of the antelope head in my right hand. I was going to become the one who found this head.

But sadly, it was nowhere.  

Saturday

    Saturday was the day of the big Harvest Festival that our week had been building up to. I was able to help with the team on the zip line. I helped build the zip line, and assured my spot as the first to get to try it. I also got to run the zip line all day. It was great to get to talk to kids and ask them their names. I got to cheer kids on as they went, and sit next to the kids who were a little scared.  

The whole week was fun — and God really worked in my heart while I was there. He reminded me of what I should be focusing on and reminded me of the peace He so freely offers us all. I loved being a part of what God is doing in Wanblee, SD! Thank you for partnering with me in prayer while I was gone.

Rush Mountmore

Praying Mantis

Until next time

~Your friendly neighborhood adventurer, Beccca.