Well, I finally made it home, safe and sound!
Thank you so much for all of your support, prayers, letters, phone calls, and encouragment!
I am so grateful to be part of such a loving family, and to have an incredible support group of family, friends, church, school, and more!
I would love to share more about my experiences- please just ask me!
The best way to get ahold of me now would be through email: rwaltz@live.olivet.edu
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Photos!
Here are links to my photo albums on Facebook. Enjoy :)
Here are pictures of the church groups that visited: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2047139&id=1258860122&l=11db26d149
Pictures capturing bits and pieces of Lakota culture: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2047140&id=1258860122&l=ea62619f88
Kid's Club and Work Projects: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2047141&id=1258860122&l=165f535711
Staff Adventures: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2047143&id=1258860122&l=48365f8f9a
Scenery and Wild Views: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2047144&id=1258860122&l=162b44b996
Here are pictures of the church groups that visited: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2047139&id=1258860122&l=11db26d149
Pictures capturing bits and pieces of Lakota culture: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2047140&id=1258860122&l=ea62619f88
Kid's Club and Work Projects: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2047141&id=1258860122&l=165f535711
Staff Adventures: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2047143&id=1258860122&l=48365f8f9a
Scenery and Wild Views: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2047144&id=1258860122&l=162b44b996
Saturday, July 31, 2010
A Day in the Life of a YouthWorks! Staff
Each day and each week are different, but here's how things typically look:
6:45 Wake up and Wake up teens upstairs
7:15 Breakfast served, lunches get made, and breakfast/building get cleaned
8:15 Morning Devotions
8:45 Meet and pray/daily announcements
9:00-3:00 Work at Ministry Sites (I usually hop around between work sites, kids club, running errands, or cleaning/organizing/preparing back at TCHS)
3:00-5:15 Shower time, snack and free time (free time favorites include playing spoons, Imaginiff, UNO, basketball, etc.)
5:15 Dinner and dinner cleanup
6:30-8:30 Evening Activity! Our evening activities include archery, hiking in Nebraska, dessert and cultural Q&A, community cookout/concert/art show.
8:45-10 Club! (I get to plan Club every night- this is our worship time. We have "Mad Props" time to encourage each other, worship songs, "Yay Gods!" to praise the Lord, staff story time [we each share our testimonies one night], and a scripture lesson and conversation [this is my gig])
10:00 Staff Meeting and next day prep
11:00 I usually read or workout and shower
12:30 Go to Bed
Repeat!
Staff each take a turn leading devotions and meal crews. On Monday nights I lead making Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole (I know the recipe by heart for preparing it for 70 people!), Thursday night I get the cookout food ready, and on Wednesday morning I set out easy continental breakfast. I think after this summer I won't ever want to eat a sloppy joe, casserole, tacos, egg noodle pasta, or YW cookout food again! But, I've gotten really creative with leftovers and wacky ingredients that I secretly like (canned chicken, hard boiled eggs, Vidalia Onion dressing to name a few....). It might come in handy since I'll have a kitchen in the apartment this year at ONU to cook more for myself!
6:45 Wake up and Wake up teens upstairs
7:15 Breakfast served, lunches get made, and breakfast/building get cleaned
8:15 Morning Devotions
8:45 Meet and pray/daily announcements
9:00-3:00 Work at Ministry Sites (I usually hop around between work sites, kids club, running errands, or cleaning/organizing/preparing back at TCHS)
3:00-5:15 Shower time, snack and free time (free time favorites include playing spoons, Imaginiff, UNO, basketball, etc.)
5:15 Dinner and dinner cleanup
6:30-8:30 Evening Activity! Our evening activities include archery, hiking in Nebraska, dessert and cultural Q&A, community cookout/concert/art show.
8:45-10 Club! (I get to plan Club every night- this is our worship time. We have "Mad Props" time to encourage each other, worship songs, "Yay Gods!" to praise the Lord, staff story time [we each share our testimonies one night], and a scripture lesson and conversation [this is my gig])
10:00 Staff Meeting and next day prep
11:00 I usually read or workout and shower
12:30 Go to Bed
Repeat!
Staff each take a turn leading devotions and meal crews. On Monday nights I lead making Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole (I know the recipe by heart for preparing it for 70 people!), Thursday night I get the cookout food ready, and on Wednesday morning I set out easy continental breakfast. I think after this summer I won't ever want to eat a sloppy joe, casserole, tacos, egg noodle pasta, or YW cookout food again! But, I've gotten really creative with leftovers and wacky ingredients that I secretly like (canned chicken, hard boiled eggs, Vidalia Onion dressing to name a few....). It might come in handy since I'll have a kitchen in the apartment this year at ONU to cook more for myself!
Countdown is On....
Tomorrow begins the first day of our last week of programming here in Rosebud! We have three churches coming in, and on Friday morning they will help us completely tear down our site and pack everything up into storage for next year's team. We have information packets to fill out about everything we did this summer, including schedules, contact information, etc. that needs to completed before we leave, thank you cards and gifts for all of our ministry partners and friends, and invitations made for our last community cookout. Whew! We are hoping to be on the road back to Denver by late Saturday or early Sunday.
As I looked over the summer, I counted a total of 27 different youth groups from 12 states who were able to serve and grow closer to each other and to God on a mission trip this summer! It's so exciting!
Here are some fun things that the YouthWorks! Rosebud team has been up to lately...
-We discovered a big screen TV in the library at TCHS. Since the nearest theatre is thirty miles away and only shows two movies, we have started having movie nights there.
- On Wednesday nights we take our youth to a local cafe/youth center for dessert, coffee, and a cultural Q&A. They have started showcasing local youth artists. We saw a rock band called "Grand Cadaver" and a rap group called "Nake Nula Waun" (and I have their CD now!) and they are both really talented. It's been neat for our youth to be able to support and encourage other youth in this way.
- We had seven small church groups in last week and they were incredible! They really loved each other and it was an awesome week of ministry, and growth! One of the adult leaders lead worship and played guitar for us, and another shared his experiences working as a scripture translation consultant for the Lutheran Church in Africa.
- We met a youth group from Kansas City First Church of the Nazarene from Kansas City, MO while they were staying at the White River Church of the Nazarene in White River. They came there for a work trip and we met up while we attended service there last Sunday.
- I had the opportunity to shadow a Physician's Assistant at the Mission Medical Clinic last Saturday. We have known Betty all summer and have done some work on her house. She is a very sweet old lady :) I worked the Saturday morning shift with her from 9-12, and the clinic was surprisingly busy for a Saturday shift! I got all scrubbed up and got to visit the patients with her. I got to see babies, bug bites, rashes, migraines, high blood pressure, and more! It was a lot of fun, and I think I will really like working in a small clinic/office setting rather than a large, bustling hospital.
- I tried Fry bread for the first time the other day! Fry bread is traditional Native American staple. It is essentially like an unsweetened elephant ear/ tortilla and it poofs up when you fry it. It's delicious! It is often used like a taco shell to make "Indian Tacos" (which are open faces and practically the size of a small pizza). We have also learned about some other traditional foods- soups, berries (chokecherries, raspberries, etc.), buffalo, grains, etc. Corn isn't a staple food simply because crops aren't grown here. I bought premade mixes frybread to bring home and make (we'll see how that goes....")
I'm super excited to head back home, but I think it will be a little bit of a culture shock to get me back in a city/populated area with more than two radio stations, away from the same people I've been with all summer, and back where I will see an abundance of trees! Of course, I'm used to working and being awake from 6:45 am- to about 12:30 the next morning, so I may just sleep for two weeks until I head back to Olivet and nursing school ;)
As I looked over the summer, I counted a total of 27 different youth groups from 12 states who were able to serve and grow closer to each other and to God on a mission trip this summer! It's so exciting!
Here are some fun things that the YouthWorks! Rosebud team has been up to lately...
-We discovered a big screen TV in the library at TCHS. Since the nearest theatre is thirty miles away and only shows two movies, we have started having movie nights there.
- On Wednesday nights we take our youth to a local cafe/youth center for dessert, coffee, and a cultural Q&A. They have started showcasing local youth artists. We saw a rock band called "Grand Cadaver" and a rap group called "Nake Nula Waun" (and I have their CD now!) and they are both really talented. It's been neat for our youth to be able to support and encourage other youth in this way.
- We had seven small church groups in last week and they were incredible! They really loved each other and it was an awesome week of ministry, and growth! One of the adult leaders lead worship and played guitar for us, and another shared his experiences working as a scripture translation consultant for the Lutheran Church in Africa.
- We met a youth group from Kansas City First Church of the Nazarene from Kansas City, MO while they were staying at the White River Church of the Nazarene in White River. They came there for a work trip and we met up while we attended service there last Sunday.
- I had the opportunity to shadow a Physician's Assistant at the Mission Medical Clinic last Saturday. We have known Betty all summer and have done some work on her house. She is a very sweet old lady :) I worked the Saturday morning shift with her from 9-12, and the clinic was surprisingly busy for a Saturday shift! I got all scrubbed up and got to visit the patients with her. I got to see babies, bug bites, rashes, migraines, high blood pressure, and more! It was a lot of fun, and I think I will really like working in a small clinic/office setting rather than a large, bustling hospital.
- I tried Fry bread for the first time the other day! Fry bread is traditional Native American staple. It is essentially like an unsweetened elephant ear/ tortilla and it poofs up when you fry it. It's delicious! It is often used like a taco shell to make "Indian Tacos" (which are open faces and practically the size of a small pizza). We have also learned about some other traditional foods- soups, berries (chokecherries, raspberries, etc.), buffalo, grains, etc. Corn isn't a staple food simply because crops aren't grown here. I bought premade mixes frybread to bring home and make (we'll see how that goes....")
I'm super excited to head back home, but I think it will be a little bit of a culture shock to get me back in a city/populated area with more than two radio stations, away from the same people I've been with all summer, and back where I will see an abundance of trees! Of course, I'm used to working and being awake from 6:45 am- to about 12:30 the next morning, so I may just sleep for two weeks until I head back to Olivet and nursing school ;)
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The Lakota Way
Well, I can't believe I only have two and a half weeks left to be in South Dakota! Time has definitely flown by!
We had an awesome group of youth in last week. They were eager and excited to come together to serve, and had awesome opportunities to interact and bless our community. We had two students and one adult leader share their testimonies in front of the group, too!
This past weekend our YW! team got together with three other staff teams in our area to go swimming and cookout. It was great to see old friends and catch up on our summers- God is doing awesome things all throughout South Dakota! We went to a "lake" in Nebraska. It was very different than the lakes I'm used to in Michigan (I think we would have classified this one as a waterhole....haha!). But I enjoyed floating on the intertube across the lake and not getting caught in seaweed ;)
I realized I haven't shared a lot about the Lakota culture, so I thought I would!
First off, the tribe on the Rosebud Reservation is the Sicangu Lakota Sioux. This is pronounced See-chon-goo. The Sioux Nation is divided into three groups: Nakota, Lakota, and Dakota. Each of these groups is further subdivided. The Lakota is separated into seven subcategories, one of which is Sicangu (another example would be the Oglala Lakota of the Pine Ridge Reservation to the West of us). Sicangu means "Burnt Thigh". The origins of this name go back to a time when the Lakota encountered a great prairie fire. In order to get their people through, including the elders and children, they had to run through the fire. Consequently, their thighs were burnt and they saved their people. If you've ever seen the movie "Dances With Wolves," it depicts the Lakota people.
The Lakota place a high priority on family and equality for men and women. The tipi means "they live there". So, technically, our houses are tipis! The tipis were able to be packed up easily to follow the buffalo (tatanka). Our friend Kevin demonstrates archery and stories every week. He tells that the bow and arrow came to the Lakota to symbolize men and women- they work together to provide and protect. Lakota babies are traditionally kept very close to their mothers in cradleboards and the extended family lives together. According to some, the Lakota culture is experiencing a decline, one that is parallel to the decline that we see in our youth today. Many do not hold to traditional Lakota values of close families, values such as courage, wisdom, bravery, sobriety, and native spirituality (rituals such as sundances, etc.)
We had an awesome group of youth in last week. They were eager and excited to come together to serve, and had awesome opportunities to interact and bless our community. We had two students and one adult leader share their testimonies in front of the group, too!
This past weekend our YW! team got together with three other staff teams in our area to go swimming and cookout. It was great to see old friends and catch up on our summers- God is doing awesome things all throughout South Dakota! We went to a "lake" in Nebraska. It was very different than the lakes I'm used to in Michigan (I think we would have classified this one as a waterhole....haha!). But I enjoyed floating on the intertube across the lake and not getting caught in seaweed ;)
I realized I haven't shared a lot about the Lakota culture, so I thought I would!
First off, the tribe on the Rosebud Reservation is the Sicangu Lakota Sioux. This is pronounced See-chon-goo. The Sioux Nation is divided into three groups: Nakota, Lakota, and Dakota. Each of these groups is further subdivided. The Lakota is separated into seven subcategories, one of which is Sicangu (another example would be the Oglala Lakota of the Pine Ridge Reservation to the West of us). Sicangu means "Burnt Thigh". The origins of this name go back to a time when the Lakota encountered a great prairie fire. In order to get their people through, including the elders and children, they had to run through the fire. Consequently, their thighs were burnt and they saved their people. If you've ever seen the movie "Dances With Wolves," it depicts the Lakota people.
The Lakota place a high priority on family and equality for men and women. The tipi means "they live there". So, technically, our houses are tipis! The tipis were able to be packed up easily to follow the buffalo (tatanka). Our friend Kevin demonstrates archery and stories every week. He tells that the bow and arrow came to the Lakota to symbolize men and women- they work together to provide and protect. Lakota babies are traditionally kept very close to their mothers in cradleboards and the extended family lives together. According to some, the Lakota culture is experiencing a decline, one that is parallel to the decline that we see in our youth today. Many do not hold to traditional Lakota values of close families, values such as courage, wisdom, bravery, sobriety, and native spirituality (rituals such as sundances, etc.)
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Well, we've had two sets of groups so far, and we are full swing with our third one. The youth have been awesome and they have really from a long way to serve in Rosebud. We've had groups from New Mexico, Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota, Michigan (it was so good to have some Midwesterners around!), Illinois, Virginia, Wisonsin, and Missouri! By the end of this week we will have
-cleared an old church lawn to prepare to plant a community garden
-painted 5 houses
-helped start a mural beautification project with local Lakota youth at the Sicangu Lakota Youth Center
-set up and organized a church rummage sale in three days and raised $700
-helped custodians at Todd County High School
-spent time at soup kitchens, food distribution center, tutoring at elementary schools
-offered meals to community members at our Thursday night cookouts
-helped clear rocks and tree brush at a Nazarene Church in White River, SD.
-shared the gospel and opportunities for hearing the Truth and for spiritual growth to nearly 200 senior high students from around the country!
We met Pastor Jack, the pastor at the Nazarene Church, on Friday while we were on our way to Pierre. He has been at WRCOTN for only 3 years, and they have done so much! The church building was in shambles, but now it only needs a little bit of inside work done and some painting. They have a thriving children's ministry (which is rare for small churches near the reservation), 5 Sunday School classes, and over 95 attendees on Easter Sunday! The church is mixed between non-Natives and Natives, which is incredible! Many churches tend to have homogenous congregations. Pastor Jack is definitely being a good steward of the resources that he has, and he has an incredible vision for his church, and he may be one of the most humble men that I have met! They are transitioning from being a mission church where they are always being served, to being more self sustaining in their ministry. They are beginning to offer opportunities for the church to serve others. With a little more help, they will be able to have clothing donations, a food bank, and the women's ministry wants to begin sewing head scarves for women with cancer. However, the church has the people willing to help, just not the financial resources to fund the ministries.
Funny story from last week: We went hiking in Nebraska and a really bad storm moved in within ten minutes of us leaving the trail (storms move in all the time here, and really fast! You can definitely see them coming across the plains and it's really eerie!) We are 30 miles from TCHS and the lightning, wind and rain were too much to drive in. So, the only place to stop was the Rosebud Casino! We camped out there for half an hour, and the teens were stoked to say that they went to the casino on their mission trip!
It has been an awesome experience to see churches from all different backgrounds, places, and denominations become united to serve God this summer here in Mission. I'm so excited to see what the rest of the summer holds. Even though we're doing a lot of awesome things and getting a lot done, it's more important that we are building relationships with others in our groups that come and with the community. In this way, we can share the love of God-it's great!
This next coming week we have off! We plan on cooking out this weekend and going floating on the Little White Rive (floating is what we call tubing here....) and attending a pow wow at the Rpsebud casino. I personally plan on catching up with some journaling, reading, working out, baking, and of course, sleep! We also want to visit a ranch, go fishing, and horseback riding. The next weekend I'll hopefully be able to visit the Black Hills, Badlands National Park, and Mount Rushmore.
-cleared an old church lawn to prepare to plant a community garden
-painted 5 houses
-helped start a mural beautification project with local Lakota youth at the Sicangu Lakota Youth Center
-set up and organized a church rummage sale in three days and raised $700
-helped custodians at Todd County High School
-spent time at soup kitchens, food distribution center, tutoring at elementary schools
-offered meals to community members at our Thursday night cookouts
-helped clear rocks and tree brush at a Nazarene Church in White River, SD.
-shared the gospel and opportunities for hearing the Truth and for spiritual growth to nearly 200 senior high students from around the country!
We met Pastor Jack, the pastor at the Nazarene Church, on Friday while we were on our way to Pierre. He has been at WRCOTN for only 3 years, and they have done so much! The church building was in shambles, but now it only needs a little bit of inside work done and some painting. They have a thriving children's ministry (which is rare for small churches near the reservation), 5 Sunday School classes, and over 95 attendees on Easter Sunday! The church is mixed between non-Natives and Natives, which is incredible! Many churches tend to have homogenous congregations. Pastor Jack is definitely being a good steward of the resources that he has, and he has an incredible vision for his church, and he may be one of the most humble men that I have met! They are transitioning from being a mission church where they are always being served, to being more self sustaining in their ministry. They are beginning to offer opportunities for the church to serve others. With a little more help, they will be able to have clothing donations, a food bank, and the women's ministry wants to begin sewing head scarves for women with cancer. However, the church has the people willing to help, just not the financial resources to fund the ministries.
Funny story from last week: We went hiking in Nebraska and a really bad storm moved in within ten minutes of us leaving the trail (storms move in all the time here, and really fast! You can definitely see them coming across the plains and it's really eerie!) We are 30 miles from TCHS and the lightning, wind and rain were too much to drive in. So, the only place to stop was the Rosebud Casino! We camped out there for half an hour, and the teens were stoked to say that they went to the casino on their mission trip!
It has been an awesome experience to see churches from all different backgrounds, places, and denominations become united to serve God this summer here in Mission. I'm so excited to see what the rest of the summer holds. Even though we're doing a lot of awesome things and getting a lot done, it's more important that we are building relationships with others in our groups that come and with the community. In this way, we can share the love of God-it's great!
This next coming week we have off! We plan on cooking out this weekend and going floating on the Little White Rive (floating is what we call tubing here....) and attending a pow wow at the Rpsebud casino. I personally plan on catching up with some journaling, reading, working out, baking, and of course, sleep! We also want to visit a ranch, go fishing, and horseback riding. The next weekend I'll hopefully be able to visit the Black Hills, Badlands National Park, and Mount Rushmore.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Prep Week Purgatory
Here at our YouthWorks! site, we joked about the prep weeks being like purgatory because there is always just more and more to do, and it seems like we would never have our groups actually show up! We stayed busy setting up our kitchen, and decorating our club room!
The club room is where we meet every night for worship, a message, etc. and it was my job to make it look awesome (so,naturally, I did!) I added a little bit of city life to the reservation- we painted sheets to look like brick walls and graffitied on them, added city scapes, awesome lights from the Family Dollar, etc. I would call it ghetto chic (haha!)
We also spent some time getting to know more people in the community. There is a special education teacher at TCHS who is a believer and she invited us over for dinner on Thursday. Not only did we get a homecooked meal, but we were able to learn more about her challenges as a teacher on the reservation. Wendy taught in New York for 17 years and felt called to teach in SD. She has been here 3 years, and said she spent her first year totally relearning everything she previously knew about education. She also is active in leading prayer meetings and volunteering at the Juvenile Detention Center. She is an incredible lady of faith and prayer, and we had the chance to worship with her in her home. She plays a native wood flute and has a hand drum- it was very beautiful and calming!
We also took food to a woman who was homeless and beaten, and were able to talk with some homeless people (most were also alcoholics) about who Jesus was to them, and to just listen to them. In some ways, it was weird because many had been drinking, but they are so used to it, that the men will listen and all have very different opinions and experiences with Christianity. Very interesting, and we had a chance to all hold hands and lead a prayer. Yay!
We also experienced a Lakota funeral. A prominent man in the community, who is also the brother of a local pastor, passed away. His funeral was huge- nearly 500 people showed up for from all over, and they even had a meal afterward! There were guests from government offices, friends, etc. Who shared and honored Robert, and there was even a guest celloist from the South Dakota Symphony. One of the biggest differences was that there were over 25 quilts hung up behind the coffin. In Lakota culture, quilts are a huge deal! It is an incredible honor to be an excellent quilt maker, and it is a very noble craft to know and to teach. It is also the highest honor to be given a quilt. The quilts are called star quilts because they all have eight pointed starts made of many little colorful pieces, and apparently, are very time consuming to make!
While doing some shopping in Valentine, NE, we stopped at the most interesting thrift store ever! It was the basement of a really old woman (she was kind of old and cranky and feisty). You just walked around to her back door and rang the bell and she came to get you and you rifled through a bunch of stuff in her basement, and then she hand wrote you a receipt! While in Valentine, I also bought my first pair of beaded Native American dangly earrings. I don't know if I will actually ever wear them, but I feel like they needed to be bought!
Our first group of youth arrived on Sunday, and our first day and a half has been absolutely crazy but wonderfully amazing, too! We have a crew from New Mexico, Omaha, and a small church in Minnesota. Out of the 50 participants, there are only eight boys! Isn't that wild? But they are all great, and they are so excited to serve! I think they have been very shocked and a little bit uncomfortable with what they have encountered so far. Last night we went on a prayer walk in the community to have a chance for some QA and to also just lift up some of the issues of the reservation in prayer, and I think it was a great chance for the students to process what they've seen and to focus on the ways that God can work and the ways that he already has! So far our clubs and club talks (which is what I'm in charge of) have gone really well! It's exciting to be able to share from the Bible and even parts of my own life and testimony with the students. I was in charge of dinner for everyone, and it was the first time anyone had ever made this recipe- chicken and cheese casserole for 64 people. It would have gone much better if our water had actually boiled on time. Needless to say, dinner was half an hour late :)
Yesterday I spent time at the Boys and Girls Club with some kids, and its very different to see how kids grow up on the rez. One little guy (maybe 5 or 6) walked in two miles by himself so he could come the BGC, and others just show up because they need food. Another girl ( maybe 9) got upset when I touched her shoulder to get her attention and yelled " Don't touch me!", she later proceeded to cuss out some of the other kids and youth. She will definitely be a tough cookie to crack! Another set of sisters that we picked up told us how rampant bullying is in the middle school. The younger of the sisters was going to enter sixth grade, and she is afraid that she will get beaten up because of her older sister. But others are definitely full of joy and laughter- they just want hugs and piggy back rides, they want you to read books to them and show you how to play games online or how they learned how to do a somersault. These kids, about 50 total, had the opportunity to read together,play games (we call it Groove Park), and hear about the creation story (our theme for the week is "Craz-amazing Creator")
Tonight, we are going hiking and having worship out by the river and waterfall. It should be awesome!The weather today is awesome- but yesterday, and for the rest of the week, it is supposed to be stormy and with a high chance of hail, storms, and maybe even tornadoes.
Packages can be sent to:
YouthWorks!
Attn: Rachel Waltz
Todd County High School
E. Denver St.
Mission, SD 57555
Letters can be sent to our PO Box, I just don't know the number yet!
The club room is where we meet every night for worship, a message, etc. and it was my job to make it look awesome (so,naturally, I did!) I added a little bit of city life to the reservation- we painted sheets to look like brick walls and graffitied on them, added city scapes, awesome lights from the Family Dollar, etc. I would call it ghetto chic (haha!)
We also spent some time getting to know more people in the community. There is a special education teacher at TCHS who is a believer and she invited us over for dinner on Thursday. Not only did we get a homecooked meal, but we were able to learn more about her challenges as a teacher on the reservation. Wendy taught in New York for 17 years and felt called to teach in SD. She has been here 3 years, and said she spent her first year totally relearning everything she previously knew about education. She also is active in leading prayer meetings and volunteering at the Juvenile Detention Center. She is an incredible lady of faith and prayer, and we had the chance to worship with her in her home. She plays a native wood flute and has a hand drum- it was very beautiful and calming!
We also took food to a woman who was homeless and beaten, and were able to talk with some homeless people (most were also alcoholics) about who Jesus was to them, and to just listen to them. In some ways, it was weird because many had been drinking, but they are so used to it, that the men will listen and all have very different opinions and experiences with Christianity. Very interesting, and we had a chance to all hold hands and lead a prayer. Yay!
We also experienced a Lakota funeral. A prominent man in the community, who is also the brother of a local pastor, passed away. His funeral was huge- nearly 500 people showed up for from all over, and they even had a meal afterward! There were guests from government offices, friends, etc. Who shared and honored Robert, and there was even a guest celloist from the South Dakota Symphony. One of the biggest differences was that there were over 25 quilts hung up behind the coffin. In Lakota culture, quilts are a huge deal! It is an incredible honor to be an excellent quilt maker, and it is a very noble craft to know and to teach. It is also the highest honor to be given a quilt. The quilts are called star quilts because they all have eight pointed starts made of many little colorful pieces, and apparently, are very time consuming to make!
While doing some shopping in Valentine, NE, we stopped at the most interesting thrift store ever! It was the basement of a really old woman (she was kind of old and cranky and feisty). You just walked around to her back door and rang the bell and she came to get you and you rifled through a bunch of stuff in her basement, and then she hand wrote you a receipt! While in Valentine, I also bought my first pair of beaded Native American dangly earrings. I don't know if I will actually ever wear them, but I feel like they needed to be bought!
Our first group of youth arrived on Sunday, and our first day and a half has been absolutely crazy but wonderfully amazing, too! We have a crew from New Mexico, Omaha, and a small church in Minnesota. Out of the 50 participants, there are only eight boys! Isn't that wild? But they are all great, and they are so excited to serve! I think they have been very shocked and a little bit uncomfortable with what they have encountered so far. Last night we went on a prayer walk in the community to have a chance for some QA and to also just lift up some of the issues of the reservation in prayer, and I think it was a great chance for the students to process what they've seen and to focus on the ways that God can work and the ways that he already has! So far our clubs and club talks (which is what I'm in charge of) have gone really well! It's exciting to be able to share from the Bible and even parts of my own life and testimony with the students. I was in charge of dinner for everyone, and it was the first time anyone had ever made this recipe- chicken and cheese casserole for 64 people. It would have gone much better if our water had actually boiled on time. Needless to say, dinner was half an hour late :)
Yesterday I spent time at the Boys and Girls Club with some kids, and its very different to see how kids grow up on the rez. One little guy (maybe 5 or 6) walked in two miles by himself so he could come the BGC, and others just show up because they need food. Another girl ( maybe 9) got upset when I touched her shoulder to get her attention and yelled " Don't touch me!", she later proceeded to cuss out some of the other kids and youth. She will definitely be a tough cookie to crack! Another set of sisters that we picked up told us how rampant bullying is in the middle school. The younger of the sisters was going to enter sixth grade, and she is afraid that she will get beaten up because of her older sister. But others are definitely full of joy and laughter- they just want hugs and piggy back rides, they want you to read books to them and show you how to play games online or how they learned how to do a somersault. These kids, about 50 total, had the opportunity to read together,play games (we call it Groove Park), and hear about the creation story (our theme for the week is "Craz-amazing Creator")
Tonight, we are going hiking and having worship out by the river and waterfall. It should be awesome!The weather today is awesome- but yesterday, and for the rest of the week, it is supposed to be stormy and with a high chance of hail, storms, and maybe even tornadoes.
Packages can be sent to:
YouthWorks!
Attn: Rachel Waltz
Todd County High School
E. Denver St.
Mission, SD 57555
Letters can be sent to our PO Box, I just don't know the number yet!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Week 2: Life on the Rez: Mission, SD
**note- don't forget to read the two previous posts- they kind of lead up to this and are brand new, too!**
Mission, SD.
Population: 746
Home of: Todd County High School, Sinte Glaska University, and Rachel's temporary summer home!
On a first impression, Mission will break your heart into about a million little pieces. Being on a Native American Reservation is a part of America that I've never seen before. For a rez, Rosebud is actually doing great! There's not much to this place, but we have a Subway, Family Dollar, a motel, lots of old tiny churches, community centers (Tree of Life, food distribution centers, Boys and Girls Club, etc.), and a few other businesses. However, if you head off main street you'll find a neighborhoods with lots of tiny houses that look like they need a lot of work! For those of you who have been to Indian Lake Nazarene Camp, these houses are about the size of the duplex/triplex cabins, and look a lot like them, too. There are also lots of old mobile homes, old cars on the lawns, and lots and lots of dogs!! Rez dogs are all over and often like to mozy around the streets and not move out of your way when you drive up to them! Neighborhoods usually have one or two loopy streets, and then the houses are just kind of clustered around it- there really isn't too much order in the pattern.
Here are a few other things that I noticed:
1. Street signs are pretty nonexistant, unless its the main drag. We are learning landmarks and other roadsigns to help us get around.
2. I have absolutely zero cell phone signal. Nada, none, zilch. Therefore, don't expect to hear from me except for maybe on the weekends when we go to Walmart in Pierre, SD. Which, by the way, is two hours away! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a Starbucks there! We have wireless internet at TCHS, so I can use that when I have free time and on weekends. They have a security filter, so I haven't been able to check my email or facebook. Our next closest city is Valentine, Nebraska. It's about half the size of Mason. We went there the other night and went hiking to a river and water falls- I kind of felt like Lewis and Clark- it was gorgeous! The river was really shallow and sandy, so we took our shoes off and waded out. It was pretty daring for me! haha
2. Main roads are lit, others are not. Main roads also have shoulders that are 2-3 times wider than normal roads. These are to deter drunk drivers and hopefully prevent accidents.
3. Along with random road signs (and lack of street signs) there are signs posted along the road that are double sided. One side has an "x" and says "Think About it", and the other side asks, "Why die?". Often there are flowers draped along the signs because each one represents a person who was killed in the last year because of drunk driving. On the corner by our old church, there was a group of three.
4. Mission has lots of kids! More than likely, you can go outside and hear kids laughing and giggling rather than hearing cars or traffic go by. Many of them don't have many clean clothes and may be a little dirty. We had a chance to play with a group of 11 kids last night at a nearby apartment complex, and these kids absolutely loved having us there to play with them! I had to watch and hold kids as they made their way across monkey bars, down slides, and really high in swings (pushing four kids in swings is tough work for one person!). One little girl clung to me like glue- she had difficulty walking and birth defects related to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), which can also be common on the rez. We played duck duck goose, gave piggy back rides, and at the end of the night, lots and lots of hugs (three types- bear hugs are just really big ones, squeezy hugs you squeeze really tight, and crazy hugs you twirl around just have a blast!
Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Although there is definitely a lot of need in Mission, the people that we have met are warm and welcoming, and many have a heart for serving the needs of their community. God is definitely already at work here in Mission, but there is a lot more that needs to be done!
Prayer request: Pray for the YW team at the Pine Ridge Reservation because their housing fell through for the summer, and they have a youth group arriving on Sunday!! They need a lot of help, and we may actually head there on Thursday.
Mission, SD.
Population: 746
Home of: Todd County High School, Sinte Glaska University, and Rachel's temporary summer home!
On a first impression, Mission will break your heart into about a million little pieces. Being on a Native American Reservation is a part of America that I've never seen before. For a rez, Rosebud is actually doing great! There's not much to this place, but we have a Subway, Family Dollar, a motel, lots of old tiny churches, community centers (Tree of Life, food distribution centers, Boys and Girls Club, etc.), and a few other businesses. However, if you head off main street you'll find a neighborhoods with lots of tiny houses that look like they need a lot of work! For those of you who have been to Indian Lake Nazarene Camp, these houses are about the size of the duplex/triplex cabins, and look a lot like them, too. There are also lots of old mobile homes, old cars on the lawns, and lots and lots of dogs!! Rez dogs are all over and often like to mozy around the streets and not move out of your way when you drive up to them! Neighborhoods usually have one or two loopy streets, and then the houses are just kind of clustered around it- there really isn't too much order in the pattern.
Here are a few other things that I noticed:
1. Street signs are pretty nonexistant, unless its the main drag. We are learning landmarks and other roadsigns to help us get around.
2. I have absolutely zero cell phone signal. Nada, none, zilch. Therefore, don't expect to hear from me except for maybe on the weekends when we go to Walmart in Pierre, SD. Which, by the way, is two hours away! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a Starbucks there! We have wireless internet at TCHS, so I can use that when I have free time and on weekends. They have a security filter, so I haven't been able to check my email or facebook. Our next closest city is Valentine, Nebraska. It's about half the size of Mason. We went there the other night and went hiking to a river and water falls- I kind of felt like Lewis and Clark- it was gorgeous! The river was really shallow and sandy, so we took our shoes off and waded out. It was pretty daring for me! haha
2. Main roads are lit, others are not. Main roads also have shoulders that are 2-3 times wider than normal roads. These are to deter drunk drivers and hopefully prevent accidents.
3. Along with random road signs (and lack of street signs) there are signs posted along the road that are double sided. One side has an "x" and says "Think About it", and the other side asks, "Why die?". Often there are flowers draped along the signs because each one represents a person who was killed in the last year because of drunk driving. On the corner by our old church, there was a group of three.
4. Mission has lots of kids! More than likely, you can go outside and hear kids laughing and giggling rather than hearing cars or traffic go by. Many of them don't have many clean clothes and may be a little dirty. We had a chance to play with a group of 11 kids last night at a nearby apartment complex, and these kids absolutely loved having us there to play with them! I had to watch and hold kids as they made their way across monkey bars, down slides, and really high in swings (pushing four kids in swings is tough work for one person!). One little girl clung to me like glue- she had difficulty walking and birth defects related to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), which can also be common on the rez. We played duck duck goose, gave piggy back rides, and at the end of the night, lots and lots of hugs (three types- bear hugs are just really big ones, squeezy hugs you squeeze really tight, and crazy hugs you twirl around just have a blast!
Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Although there is definitely a lot of need in Mission, the people that we have met are warm and welcoming, and many have a heart for serving the needs of their community. God is definitely already at work here in Mission, but there is a lot more that needs to be done!
Prayer request: Pray for the YW team at the Pine Ridge Reservation because their housing fell through for the summer, and they have a youth group arriving on Sunday!! They need a lot of help, and we may actually head there on Thursday.
Week 2: Welcome to Rosebud!
On Saturday we finally got to leave Denver and head to South Dakota! We packed up our cars for the summer (a Toyota Yaris and an all red Pontiac Minivan)...and naturally, I get to drive the minivan! Our trunks were full- not only with all of our luggage, but with boxes of shirts, devo books, site information, etc. It was definitely comparable to the good ole days when the Nazzies packed up for summer camp at Indian Lake!
I've been able to cross off four new states because we drove through Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, and finally, South Dakota. I've never seen scenery like we saw before- and it was definitely scenery because there was barely any sign of life on the roads except for fields and fields of cattle! But, we drove by mountains in CO, mesas and prairies in WY, and green rolling prairies and fields and rivers in Nebraska and South Dakota. I never thought I'd say it, but its absoultely beautiful here in all of its nothingness. The roads are just lined with fences- no billboards, loud traffic, businesses or anything! As Heather and I were driving, we noticed it was progressively getting darker and eerier as we got closer to South Dakota, and none of us had great feelings about getting to the rez earlier. We were listening to 96.1, which is the Sioux radio station out of the Pine Ridge Reservation (awesome music- I would totally recommend it!), and they announced a sever thunderstorm warning. It promptly started pouring rain and lightning would strike on the fields right as we were driving by. It was pretty bad, but there was absolutely nowhere we could stop and wait out the storm. So, we just slowed way down and the storm passed. We've learned that storms come up really fast in SD, and you can definitely see them coming across the sky!
The storm wasn't the only roadblock we ran into on our way into Rosebud. We had plans to stay with a local pastor for a few days until we could get into the high school for the summer. When we called the pastor to tell him we were close, we found out that his brother had just died and that we no longer had a place to stay. He gave us a number to a member of his congregation to let us in to an old church building that was no longer being used...talk about creepy! We were glad to have somewhere to stay, but the building was old and really crowded, with a rundown bathroom and kitchen for us to use. It was frustrating to be there because we fell behind on tasks that needed to be done! On the brightside, the church was located near Sinte Glaska University, a tribally run university, and I saw prairie dogs for the first time ever! They had towns all over the lawn by us and often would chirp, pop their heads up, and flick their tails at us- super cute!
We spent the weekend checking out the reservation. We went to two church services on Sunday morning- a United Methodist Church with about 11 members (from about 2 families!) and the Christian Life Fellowship (which is the church of the pastor we were supposed to stay with). It was awesome to meet more members of the community- with a pretty even mix of Natives to whites. At the CLF, a guy even prayed in Lakota (the native Sioux language) and we sang Amazing Grace in it, too!
Today (Tuesday) we were finally able to meet with the principle at Todd County High School, where we will be staying this summer. The school is super nice (especially compared to other YouthWorks sites- we joke that we're staying at the Ritz for the summer!). Todd County is the county that makes up the Rosebud Indian Reservation, and it is the tenth biggest high school in South Dakota. At the beginning of the year there were about 440 students enrolled; at the end there were 350. High school dropouts are a huge problem on reservations, and its difficult to get teachers to teach. Many of the teachers at TCHS are young and working for Teach for America. Gangs are a problem at TCHS, and can often be recognized by wearing the same colors. We have been busy today getting our facilities set up, washing dishes, unpacking, and making things feel like home, but we still have a long way to go!
I've been able to cross off four new states because we drove through Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, and finally, South Dakota. I've never seen scenery like we saw before- and it was definitely scenery because there was barely any sign of life on the roads except for fields and fields of cattle! But, we drove by mountains in CO, mesas and prairies in WY, and green rolling prairies and fields and rivers in Nebraska and South Dakota. I never thought I'd say it, but its absoultely beautiful here in all of its nothingness. The roads are just lined with fences- no billboards, loud traffic, businesses or anything! As Heather and I were driving, we noticed it was progressively getting darker and eerier as we got closer to South Dakota, and none of us had great feelings about getting to the rez earlier. We were listening to 96.1, which is the Sioux radio station out of the Pine Ridge Reservation (awesome music- I would totally recommend it!), and they announced a sever thunderstorm warning. It promptly started pouring rain and lightning would strike on the fields right as we were driving by. It was pretty bad, but there was absolutely nowhere we could stop and wait out the storm. So, we just slowed way down and the storm passed. We've learned that storms come up really fast in SD, and you can definitely see them coming across the sky!
The storm wasn't the only roadblock we ran into on our way into Rosebud. We had plans to stay with a local pastor for a few days until we could get into the high school for the summer. When we called the pastor to tell him we were close, we found out that his brother had just died and that we no longer had a place to stay. He gave us a number to a member of his congregation to let us in to an old church building that was no longer being used...talk about creepy! We were glad to have somewhere to stay, but the building was old and really crowded, with a rundown bathroom and kitchen for us to use. It was frustrating to be there because we fell behind on tasks that needed to be done! On the brightside, the church was located near Sinte Glaska University, a tribally run university, and I saw prairie dogs for the first time ever! They had towns all over the lawn by us and often would chirp, pop their heads up, and flick their tails at us- super cute!
We spent the weekend checking out the reservation. We went to two church services on Sunday morning- a United Methodist Church with about 11 members (from about 2 families!) and the Christian Life Fellowship (which is the church of the pastor we were supposed to stay with). It was awesome to meet more members of the community- with a pretty even mix of Natives to whites. At the CLF, a guy even prayed in Lakota (the native Sioux language) and we sang Amazing Grace in it, too!
Today (Tuesday) we were finally able to meet with the principle at Todd County High School, where we will be staying this summer. The school is super nice (especially compared to other YouthWorks sites- we joke that we're staying at the Ritz for the summer!). Todd County is the county that makes up the Rosebud Indian Reservation, and it is the tenth biggest high school in South Dakota. At the beginning of the year there were about 440 students enrolled; at the end there were 350. High school dropouts are a huge problem on reservations, and its difficult to get teachers to teach. Many of the teachers at TCHS are young and working for Teach for America. Gangs are a problem at TCHS, and can often be recognized by wearing the same colors. We have been busy today getting our facilities set up, washing dishes, unpacking, and making things feel like home, but we still have a long way to go!
Week 1: RAMP in the Mile High City
I think I may or may not have had the worst possible flight ever from Detroit to Denver...see if you have any past experiences that can one-up this one....I'd love to hear them! After boarding, we sat on the tarmac for 2 hours while they fixed something on the plane (it seemed to be something new every time they went on the intercom). Then, the flight almost got cancelled because of high winds in Denver. Did I mention that there were two screaming babies, lots of passengers upset at with the noise, lots of BO because it was hot in the plane, and the that the guy next to me puked in a bag as we landed (with lots of windy turbulence)?
But, thankfully I made it there, minus one of my bags which had been left in Detroit. I then waited another hour in line to claim my bag and met up with my YouthWorks! pick up person ( a full three hours behind schedule- yikes!) And now, I think I can pretty much say that I've experienced everything that can go wrong on a flight...
Denver is an awesome city- the mountains tower over the downtown area that the city just looks so tiny in comparison! I actually didn't get a chance to go downtown at all because the church we were staying at was in Broomfield, which is a suburb.
RAMP is our one week long training session that stands for Regional Area Mission Preparation. We covered pretty much every thing you need to know for a YouthWorks! summer- cooking for 70 people, making connections in your community, where to shop, shopping and inventory lists a mile long, etc. We were up from 7am to about 11pm, nonstop. I also met the other team members for different sites across the West- it was great getting to know a whole new crowd of college aged students who love Jesus and are so excited to be serving this summer! So, I have a bunch of new contacts for future road trips!
I also had a lot of time to get to know my team members/summer family/automatic friends for the next ten weeks, and they are great and much crazier than what I expected! David and Stephen are the guys, and Heather is my girl buddy. We already have great inside jokes, and Stephen and David have definitely adopted me as their little sister because I get teased all the time by them. I wonder if Tom and Kevin (my brothers) sent them some tips beforehand because they are all a lot alike!
One of my favorite parts of the week was an evening trip to Lookout Mountain, which is a park with awesome mountain views unlike anything I've ever seen before! It was a nice day, but it had started to get a little stormy, so you could see these huge storm clouds in the sky, and every now and then they would flash lightning (don't worry, these were way farther off). I've never felt closer to touching a sunset before, and it was magnificent! It's awesome to think that these same mountains bow down before my God!
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
But, thankfully I made it there, minus one of my bags which had been left in Detroit. I then waited another hour in line to claim my bag and met up with my YouthWorks! pick up person ( a full three hours behind schedule- yikes!) And now, I think I can pretty much say that I've experienced everything that can go wrong on a flight...
Denver is an awesome city- the mountains tower over the downtown area that the city just looks so tiny in comparison! I actually didn't get a chance to go downtown at all because the church we were staying at was in Broomfield, which is a suburb.
RAMP is our one week long training session that stands for Regional Area Mission Preparation. We covered pretty much every thing you need to know for a YouthWorks! summer- cooking for 70 people, making connections in your community, where to shop, shopping and inventory lists a mile long, etc. We were up from 7am to about 11pm, nonstop. I also met the other team members for different sites across the West- it was great getting to know a whole new crowd of college aged students who love Jesus and are so excited to be serving this summer! So, I have a bunch of new contacts for future road trips!
I also had a lot of time to get to know my team members/summer family/automatic friends for the next ten weeks, and they are great and much crazier than what I expected! David and Stephen are the guys, and Heather is my girl buddy. We already have great inside jokes, and Stephen and David have definitely adopted me as their little sister because I get teased all the time by them. I wonder if Tom and Kevin (my brothers) sent them some tips beforehand because they are all a lot alike!
One of my favorite parts of the week was an evening trip to Lookout Mountain, which is a park with awesome mountain views unlike anything I've ever seen before! It was a nice day, but it had started to get a little stormy, so you could see these huge storm clouds in the sky, and every now and then they would flash lightning (don't worry, these were way farther off). I've never felt closer to touching a sunset before, and it was magnificent! It's awesome to think that these same mountains bow down before my God!
Psalm 19 (New International Version)
Psalm 19
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God;the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
3 There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from its heat.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
2 Suitcases for 3 Months? Really??
Well, I'm all packed up. I think...
I tried my hardest to fit enough to get me through the next 11 weeks of my life.
Here are a few random highlights:
1. Truly knee length shorts (fresh from the boys section at Target!)
2. Starbucks Pike Place Roast, Biggby Michigan Cherry coffee, and travel mug
3. The Collected Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald (my summer reading)
4. T-shirts, t-shirts, and more t-shirts!
Here's what I'm not packing:
1. Blow dryer
2. Straightener
3. Eye liner
4. my "normal, cute" clothes
5. iPod and laptop
As I've been packing, I've realized that I have a lot of "stuff"- like choosing from 20 T shirts, multiple jackets, shirts, books, etc. I'm leaving a full closet and dresser, and am taking enough to last me the whole summer! Wow- I'm thankful to be so blessed, but its quite a learning experience to realize what I really need, too! I'm looking forward to being "low maintenance"...or maybe just "lower maintenance"....
I leave tomorrow for training in Denver. This will be my second time flying commerically, and the first time by myself! In Denver, I'll get to meet the other workers for the whole Western Region, and also spend time with the four members on my team, too! And did I mention that I've never met a single one of these people before?
Pray for:
-Safety as we fly in to Denver and then drive to SD
-that our Rosebud team will have great bonding experiences so we can work well together
- that training will be an awesome an reassuring time of preparation!
Thank you!!!
I tried my hardest to fit enough to get me through the next 11 weeks of my life.
Here are a few random highlights:
1. Truly knee length shorts (fresh from the boys section at Target!)
2. Starbucks Pike Place Roast, Biggby Michigan Cherry coffee, and travel mug
3. The Collected Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald (my summer reading)
4. T-shirts, t-shirts, and more t-shirts!
Here's what I'm not packing:
1. Blow dryer
2. Straightener
3. Eye liner
4. my "normal, cute" clothes
5. iPod and laptop
As I've been packing, I've realized that I have a lot of "stuff"- like choosing from 20 T shirts, multiple jackets, shirts, books, etc. I'm leaving a full closet and dresser, and am taking enough to last me the whole summer! Wow- I'm thankful to be so blessed, but its quite a learning experience to realize what I really need, too! I'm looking forward to being "low maintenance"...or maybe just "lower maintenance"....
I leave tomorrow for training in Denver. This will be my second time flying commerically, and the first time by myself! In Denver, I'll get to meet the other workers for the whole Western Region, and also spend time with the four members on my team, too! And did I mention that I've never met a single one of these people before?
Pray for:
-Safety as we fly in to Denver and then drive to SD
-that our Rosebud team will have great bonding experiences so we can work well together
- that training will be an awesome an reassuring time of preparation!
Thank you!!!
Monday, May 17, 2010
More About the Rosebud Indian Reservation
The Rosebud Sioux Reservation borders the Pine Ridge Reservation on its northwest corner and the State of Nebraska borders to the south. An act of congress established the reservation in 1889. The reservation has a total area of 1,442 square miles and is home to twenty communities with a total of 21,245 members living on the reservation. The major economic occupations here are cattle ranching and farming. Many members also work for tribal services including administration and schools. However, economic hardships abound. High unemployment (85 percent), poverty and understaffed health care facilities all have contributed to the problem of rising suicide. Working individuals on the reservation have a median household income of only $19,046. These low wages, coupled with high unemployment, mean many families cannot afford much needed home repairs. An estimated one out of three residents on the reservation is homeless, and six out of ten live in substandard housing. These challenges present an obvious invitation to reach out and support this community with your ministry.
Here are some websites for more background information and maps of where I'll be:
http://www.rosebudsiouxtribe-nsn.gov/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosebud_Indian_Reservation
Here are some websites for more background information and maps of where I'll be:
http://www.rosebudsiouxtribe-nsn.gov/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosebud_Indian_Reservation
More About YouthWorks!
Check out the YouthWorks! website:
www.youthworks.com
Here is a link to the Rosebud Indian Reservation Site:
http://youthworks.com/getSite.aspx?siteID=886
www.youthworks.com
Here is a link to the Rosebud Indian Reservation Site:
http://youthworks.com/getSite.aspx?siteID=886
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)