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

HISTORY WAS MADE........

We are once again in AWE of God. We went to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Alcohol/Drug Abuse Center last night. We met several of the people "in charge". Just before we met with the kids, Ed (whom I thought was the director - and now not real sure of his title) asked "shall we have a prayer?". Yes! I was just thinking the same thing. Ed prayed...... we knew this was all of God!!!

Four girls that we had been seeing at the JDC came in and one new young man. Some of the kids we were expecting were not there afterall (hadn't been accepted at the Treatment Center). One little gal was "plucking her eyebrows". !!!! Oh well, I think they were so glad to be able to do something like that again that it just felt good to have some freedoms. (There are 14 kids at the center - our Bible Study is optional for them).

Anyway....we went through our Bible Verse - Psalm 37:5.....talked about it. I shared some thoughts that I had had on my walk that morning...... And then we gave the story of Abraham's servant going for a wife for Isaac. This was a good lesson to discuss following God's guidance --- and how He WILL guide you. We also talked about the fact that God can use even jail for your good.....and so they should take this opportunity to allow these people to help them in their struggle with alcohol. After singing a little chorus: When I am afraid, I will trust in you.... the young man had tears in his eyes. He said it made him sad.....

When we were finished (and ready to leave) Ed informed us that this was the 1st EVER Bible Study in the Treatment Center. The Director (not Ed) is Traditional Lakota --- however, she felt that a Bible Study would be good for the kids. IS THAT A GOD THING OR WHAT ?????

We have had talks with our Pastor Tom, Ed (last night), Pastor Mike of First Assembly of Valentine ----- we are just "laying some love" on these kids and that is so good for them. And so that too is of God --- giving us that ability to love them and to let it show---- and to have them accept us and our love.

This group of young people will be there for the next 45 days. Then where they go will (I think) depend on how this treatment went for them....and how they accepted the treatment.

We know and you know that prayer is THE most important thing any of us can do. We can't thank you enough for your prayers!!! KEEP IT UP!!! God hears and He is answering in such awesome ways. :-) Pray too that the other 9 +- kids will want to come and hear what we have to share with them.

Gary and Barb