Psalm 100:5

I don't remember putting this on the blog.....

I cut these out from one of the red cedar trees that used to be in the front of Lakeview church.   Some of the congregation were not in favor of cutting the trees down......but others felt that they had become too large.  The trees were cut down......  So my thought was that in this way .....the tree would kind of live on......  Plus it was a great verse considering the 100th Anniversary Celebration.

Barb

Friday of Prairie Light Youth Camp

Hopefully I will be able to post some really cool pictures (I am working on my laptop - something different for me) of our day of swimming at the Valentine Pool.....Patti took some great pictures........

 Landan -----the boy with the dog.......He really wasn't even registered to come to camp ---- but our cook Ethan went to his home and got permission for him to come swimming with us. Thank you Ethan!

 LaCosta with Ivy in front of her and Lily - unseen - behind her.

 The pool was full to the brim!!!

 One of our wonderful helpers at JDC - Andee

Group Shot after swimming

 Love those tubes!---not as easy as it looks I'm sure.

 Pondering their turn on the slide....

 Here is Beau in mid air......

....and here he is ----walking on water!!!

The kids had a great time at the pool --- it was a beautiful day and a grand way to end the week.   Patti took many many more pictures ......I can't possibly do justice to her work...... but I hope you enjoy these few shots.....

We have experienced HOT days lately.....a short thunder storm --- but not much for rain.   I think the ranchers who are busy trying to put up hay are hoping for the right conditions and I think that is different depending on where they are at - cutting, raking, or baling.  They pretty much take each day as it comes. 

God is so good.  We thank Him for all of His many blessings.
Gary and Barb

Visit today at the Detention Center

I know that I didn't update the end of PLYC...... I didn't have my camera along at the pool and right now I'm waiting for some pictures from Patti.   She took lots of pictures but it was an older camera that my computer would not read (or understand or whatever the term should be).  She will be sending some our way shortly and then I will post them.  The kids had a lot of fun and it was a beautiful day.

Today, our visit at the Detention Center made us rejoice.  The local kids that are in the JDC are all in MAX.......so we only visited with the North Dakota boys - or the ones from Lower Brule Reservation about 3 hours from here.

One young man  told us that he had lost his Wolakota standing --- highest rank they can attain......because of some bad choices they had made.  I guess one of the Officers made them upset and so they all decided to flood their cells.    Then another young man came in to visit us---- one that we had determined was a "leader".  He said that he knew what the guys were going to do and he didn't want to get involved.....it was very tempting but he didn't want to get into trouble.  So he cried out to God to help him resist this temptation and then he asked to be moved to a different cell. So we shared I Corinthians 10:13 with  him.....No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.  He sat back with a deep breath.  He recognized that that is just what happened for him.....God provided a way out so he could stand.  Then we went to I Peter 5:8   Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.     Again he sat back with a deep breath.  He told us that he was going to memorize those verses.

He told us that Psalm 25:1 was his favorite verse...To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God.   Do not let me be put to shame nor let my enemies triumph over me.
He also quoted Isaiah 40:8  The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.   To be able to share such verses (memorized) tells us that he has been spending time in Gods Word - quality time.

He went on to share that back home he is the leader of his gang. We told him that he needed to lead his gang to Christ.  He named a young man that was in the JDC with him (we know who he was talking about)....."in the gang I lead him.....but now he is open to knowing more about God.  My little 13 year old brother is trying to join the gang....... "

We ask you to keep this young man in your prayers - Darian.  He will possibly be getting out in a short time.  When these young people get back out - things get tough.   But we talked too about the fact that he had seen God's hand in his life.  He said he had thought that God had forgotten about him --- but now he realized that He hasn't. 

Another boy that we visited with  will be leaving perhaps Monday or Tuesday for another facility closer to home --- North Dakota.  He said "if I don't see on Wednesday - then I'll see you up there (heaven)".   Just made us smile --- the Bible says that all we need is the faith of a child ------ We are humbled that God has chosen to use us in this place!!!  But we rejoice in these encouragements!!!!

Thank you for your prayers for the young people! 
Gary and Barb

Prairie Light - Day 4.....Trusting

Today we started with devotions and then had a speaker come and talk with the kids.  Ted Standing Soldier from the Pine Ridge associated with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  Ted grew up on the Pine Ridge and his wife grew up on the Rosebud.  They have 5 children.    As Ted was speaking -- two of our boys were yakking  and laughing and being disrespectful.  Ted got right on them.....and then also his wife.  We've been having trouble with those two and others.  The sad thing was that the boys really didn't get it.....they continued with their bad actions.  But Ted did continue on with his testimony and when he finished a few of the kids had some questions for him.  It was a good event!!!   The kids need to hear from their own people that Jesus is the Way!!  And Ted did a great job of sharing that with them.

We all had lunch -- sloppy joes, tator tots and veggies --- very good!  And then we began with some of our "Trust" activities.  The first one was called "The flying carpet". 

 We got several of the kids way up in the air --- even Leader Ken Bing was willing to be lifted and we got him way up above our heads.

Logan clung to the pole - "I'm scared - I don't want to do it".

We want you to meet Landan and Shadow - his dog.  Landan was not registered for camp but he lives in the neighborhood and came walking over one day with his dog Shadow --- very aptly named because Shadow follows Landan around EVERYWHERE!!!  Shadow is a very well mannered - faithful - dog.  We have decided that Landan needs fear nothing when his dog is near.  So we have two more in our group.   Landan comes in for the Bible lesson and Shadow lays beside him.  We have invited Landan to come along for the Friday Swim day in Valentine.   Our cook Ethan went to his home and got a permission slip filled out so he could  come.

We went outside for the "Trust Fall".  Whisper was the first one to do it.  It is a VERY SCARY thing to do!!!  I can speak from experience because I did it again today.  Here's how it goes.   You hook your hands together in a way that you won't flail out and hit someone as you fall.   Then you call out "spotters ready" --- and the spotters call back "spotters ready".  Then you call out "falling" and spotters say "fall on".  Then staying stiff as a board you lean backwards and fall off (up there where Gary is standing) into their arms.  Thank goodness (in my eyes) - for Ken and Andee being catchers....because those 7th and 8th graders didn't seem very focused at all!!!  It's an exhilarating fall.  We got quite a few kids to do the trust fall - but it took a lot of talking for some of them.   I said "I'll do it"......and Faith comes back with "if you'll do it, Barb, then we'll ALL do it".   Faith finally did do it --- but not everyone was convinced.

Now I just want to share some neat photos of the kids in different activities or whatever......

We did all of our fun things on the warmest day of the week.    Then it was time for our Bible Lesson.  We got all the kids settled in and Patti started her lesson.  The two boys pictured here (on the outsides) were too busy talking and laughing and they were the same two that Ted Standing Soldier had trouble with --- so Gary jumped up and said "you two - outside"...... I knew I was also to go out with them....... and we told them we were taking them home.  "for real" - yes get in.    I don't think they thought we would go that far.  The boys got a very loving "sermon" all the way to Grass Mountain - not a short drive.  We hated ending their week in this way ----  but they have to know that we mean business and there are consequences to their actions.  Neither one will be allowed to go swimming tomorrow.  But so far tonight the one has called two times on the phone about other things so I don't think we have made enemies.   Another boy who would have been next in line to go home came and very nicely apologized "for being disrespectful".  We love them all.

Tomorrow we plan on going back to the Lutheran church in Rosebud and mop the floor and do a little extra clean up -----wanting to leave it better than we found it. 

Patti is doing our dessert dishes......It is Ken's birthday today - so we had angel food cake and blueberries.  YUM!! 

Thank you for your interest and prayers!!!

Gary and Barb --- Ken and Patti

What a Day 3 !!!

Let's see --- where do I begin. 

Patti still wasn't feeling real good --- so she stayed home and Gary planned on doing his lesson...... The Good Shepherd.

Our activity was decorating cookies and pretzels with frosting and sprinkles and then delivering them around the neighborhood in Rosebud.  Things started to go down hill at this point.  Most of the boys were into the decorating....but two of them weren't about to do that!   So one just sat there and another went out the door and we never saw him again until later in the day --- I think he came around for the Basketball part.  The girls, of course, enjoyed it very much.    Oh! and another bummer ------- about 6 of the girls in our group weren't in attendance ----they were at a basketball tournament at the Boy's and Girls Club.   We are pretty sure they will be back.

For some reason the boys were in a non-participation mode.  I even said they weren't going to get a permission slip to go swimming unless they joined in on the games.  "They would think about it".   Was their comment.   It told them "I would think about it!"      So guess what ---- no permission slips today for 4 boys.  But they were told that if they participated tomorrow----- they would get it.   We shall see what happens.

NOW ON THE GRAND SIDE    !!!!!!!!

Gary did his lesson and then gave an invitation - if anyone wanted to receive Jesus into their heart.  Mackenzie prayed to receive Christ today.  We praise God for His work in her heart.   She is such a sweet, quiet girl and Gary and Andee helped her understand what she was doing.  Gary said she was so sincere about it all.   WE PRAISE GOD!!    She received a very nice "Adventure Bible".  Please pray for Mackenzie.   Thank You!

We also thank God for Andee and Amber who are kind of "on the side line helpers".  Amber saw the need and took one of the boys out to talk with him.  She just visited with him (for quite some time) and asked questions about family and school and where he lived and so on.......but she also talked about participating and respecting and doing.   We couldn't have done it without those two today.  Andee goes with us each week to JDC and Amber is a Native American with a wonderful faith.

Prayer Request

Those of you who are faithful watchers of this blog,.............please pray for our co-leader, Patti......she started feeling somewhat rotten last night and it has carried on to this morning.  She  was scheduled to do the lesson today ....but we are able to have Gary do his instead.   Pray that Patti will be well again and able to come with us tomorrow to do the lesson on David and Goliath.

Thank you!!!
Barb

Prairie Light ---- Day 2

Today was a very good day.  The kids have begun to sing along --- not all of them but even a few boys!!!  And those rowdy ones were less rowdy.  Our project went super --- everyone EVERYONE  got theirs finished so they could take it home. 

We start each day with devotions which this year involves teaching the kids Proverbs 3:5-6.  Each morning one of us gives them our take on the verse.....define the hard words etc.  This morning it was Patti's turn.  She also shared the song "Open our eyes Lord....we want to see Jesus" ---- with the sign language that goes with it.   Thank you Patti!!

Then we played the "ring on a string" game ---- because two of the kids had requested it.......remembering playing it last year --- or this past year in Release Time.   Such a simple game but so much fun.

 After the game we got to our project.....making a plaque with the word "TRUST" on it.  It was a noisy project with all the hammer pounding -- but everyone really seemed to enjoy it.  We did have a panic attack.....running short of nails!!!  NO!!   So Gary and Ken made a run into Mission to the Hardware store....and those of us left behind kept things going.  If someone needed nails ---- at least they could start with the string ......so we never had a down time.    Here are a bunch of pictures .....everyone did such a nice job!

Isn't that pretty?!?!  I thought some of the girls were not going to get the project done - but all of a sudden they took off and look at that beautiful job!!

It was Ken's turn to do the lesson - which was on "Jesus heals the paralyzed man".  So he started with a stretcher and had a couple of kids carried out the door - up the steps and down and around to the side door.  Whisper wasn't so sure about it - kept looking up .....

......but it proved to be a great "visual" and was enjoyed by everyone. When Whisper was carried out the door - the whole group followed  --- they had to see how it would go. So as you can tell --- we've had good lessons for the kids. 

Today we missed 2 girls (one was sick).....but we gained two new ones.   So we've had 13 kids each day....a really nice number.

We also took our stilts along and the kids loved them.

Thank you for the prayers......we feel God's presence with us.    More tomorrow!

Gary and Barb --- Ken and Patti