Pine Ridge Mission Trip 2015 – Day 2

Tuesday, August 4 was our second full day at Pine Ridge. My daughter Stacey and I, along with about 20 other people from Fairfield First Baptist Church, were at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation to serve the community by building and repairing homes, building relationships, and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We worked through Next Step Ministries. We stayed at a Parks and Recreation facility north of the community of Wounded Knee, SD. Housing consisted of a couple large buildings with rooms holding about 8 guys or gals, sleeping on air mattresses or cots. At least we had heat and air conditioning, and the conditions were better than most of the homes on the Rez.

For breakfast, we had pancakes and sausages. As usual, we made sack lunches to take with us to our work sites. A couple of the students in my group made lunches to take to Tyson and Tyrell, the boys who live next to the home we were repairing. The morning was kind of chilly, and it sprinkled a little.

Me, holding a ladder

After coffee at Higher Ground, we headed to Candy’s house, and got to work. We put up more Hardie board, trimmed out windows and doorways, and caulked a lot of cracks. We found that one end of the trailer was going to be difficult to fix, because much of the framing was rotted out. Our Next Step leader, Rob, would need to do the work to replace the framing before we could begin work on the siding.

It was hot – in the low 90s – but a strong wind made the heat bearable. Rain threatened all day, but never came. While we worked, a few of us had a conversation about demonic activity on the Rez. Traditional Lakota religion is based around spirit worship. They believe in a Great Spirit or Creator, as well as other spirits. We discussed how, from a Biblical perspective, these spirits are demons. Followers of traditional Lakota religion use various rituals to keep the bad spirits away and placate the good spirits. The Sage plant is burned as incense to ward off evil spirits. Sage grows all over the place around Pine Ridge – we saw it at Candy’s house, John and Nadine’s house, and along the road between Pine Ridge and Wounded Knee. We talked about how Pine Ridge is a very spiritually dark place – many of the suicide notes mention a dark, shadowy figure who told the person to kill themselves. Candy, the owner of the home we were working on, is a Christian. She plays Christian music in her trailer 24/7, in the belief that it helps keep the evil spirits out.

A few minutes after this conversation, the wind blew down one of the ladders, barely missing one of the women from our group. This may be difficult for some people understand, but I’m convinced it wasn’t an accident. I personally had made sure the ladder was set correctly, and although the wind was blowing, it wasn’t gusting strong enough to blow down the ladder. I honestly believe the ladder was pushed by something demonic, in response to the conversation we had just finished. The Bible talks about spiritual warfare happening all around us, that we cannot see, and I felt something that kind of creeped me out just before the ladder fell – a sort of presence, like something was watching me. This is entirely consistent with numerous accounts from many other people about encountering evil spirits on the Rez. Coincidence? I suppose it’s possible, but I doubt it.

Putting up Hardie board

At lunch time, the teens in our group took the two lunches they had made for Tyson and Tyrell next door to give to them, but they weren’t home; the person who answered the door said they would give the lunches to them when they returned.

Later that afternoon, I went over and talked to Wilbert Jr. again. Wilbert was living in a tent in the front yard of his dad Wilbert Sr. while waiting for a teaching job on another reservation to begin later in the month. He had asked if Next Step could do anything to help repair his dad’s trailer before winter. I found out that Next Step has a 2-3 year waiting list for assistance, and that they weren’t even able to take applications at that time. So, Next Step wasn’t going to be able to do any work on the house. However, I told him that I would check to see whether we might be able to leave any left-over materials – Hardie board, nails, caulk, trim, etc. – at the end of the week, so he and his dad could make the repairs themselves.

That evening, we went to White Clay, Nebraska, for an evening at Lakota Hope. Lakota Hope is “a ministry serving the Lakota Nation – specifically the Risen Warriors (street people) of Whiteclay and Pine Ridge.” White Clay (population 14) is an unincorporated town two miles south of the center of Pine Ridge, just across the Nebraska/South Dakota border. The town consists of several liquor stores and a few homes. Until recently, the sale of alcohol on Pine Ridge Reservation was illegal, so the town of White Clay sprang up primarily to provide alcohol to the Lakota. The four liquor stores in White Clay, licensed by the State of Nebraska, sell the equivalent of 4.5 million 12-ounce cans of beer annually (12,500 cans per day), mostly to the Oglalas living on the Pine Ridge. Many of the Lakota who purchase alcohol in White Clay live in the streets, sitting or laying on the sidewalks or alleyways. It’s so common to see drunks on the side of the road, they actually show up in Google Maps Street View. Efforts have been made to shut down the alcohol sales, but the state of Nebraska and Sheridan County officials have taken little action.

Lakota Hope

The Lakota Hope Ministry was started and is run by Bruce and Marsha BonFleur, who came to White Clay in August of 1998. They had no formal training, little knowledge of Lakota history, complete ignorance of Lakota culture, and no idea why God had brought them there. They just had the desire to do what God called them to do – to “live among and serve God’s beloved Oglala Lakota Sioux people on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.” Bruce and Marsha built the Lakota Hope Center in White Clay, and have developed relationships with the street people, leading many of them to personal relationships with Jesus Christ.

Kevin Poor Bear

During the summer months, Lakota Hope hosts an event on the grounds where the locals can get a free meal and local artists can sell their work to people visiting the Rez. There is usually a Christian band or singer, a speaker, and a chance for visitors to get to know the street people. On the night we visited, there was a Messianic Jewish band playing a very Israeli style of music, and probably around 30 local artists selling various items. One of my favorite artists was a guy named Kevin Poor Bear. Kevin is a Lakota, double-amputee, former alcoholic Christian with an amazing artistic talent. After his daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Kevin turned his life over to Jesus Christ and gave up drinking, and now uses his talent to bring glory to his Savior.

Several from our group took food out to the streets of White Clay, and gave it to the people they met on the sidewalks. Most spent quite a bit of time talking to those they met, listening to their stories, and getting to know them. Most Lakota are difficult to share the Gospel with, until they get to know you. Historically, churches were used to deliberately destroy traditional Lakota culture. Children were taken and placed in church-run schools, where they were forced to cut their hair, wear White American clothing, and learn English and American religion, while being forbidden to speak Lakota or practice their traditional beliefs. Most of

People at Lakota Hope

these so-called “Christian” churches weren’t made up of actual born-again followers of Jesus Christ, but rather, cultural Christians – Christians in name only. So, there is a lot of well-justified suspicion and distrust of people calling themselves Christian by the Lakota. The best way to share the Gospel – not just with the Lakota, but with most people – is to start by developing a relationship with them first. Many of the street people of White Clay opened up and shared their entire life stories to those who brought food to them – they were just happy that someone cared enough to listen. And, many from our group had a chance to share the good news of Jesus Christ one-on-one with someone who needed to hear. I’m not aware of anyone getting saved that evening, but many seeds were planted, and many people prayed with that evening.

I heard accounts of dark, shadowy figures walking the streets of White Clay after dark. Again, I believe there is real demonic activity on and around the Pine Ridge Reservation, and I heard far too many people describing the same sort of dark, shadowy figure to dismiss it. Many of the street people fear this figure, and Bruce BonFleur says he’s seen it as well. As a follower of Christ, I don’t fear such things, because Christ has defeated the Devil and his minions. However, Christians need to be aware that demonic activity is real, and remain diligent to pray against evil and for those who are oppressed by demons.

I didn’t join the group that took food to the street people. Instead, I had a long talk with John Bissonette, who had come out to Lakota Hope that evening with Nadine and two of their grandkids. I really wanted to get to know John, who I had been praying for for months. We talked a lot about the needs of the people in Pine Ridge, and about his and Nadine’s desire to help the people on the Rez, especially battered women and children. I asked him what kinds of resources Fairfield First Baptist Church and I might be able to provide, once we got back to Ohio. At first, he was reluctant to ask for any assistance, but with a bit of prodding, he listed the following:

• Bibles (especially NKJV)
• Bible DVDs
• Blankets
• Clothing
• Coats and jackets
• Shoes
• Tools to fix cars
• A decent chainsaw to cut fire wood

I’m hoping and praying that we will be able to get some of these things sent out to John and Nadine over the next few months.

Later that evening, we stopped at Big Bat’s again for F’reals. Some from our group met a homeless girl named Aimee, who was living in her car with 3 small children. It turned out she was the sister of Cody White Pipe, who many from the group had met last year, and whose story I will tell on another day. There seemed to be a lot of “coincidences” that occurred on this trip; however, I don’t believe they were actually coincidences. God has a way of orchestrating things to bring people and circumstances together for a purpose. Some of the people from our group bought her some groceries and diapers, which were very appreciated. Aimee had recently bought a trailer and some land near Porcupine for $400, but the trailer had been a former meth lab, and was completely uninhabitable. A few of the men from the group agreed to go out the next day to have a look at it, to see if it might be salvageable.

Back at the compound, I showered, and went to bed, very tired, yet very optimistic about the rest of the week to come.

Pine Ridge Mission Trip 2015 – Day 1

My daughter Stacey and I, along with about 20 other people from our church, went to Pine Ridge for a mission trip. Monday, August 3 was our first full day at Pine Ridge.

Our church – Fairfield First Baptist – was joined by a church from the Chicago area and another from South Carolina. We worked with a ministry called NextStep, based in Wisconsin. NextStep works at many sites throughout the US. The three churches were divided up between six work sites. I was assigned with half of the group from Fairfield to put up siding, soffit, and fascia on a trailer just east of the town of Pine Ridge.

Higher Ground Coffee

After breakfast and packing a lunch (sandwich, apple, chips, and a granola bar), several of us went into Pine Ridge to a coffee shop called Higher Ground. Higher Ground is a Christian-owned coffee shop, first opened in 2005, making it one of the older businesses in town. The coffee and smoothies are fantastic, and the owners are extremely friendly. What impressed me is that they are very open and unashamed about their Christian faith in a place where Christianity is often looked down on. As much as I’m sure that some Christians go there because it is Christian-owned, I also suspect that many traditional Lakota avoid the place because they are open about their beliefs.

Installing Hardie Board

At the work site, the morning was cool and the sky was clear. Getting started was a bit slow; it took some time to size up exactly what needed to be done, and how to allocate the equipment and workers we had available. Some of the adults were very experienced with home construction projects; most of the teenagers had little or no experience. Most of us were someplace in between. I worked with several other people cutting and installing Hardie Board siding. I was unfamiliar with Hardie Board. It’s siding made of a mixture of concrete, sand, and wood fiber. It’s extremely durable, and not very difficult to install. Others in our group caulked seams and installed trim. I spent quite a bit of time setting and holding ladders for others – the ground was extremely uneven, and we had to make sure the ladders were set up safely.

Chief Red Cloud

Candy (the home owner) and her husband were not home during the time we worked. They are extremely fortunate in that they both have jobs. With unemployment running around 80-90% in Shannon County, the fact that both have full-time jobs is unusual. I did get a chance to speak briefly with Candy, when she stopped by the house briefly. She is a sixth-generation descendent of Chief Red Cloud, one of the primary Lakota chiefs of the late 19^th century. Red Cloud was a renowned warrior and highly respected leader who worked diligently for the Lakota as they transitioned from life on the open plains to the reservation system.

After lunch, we noticed a couple of boys at the trailer next to our work site. One of the teenagers in our group got out a soccer ball, and invited the boys over to play. On mission trips like this, the work done on home repair is important, but building relationships with people in the community is even more important. By building relationships, we get to do more than just fix a home. We get an opportunity to know the people we serve, and an opportunity to tell people about the Gospel. Houses are temporary; relationships can be eternal. The two boys, Tyson and Tyrell, played with several of the teens for a little while, and said they’d be back tomorrow.

Tyrell, Tyson, and teens

I also noticed a tent set up in the front yard of the double-wide trailer on the opposite side of Candy’s yard from the boys. A man and woman seemed to be living in the tent.   I went over to the fence and waved to the man, and he came over to talk. Wilbert and his wife were living in the tent in Wilbert’s father’s yard (also Wilbert), because they had no place else to stay. Wilbert is a Lakota teacher with a master’s degree in education. He has a teaching job lined up for the fall on another reservation, but no income in the meantime. The elder Wilbert’s home suffered serious damage on one end during a recent horrific hail storm. Apparently, large hail was blown nearly horizontally into one end of his trailer, virtually destroying the vinyl siding. There were more baseball-sized holes through the siding than I could even begin to count. Wilbert Jr. asked if there was anything we could do to help his dad get the home repaired before winter. I told him I didn’t know, but that I’d ask NextStep if we could do anything. Wilbert Jr. told me that he is a follower of Jesus Christ, and that there are very few real believers on the Rez. Many Lakota say they believe in Jesus, but in actuality, they simply add elements of Christianity to their traditional beliefs. True followers of Jesus are rare on the Rez, and are often persecuted by those who hold to the traditional ways.

Nadine, John, and granddaughter

After we finished work for the day, our church group went to John and Nadine Bissonette’s home for dinner. Several people from our church have known John and Nadine for a few years, and have built close friendships with them. John and Nadine are Christians, and are fortunate in that they own a house, not a trailer. They have been working to convert their basement into a shelter for battered women and children. NextStep had crews that laid down flooring in the Bissonette’s basement earlier in the summer, and a couple of women from our church had come out to Pine Ridge a few days ahead of the rest of the group to finish the work. John works as a chef at the casino on the Rez. Most people think that since there’s a casino, the tribe must be rolling in money. In reality, the casino barely breaks even, because Pine Ridge is out in the middle of nowhere. Nadine was supposed to have started a job at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, but hadn’t yet because of a bureaucratic snafu. We had Indian tacos for dinner – beans, meat, and toppings on Indian fry bread. They were delicious!

Stacey @ Big Bat’s

On the way back to the compound where we stayed, we stopped at Big Bat’s for ice cream. Big Bat’s is a gas station, convenience store, and café at the main intersection in Pine Ridge. It’s sort of the social hub of the town – if you’re going to meet up with someone in Pine Ridge, you usually meet them at Big Bat’s.

At Big Bat’s, we discovered the F’real machine. F’reals are vending machine milkshakes and smoothies that are absolutely delicious! I had the blueberry raspberry pomegranate smoothie.

Back at the Recreation Department compound, I tried to call my wife, but had no service. Someone else had one bar, so they had a message relayed to my wife that we were doing fine.

After a shower, I got on my cot, turned on the fan, and crashed.

 

2014 Mission Trips

Hope in a World of Brokenness

Stacey and Joey Wendling Mission Trips

Monterrey, Mexico – June 2014

Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota – August 2014

Greetings from Fairfield, Ohio!

The reason we are writing to you is that we have the opportunity next summer to join with our church, Fairfield First Baptist, to provide hope in a world of brokenness by going on mission trips to Monterrey, Mexico and Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

In June 2014, Joey and Stacey once again have the opportunity to serve the children in orphanages near Monterrey, Mexico. Our church is partnering with Back2Back Ministries to serve the children in 10 Christian Casa Hogar’s (Children’s Homes), and two churches in the Rio and Cadereyta communities. Each Children’s Home has 30 to 100 children ranging in ages from 10 months to 17 years. These children come to the homes from a variety of backgrounds – neglect, abuse, abandonment, and in some cases, economic inability of the parents to provide for them. Whatever the reason, each child is truly a gift from God. It is our hope that each child would have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and have opportunities for a productive and meaningful life. Our efforts will include:

• Construction work to improve the facilities, programs, and living conditions
  
• Sorting and preparing donations for the daily distribution to the children’s homes
  
• Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ though interaction and relationship building
  

Stacey Wendling

In August, Stacey will have the opportunity for a second mission trip before she heads off to Liberty University, this time to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Pine Ridge is an Oglala Lakota Native American reservation, and is one of the poorest communities in the United States. The poverty on Pine Ridge is devastating. It is common to find homes overcrowded, as those with homes take in whoever needs a roof over their heads. Many homes are without running water or sewer, adequate heating or air conditioning, and have black mold. The unemployment rate is about 80-90%, with a per capita income of around $4,000. Life expectancy on Pine Ridge is the lowest in the United States and the second lowest in the Western Hemisphere, behind only Haiti. Alcoholism and suicide are the leading causes of death.

Stacey and our church will be working with Next Step Ministries to serve in the Pine Ridge community to help rebuild the reservation and restore the hope and beauty buried deep among the brokenness found here. We will have the opportunity to serve in a number of ways, working with families and their children, meeting residents on a daily basis, restoring and building upon relationships with community members, rebuilding homes, churches, or trailers, roofing, drywall, and painting. Throughout this week, we will be acting as the hands and feet of our Lord to serve this community in a valuable way. It is exciting to think that Stacey can be a small part of that!

Joey Wendling

We are writing to you because we will by relying on friends and family for support as we prepare for the trip and while we are gone. Between the three trips, we need to raise nearly $3000 for trip expenses.

First and foremost, we ask for your prayers. Please pray for the orphans in Monterrey, the workers in their Children’s Homes, and for the people donating time out of their summers to take trips to Mexico to work to improve the children’s lives. Pray for the Oglala Lakota people of Pine Ridge Reservation, that they would have hope, and pray for those who are working to bring them hope. Please also pray for Stacey and Joey, that they would be able to raise the funds necessary, and that God would be preparing them for the work He has planned for them.

Secondly, if you are able, we would greatly appreciate any financial support you might be able to provide. We need to raise nearly $3000 for the three trips. Gifts are tax deductible, and checks should be made payable to Fairfield First Baptist Church, with Stacey/Joey Wendling Mission Trips in the memo line.

Children in a Monterrey Children’s Home

We are so privileged to be able to tell these broken communities that there is a greater life they can live, and a greater love they can experience. That a life with Jesus can bring real fulfillment, purpose, and healing to the wounds they feel. We hope you also feel privileged to be a partner in a mission going after lost and broken people with a message of hope, as Jesus told his disciples, “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” John 16:33

Should you feel called to give in support of the missions effort in Mexico and South Dakota through giving to Stacey and Joey Wendling, please fill out, cut off, and return to the address below.

Gifts are tax-deductible. Please make checks payable to Fairfield First Baptist Church.

Name: ______________________________________

Email: _______________________________________

Phone: ___________________________ (home or cell)

*Please mail to:

Fairfield First Baptist Church

1072 Hicks Blvd.

Fairfield, OH 45014

Attn: Stacey/Joey Wendling Mission Trips