Getting ready for Thanksgiving

What a beautiful day - finally!!!! The sun has shone all day - not a cloud in the sky....but the wind has also been blowing ------- so 60 degrees doesn't feel as nice as it sounds because of the wind. But we will take it and say THANK YOU!!! Gary - with the help of Terry and Jack got a start on his work shop today. More on that at a later time........ But then this afternoon we had Release Time with the 6th, 7th and 8th graders. We had been working on a Thanksgiving Wreath with each class The K-5 all did a little bit of cutting the leaves out (I did most of it just because it's always a "time" thing) and then we let the K-2 glue the leaves on the paper plates. They ALL did an awesome job......then the 3-5th grade group put the words "thank you" or "giving thanks" on the plates. Now today we let the 6-8th graders put them up around the community center.

Now we are "taking a break" - until this evening when we go to the PMO - Youth Ranch. We are going to be working out of the Book of Hope tonight -- put out by the Native American Fellowship. We have used this book before and it goes good....the kids seem to enjoy it even though the stories are hard to read. They are true life stories of Native people whose lives were in a shambles --- but turned around when they found Christ.

Thank you once again for your prayers that are lifted up for these young people on the Reservation. Pray that they will grasp how important it is for them to commit to knowing Christ and living their lives as He wants them too.

Gary and Barb

Past time to share once again.........

It's been a while since we updated our blog.....my sister had to email us and ask "are you still there?!?!" So I guess we had better get something on here again because maybe more of you are wondering. Below is a photo of our new home. We have many more trees here.....had none around my Aunt's home. There are pros and cons connected with the trees. They make a good wind break!!!, but they also cut down on the view. Another pro is the animal life......lots of birds - would you believe even a couple of squirrels, and we don't have to go far to view the deer coming out of the corn at dusk. So Gary has his eye on a couple of good sized bucks.We have been blessed with a lot of company this month. Not sure if they come for us or for the birds :-) :-) --- just kidding!!! It has been a LOT of fun. Each weekend this month we have had visitors (and more are on the way.) We thought we might be overwhelmed but that has NOT been the case!! They have really been a blessing.....LOTS of laughter. And even the Bible states that laughter is good for the soul. PLUS the work that was accomplished..... My sister and husband helped get us moved......the Van Malsens helped clean up around our place. Dan moved ?? a couple of acres... Dale and John got to help work with the cattle.....and give us a ton of laughs each day. And those who came for pheasants got to take some home with them.

And even though the view is different we have not been missing some awesome sunrises. The color can just be breathtaking!!

We have been busy with Release Time. We are doing crafts this year and that is going good. This week we worked on some Thanksgiving "wreaths" (on paper plates with colored leaves) and the one little guy who I thought would need "lots of help"...did just awesome. This past Tues. one of the little K-2 girls was concerned about one of the new boys....."he hasn't asked Jesus into his heart yet". That one little comment was enough to keep us going for a long time!!!!

It's so easy for me to get discouraged that we aren't doing enough...........There is such a need for follow-up. We have ideas but almost feel that we can't take anything more on our shoulders. We would appreciate your prayers that this can be worked out for the good of the kids out here and that we can handle it...... Don't know but maybe a prayer would be "send more workers Lord".

We have gotten started with the PMO (stands for Piya Mani Otipi) -- haven't figured out what that means (will try to find out and let you know).....so we call it the "Youth Ranch". We have had one young man pray to receive Christ. We know some of the kids from the JDC but lots of new faces. It's always a time before they feel comfortable with us. We haven't gotten into singing with them yet but one is asking....so next week the guitar will probably go along. We had tried to go on the same night that we go to the JDC.....trying to save on gas. However, we have had several RUSHED times and that DOES NOT feel good. Kids at the JDC want to stay after and pray with us. We can't let that stop!!! So we are now going to the PMO group on Tues. evenings and the JDC on Thurs. as usual. The travel distance is less now that we have moved so that is a good thing.

We have a weather watch for the next couple of days. We could be in for a good amount of snow. We are on a dead end road so we could be the last one to get plowed out. Yes! winter could be very interesting!! Good thing we have an adventurous spirit in us.

Ranchers are busy bringing in their herds and we have been part of that too. This past Monday we got into some really fantastic country. Some places were too steep for our quads but the views were wonderful. There were 2 on horseback to get into the places that we couldn't go. Believe we got the whole herd into the next pasture --- 400 pairs (cows with calves). Now next week the calves will be weaned and the whole herd trucked out. It's neat to be able to help out our neighbors.

Thank for again for your interest and your prayers!!!

Gary and Barb

Moved!!

Yes, our move has been accomplished. We are getting settled in and each day is better than the day before. Today, we unscrewed the kitchen faucet.......the pressure was "sad" to say the least..... But we now have really good water pressure at the kitchen sink. There is a sand problem that will have to be kept in check. Tomorrow I hope Gar will look at the washing machine.....cold water has a problem on that too.

My sister Linda and her husband, Dave, came for a couple of days and brought some of our belongings to make this feel more like home. Things like our couch, coffee table, pictures and so on. I will try to get a photo of our new place so that you have a visual.

Release Time continues to go good. We have larger numbers this year with the younger groups. And each time we have new kids. Which is great!! Our numbers will soon finalize as kids get their permission slips brought in. This week we will again have the K-2 and 3,4,5 groups. Our lesson will be on when The Wise Men Followed the Star.

We have been able to keep our lessons organized with Release Time and JDC and the PMO (at the Youth Ranch)....... Every other week at the JDC, Julie L. takes charge of the lesson and it has been going really good. The kids seem to enjoy a change of pace. We read a passage in the Gospel of Luke.....break into small groups and discuss the passage.

The other exciting thing is that we have been having between 3 to 5 kids stay after each week for prayer requests. Tonight the Lakeview Church had a worship service at the JDC and 3 girls stayed to pray- it was their idea --- they asked if we would pray with them. One of the 3 prayed outloud with the group. Numbers have stayed down at the JDC.....only 10 there this week. ????Is that a good sign -- don't know that for sure.

Winter has arrived here. We are hoping for a warm up this week. However, as of right now we are both saying "i'm COLD"!!.....and there is snow on the ground --- has been off and on ever since Friday evening. That also means that the furnace has been running a lot.....seems way too early for that!

God Bless! Gary and Barb

Prayers from the teens at JDC!!!

First of all -- we should say that we started at the "Youth Ranch" this past Tuesday. We came away thinking --- "that could have been better". But it is started. We really don't know any of the 4 kids well at all.....and so the relationships need to build. Pray for that, please.

Another side note is that our move to a new place is a process....that is moving along slowly at times. We need some septic work done before we can move in, in addition to a few other repairs. Some of the workings in a Mobile home can be puzzling to say the least.....so pray that things can get figured out and then fixed properly.......

What a wonderful night at the JDC tonight.

It's been a smaller group of kids that are "incarcerated" at the JDC..... and so that really makes for closer relationships. We have been teaching the story of Jesus and, of course, that begins with his birth....so we are talking about Christmas in September. Tonight Jesus was born and the Shepherds shared the wonderful news with those around them.

We sang a bunch of songs tonight. Amazing Grace, When I am Afraid, Victory for Me, I am a C, and finally to end it all -- the Banana Song......oh yeah---we even tried "Praise Ye the Lord, Hallelujah"....need to work on that one!!! That one was done without preparation....so......

Then after our snack we said that if anyone would like to stay afterwards -- for a time of prayer or to receive Christ --- they could. One boy and 4 girls stayed. They all stayed because they had prayer requests.

"Pray for my Grandpa, my Grandma -- he's/she's having surgery, pray that my mom can complete treatment, pray that my family can stay strong and safe, pray for the family of the Officer we just lost (Officer Earl Horse Looking of the JDC passed away this week - the victim of a car accident), pray for my cousin who had a heart attack and had a procedure done and now needs to exercise, pray for the rest of the kids that didn't stay, I pray for myself that I can stay strong and complete treatment"......and on it went. Tears were shed as we ALL lifted a prayer up to God. YES --- each one of these kids prayed as we did a circle prayer.

What a joy to have witnessed this. We praise God for the awesome thing HE is doing with these young people. Keep them in your prayers please......Jeremy, Kendra, Miki, Autumn, Kathy and all the others "who didn't stay".

Thank you for your awesome support.
Gary and Barb
ps. The house is shaking from the wind outside!!!!!

One just never knows.............

This past Sunday as we visited at the JDC..... we were blessed once again in a special way. We had visited with all the kids who wanted a visitor....and it was 3:40.....still 20 minutes til 4:00 (when they usually send us out). The guard that had been attending to the cubicles seemed (to both of us --- we discussed this on the way home).....not real appreciative of us being there.....just a look in her eye. WELL, she asked other visitor (a teacher) if he would wait "right there" for a while. She then came in to our little cubicle and asked for prayers for herself. She said that she so appreciated us coming there and that as we prayed with each young person -- she prayed along with us. She has personal problems (that I won't share here but they mean that she has to move with her 2 little girls)....and just needed prayers to keep her head straight. We went home in awe of the fact that -- 1. we had so misjudged her..... 2. that God put us together at that time. Please keep this officer in your prayers......God will know what she needs and He will know who you are praying for.



Last night we were again with the JDC kids and what a blessing they are. There were only 9 --- 3 boys and 6 girls......but they are so attentive and LOVE to sing. We read a passage out of Luke --- Jesus' birth announced to Mary---- and then broke into small groups and answered questions. Gary had the 3 boys and was done way before the rest of us .........girls talk more than boys..... :-) .....so he wondered what was going on. Well my girls got to talking about how hard it is to forgive someone...... We had taken a globe along to show the kids just where all of this took place....let them know that it WAS a real place. And so it was a good night.

We just received an encouraging note from the Director of the JDC......thanking us for the impact we are having with the youth. Good things are happening there-----others are volunteering-----one man brought in 4 horses for the young people to ride and he also gave them God's Gospel message.....another gal is interested in helping out with their Library. We do feel that this is the place where we are to be. We see God at work. I did a Bible Study one time ...?Blackabee...?? And he said something like...."if you see God at work....go there. That's your invitation to work alongside Him".

We do have a big prayer request. We are in the process of moving to a different place. We are struggling with it, but as Gary says "we will make it." However, we would appreciate your prayers concerning it.

Thank you -- without your prayers where would we be!?!?!?!
Gary and Barb

Fish bait........and more.

Gary went fishing yesterday and came home with his limit of bass and 2 real nice perch. Below is his live bait....YES! live bait. These were the favorite bait of the day. He caught this grasshopper out there in the field and this rascal was still alive when he got home. As you can see the thing is HUGE !!

Meanwhile back at home.....I "enjoyed" a day of canning. Actually if I hadn't forgotten an important part of my pressure cooker --- the "jiggler" (those of you who use a pressure cooker will know what I mean by that term).....the day would have been totally enjoyable for me too. But it was rather stressful until I found a dear neighbor lady who had one that I could borrow.

So we now have carrots, and salsa and some stewed tomatoes to enjoy this winter. I really love seeing those jars lined up on the shelf downstairs.

Hope you too are enjoying the fall type weather.

On another note......There is a gal by the name of Victoria that we grew to care about very much in the Detention Center. Upon release we would hear from her via email once in a while and we stopped in at her home once or twice. Her little niece is in our Release Time at Lakeview. Well, Tuesday at R.T. Gayle said "Vicky went to school in Oregon". We were pretty sure that Gayle was wrong and that Vicky had really gone to an Indian School in Oklahoma (that had been in the plan for a while). However, after several phone calls we located Victoria in Salem, Oregon at an Indian School there. So we can now keep in touch with here there. GOD IS GOOD!!!

With love, Gary and Barb

To Michigan for a "Reunion" and then back.........

We had a grand time visiting with all of our family in Michigan the past 2 weeks. It was great to see the grandkids and our own kids!!! We got to help Marti and Tim with their home renovations....Gary got to help Mike with some baby chicks..... We spent one week at Mike and Julies and one week at Holly and Dennis........ We also got to visit with lots of our friends and do some fun stuff! The time went way - WAY - too fast!!

And now we are back in South Dakota and back into the swing of things. We visited with the JDC group and then the Lakeview CRC had a worship service there this evening. Pastor Tom always does a great job of relating the message to the kids and their culture! They are very attentive to him and respectful! We had four boys (young men) stay ---- not really to pray to receive Christ ---- but rather for prayers for themselves. One of them will be leaving the juvenile facility for the "big jail" this evening at midnight because he turns 18 tomorrow. We really had a nice talk with these four. It's neat to have more then one at a time because they can see that they really aren't alone and have others that WON'T be mocking them.....(sometimes you can see as they look around the group that they are wondering if anyone is looking at them as they sing or as they act interested).

And now we want to share some photos of what our garden looked like upon returning....it was NOT a pretty picture!! We thought the grasshoppers were bad last year --- but this makes last year look like nothing!!!

This is our rhubarb plant -- when we left there were leaves!!! They might have been rather "holely" but you COULD definitely see the leaves.....

That little green row of "plants" ---- that would be our carrots.....nice and full like carrots should be when we left. We will be digging them up and taking whatever we get. But we are thinking these will be OK.

Now this would be a good "what is it?" question. Luckily we got most of the ears of corn out before we left and then Marvanne (cousins wife) came and got the rest. But as you can see.....nothing but sticks left!!!

The grasshoppers got into the tomatoes too but they don't look to bad. And they must not like green pepppers at all.... Our squash (butternut) are rather naked too -- but I think they will be good eating anyway.

And that's how it is on the prairies. As my Aunt Melva would say "it's a harsh country". We're beginning to see what she means.

We love all of you!!! Gary and Barb