THE VAN ADVANTAGE

Today was an interesting and fun morning at Lower Brule. Ray drove the old blue van out for Sunday School, and I took it and picked up the kids. It gives us a little more room to work with, and we felt less crowded in it. We are happy for those kids who are enthusiastic and get up to come to church on Sunday mornings. We are also happy for the men who come to worship upstairs. These men are interested. We appreciate that they bring their burdens to church for all of us to pray for them. I believe that we all need support from each other.


The children were a little more energetic this morning, though they were not bad. Esther has a few little ones who need special care during the Sunday School hour. It has become apparent that we will need to split the children into the little ones and the ones who are a little older. We appreciate each one who comes, but we have a range from little ones in diapers to ten and eleven years of age. We have some very brilliant children, and some of them are slow learners. This presents a challenge to the teacher. Splitting the group will be a challenge to staffing, but God knows all about this. Our policy is to let God speak to the heart of one of His children. If He so wills, we are praying for help. However, if we do not have help, we will continue to do our best. Please pray with us for this need. One little girl was 'ambitious' and getting into trouble this morning. When Sunday School was almost over, she came to Esther and gave her a hug and waited for her return hug. These children respond well to love, as do all children.

WONDERFUL PROBLEMS

We were feeling happy and stimulated (maybe a little overstimulated) as we left Lower Brule today. We are greatly encouraged. Our encouragement is mingled with a realization that we have to make some adjustments to keep up with the progress. Some other children that were playing outside were wanting to come this Sunday, but they were still shy. I asked them if we could count on them next week, and they said that they will come next Sunday. We did not have all of our regular children today, and that would swell our numbers a little. We have some other children that we are wanting to encourage to come. I feel that some are waiting for a little 'push,' and they will attend Sunday School. Our little minivan was a little crowded this morning while we were picking up the children and when we took them home, and we realized that we will need to bring the old blue warrior van out next week so we can pick them all up. It operates on prayer most of the time, it seems like, but it is necessary to have room for everyone.

Esther had her hands full this morning in the basement, as it is a challenge to have from 2-year-olds to 9-year-olds and keep all of their attention focused for 45 minutes to one hour. I have come down to help the last two weeks after she has told the story and the littlest children are finished with their coloring so that I can help entertain them while she finishes with the older ones. The children were very good this morning, but the little ones became restless. She commented on the way home today that she is really needing to split the group, and someone else is needed downstairs all during the time the children are there. Sometimes we are painfully aware of our limitations. However, these are wonderful problems. We well remember when it was hard to get two or three children to come to church in the morning. Now they are usually up and dressed for church and waiting for us to come pick them up. Ray had some of his regular group and a young man who was there for the first time since we were there. He is in his early teens, and he was attentive and respectful. He seemed like a promising young man. Please pray that he will come back and that he will give his life completely to the Lord.

We have been planning some renovation to the basement, and we hope to start on some of it in the next two weeks. We hope to paint the walls and tables bright colors, and we plan to make one of the tables into a chalkboard table for the little guys to entertain themselves and draw on after they are finished with their work and need something to do. It can also be used for a teaching aid for them. We feel that bright colors will brighten the dingy and dark basement.

We are thankful for the opportunity to work in Lower Brule, and we enjoy the work very much. I am working on obtaining employment in the schools in that area, and have been promised a job teaching English in the Lower Brule College next fall. Hopefully, we will be able to move that direction in the next year. Please pray that we will have wisdom, and that God's perfect will is worked out in relation to the Lower Brule church. Also, please pray that we can have help if God wills it, and that He will put it on that one's heart. We do not feel that we can "call" anyone to God's special work. Also, please pray about a van for the church. Thank you for your interest.

Today dawned bright and beautiful, and we felt the peace of the spring weather as we arrived at the Lower Brule reservation. Housing was quiet, and just a few dogs were wandering about when we went to pick up the children. The children were dressed cute and ready for church when we stopped at their houses to pick them up. They were also feeling the spring weather, and there was plenty of noise on the way to the church. Esther had a little bigger challenge than usual while she taught them in the basement, as they were restless. One little girl hasn't been coming as long, and she 'escaped' upstairs where Ray was preaching and was a little disturbing for a short time. I got up and she and I went back down to the basement and played a little game with a few other children who were finished with their project. We appreciate the men who are coming to church so faithfully. They are leaders in their homes and they often carry a heavy responsibility. One of the gentlemen stayed for a long time after church to talk with Ray. He has been carrying an especially heavy load, as he has suffered the loss of his wife in the last year, and he has had some issues in his home since. Please pray for John and his family.

Esther gave the lesson of Jesus' ascension today in Sunday School. She especially enjoys telling the Bible stories to these children, as the stories are usually new to them. They are so attentive and interested. If one of the younger ones starts to disturb, the older children often quiet them as they are interested and don't want to miss part of the story. We appreciate Esther's burden for the children.

Ray spoke to the men upstairs about the "neccesities of life." He began by telling what different specialists say is necessary to life, and he read from God's Word about what is necessary for our spiritual life. The men seemed very attentive.

Just a little side note: We were happy to again take our Sunday dinner and eat it in a beautiful spot by the lake. That is a nice highlight of our Sundays in Lower Brule.

GOOD FRIDAY AND EASTER SUNDAY

Good Friday evening we drove out to Lower Brule and set up the church for a Good Friday and Communion service. We appreciated the neighboring mission pastors who cooperated with us in this service. A local pastor from Lower Brule came in to the service, and Lindell Howard the pastor of the Fort Thompson Wesleyan Chapel helped with the music. Scott Yoder and his family from the Ravinia Community Church attended and he helped by speaking to us about the last sayings of Jesus while He was on the cross. Dale and Judy Sherman from the Winner Lakota Chapel also came, and Dale assisted Ray in serving the communion. A few people attended from the community. It is so nice to enjoy fellowship from those who are also working in the The Vineyard.We began our Easter morning by getting out of bed at 5:00 AM so that we could attend an Easter Sunrise service at Ravinia at 6:30 AM. It was a beautiful drive, and the service was very worshipful. They had a good attendance. Their lovely church was just remodeled by Scott. The pastor had prepared an awesome breakfast for everyone after church--biscuits and gravy and the fixins'.
From Ravinia we drove to Lower Brule to worship with our people there. Esther had a good group of children in the basement. They were quite lively this morning. Ray had a good message for those of us upstairs. We were happy to have a mother of some of the children come, also. She seemed so happy to be there. We pray for the lovely, friendly people of Lower Brule. We appreciate that the Pilgrim Holiness Church in Michigan sent money for the mission, and this money made these special services possible. We also bought some Easter flowers and distributed them to the families of those who attended the service this morning. They were so appreciative of the little gift. Thank you for your interest and your prayers for Lower Brule as we do what we can to help the church to meet the needs of the people of the community.

WELL, WARM, WELCOMING

We are happy that Ray has felt well enough to come out to Lower Brule on Sundays, and even to preach after he gets there. The men have been happy to have him back. They are a warm and friendly group.

We have welcomed the warmer weather, though yesterday was cold again, but it has made the work out there much easier.

The children are a blessing to us, and we cherish our time with them. They are lively, but so well-behaved. One family hadn't come for the last two Sundays, and when we stopped at their house Sunday morning, a grandpa informed us that they were with their mother at her work. We stopped at her office (she is an attorney), and the kids decided to come with us for an hour or so. Esther felt that the mother was a bit relieved for them to come with us. :) We dropped them back at the office after Sunday School. I was encouraged when one little girl confided that her grandpa said that he is going to come to 'our' church some Sunday. The work is slow, but Lower Brule seems open to the church. We are anticipating the Good Friday Service this Friday evening. We spent quite awhile Sunday afternoon distributing fliers announcing this service. We hope for some new contacts. A couple of neighboring churches are planning to come and help us in this service. We are looking forward to having communion with our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

ENCOURAGEMENTS

Last Sunday felt special as the Kalovskys came out to help us. We are always happy to welcome them there. Ben had pinched a nerve in his back and was suffering, but he made the long drive out to encourage the church. Zak helped the children make sock puppets, and they loved it. God will bless them for their unselfish giving of themselves. We were also happy to have Ray back for the first Sunday. Ray felt that he could take over the preaching responsibility today, and the Lord helped him speak. He was worn out and his knee hurt when he was done, but he challenged us with a message about resisting temptation. It seemed like those who were there were interested in the message. We appreciate our men who are faithful in coming, and hope that you pray for them as they try to guide their families.

One young single mother has been coming, and she has become open and friendly with us. We are encouraged with her response.

Our children's group is growing so that we need a bigger van. Please pray with us as we search for this vehicle for the mission.

We are planning a Good Friday Evening Service with communion this year, and friends from Winner are planning to come and help us with this service. Please pray that we can reach out to others who are around the church at this time.

Thank you for your interest in Lower Brule. God bless you!

MERCY'S FIRST BIBLE

The sky was cloudy and gray as I started for Lower Brule Sunday morning. Ray is still in the hospital, and Esther had a concert to play; so I began the trip by myself.

A heavy frost was on the trees and fences; and so the scenery was spectacular as I drove. I stopped and took a couple of pictures, but some beauty cannot be captured on a camera. I saw a herd of mule deer bedded down in a field as I went past, and they watched me drive past but never moved. I arrived in time to get the church ready for Sunday before leaving to pick up the children. Mr. Lindell Howard had agreed to take care of the adult service upstairs while I did the Sunday School. I left to pick up the children, and was pleased for those who came. Mercy was among those who came, and this was her eighth Sunday to come. Esther had promised a Bible to any who came for eight Sundays. Mercy's mother and grandfather came for this special event. They told us that this is Mercy's first Bible.

We made a ceremony of giving it to her, and Rev. Howard prayed with her at the end of the ceremony. Her family was so proud of her. She is a precious little jewel in God's Kingdom. I had a good time with the kids in the basement as I gave them their lesson and helped them do a project. There were a few upstairs in the adult service, and Rev. Howard said that everyone was very attentive. Please pray for two families that are struggling with substance abuse especially right now. We have promised to pray for them, and they both have men who care for them and carry a heavy burden.
We would like to begin some home services just as soon as Ray is "back on his feet" and able to do it. We would appreciate if you would help us pray for this, also. Thank you for your interest.