BIBLE STUDY
Helping with the Meal
Beth Granberry with Two Girls
Youth Group
KID'S CLUB
Friends
Playing with the Parachute
Hide-And-Seek
Jump Rope!
Four Square
Mary Granberry with Stacie and her son Scwelelut
Monday, August 30, 2010
Fall Update
I just sent out a fall update, but wanted to post some more pictures for you. Any of you out there that did not get the update, but wish to, please email me at jtsavatewa2002@yahoo.com. I hope you enjoy these pictures (fyi: I did not take them).
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Please Pray for some Teens
Three teenagers in White Swan face the very real possibility of being turned over to their father who was abusive and neglectful towards them. They are great kids and in a good foster home, but their father is trying to get them back despite his record and their desire to not return to him. Please Pray that this doesn't happen. They're scheduled to meet with the judge tomorrow. Thanks.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Fourth Team Week
Thanks for your prayers - the week went very well and we are all getting some rest today. Yesterday, we began discussing the interns leaving and reentry into regular life and some of the difficulties they will face - it made me sad to consider the summer coming to an end and the departure of some good friends.
The week went well - no major injuries and Kid's Club went very well with some very good interactions with children. This was our first hot week of the summer, so we did a lot of water games with the kids and had lots of fun with water balloons, a giant parachute & water, and water relay races.
Mary Granberry especially encouraged me when she pointed out something that happened when we had the parachute game. In the parachute game, we have this massive parachute with a hole in the middle which we get wet and shake, getting everyone a little wet, especially those under the parachute and in the middle where the hole is. I was in charge of throwing the water and the kids asked me to throw water in their face as well as on the parachute, and Mary pointed out that them allowing me to do that shows they respect and trust me. To most people, the kids do not display trust, but they are beginning to trust me more and I'm kind of like a big brother to many of them, which is really big because many don't have adults they trust or respect who treat them well.
Also, on Friday, a little girl ran up to me, jumped in my arms, and hugged and held me which was a big surprise, because she's a girl I've never played with or interacted with, but I'm sure she's been watching and learned that I'm a friend. It really touched me that she was so loving to me, and helps provide a small picture of the impact we're having on the kids - loving them well, and even when we are loving on other kids, they see it. We also benefit, because that girl has been loved well by others all summer, but I received some of the benefit - some of her love even though I never "invested" in her.
Chris Granberry pointed out how the Bible stories stick with the kids, and how in the past, Indians learned Bible stories, but in the context of Government run schools and boarding schools. In that negative context, Christianity was tied to bad memories, but with the kids from the summer, the Gospel is tied to the happy and fun memories of the summer and the love the kids are showered with. That's going to have a big impact in the near and distant future. If you don't know much about the boarding schools, you can find books or online information, or I'd love to talk with you about it next time we meet.
We've had teams down at the Warm Springs Reservation in Oregon over the past eight weeks and it's good to have Warm Springs now wrapped up without any troubles, especially given the dangers down there. Before the summer began, the staff prayed especially about safety for the summer and the Warm Springs teams, and I'm very happy to see our prayers answered, with one more team week here.
Again, thanks so much for your support, help, and love. I won't have much time to talk over the next two weeks, but would welcome phone calls from Aug 7-21, when I'll have some free time. Grace & Peace.
The week went well - no major injuries and Kid's Club went very well with some very good interactions with children. This was our first hot week of the summer, so we did a lot of water games with the kids and had lots of fun with water balloons, a giant parachute & water, and water relay races.
Mary Granberry especially encouraged me when she pointed out something that happened when we had the parachute game. In the parachute game, we have this massive parachute with a hole in the middle which we get wet and shake, getting everyone a little wet, especially those under the parachute and in the middle where the hole is. I was in charge of throwing the water and the kids asked me to throw water in their face as well as on the parachute, and Mary pointed out that them allowing me to do that shows they respect and trust me. To most people, the kids do not display trust, but they are beginning to trust me more and I'm kind of like a big brother to many of them, which is really big because many don't have adults they trust or respect who treat them well.
Also, on Friday, a little girl ran up to me, jumped in my arms, and hugged and held me which was a big surprise, because she's a girl I've never played with or interacted with, but I'm sure she's been watching and learned that I'm a friend. It really touched me that she was so loving to me, and helps provide a small picture of the impact we're having on the kids - loving them well, and even when we are loving on other kids, they see it. We also benefit, because that girl has been loved well by others all summer, but I received some of the benefit - some of her love even though I never "invested" in her.
Chris Granberry pointed out how the Bible stories stick with the kids, and how in the past, Indians learned Bible stories, but in the context of Government run schools and boarding schools. In that negative context, Christianity was tied to bad memories, but with the kids from the summer, the Gospel is tied to the happy and fun memories of the summer and the love the kids are showered with. That's going to have a big impact in the near and distant future. If you don't know much about the boarding schools, you can find books or online information, or I'd love to talk with you about it next time we meet.
We've had teams down at the Warm Springs Reservation in Oregon over the past eight weeks and it's good to have Warm Springs now wrapped up without any troubles, especially given the dangers down there. Before the summer began, the staff prayed especially about safety for the summer and the Warm Springs teams, and I'm very happy to see our prayers answered, with one more team week here.
Again, thanks so much for your support, help, and love. I won't have much time to talk over the next two weeks, but would welcome phone calls from Aug 7-21, when I'll have some free time. Grace & Peace.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Thoughts on Camp and other things
We got back from Camp on Friday and it was a really good week. We spent time with about 50 kids from the Reservation and 30 kids from Churches in Poulsbo & Zillah, WA. The kids had a lot of fun and positive memories. Thankfully, no one had to be sent home, and for the most part, the kids were well behaved. I really enjoyed that during the week we could spent a lot of time with the kids, building relationships and having fun. It was also great to talk with the kids about Jesus and I had some good conversations. A neat part of camp was that it involved four church groups – Poulsbo, Harrah, Sacred Road, & McKinley Mission which works on another part of the reservation. The four groups have run the camp for the past three years and I really enjoy seeing Christians with somewhat different stances coming together for the kids.
Teams arrived yesterday – from Seattle, Mississippi, & a family from Georgia. The summer is in the last stretch and everyone is pretty tired especially after a week of camp. I had a stomach bug yesterday but am feeling better today, but we could all use your prayers over the next week, especially for fatigue and the resulting stress/disunity.
This week, we’re working on two homes and focusing on Jesus’ healings at Kid’s Club. I think it’ll be a good week. Please pray for the community of White Swan which has had many deaths during the past seven months, but has had a break over the past few weeks.
Thanks again for your prayers. Grace and Peace
Teams arrived yesterday – from Seattle, Mississippi, & a family from Georgia. The summer is in the last stretch and everyone is pretty tired especially after a week of camp. I had a stomach bug yesterday but am feeling better today, but we could all use your prayers over the next week, especially for fatigue and the resulting stress/disunity.
This week, we’re working on two homes and focusing on Jesus’ healings at Kid’s Club. I think it’ll be a good week. Please pray for the community of White Swan which has had many deaths during the past seven months, but has had a break over the past few weeks.
Thanks again for your prayers. Grace and Peace
Monday, June 21, 2010
Second Team Week
The second team week is over and it was better than the first was for me. I mostly worked on children's ministry stuff, getting ahead on skits and crafts for Kid's Club. The Treaty Days Pow-wow was last weekend and it was great to watch the dancers.
The teams from Naperville, IL & Boise worked on roofing and painting one house and roofing another. The work-sites were safe and most of the work was finished. The videos should be up soon on youtube- the videos from the Warm Springs teams are up, but not the ones for here.
Pray for the summer team here because it was a rough week on the team as a whole. One of the leading elders in White Swan passed away and her loss leaves a vacuum of leadership and her family is turning on each other. Mary Granberry was in a minor car wreck, but it was still pretty disruptive to the flow of things. We need prayer for safety at Totus Park because several houses that were once safe houses are no longer because gangsters have moved in. Where we have Kid's Club is safe, but walking the kids home through park is a little less safe now.
Yesterday, we all traveled to Oregon and went to Multnomah Falls, hiked, picniced, and had a great time hanging out and relaxing. Today (Thursday) we knocked out a bunch of work and are getting ready for another team coming in on Saturday. The teams this weekend are from the Seattle area.
This evening, I went bowling and to McDonald's with some of the youth. I had a great time bowling with the guys, laughing over gutterballs, rejoicing over strikes, and laughing at myself when I went too far down the alley and fell down. We had a great time with the youth, and I'm really excited to see friendships beginning and connections being made. I'll post some pictures as soon as I get them.
Thanks for all of your prayers. Grace & Peace to you all.
The teams from Naperville, IL & Boise worked on roofing and painting one house and roofing another. The work-sites were safe and most of the work was finished. The videos should be up soon on youtube- the videos from the Warm Springs teams are up, but not the ones for here.
Pray for the summer team here because it was a rough week on the team as a whole. One of the leading elders in White Swan passed away and her loss leaves a vacuum of leadership and her family is turning on each other. Mary Granberry was in a minor car wreck, but it was still pretty disruptive to the flow of things. We need prayer for safety at Totus Park because several houses that were once safe houses are no longer because gangsters have moved in. Where we have Kid's Club is safe, but walking the kids home through park is a little less safe now.
Yesterday, we all traveled to Oregon and went to Multnomah Falls, hiked, picniced, and had a great time hanging out and relaxing. Today (Thursday) we knocked out a bunch of work and are getting ready for another team coming in on Saturday. The teams this weekend are from the Seattle area.
This evening, I went bowling and to McDonald's with some of the youth. I had a great time bowling with the guys, laughing over gutterballs, rejoicing over strikes, and laughing at myself when I went too far down the alley and fell down. We had a great time with the youth, and I'm really excited to see friendships beginning and connections being made. I'll post some pictures as soon as I get them.
Thanks for all of your prayers. Grace & Peace to you all.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
One Team Done and Gone
The past week was a rough week in the community and I struggled a bit. A teenager set to graduate committed suicide the morning before graduation. One of the few fathers involved in his son's life went on a prescription drug bender last weekend, seemed to be improving through the week, and then overdosed yesterday and has been in the hospital the past two days. These two developments were incredibly depressing. The suicide was especially rough because everyone in the community is excited about graduation and then one of those set to graduate kills himself. It doesn't seem fair and especially wrong because he was one who "succeeded," who made it through school, and then he's gone. A lot of the youth who were his friend were hit hard by his death.
The father who went on a bender hit the team hard because he, his father, and his son are all involved with Sacred Road. The grandfather and grandson were baptized in April, and the whole family professes faith in Christ and is close to the Granberry family. Chris Granberry, the pastor here, spent a lot of time with the father and we thought things had improved but apparently they hadn’t. I found the whole ordeal frustrating because the grandfather is technically homeless, the mother is an addict, the family is in shambles, and it leaves you wondering how that impacts the son who is ten. The son was originally taken away from his mother because of neglect/addiction, and the son has some behavioral & emotional problems linked to his younger years with his mother. Right now, the father is here working with us, and it is possible he could go to a rehab place. Pray for him and family.
A lot of the people associated with the Bible Study were struggling and facing difficulties this past week. The team that was in Warm Springs this past week had a good week, but there were six deaths in the community within a week. I was feeling sad and depressed this week, but I ended on a high note, although the first four days were rough. I was really helped by the lyrics to “Beams of Heaven:”
1. Beams of heaven as I go,
through the wilderness below,
guide my feet in peaceful ways,
turn my midnights into days.
When in the darkness I would grope,
faith always sees a star of hope,
and soon from all life's grief and danger
I shall be free someday.
I shall be free someday.
2. Often times my sky is clear,
joy abounds without a tear;
though a day so bright begun,
clouds may hide tomorrow's sun.
There'll be a day that's always bright,
a day that never yields tonight,
and in its light the streets of glory
I shall behold someday.
I shall behold someday.
3. Harder yet may be the fight;
right may often yield to might;
wickedness a while may reign;
Satan's cause may seem to gain.
But there's a God that rules above
with hand of power and heart of love;
and if I'm right, he'll fight my battle,
I shall have peace someday.
I shall have peace someday.
4. Burdens now may crush me down,
disappointments all around;
troubles speak in mournful sigh,
sorrow through a tear-stained eye.
There is a world where pleasure reigns,
no mourning soul shall roam its plains,
and to that land of peace and glory
I shall want to go someday.
I shall want to go someday.
I shall want to go someday.
The lyrics reminded me of the hope we have in Christ, the hope we have to hold on to in the midst of despair and hopelessness.
The week wasn’t all bad – worksite was safe and we finished, kid’s club went well and we had some good moments. One of the kids asked “Why do they all sound like cowboys?” which is hilarious because the teams were from Alabama and we’re working with Indians – it made me laugh so hard. I was really encouraged when one of the boys I work with on Tuesday night asked me if I’ll be back the next week – it showed that I’ve connected with some of the boys and they are enjoying what we’re doing.
So, we need your prayers – for the community, the team here, the one week teams, and for God to move. Keep praying for me too; I’m far from perfect and need prayer. Also, we’ve got Bible Study tonight and we need prayer for that.
Sorry if this is a long post. Grace & Peace.
The father who went on a bender hit the team hard because he, his father, and his son are all involved with Sacred Road. The grandfather and grandson were baptized in April, and the whole family professes faith in Christ and is close to the Granberry family. Chris Granberry, the pastor here, spent a lot of time with the father and we thought things had improved but apparently they hadn’t. I found the whole ordeal frustrating because the grandfather is technically homeless, the mother is an addict, the family is in shambles, and it leaves you wondering how that impacts the son who is ten. The son was originally taken away from his mother because of neglect/addiction, and the son has some behavioral & emotional problems linked to his younger years with his mother. Right now, the father is here working with us, and it is possible he could go to a rehab place. Pray for him and family.
A lot of the people associated with the Bible Study were struggling and facing difficulties this past week. The team that was in Warm Springs this past week had a good week, but there were six deaths in the community within a week. I was feeling sad and depressed this week, but I ended on a high note, although the first four days were rough. I was really helped by the lyrics to “Beams of Heaven:”
1. Beams of heaven as I go,
through the wilderness below,
guide my feet in peaceful ways,
turn my midnights into days.
When in the darkness I would grope,
faith always sees a star of hope,
and soon from all life's grief and danger
I shall be free someday.
I shall be free someday.
2. Often times my sky is clear,
joy abounds without a tear;
though a day so bright begun,
clouds may hide tomorrow's sun.
There'll be a day that's always bright,
a day that never yields tonight,
and in its light the streets of glory
I shall behold someday.
I shall behold someday.
3. Harder yet may be the fight;
right may often yield to might;
wickedness a while may reign;
Satan's cause may seem to gain.
But there's a God that rules above
with hand of power and heart of love;
and if I'm right, he'll fight my battle,
I shall have peace someday.
I shall have peace someday.
4. Burdens now may crush me down,
disappointments all around;
troubles speak in mournful sigh,
sorrow through a tear-stained eye.
There is a world where pleasure reigns,
no mourning soul shall roam its plains,
and to that land of peace and glory
I shall want to go someday.
I shall want to go someday.
I shall want to go someday.
The lyrics reminded me of the hope we have in Christ, the hope we have to hold on to in the midst of despair and hopelessness.
The week wasn’t all bad – worksite was safe and we finished, kid’s club went well and we had some good moments. One of the kids asked “Why do they all sound like cowboys?” which is hilarious because the teams were from Alabama and we’re working with Indians – it made me laugh so hard. I was really encouraged when one of the boys I work with on Tuesday night asked me if I’ll be back the next week – it showed that I’ve connected with some of the boys and they are enjoying what we’re doing.
So, we need your prayers – for the community, the team here, the one week teams, and for God to move. Keep praying for me too; I’m far from perfect and need prayer. Also, we’ve got Bible Study tonight and we need prayer for that.
Sorry if this is a long post. Grace & Peace.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Intern Week
Over the past week, we've been working with training the summer interns and working around the Sacred Road compound. We've also had very limited internet access, but we switched to a new provider yesterday which helps us communicate with the outside world a lot more.
Orientation with the interns is going well and it's been great to work with them and get to know them and their strengths and what they bring to the summer. They are a good crew and I expect it'll be a good summer. We've already had a great time hanging out, playing volleyball, hiking, eating, and talking. It's not all fun and games b/c we've been spending a lot of time talking and working, but our free time spent together has been good and the work time has been a really good experience. On Monday, we went on a team trip and hiked in a canyon north of here. I think it's a great team and we have the beginnings of a strong, connected community.
This past Tuesday at Bible Study was a smashing success with the children attentive and reasonably well behaved. The two previous Tuesdays were chaotic and a bit crazy. The summer staff managed very well as Tuesdays can be stressful, fast-paced, and hectic. We've been doing lots of preparation for the summer, and I've been mostly working on preparing skits and props for Kid's Club and making lessons for Bible Study on Tuesday. It's very encouraging to see things coming together and to be a bit ahead.
Pray for the teams that get here Saturday to work next week, safety at worksites and Kid's Club, connections with the kids and adults, and safety for the Warm Springs team as it's a bit of a different situation and slightly more dangerous area. Things are humming along and I appreciate your prayers especially for me to listen to and follow directions without becoming inwardly bitter/angry/self-doubting. The next week will be especially busy and it'll be nice to get a little rest Saturday morning before it all gets crazy.
Grace and peace.
Orientation with the interns is going well and it's been great to work with them and get to know them and their strengths and what they bring to the summer. They are a good crew and I expect it'll be a good summer. We've already had a great time hanging out, playing volleyball, hiking, eating, and talking. It's not all fun and games b/c we've been spending a lot of time talking and working, but our free time spent together has been good and the work time has been a really good experience. On Monday, we went on a team trip and hiked in a canyon north of here. I think it's a great team and we have the beginnings of a strong, connected community.
This past Tuesday at Bible Study was a smashing success with the children attentive and reasonably well behaved. The two previous Tuesdays were chaotic and a bit crazy. The summer staff managed very well as Tuesdays can be stressful, fast-paced, and hectic. We've been doing lots of preparation for the summer, and I've been mostly working on preparing skits and props for Kid's Club and making lessons for Bible Study on Tuesday. It's very encouraging to see things coming together and to be a bit ahead.
Pray for the teams that get here Saturday to work next week, safety at worksites and Kid's Club, connections with the kids and adults, and safety for the Warm Springs team as it's a bit of a different situation and slightly more dangerous area. Things are humming along and I appreciate your prayers especially for me to listen to and follow directions without becoming inwardly bitter/angry/self-doubting. The next week will be especially busy and it'll be nice to get a little rest Saturday morning before it all gets crazy.
Grace and peace.
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