My Thoughts on the Trip

First things first:

THANK YOU to the 16 crew members who sacrificially gave of their time and money to make the trip happen.  Be assured that God will not forget your hard work and the love you have shown (check Hebrews 6:10).   In time the people there may forget.  In time, you may even forget.  But what you did last week will remain in eternity forever.  Your time there was not in vain. 

The Crew was spectacular!  The way they worked together and took care of each other is all too rare.  I was immensely proud of them.  And it did not go unnoticed by the people there.  When one gentleman out there called me and Dennis aside to ask questions about God, I truly believe it was because of the witness many of our crew have been over the past years.  He has seen that.  He commented on it.  And I do believe it was because he saw Jesus that made him ask us more about him.  That man was in church at the Pass Creek Church of God last Sunday.  I don't know if he attends regularly but in the years I've been out there, I've never seen him in church before.  Awesome!! 

There were some minor issues among the crew.  There always are.  Anytime you get 16 different people with different personalities together, there is always something that comes up.  Its all very normal.  The thing is, this year it was handled in a biblical way and because of that, we all came home friends.  Again, I'm very proud.  Those issues are not easy to tackle, but it was done and done well and the result was peace. 

The Work was hard.  We accomplished more in three hours on Monday morning that I normally accomplish all week at home.  We cut grass that was overgrown.  We put together some beautiful bleachers for the amphitheater we built last year.  We fixed a mower.  We put in a bathroom for Melda.  She is thrilled to now have water in her house and an indoor bathroom!  We cleaned up trailers (thanks Andy).  We built a fire pit in the amphitheater that is a great place to have devotions.  We fed kids ... lots of kids a meal every day.  We did a VBS for a whole lot of kids every day.  We played on the playground with those kids.  We did teen nights.  And we put band-aids on hundreds of wounds, some invisible, some badly infected.  We delivered 827 backpacks full of school supplies to children on the Rez.  And who knows what else we did ... there are probably things I'm not even aware of because the crew was just like that - if they saw something that needed doing, they just did it.  Amazing.

The Relationships are deepening.  It was a good feeling to be mowing grass and have a couple of the adults drive by, see us, and stop in to chat.  It was good to connect with the teens.  I think I enjoyed the teens the most this year.  Normally teens terrify me, but this year, I loved being with them.  Its probably because they're "our kids".  We've watched them grow up and so there's a connection there.  Some of them break my heart because of the choices they're making.  Some of them I'm very proud of.  All of them I love.  Its also exciting to know that some of the women out there will be coming here to REZonate this year.  They'll be making Indian Tacos and selling their beautiful Lakota beadwork.  Its how they want to support US.  That's the beauty of relationships. 

The Backpacks.  We gave out backpacks in Allen, Calico, and left some at Re-Member for them to distribute.  Its hard for us to know how best to distribute them because we don't live there and don't have the connections to do that in a responsible way.  That's where Calico and Re-Member come in.  They are both great places to leave them and know that they will get into the hands of kids who need them.  In Allen this year the kids asked for backpacks every day.  I don't remember a year when I've been asked for them so much.  It was literally every day and all day long.  At one point one little girl said, "But we NEED them".  It would have been funny if it weren't so true.  I was told they had been concerned and asking for them in Calico too.  They have come to rely on us bring backpacks out for the kids.  That's just fine with me.  Just keep praying that the donations keep coming in so we can continue to take them.  The $10,000 from the Harley last year was awesome and we've held some of that back rather than spending it all at one time, but eventually it runs out.  Its little donations that make it happen over time.  Those little $10 donations represent one child that will get a backpack.  We need those ... lots of them.  The little girl was right, we really do NEED them. 

Locked and Loaded

Well ... it couldn't be a tighter fit....

Ut oh ....

Ah, it'll be fine.

Thanks to all who came out to help load the truck!

A Motley Crew

Well ... I would say its about to get crazy, but it already has done that.  There are always two things that happen every year as we near the time to leave, 1) things fall into place with such uncanny timing that you know it just has to be a "God thing", and 2) the enemy throws everything he's got at you. 

Both of those things have been happening.  Several of our crew are under attack.  Some have physical issues.  Others have family issues.  And there are no doubt some that I don't know about.  At least one is leaving in a cast - and he's the cook. 

Yeah, we're a motley crew this year.  We're battle scared and we've not even left yet.  So ... pray for us ... and pray for their families who are staying behind. 

Angie Coffey
Roy Hauser
Terie Winkler
Andy Murphy
Cathy Jackson
Charles Jackson
Dennis Whitaker
Ericka Buchanan
Bailey Cartwright
Jean  Hitsman (who is already battling health issues)
Tyler Hitsman
Brian Whitlock (who is going with an air cast on this foot due to a torn ligament)
Fred Howell
Earl Baker
Brian Buriff
Amber Buriff
 

Melons?

Thanks Terie W. for helping pick up 25 watermelons today! 

The watermelon eating contest is always a blast!  

If you were following my Facebook today you know it was a crazy morning.  I had planned to shovel sand today.  We are taking 2 of those molded plastic kiddie pools to the Rez along with a lot of sand left over from a project here at our house and making sand boxes for the little ones.   So after 3 cups of coffee (it was a short night) I got to work putting the sand into bags and when the strong bags were filled I filled garbage bags inside 5 gal. buckets.  I'm still not sure how to load them onto the truck since the buckets do not have lids.  Someone suggested duct taping them but we can't stack them that way ... so I'm not sure but I am sure we'll figure something out.   

 I got almost all of them finished when I got a call from Walmart ...

I've been buying school supplies from Walmart for Backpacks For Pine Ridge for 8 years now.  I have asked many, many times if they would let me order the supplies since I buy so many but until yesterday, never found anyone there willing to help me out. 

Yesterday I was there and happened upon a lady putting tissue on an endcap near the school supplies ... so I figured, "why not ... doesn't hurt to ask again", and what do ya know ... she not only was willing to help me but she went the 3rd and 4th mile to do so.   She got on her computer and found out that they had 6000 folders in the back (they usually tell me there aren't any back there) and that a truck was coming in later with notebooks on it.  She wrote down what I needed and then stayed after her shift - on her own time - and pulled 2400 folders and put them on a skid with a note for no one to touch them.  Then today was supposed to be her day off ... but she went in and pulled 2400 notebooks for me and then gave me a call to make sure I got them.  Amazing!  Its hot here today.  The heat index is up over 100 degrees and she was supposed to go swimming today but instead went in to take care of our school supplies.  Wow .... Yeah, her boss is going to get a letter from me telling him to do whatever he has to do to keep her. 

Since plans changed so fast I posted a request for help picking up the 4800 notebooks and folders, but then had to run out really fast because some folks at Walmart were giving my friend there a  hard time about holding them till tomorrow.  So off I ran...

And after Brian and I loaded one load into his car and my Jeep, Dewayne Hitsman showed up with his SUV to help load the rest.  THANK YOU Dewayne!! 

 

1st load

Hydrate!!!!

With the brutal heat this summer we need to be extra careful to stay hydrated while we're on the Rez.  While we're not really "working out", we will be out in the heat working hard for long periods of time.  Here are some guidelines to pay attention to so that you don't get dehydrated.  Remember - take care of yourself!! 

General Guidelines for Fluid Needs During Exercise


While specific fluid recommendations aren't possible due to individual variability, most athletes can use the following guidelines as a starting point, and modify their fluid needs accordingly.

Hydration Before Exercise


•Drink about 15-20 fl oz, 2-3 hours before exercise

•Drink 8-10 fl oz 10-15 min before exercise

Hydration During Exercise

•Drink 8-10 fl oz every 10-15 min during exercise

•If exercising longer than 90 minutes, drink 8-10 fl oz of a sports drink (with no more than 8 percent carbohydrate) every 15 - 30 minutes.

Hydration After Exercise

•Weigh yourself before and after exercise and replace fluid losses.

•Drink 20-24 fl oz water for every 1 lb lost.

•Consume a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein within the 2 hours after exercise to replenish glycogen stores.

Pic of the Day

In this crazy heat and humidity my lens fogged up as soon as I stepped outside.  But here's a pic ... the garage is starting to fill up.  Fred, Earl, and Charles and Jerry have been busy.  More is on the way....

If You Want to See Us Off ...

If you want to see us off, it'll cost ya!   Well, it'll cost ya a couple hours of sleep.  I know sleep is precious, but it would mean a whole lot to the team. 

We will be meeting at the church on Saturday, July 30th at 5:30 AM and will be driving out no later than 6AM.  If you get there at 6, you'll be too late. 

A lot of you have said you would like to go but can't .... this is a way to be involved.  Just saying ...

How "Cool" Is This!!

Thanks to Fred and Earl for making this very cool misting machine. With temps over 100 degress on the Rez this summer, this will be awesome! It will mist water all the time so that the kids (and us) can run under it and cool off.  Click on the pic to enlarge. 

Less Than 2 Weeks ... and Counting

Ever wonder what a typical day looks like a couple of weeks before we leave? There's a lot that goes into these trips ... a whole lot.

I can't speak for everyone but I do know that 3 guys showed up today with a load of lumber for the building project. They had been out buying it and hauling to my garage and if I know them, they were probably busy doing other things too.

Another lady is cutting about 900 strips of fabric that measure 2"x6" for a craft project. I'm quite sure she's having a blast. ;)

Another team member is having surgery tomorrow. Yeah ... its like that.

And I am doing all sorts of things. I started the day out by going shopping for a few things that are still on my list. I bought 500 cookies, 200 band aids to add to the few hundred I already have, and 2 cans of coffee. All completely necessary. :) I ran into the center of the universe there - a lady who moved my cart away while I was in the middle of paying for the items. I was so tempted to say, 'Oh excuse me, I didn't realize the world revolved around you - let me get out of your way" ... but I was nice and smiled and said, 'Oh I'm going to need that to take my stuff to the car."

Then I came home and bagged sand. We have a pile of sand in our backyard that was left over from a project and since the theme this year is "the beach", we're taking a couple of those molded plastic kiddie pools and a bunch of sand out to make sand boxes for the little ones to play in. Maybe they'll even build sand castles.

I'm not sure what I was thinking because we have a heat emergency out today - the heat index is over 100 today. Oh yeah.... its going to be that hot or hotter all week long and we're running out of time - so I'm gettin' r done when I can.

I'm also still looking for a home for 327 backpacks. I have homes for the other 500 but still need a place to distribute these last few hundred. I know, I know ... I can hear the screams of "WHY DID YOU WAIT SO LONG TO DO THAT?!?!?!?!" Welllll ... let me tell ya .... its a different world on the Rez. If we do things too soon - plans seem to fall apart. I've had that happen enough to learn my lesson and wait ... and trust that God has it all under control and it will work out just like its supposed to.

That's a hard lesson for us middle-class, suburban Americans who like to think we're really, really efficient. So its kinda fun to watch people freak out a little bit when they see how I work. Hey, what's the worst that can happen?? Whatever it is, trust me, the world will not come to an end over it. I have a few possibilities ... and if those don't pan out, there's always plan "B" and "C". But I have a feeling ... that it's going to be just fine.

And when I get all this down to a manageable work load ... there's shopping to be done for school supplies for backpacks in 2012. And REZonate ... and a 5k/10k race to work on.

Well, daylight is burning ... keep watching here ... I plan to post lots of updates on the trip.

Playground Games



We're taking the beach to the Rez this year.  In keeping with the theme, we'll be playing beach games and water games as often as possible during VBS.  Here is what is planned ...

Tug of War

Frisbee

Beach Ball Race (One beach ball per team.  Players will race 2 by 2 to get the beach ball to the finish line without touching it with their hands- can balance it between their heads, stomachs, or whatever works for them)

Penguin Race (two teams will line up, people on each team must put on a swim mask and fins and race the other team to the finish point and back.  This continues until one of the two teams wins by having all of their teammates finish.)

Shell Races (same as Penguin Race except that teams will balance a sea shell on their forehead while racing to the finish without dropping it. If it is dropped they  must go back to the start and start over)

Sand Castle Races  - Two teams will race to see who can build the biggest sand castle

Tarp Surfing - with a skateboard on a large blue tarp - two team members will hold the edge of the tarp up to catch the wind while someone surfs across it.  It looks just like surfing. 

And of course we'll have sack races, slip-n-slides, a misting machine, and sand piles for the little ones and sidewalk chalk to decorate the basketball court. 

Hotel # 2

OK, so I won't really make us drive straight though ... although ... I've seriously considered it. 

On the way home we'll be staying in another hotel that will be new to us.  For some reason its been a bear to book at our usual hotels (I've spent 5 hours today trying) so we're going with some different ones.  Drivers, before you get upset about the out-of-the-way location of this one - keep in mind it was this or pay a lot more per room. 

We'll be at the Hilton Garden Inn in Des Moines, IA.  You can check it out here

One Hotel Down, One to Go?

We've booked the hotel where we will stay on the trip out to South Dakota.  Its a different one that we usually stay at so I hope you're all up for an adventure!  :)

Prices were a bit higher this year ... so I found a cheaper one.  HAHAHAA

Those who went the first year are probably cringing about now. 

Trust me ... I don't think it will be THAT bad.  Actually all of the reviews were great!   It had better reviews than the hotel we normally stay at.  Check it out for yourself here 

VBS Teams

For those team members who may not remember ...

VBS Teams

Little Kids

Cathy
Charles
Earl
Fred
Bailey
Brian B.

Middlers

Roy
Jean
Angie
Ericka
Tyler
Dennis
Terie
Andy

More please ....

Each year we feed about 150 children a meal every day that we are on the Rez.  In past years we have always been given a large donation of meat from a local business and we are very grateful for their past generosity.  However, this year the donation of food is looking very, very, very doubtful. 

We know from past years that the kids on the Rez are truly hungry so NOT feeding them a meal is not an option.  Its just something we have to do, whatever the cost. 

This Sunday evening, April 3, at 6pm at the Winton Road First Church of God, Gary Hitsman will be in concert.  If you've heard Gary, you know he has an awesome voice.  Its a voice that has taken him to some pretty high places in his past.  His old band opened for some national acts when he was the lead singer for Distant Rail.  He's good.  Really good. 

The concert is free.  Just come and enjoy and be blessed. 

We will take up an offering at some point and all the money we receive will be used to purchase food for the children on the Rez.  If you can't give, that's OK, come anyway - you will be glad you did. 

We're Going to the BEACH !

And if you go to the beach you know you're going to need Flip Flops, Sunglasses, and a brightly colored bandanna to keep the sun off your head.  :)  

I was able to get them all to match ...

In the pic is also a couple of the crafts we'll be doing with the younger kids.  Some foam craft crabs and sandcastles. 

The teens will do some Tarp Surfing and scrapbooking and have a "make your own banana split" night. 

Those are just a few of the FUN things we have planned for the kids this year! 

The 2011 Crew !!

Yesterday was our first team meeting and I've gotta tell ya, we've got some crazy stuff planned!  Be looking for announcements soon, but right now I know you want to know WHO'S GOING??

Here's the 2011 Crew!

Amber Buriff
Brian Buriff
Fred Howell
Earl Baker
Cathy Jackson
Charles Jackson
Rhonda Greely
Angie Coffey
Ericka Buchanan
Bailey Cartwright
Roy Hauser
Brian Whitlock (our cook!)
Jean Hitsman
Tyler Hitsman
Andy Murphy
Jenn Baker

I'm excited about all of these folks but its especially exciting to have Andy join us this year.  He is the President of the Rotary Club of West Chester/Liberty.  The Rotary Club has been a sponsor of REZonate Music Fest and a huge help to our efforts to provide the children on the Reservation with backpacks and school supplies.  It is great to have Andy go with us!

Lookin' Good for 2011

We had a great meeting yesterday and are excited about the new people who want to join us next summer! It looks like we are going to have a great crew! The theme will be WATER. That means we'll have a water park theme for VBS and one of our main work projects will be getting water to Melda's house. We also hope to put some seating into the amphitheater that we built this year. And we have 800 backpacks full of school supplies to deliver! Its going to be a great year!

There is still time for you to join us. Just go to our web site www.PineRidgeMissionTrips.com and download the registration materials and make sure you have them in no later than Jan. 1, 2011 along with your registration fee of $100.

Informational Meeting for the 2011 Trip

There will be an informational meeting for anyone interested in going on the Pine Ridge Mission Trip next year on Sunday, Nov. 21st at 4pm at the Winton Rd First Church of God. Winton Rd. is located at:

6200 Winton Rd.
Fairfield, OH

If you have interest in going you really need to be at this meeting to find out what you're signing up for BEFORE you register in January. Once you register there's no backing out so come and find out what you're in for. :)

The date for the trip is July 30, 2011 - August 8, 2011

The deadline to register is January 2, 2011 (all registration forms and a non-refundable fee of $100.00 will be due at that time.)

There will also be mandatory monthly meetings on the first Sunday of each month from Jan - July to prepare for the trip.