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This page was last updated: January 31, 2010

Missions Trip Report

MISSION TRIP TO .. Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation

DATE ...................... Nov. 15 - 25, 2009

PURPOSE .............. To repair a fire-damaged home, and to distribute food, clothing, blankets, toys, and Christian literature to those in need.

16 Nov 09: Arrived in Eagle Butte, met with Bryce the council member and dropped off the clothes, coats, blankets, food, and toys at a community center for later distribution.

Bryce and I picked up the generator and went to Thunder Butte to drop off the construction materials for the burned home, so we would be ready to start in the morning. Saw a pheasant on the way to the home, and a beautiful sunset and four deer on the way back to the motel.

I spoke with the Senator Thune’s representative in Sioux Falls and she said they would not be able to make it out to the reservation this trip, but were very interested in what we were doing and how they could help. She was going to visit our website to learn more about the ministry. She said they were very appreciative of the work we were doing on the reservation.

17 Nov 09: I got an early start this morning because Eagle Butte is on mountain time (an hour behind St Louis). Saw a nice sunrise and a pretty fast running pheasant on the way to the home. We removed all the old damaged wood around the burned area and removed the burned siding. Norman, the homeowner, helped with the work as did a nearby neighbor named Hap. Hap is an elderly man and has a quiet, gentle spirit. He was very helpful and interested in the well-being of his people. Norman is an artist who works with leather to make native purses and earrings, and then paints native art on them. They are very beautiful designs and it is a time consuming process as he described it. It takes him two weeks to make a purse.

Norman, Hap, and Bryce (council member) were all very appreciative for the donations of materials and the time spent to come out and help them. They all asked where the materials came from. This gave me another opportunity to share about God working through caring Christians to reach out to those in need. I also had the opportunity to talk with them about the books I brought for them to read and pass around the community until I could bring more. One book called The Conquering Indian is full of testimonies from Indians about who they were before accepting Christ, and who they are now. I also gave a pamphlet called the Path to Peace which describes God’s plan and sacrifice of His Son for us, from an Indian cultural approach. The second book was The Book of Hope focused on the Gospel of John with Indian testimonies. I also left copies of Amazing Grace with them.

Back to the house: after removing all the old damage, the open area was framed in and covered with OSB. Then the lap siding was put on. We made it up to the gable before it started getting dark. When we weren’t making noise with the construction, it was very peaceful and still, with the sound of the prairie dogs in the background. On the way back to the motel, I saw another beautiful sunset. An excellent day to give God thanks for the beauty of His creation.

18 Nov 09: Today I finished up the siding outside and then replaced the burned fascia with the help of Hap. Next I put a piece of roll roofing over the repaired front section of roof. I also put in two new windows: one in the repaired section and then a broken one next to it. I then caulked everything to seal out the weather. Norman worked inside putting insulation in the new wall. Norman was amazed at how much warmer it was and with no draft. We saw a large deer running in the distance.

The next job was around back to install the new door. The current entry to the home was an open doorway. Norman would just stand a door slab in front of the opening at night to slow the wind coming in and keep out the cold. The entry was through a deteriorating enclosed porch. Rather than putting the new door in the decaying porch, I actually framed in a new wall 4’ back from this porch entry where the old house wall used to be. This allowed the existing porch area (4’ x 14’) to be used as a type of artic entry to add another layer of protection from the elements. It would also provide an area for wood storage rather than being inside the home. After the framing was done, Norman helped me put up the OSB on the outside of the new wall. The inside could then be insulated and covered with drywall.

“Wota” keeps us company while we work. She is a small lab/terrier mix that Norman watches for his sister. He calls the dog Wota (which means eat in Sioux) because that is what she likes to do. She carries off small tools, boxes of screws, my ear protection, and the chalk line. All she does though is lay them down by her bones.

19 Nov 09: Today I finished one small remaining section of OSB and installed the new door. Norman was thrilled. He won't have to lift the door slab in place each night and morning. He now has a hinged door that opens and closes and has a lock. I thought of how easily we forget the simple blessings we have.

Norman finished insulating the new wall while I put up the drywall for the repaired front wall as well as a missing ceiling section that let in cold air from the attic. There was enough drywall left to cover half of the new wall. The rest could be done later since the exterior side was sealed and the interior was insulated. After getting all the drywall up, the seams were taped and mudded with joint compound.

Next, on another side of the home, I replaced a rotted window sill so the window could be sealed. Using scrap drywall, two other interior areas were closed in from the draft. One last project involved repairing a missing wall section that was being covered by a mattress (this can be seen in the previous trip report pictures). I thought the mattress was just standing against the wall, but there was a 3’ x 8’ opening to the outside behind it. What a way to live at 20 below zero. With everything closed in from the weather, Norman was truly excited and thankful. He no longer had to live in a 10’ x 14’ room.

20 Nov 09: Today I met with Bryce and helped him deliver turkey meal boxes throughout the Dupree community to the elderly and families in need. The turkey meals were provided by Running Strong for American Indian Youth.

While we were delivering, Bryce showed me another home in need of repair. You could stand in the hallway and look out through the roof because of missing drywall. A roof vent was missing and the shingles were so damaged you could see through the nail holes where shingles were missing. The inside had missing drywall ceiling areas from the water damage as well as damaged floor tiles. There was also insulation hanging down where the drywall was missing. This was a home that was not being rented from the housing authority so the owner was not entitled to any help with the damage. Bryce was trying to get some assistance to replace the roof so the interior could then be repaired.

From what I have seen, it seems the priority of repairs should be with the people who have no other help.

I also met with two women from the church, Lynette and Wilma, who have started bible studies in the community. They want to do more outreach in other communities and also target youth at risk. I left them with some books to use as needed and the website for more resources. They would also like to use more meals from the Kids Against Hunger as they work with the families.

21 Nov 09: Today, Bryce and I distributed the coats, blankets, food and books at a center for elderly and single parents with children. They were very appreciative we were there and the children were excited to get the toys. With so much need in the community, it is hard to only reach a limited number of people.

Afterward, Bryce and I talked at length about his efforts to create a cooperative within the district to enable the people to raise livestock and to farm as a means of income and to meet many of their food needs. He hopes and prays the Co-Op would become a successful operation that other districts and reservations could use as a model. He believes God put him on the council and is working through him to help the people and mentor youth and other leaders in the communities. He believes the Co-Op will create unity and provision for the people and to show them how God works in lives. He wants the people to be able to see some results so they are encouraged to get involved and come together to grow spiritually as they meet each others needs. This is one reason he is so grateful for the efforts of Living His Word. What we do and what we provide shows the people God cares, and gives them a visible reminder that something encouraging is happening.

22 Nov 09: Today I visited the Church of God in Eagle Butte. They have outreach programs into the community and provide some food where they are able. They are seeking God’s direction through prayer as to how He wants them to use their resources to reach others.

23 Nov 09: Bryce and I visited the Bear Creek Community to see what could be done on the next trip for a man and his teenage daughter who are living in a deteriorating trailer. The trailer is actually beyond repair. It belongs to the man’s brother. They were living in a small 1950s home before moving into the trailer. The trailer has no water or electric. The 1950s home has a decaying floor, siding, roof, and broken windows. It is a two room cabin about 12’ x 24'. The best plan is to tear that one down and build a similar replacement. This is where it could get interesting. There is an opportunity to use the replacement of this home as a training project for half a dozen people interested in learning construction skills. A small replacement home/cabin could also provide a model to do for other people unable to qualify for help in any other way.

In addition, this style of home could be used as housing for youth students/workers in the future Co-op program as the program develops. Their hope is to develop a self-supporting system that also develops, trains, and mentors their youth in agriculture, livestock, maintenance, and construction skills.

I was unable to meet with the Tribal Chairman, so I gave his staff a sample meal from the Kids Against Hunger that we were distributing, as well as a copy of the books we were handing out. They were also kept informed of the progress to share with the Chairman.

I left copies of the pictures from the home repair with the editor of the local newspaper so they could do an article. A telephone interview is also planned for the future.

In the evening, Bryce brought me onto a one hour local radio program to discuss the purpose of Living His Word and what we have been doing in the community. Bryce thought it would be another way for the people to hear about the encouraging things happening in their community. Bryce restarted the radio program this night after being off the air for almost two years. He uses the program to keep residents informed of issues in the community and to provide discussion and insight on different topics such as: the Lakota culture, leadership, principles to live by, filling God’s purpose in our lives, working together to help each other, and mentoring young people to not be overcome by the darkness of poverty, addictions, and hopelessness.

I start home tomorrow with plans in mind to work out for the next step. A 100 home woodstove program is being worked on by Bryce and Jordan, Citizens for Financial Justice. Once acquired, we would be able to start installing them. We need to make plans to determine costs associated with building each cabin with a goal of putting one up in May 2010 for the family in Bear Creek. We also need to arrange training during that time for those interested in construction and or wood stove installation.

FINAL THOUGHTS

It has been another amazing trip to reach people and serve God. God has certainly brought into my path the people he is working through. Bryce truly has a heart for his people and is interested in helping them out of their current condition and to see the work God does to change lives. It is by NO coincidence that God would lead me 900 miles from home and introduce me to him on the first day I arrived (back in Aug). I would appreciate all of your prayers for the people on the reservation, for the outreach efforts into the communities, for the bible studies being started, and for the efforts of Bryce to develop the Co-Op. He has a hard path as he follows what God wants him to do, but believes the success of the Co-Op will be a place from where God’s light can spread throughout the reservation.

BEFORE REPAIRS: Inside view,

mattress is leaned against wall

to cover another large hole.

Truck loaded with construction materials and tools, food, clothing, blankets, and toys.

Assembly of the Kids Against Hunger meals.

Kids Against Hunger boxes of food donated and distributed to the needy on the reservation.

Occupied fire-damaged home in Thunder Butte. Without the donations made by partners of Living His Word Ministries, this family would have faced a winter with exposure to sub-zero temperatures, wind, and snow - thru the 8' x 12' hole in their home.