After a too-short, but fun weekend, the teams arrived in three waves on Sunday. The first four of eight team members from Elgin, IL arrived at the Ministry Center at 1:30. The remaining four members did not arrive until 10:00 pm. They had a very late start due to work schedules. In between the two times, team Gladewater, 23 strong, arrived. Great to see them! It's always great to meet new teams, but it's very sweet to see old friends once again.
Sunset over the Ministry Center
Rickie getting the teams ready to go to work
Do we have everything?
I think so...
Waiting to go to work
Team Gladewater divided into two groups. One group, consisting of youth and young adults, led by Doug and Cassie Roberts, will be roofing a home in St. Michael's...
Flying shingles
Ground Crew
Coop keeping an eye on things...
The second group of Team Gladewater, led by Jay Edwards, went over to Bruno's to repair his steps.
Team Elgin will be painting the outside of Pam Rainbow's home and extending the home's deck in Fort Totten...
Day Two ~ Tues
Another HOT and HUMID day... Expecting heavy rains tonight, so the roof and the house painting must be completed today. Not a problem for these hardworking teams!!
The front of the house is completed...
Thank you Tribal Housing for lifting the remaining shingles...
An honorary member of the ground crew...
While the roofing continues, and the painters continue to paint, the rest of Gladewater's team, Team Edwards began a deck...
Will be ready for deck boards
this afternoon...
this afternoon...
Dr. Russ McDonald stopped by once again and spoke to the teams about some of the Dakotah Culture. He spoke of the naming ceremony...Dakotah men receive a new name in the language of Dakotah. The honor of naming them belongs to their grandfather, or other Elder of the family. The entire family gathers at his home. He is presented with gifts, honored by a drum group who uses his new native name in a drum song; social dances such as a round dance are performed and food is served.
Tonight, Russ drummed and sang "Happy Birthday" to Dakota Mize in his native tongue. The name "Dakota" translates to "friend" or "ally". That certainly fits him!!
Tonight, Russ drummed and sang "Happy Birthday" to Dakota Mize in his native tongue. The name "Dakota" translates to "friend" or "ally". That certainly fits him!!
After the rains of last night, we awoke Wednesday to sunshine, hot and humid temperatures!! The food delivery truck was extremely early, 5:00 am!! Thank goodness Mike Williams was up and was able to get Mike & Libby up!! The truck doesn't usually arrive until 6:30-7:00 am!!
After breakfast, the roofers (who thankfully finished the roof last night) went to Fort Totten where they spent the morning mucking out two homes, readying them for rehab.
Team Ewards adding the rails to the deck...
After lunch, with the deck finished this team put sides onto Mikes trailer...
In the meantime, Team Elgin went back to Miss Pam's to begin the deck extension...
What better way to end a hot, hard working than day than with WATER BALLOON LAUNCHERS!!!
Ready, aim, FIRE!!!!
Reinforcements are on the way..
Try again...
Hit Me, Hit ME!!!!
Cooper is all tired out from chasing water balloons...
As the evening draws to a close, we experience another beautiful sunset over Spirit Lake Nation...
Thursday morning dawned hot and sunny once again. Both of Gladewater's teams finished their projects. Team Edwards spent the morning painting the trim on a house in Fort Totten, while Team Roberts spent the morning in St. Michael's. This week, St. Michael's held a neighborhood clean-up. Team Roberts took the trailer and spent the morning doing a curb clean-up and hauled the stuff to the dump.
Both teams worked long and hard this week working on projects that will make the lives of those they touched a little bit easier. None of this work was as important as the "work" that was done at Sidewalk Sonday School. For the first time, we held it at St. Michael's. Over 50 children showed up that day...God is truly doing wondrous things here on the Reservation...
The joy of piggyback rides
Team Elgin finished Miss Pam's deck extension this morning...
Both teams worked long and hard this week working on projects that will make the lives of those they touched a little bit easier. None of this work was as important as the "work" that was done at Sidewalk Sonday School. For the first time, we held it at St. Michael's. Over 50 children showed up that day...God is truly doing wondrous things here on the Reservation...
The joy of piggyback rides
Both teams took a well-deserved afternoon off a did some sight-seeing at Fort Totten and Sulley's Hill (a nature preserve here on the Reservation). Part of Team Elgin went into Devil's Lake for a round of Disc Golf.
Following our evening Devo's, we were blessed with a beautiful double rainbow, and another beautiful evening sky...
After a wonderful week, we awoke Friday to another beautiful day. A great day for traveling! It's always hard to say goodbye ~ it was easier saying goodbye to good friends from Gladewater knowing that we will see them again at Christmas.
We do not have any teams arriving on Sunday. Looking forward to relaxing, having some fun sightseeing, and catching up on some much needed house chores.
We do not have any teams arriving on Sunday. Looking forward to relaxing, having some fun sightseeing, and catching up on some much needed house chores.
