Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Thursday, November 22, 2007

A Family in Need of Christmas Gifts

The missionary asked if our church could provide a family in the village with Christmas gifts this year. She is asking each church that goes there for workcamps to take a family and give them Christmas gifts.

Here are the ages, etc.

  • Hazel, the grandmother
    likes bath items
    Already Purchased - earrings, bath soap set

  • Marie - the mother
    Likes anything for her house, earrings, bath items,
    Favorite colors are marroon and hunter green
    Already Purchased - Winter Coat, flower arrangement, bath soap set

  • Charlie the father
    Likes tools and movies, gloves, cologne, hair clippers
    Size 3 or 4 X shirt
    Already Purchased - Watch, flannel shirt, hair clippers

  • Arlo - age 11
    Likes football, head and wrist bands, pants size 14 regular, man's size large shirts
    Favorite color - blue
    Already Purchased - football, basketball, wrist bands, blue shirt

  • Michael - age 8
    Likes Spongebob,
    Man's shirt size large or XLarge
    Favorite colors - yellow and green
    Already Purchased - Spongebob dominos & Bingo game, game, green shirt

  • Everet (Bubba) - age 7
    Likes "Transformers"
    Pants size 8 Regular
    Favorite color - red
    Already Purchased - Trouble game, game, red shirt

  • Aleaha - age 6
    Likes horses and dogs
    Favorite color - pink and purple
    Already Purchased - Gap hoodie sweatshirt, my little pony, pink running set
All of the children like art supplies, games, and sports.
If you have purchased something for this family, let Amber know and it will be posted here so we don't duplicate items.



Please do not send used items.

See Amber for the address

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Suicide

I got a call yesterday from the missionary on the Reservation. She was distraught and asked us to be praying for the Lakota people, and for them as they deal with several tragedies.

In the past few weeks several young people on the Reservation have committed suicide by hanging themselves. The oldest was 21 years old. The others were younger still. The impact this has had and is having among the people there is hard to imagine. Perhaps the best way to illustrate it is to tell what the missionary told me yesterday.

One of the mothers in the village called the church in a panic because she had caught her 6 year old little girl with a noose around her neck and with the end of it thrown over the doorway and was about to pull it when her mother found her. This is a family that those of us who have gone out there know well. My son Logan has had a special bond with this little girl.

For us, this is not a story of tragedy far away. It affects our friends, our extended family if you will. It's personal and heartbreaking.

Please pray.

Monday, November 05, 2007

Porcupine Clinic Update

THANKS to all who donated toward helping the Porcupine Clinic. We collected $800 at church yesterday and today the check will go in the mail. I spoke to a lady at the Propane Company this morning and she is thrilled to know that help is on the way. She works for the propane company but is also working very hard to help the Clinic get it's needs met. She seemed to really care about the people there.

The latest news is that they now have enough money accumulated to get them through 1/3 of the winter. They also have an old cook stove that is about broken down - they are smelling propane leaking from it. They are unsure what to do about that.

*UPDATED*

I also talked to Stella White Eyes at the Porcupine Clinic. I called to let them know that our church had a check for them that I would be putting in the mail. Here is a piece of that conversation ..

"Porcupine Clinic, can I help you"

"Is Stella White Eyes available?"

"She just stepped out to get the mail. Can I take a message?"

"My name is Amber and we normally come out to Allen each year. We heard about your need of propane and I wanted to call and let you know that we collected $800 yesterday at our church and I will be putting that check in the mail tomorrow."

Before I could finish my sentence, I heard a wild gasp and the lady on the phone said, "OH! Wait and let me get Stella ... she will want to talk to you!"

A bit later Stella came on the line and I told her the same thing I had said to the other lady. She was very touched and grateful and told me to "thank all of those people for me".

It was cool to hear the relief and excitment in her voice.

The clinic is back up and running but they still have many needs. Continue to pray for these folks.