Good to be Back

I’m back on the rez and today was an amazing first full day back.
I arrived yesterday to my home for the next three weeks. I drove here from Minneapolis and before I arrived at my final destination I stopped in Allen to visit with Barry and Shelly Bentley, who are the pastors at the Pass Creek Church of God. It was amazing to sit and visit with them for a couple of hours.

I will be working for World Vision as a liaison between mission teams and the organization Wings As Eagles. As my dear friend Heather said it is like a 3 week paid vacation for me.

Where I am located it is surrounded on almost all sides by nothing by the prairie and the badlands. I walked around the property yesterday when I arrived and I thought that it was a shame that I had to be in such a beautiful place for the next three weeks. The worst part is always looking down for snakes.

This morning on the drive to Wounded Knee Church of God I saw a Lakota teenage boy riding his horse bareback while texting. It was a beautiful clash of cultures and time periods. It reminded me of how much I love the quirkiness of this place.
I arrived to church this morning to discover there was not actually church. But that did not matter at all. When I knocked on the home of the pastor Stanley Hollow Horn his wife answered the door and was thrilled to visit with me. Even though there wasn’t church, I still felt the power of the spirit when I spoke with Sylvia.

So instead of turning around to come back to the Dream Center, I headed into Pine Ridge and like the old days of GreaterWorks when there wasn’t church in Wounded Knee I would go to the Gospel Fellowship. I was able to take part in a beautiful service lead by the Matthews family. I was also reminded of the impact of Father’s Day on the Lakota community. Alta came up to take prayer requests and he spoke to the history of fathers on Pine Ridge. When the government moved the Lakota people to the reservation it removed the need for men because the government started providing protection, food, and shelter. Men no longer knew how to be men or fathers. Alta said Lakota men need to step up and care for their families. It was a difficult reminder that out here you cannot escape the way the government has oppressed people.

After church I stopped at Big Bats to get gas and I went to Taco Johns for lunch. Then I drove to Manderson, my old home. I stopped in to say hi to the YouthWorks staff at Pine Ridge 1. I am their prayer partner and it was amazing to be able to encourage their Site Director and just let them know who I am and that they are in my constant prayers.

After visiting the YouthWorks staff I went to Pinkys Store. I was able to sit and visit with my dear friend Pinky and talk to her about what is happening in Manderson. Also I was able to hold her newly acquired Siamese kitten for about an hour. I met a woman who is a chaplain at the hospital in Rapid City. On the weekend she lives in a Yurt off of White Horse Creek Road.

Coming back I am reminded how much this place means to me and how much I love it. I love connecting with old friends and meeting new friends. I am excited to see what the next 3 weeks will bring.