A RAMP
In our visitations, we located a lady who told us she would love to come to church, but she is in a wheelchair and the church is not handicap accessible. She has been a faithful member of the church in past years. Ray took it to heart, and he worked for several hours on Saturday to build one. The lady was just getting out of the hospital this Sunday, so she hasn't had a chance to try the ramp.
WATERMELON
While we were out and about Saturday, we stopped at some friends on the reservation to check on a family member who had been sick. These friends were celebrating her birthday and Father's Day, and they invited us to take part in the celebration. We stayed and ate and visited. All of their children and grandchildren were there for the 'party.' We appreciate the openness and acceptance of the Indian people.
CHOCOLATE
There has been a family who comes in on Sunday afternoons and works with the children, and this Sunday they were not available to come. Esther and Ray and I took a big gulp and decided it is time to 'dive in.' Some of the Hunter family from Fort Thompson were willing to help us, and they brought a bus and a van and went picking up children. Ray went with them so we could locate from which homes the children are coming. One of my methods to try to keep control of the children is to give them a little object to put in their pockets and keep through children's service. If they still have the object at the end of the service, they get to keep the object and have a treat besides (we could confiscate the object during service if they misbehave). I didn't have anything with me to use for their pockets, except I found some chocolate candies downstairs, so I used those. Unfortunately, the church became quite hot as the kids sat in there, and we delivered some chocolate-coated kids to their homes. :( They all got the prize (a little bag of chips) at the end of the service. :) We already love these children.
BLUEBERRY PLANTS
He spoke also this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his
vineyard, and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he
unto the keeper of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I have come seeking
fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down. Why cumbereth it the ground?'
And he answering said unto him, `Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall
dig around it and dung it. And if it bear fruit, well; and if not, then after
that thou shalt cut it down.'" Luke 13:6-9
This is the scripture verse that came to my mind when we agreed to work at Lower Brule this year. We feel challenged to 'dig about and fertilize' the mission out there. This scripture came to my mind while I was standing in our backyard eyeing two blueberry plants that I planted two years ago. These blueberry plants have survived with three or four yellow leaves for these years. I didn't want to destroy them while there is life in them, but they certainly were going nowhere. I bought another blueberry plant this year and planted it in another part of the yard where it is near our pine tree, and the soil is acid. This new blueberry plant loved it
and is growing beautifully. Encouraged, I dug up one of the stagnant blueberry plants which had two yellow leaves and transplanted it near the flourishing plant. It is beginning to show promise and is bearing several leaves now, though they are still yellow. I think the progress will be slow. With that encouragement, I transplanted the last little blueberry 'stick' with one tiny yellow leaf. We will see how it goes. So goes the work in Lower Brule. Slow, but promising. The people are so kind, and there seems to be many who are interested in church. We need wisdom in knowing how to make the time and the atmosphere such that they will be willing to come and respond to the salvation message. Please pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our work there.
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