Week of July 27-31

Gary has been helping my cousin with some ranch work lately. He enjoys getting dirty again! He helped take some of Dwights corrals down --- they are wanting to put in railroad ties as posts and then the new fencing. It's hot work and they have plenty of time to get it done so it gets put aside for more important work. He has also been helping Rob (Dwights son) tinker on some mechanical problems.

You heard (via prayer chain)about my problems with the long distance service out here. It has not been resolved as of today. If you aren't up to date on that problem......it has to do with having a South Dakota phone and a Nebraska address. The other problem is that we are keeping my Aunts phone service (keeping the old number) and so we are not on the account and can NOT make any changes to it. Robbi and her husband don't know the password either so that makes for more time consumed resolving that...... I tried to get a "reservation phone" but you have to have proof that you are living on the reservation and we really don't have that. That would get us a cell phone that can call any South Dakota number for free but nothing outside the state....which would really solve our dilema....... So keep that in your prayers. Every kid we want to call is long distance and it is costing us about $.26 a minute.

On Wednesday we had 2 girls over to do some scrapbooking. We had hoped for 4 but ended up with only two. But we had a real good time. They were here at our home from 2:00 until after supper. We had burgers and homemade potato salad and zucchini from our garden. They had never had zucchini but were willing to try it -- and they said it was good. They are both real sweet girls...very polite and well mannered. They were Miki Colombe and Diondra Bordeaux. They asked when they could do it again.....I think next time we will go to the Community Center at church and hopefully have more girls next time. I wasn't sure how it would work and wanted to keep the first time small......but it went great so we will move on to bigger numbers. Oh! and by the way if you want to make potato salad the Native way you only put potatoes, eggs, and chopped pickles in it - dressing is mayo, mustard, sugar and a little pickle juice.

We will be heading to Colorado this Friday. Bruce and Glenda are "babysitting" Jamie and Amy Peters children ----- and they need LOTS of help :-) so Ken and Sally Krueze went with them and we will be joining them until next Thurs.

That's all for now. Thank you for prayers and support!

Gary and Barb

The week of July 21-26

We have decided to up-date once a week now unless things really get to hopn' around here.

Wednesday evening we went with Pastor Leiter (of Lakeview CRC) to St. Francis. He has been visiting some of the Native families in the area and he asked us if we would go along. He is concerned with the fact that he is leaving (retiring as of Sept.) and the contacts he has made might get lost. We stopped in at 5 different homes. We were invited into John Swifts' home - Pastor had never been there before......... At another place we visited with Anthony. He was a Vietnam veteran and had just had shoulder surgery. He was very friendly and Pastor Leiter said he and his wife had a lot of questions about God. We also stopped in at Lynelle Hairy Shirts home. Her grandson Jon Knox lives with her and he was one of our campers. They go to church in St. Francis but have expressed an interest in a Bible Study. Lynelle's sister wants to come also but she has a very busy schedule working at the hospital.

On Saturday evening we took 10 young people to a "Rap Concert" in Mission. It was put on by "Life Light" - a Christian organization out of Sioux Falls. The message the rapper gave was really good and 5 people answered his invitation to receive Christ into their lives. I guess we really aren't "rappers"!!! but the kids really like to get out and this was a good place to take them. We had the 4 Lakeview girls stay overnight and then we all went to church this morning. They are all members of LCRC and also my cousins girls.

Some of you probably still have your "kids pictures" from last year. The ones we took with us to the concert were: Mark and Tyler Left Hand Bull, Jesse and Timothy Cordier, and Jon Knox. We are hoping to have a scrapbooking party with some of the girls but that date hasn't been set up yet. We do hope to get a new set of photos sent out to you ......I just have to get busy and do it!!!! It is a wonderful way for you to be involved in the lives of these kids and we hope you will continue praying for all of them!!!! So if I fail to do this REMIND ME!!!

Thank you for your continued support and prayers!!
Love. Gary and Barb

A try at posting some photos...

A storm was headed our way. This is taken from our back porch. We never had rain during the two weeks of camp. And it was a very good thing because it doesn't take much rain for the roads to get just terrible. As Gary says "like driving on snot".

Joe really didn't want to make the picture frame....but once he got started he did about the nicest job of anyone. Actually there were 3 boys who did an awesome job!! This was a frame that stated "Jesus Loves Me"



Captain Nemo -- when you see Kirk ask him about it.....everyone was in stitches!!



















Kids all lined up for the bag races. Seemed like Kirk kept coming up with more instructions :-)















Gary, Barb and Chris had their faces covered with shaving cream and then the kids (teams) got 10 shots each with a squirt gun to see which team could wash our faces the fastest. Barb's team won..










David Marshall, Lakota Pastor of a little church in Horse Creek - just south of White River. He spoke to our 7-8th graders. What a powerful message he had for everyone!!! Pray for him and his church.









Rocket Launchers......It was a very windy day but they were able to hit a target several times and really had a "blast".












"suck hard and run"......relay game





















Sue helping Jailyn with her belt. The kids really did a nice job on the belts and were able to take them home the same day.

S D Mud

A Thunderstorm rolled in this morning just before we were planning to leave for school to help paint. We waited for the worst to blow over then started out for school. Slipping and sliding I put the truck into 4 wheel right away. A quarter mile down the road we had to climb a small hill, churning my way up at about 5 miles per hour I decided this is no good must turn around. There's much bigger and steeper hills coming. Continued on to the corner a mile away turned around and went home. I guess we had our first experience with South Dakota roads. Sure am glad this didn't happen during Bible School weeks. We talked to Barbs cousin and were asured the first mile was the worst, the hills had more stone and were usually pretty good. Off to the school we go 6 miles alway slipping and sliding the first mile after that pretty good. It took about three hours for the roads to dry out enough for 2 wheel drive. til later Gary

Thursday - Family Night and More

Lots of thoughts in my head right now......too much to write it in full so I will shorten it to a "list".......
1. Lou-Ann (camper from last year who I have kept in contact with) didn't want to talk a few days ago-----she called me yesterday and we had a real nice chat.
2. Family Night was very well attended by the Native People. We got to meet several of the kids parents and talk a bit with them. Those who attend are really nice people.
3. David Marshall spoke once again....not well attended but that could have been because he got a late start. He is a very powerful speaker and really on fire for the Lord. He is Lakota and he wants to reach his people for Christ so very badly. He has asked for prayers for his little church in Horse Creek. If you look on the map you will see White River just north of where we are - Horse Creek is just a little "overisel" 3 miles south of White River.
4. Jon Knox (camper) was there with his Gramma and her sister - Winifred Hairy Shirt. Winifred has been looking for someone to do a Bible Study with. I told her we would be looking her up. They live approximately 6 miles away.

The Timmers and Sue will be leaving us in just a few minutes.....the van is packed. My Aunt and everyone else will be leaving today also. Quiet might be nice for a while but we will miss everyone. Please keep all the travelers in your thoughts and prayers.

Thanks for all the love and support.
Gary and Barb

TUBING - a beautiful day

We had a grand day for tubing. It was about 91 degrees......the Niobrara's setting is just beautiful and the water was refreshing. We had a total of 69 people. We got a good start from the Lakeview School.....got to the "put-in" point....had lunch and then set off down the river. We told the kids they had to keep their life jackets on and we didn't have any problems with them on that point. Gary and I were in a canoe so we would paddle around and check on everyone and hand out water.

We didn't lose anyone so I guess you would say it was a successful trip. Thanks for the prayers for safety! We're all pooped!!!!!
Gary and Barb and the crew :-)

PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSING FLOW

Sue just received an e-mail from Jon with words of encouragement for all of us. He was sitting with a woman from California (at a LOVE, INC meeting) and she told him he was to just praise God "right now". You have been praying for us all this time.........God has answered so many prayers. LET'S JUST PRAISE THE LORD, PRAISE THE LORD, LET'S JUST LIFT OUR HANDS IN WORSHIP AND PRAISE THE LORD........... The woman went on to say we are not called to be fixers..... We all want to fix all the problems in this world but that is not for us to do. We just need to reach out to these people in love. So we ask you to Praise the Lord for what He has done and pray that we will continue to go out in LOVE!!
Thanks!! Gary and Barb and Sue