This past Sunday and A storm at the end of March....

Sunday we again went to visit the kids at the Juvenile Detention Center. As we were going through Rosebud we passed a hitchhiker.....I (Barb) was driving and I noticed that the hitchhiker was a woman (and it was windy and cold). So I said "she can't hurt us"......so we backed up to her and she got in. We could smell the liquor on her breath............ We visited as we drove on and she said she had an opportunity to go to a treatment center in Denver because she "had an addiction and it was a bad one". I asked her if she knew Jesus and she said "not really".....So as we drove down the road I talked about the Creator God --- and his Perfect Son who came down as a baby that we celebrate at Christmas Time. And that evil men hung him on a cross where he shed his blood and took the punishment that should have been ours. We didn't have a decision for Christ but she asked us to pray for her. So we pulled to the side of the road and prayed and there were tears in her eyes as we finished. Gary called it the "five mile plan of salvation". Once again we saw this as God's working thru us......just planting seeds.

When we got to the JDC - we were hoping to see all the girls that we had been meeting with at the Treatment Center --- but they were all gone except for one. We are happy for them ---but at the same time - we miss them already!!! One bright spot is that we didn't get the CD's of the Banana Song in the mail intime (a gift to them from us)...so we will have to find their homes and hand deliver them :-)


This is a photo of last week Tuesdays drift out by our church. The picture was taken on Sunday so the drift had a little time to settle and maybe even melt some. Now we are once again snow bound .......Last night the winds came up and the snow began. It's hard to determine how much snow we got because the wind just blows it around. We are wondering how big the drift (in the picture) is now! Hopefully we will remember our camera next Sunday and we might just let you know.



Of course, this means that the schools were closed again this week. So no Release Time once again. We have decided that we have to move on to the Easter Story......Joseph will have to wait!



There is another storm in the making ---- supposed to arrive Saturday. We enjoy winter but it's TIME FOR SPRING!!! Daffodils and day lilies have all started to pop, and robins and meadowlarks have arrived. And we know the warmer weather will arrive in due time.

We have company right now.......my cousin Robbi and her husband Jerry so we aren't just looking at each other and going crazy :-)

Hope this finds all of you -- our awesome support group ---- well!!!

Gary and Barb

Bitter Sweet Day

Well, today is March 27, 2009.......Graduation day for the kids at the Alcohol Treatment Center. We were invited to attend this ceremony along with the parents and family. There was a very nice ceremony given for the young people.....lots of encouraging words --- but also warnings that the journey has really just begun. Some still need to do further work (and we don't know what that is)....but their certificate said it was "conditional"while others had a "complete" on their certificate.

Yes, we did get to sing Amazing Grace in Lakota and English.....and the kids did a great job.

We are really going to miss visiting with these kids---they have become VERY dear to us. But I guess the Lord has His hand in this also. We had wanted to give all of them a CD of the Banana Song....ordered it over a week ago...but it did not arrive on time. But the promise has been made --- so now we will get to find out where they live.

Please keep these kids in your prayers: Connie, Dusti, Rhiannah, Cheyenne, Trisha, and Mario.

Thank you so much!!!

Gary and Barb

Sioux Falls Update.....

We were invited to bring an update to the First Baptist Church of Sioux Falls. This is the church that has given us our financial support over this year.

We had a very friendly greeting from all who were in attendance and we felt our presentation went well. We had a power point with a few pictures for the visual side. We were also given a "reminder" from God to keep us humble and we always need those!

We were also able to get some things done for Marti's wedding this coming May.....I finally found a dress and Gary got his tuxedo fitting taken care of. Now I just need some shoes and we are good to go!PHEW!!!!

On the way home (oh and by the way we totally missed the big storm that raged through here).......we filled up our gas tank at the Rosebud gas station.......and as we were pulling out things didn't sound right..........Oh Goody --- -flat tire. We pulled over and into a parking lot and exchanged the flat tire for the "donut".....wouldn't you know it......the donut was soft!!!! GOD IS SO GOOD!!! We were right next door to another gas station.....the only two around for miles!!!! And there was an air hose! When was the last time you felt blessed over a flat tire!?!?!?!

Now that I have told you all this "bright" stuff..........my day is NOT going good. Things that we had hoped to get in the mail ---- are not there. We so wanted to give a gift to the Treatment Center kids.......and now we wonder if it will arrive yet before 9:30 tomorrow morning. But perhaps God has other ideas....................

Keep the prayers coming ----without that everything will fall apart!!!
Gary and Barb

Amazing Grace...........yes - how sweet the sound!

We were told by Ed - at the Treatment Center that the bunch of young people that have been coming to our Bible Study on Tuesday evenings are going to sing Amazing Grace at their graduation on March 27. They are going to sing it three times. 1st in Lakota, then in English and finish again in Lakota. We practiced this past Tuesday. I'm scared to say that I am going to accompany them on my guitar. It should be fantastic (not me) -- them!!!! There should be 6 of them singing (5 girls and one boy) plus Ed and us. Perhaps Gary will sit out and just take pictures --- (I had better not let him read this or he will see that as his way out of singing!!)

These kids have really grown close to us......it's so nice to have just a few at a time.....you really get to know them -- have fun with them--- and then they tend to share more...... Like the one gal did with the Banana Song.

So keep March 27 in your minds.....these kids have a week and a half to remain focused on the work they need to accomplish. We are sure they will make it!!

We also had a good Release Time with the older kids....having missed last week because of a snow day. They are very attentive yet and each week someone new seems to shine out.

Our Pastor Tom and Judy will be taking over for us next week as we will be going to Sioux Fall to give an update at First Baptist Church. They will have the younger (more active) group ....... So if you would keep them in your prayers that would be great. This type of work is not new to them so we know it will go well!!!

Thank you for your interest, prayers, and support.

Gary and Barb

:-) --- Getting hard to come up with titles :-)

We did not have Release Time this week Tuesday due to a snow day. The day started out with the possibility of a nasty day......but it turned out to be a very nice day afterall....but never-the-less ------ no Release Time. So that sets us back a week.....and we really don't like that. It means 3 weeks between Bible stories.......

Going to the Juvenile Detention Center makes up for it all. We read in the Native American Book of Hope once again. We sang two songs --- When I am afraid and the Banana Song and then got a request to sing Seek Ye First. It is so awesome when we think back to the first times we went and sang solos....now the kids are singing along. What a merry sound!! We also shared the verses of I Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.............

Afterwards we had many kids stay again -- some just to talk and share their hurts and wants ---- but two to receive Christ into their hearts. There were a LOT of tears this past Thursday evening. One young man is still dealing with the loss of his mother this past May. He told us that he never gets to hear her say "good job _____" anymore and it hurts.

Please pray for these young people. When you think of a juvenile delinquent you think of the worst of our youth. But these young people that we meet with just DON'T meet that description!! They are truly nice young kids --- with extraordinary hurts.

Thanks again for your awesome prayer support!!
Gary and Barb

We can see blessings all over......

The weather report was for snow today but we had fog last night and now today is just beautiful....it would be glorious if the sun came out. But it is now past noon and the frost is still in the trees and grasses. I went out and filled my camera with the beauty ....and this last photo won 1st place (in my eyes anyway).

On Thursday evening at the Juvenile Detention Center we were also blessed once again. After the lesson we said that if anyone had prayed the prayer with us and would like to stay --- we would like to talk with them. Well, when it came time to leave just about all of the boys stayed in their chairs but I think the guard saw it as just a touch of their rebellious nature --- if they could stay and not have to go back to their rooms they would. Well I went to them and said that if they wanted to ask Jesus into their hearts they could sure all stay...but if not then they should go with the guard. So they all left or would told to leave. WELL, two boys Vic and Antone went with the guard but in a few minutes they were back. They had insisted that they wanted to come back and ask Christ into their lives!! Two other new girls also stayed back (and some of the previous ones with them).

Pray that the devil will not be able to snatch their faith from them. We know that God is Greater than he who is in the world.

Now we are both going down to help cousin Dwight with his yearling hereford bulls.... Time to "nip their horns" and brand them. Gary puts the tatoo in their ears and I will be "secretary" -- recording their weight.

God Bless you for your faithfulness in prayer!!!!

Gary and Barb

WE ARE SO BLESSED!!!!

It was Treatment Center night -- at 8:00....seems like a late date but so VERY worth it. Our lesson tonight was on Jacob and Esau ---from birth to Jacobs dream. It was a long story but the kids listened well. Our verse was Matthew 6:33.. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. We said it a couple of times and then we got them to sing the song. We discussed how our hearts are full of deceit also....... Then it was time to sing a couple of songs. Mario requested "the one that made me cry". That song is When I am Afraid. And then we had to do the Banana Song several times.

Those kids bless us so much!! They told us that everytime we come they feel so happy -- "it just makes my day". We always get hand shakes - which we are told is a Lakota practice when they appreciate what you are doing. We had been worrying about Cheyenne -- seemed rather withdrawn -- but she was happy tonight and participated for the whole time --- singing too.... Some days she would leave half way through.

They had several prayer requests and so we will pass some of them on to you.......
Connie, Rhiannah, Cheyenne, Dusti, and Mario all want prayers that they stay focused and graduate. ( There seems to be a lot of negative stuff going on and one gal said "I'm hanging on by a thread". If they give up they will end up back in the Juvenile Detention Center and none of them want that.)
They also asked for prayers for their families.
Connie asked for prayers that her bad dreams go away. "Pray that I have happy dreams".

Keep up the wonderful prayers!!!! God IS at work.
Gary and Barb

BANANA Song

Oh yes --- as Linda Hemmeke said...."music is powerful". Last Tuesday when we went to the Treatment Center for our "Bible Study" -- Connie had something to tell me after everyone else had left. She has had a song going thru her head that she learned at a Christian camp when she was 9. Connie is now 17. She wrote down what she remembered of it and I promised that I would go and search and see if I could find the song. I called Linda H. because I figured she knows so many songs she might just know this one. She asked if I had looked on the internet. No I hadn't .....doesn't usually work for me. But I gave it a try. Whoppee!!!!!! I found the words first.....and Connie had most of them right. Somehow ---- and I decided that God can direct you on the internet too.... :-) I found a video on Youtube with exactly the song I was looking for. And this is the neatest part I could figure out how to play it on my guitar just like the guy (Vince Nimms) on the video. Thank you Vince!!!
We went to the Treatment Center this past Sunday and surprised Connie with the song. Had a blast with the kids. Here is the site --- go check out the song for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vUskwBQ1aM ---- enjoy :-)

Gary is telling me I am rather late with this seeing as how we go back there tomorrow night.........I will try to do better.
Barb