Sometimes up and sometimes down.......

We continue on..........



This past Sunday was a downer for the most part. So many tears and sad faces at the Detention Center....too many to handle. It's hard to see these young people so sad and so quiet and you don't know how to help them. And at that point they really don't want to talk to us either. We just tell them that we are praying for them and that we care.



The Lakeview church had a service at the Center on the 12th. It went good. Again the only problem was with the noisy fans in the gym. But they had their PA system set up so that was helpful. The kids really enjoy singing Amazing Grace and it is so wonderful to hear their voices. Of course, not all of them sing...but compared to the nothingness when we began ---- this is wonderful.

Our Release Time on Tuesday went good. We just wish we could get the 7-8th graders to come out of their shell. It just boggles our mind what a change can happen from 5-6th grade --- they are so open....and then the 7-8th grade is so--SO quiet. We did our Easter Lesson with them even though Easter was past, and we had a small craft for all of them.

Our Thursday evening at the Detention Center was good once again. One of the young men had told Gary that his 18th birthday was on April 20. So we made sure we had a cupcake with a lite candle on it for him at snack time. He enjoyed our little surprise. We also asked him to stay afterwards and we got to give him a Bible and visit with him a while. We also found out where he lives so now we will be able to touch base with him. He has been with us almost since the beginning and we will miss seeing him there.

And now we go on with the battle of the MUDDY roads. It's supposed to rain again all day tomorrow ---- so the roads will be soup!!! Our company from ORC should have a muddy adventure..........anyway we hope they consider it an adventure! :-)

Gary and Barb

Sandhill Cranes.......

We have been invaded by thousands of Sandhill Cranes. They began their fly-by last night and it continued this morning. They have settled in (for the time being) about 1/2 mile to our north. It has to be a sure sign that spring is on the way!!!! This morning I went out for some photos....of course, I knew I would scare them away but I did manage to get some good shots.

Hope you enjoy .........

Barb

Still Winter in April.......

We were beginning to think that we might miss Release Time again this week. But school was in operation and so we figured on it. However, we heard that the roads to the east -- the route we usually took were TERRIBLE -- almost impassable. And especially not advisable with our van.....(it's NOT 4 wheel drive!!) But we couldn't bear the thought of not going --- it had been 2 weeks without Release Time already. So we ventured out with the truck in the lead and the van following.....we headed toward the one road that is usually open and it was. We fought a lot of mud but made it through to the church. That meant that we had one mile of mud to go back and forth on 6 times.....getting the kids and taking them back to school....and then back to clean up.

We read the Easter story to the kids (both groups) and they listened (for the most part) very intently. One little guy even remarked "poor Jesus" when it said "they hit him and spit on him". The kids made an Easter cross.....K-1 made a "stained glass" cross and the others decorated a cross with "He Lives". We were even successful in finishing all of them so they could take them home.

We left the van at church -- thinking that it will be some time before the roads get much better and we might just as well not have to make that trek next week if we can avoid it.
The following is a picture of the spot we were advised not to go through. We were told that it took the guy 2 1/2 hours to work his way through these banks with the road grader and the big V plow in front.




This photo was taken at the end of a beautiful sunny day....so the bank had time to settle some already. It will take a while for this to all melt so we are planning on mud for quite some time yet. Not all of the roads have snow banks like this. It all depended on the wind.

We had another blessing toward the end of yesterday (Tuesday) we received an email from one of the girls that had been in the JDC. She was at home and doing good in school.....and we were also told that a little girl that is in our Release Time -- in the Kindergarten--- is her niece and they are reading her Story Bible together...."we're almost through it". AWESOME!!!!

God hears all prayers and the blessings continue to flow.
Gary and Barb

The joys of JDC.......

Our Time at the JDC was again exciting. We have been going over different portions of the Book of Hope. Last night we went over the Trail of Hope, which tells about Jesus and his plan for Salvation. All the kids had a book to follow along and everyone was VERY attentive and followed along nicely. We sang Amazing Grace and WOW --- we could hear male voices --- it is so awesome!!!! The girls were sitting in the back so I couldn't hear them as good but we know they were singing too. They even asked to sing it again. We also sang When I am Afraid a couple of times and then OF COURSE -- the Banana Song.

Gary was able to pray with another young man...."Bill". Gary says he was very serious about what he was doing and seemed eager to start reading in the Bible.

Never underestimate the power of your prayers!!! We are so amazed when we come away from there.....that God is using our faltering words for His glory. We have a gal going along with us now. Her name is Julie and she is truly a blessing to us and the kids!!! Julie is a teacher and she is also a member of the Lakeview Christian Ref. Church where we go. The kids enjoy visiting with her and she has brought along some good visuals and good teachings.
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We are expecting another winter storm starting tonight and going until Sunday. Doesn't sound too good for little calves.....or people ----- or roads. There are already some high snow banks and if the wind and snow comes as they predict we might be snow bound for a time. If the electricity stays on we will be snug and warm. If not --- we will snuggle under the blankets together :-) Will keep you posted.

Thank you for your wonderful support!

Gary and Barb

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