Journaling by the falls - Howard

Mollie

Delane

 Having fun at the falls

Hacky Sack, of course

Looks like we made it.

If it is Sunday, it must be North Dakota

Arrived safely at Spirit Nation!  Were warmly welcomed by staff and other volunteers form Ohio and Texas!  Looks like a great crew!  Tomorrow we will begin work for folks from the Dakota and Lakota tribes, members of the Sioux nation.  Very exciting!  Kids are great and we are eating far too many of our zillions of snacks!!!  Loving every moment and every person!               Delane

Susan- As I think on the past day, I have come to realize that this morning feels like three days ago. My car ride consisted of playing ghost, sleeping, and reading. When we reached the falls we all scattered for some quiet time. The spot I chose was on the rocks, down beside the water. It was a nice time to listen to the rushing water and escape through my view of ducks and five ducklings. They were so adorable, even when they would slurp the gross foamy water. The rest of our time here was a pleasant one, especially when the wind would blow and we would get a whiff of rotting plants! Alex, Jillian, and I were talking about random things while we approached our final destination, getting giddy from being so close and hyper from all of the chex mix and candy. Alex found that Jillian hadn't seen the Star Wars movies and stated that she shall not be recognized as a citizen. Jillian and I found it so hilarious! Oh, and apparently you aren't suppose to ring the bell outside of the dining area at Spirit Lake....but I didn't do that. (: 

The road trip has drawn to a close. We didn't die. The weather so far looks to be as I had hoped, cold and windy. Hopefully we can avoid dehydration, sunstroke, and other means of DEATH while we are here. Tonight I was able to scout out our worksite. Aside from a multitude of canines, it looks to be a fairly quiet spot, and the roof itself shouldn't be a labor of Hercules to refurbish, according to Howard. Aside from that, I have been told I will no longer be forced to write these accursed "blurbs". Huzzah! The pen is mightier than the crossbow I may or may not have been devising!         Alex

Sioux Falls, South Dakota - Overnight Stop

We made it safely to Sioux Falls, SD.  We visited Palisades State Park for a few hours, instead of the water park, and then came to First United Methodist Church.  We have had dinner - thank you Legacy Fund for the excellent pulled pork.  Devotions are over and it is time to share our day with you.

Susan- Today when we were at the State Park a few of us decided to hacky and not swim. This was a pleasurable time! In the attempts to hit this small object off of our feet we also had to dodge oncoming vehicles. This caused for lots of entertainment. Also, during this time, we had an unexpected pleasure of meeting and hacky sacking with a ranger. It is so nice to be able to go on these adventures and meet new people.

Alex- All hail Queen Elizabeth, the third of her name! May her mandated writings be filled with the manic enthusiasm of the flogged! We have travelled today, and it was wonderful, being cooped up with various individuals who will no doubt be whipped to this same spot in order to tell you their stories. We also attended a State Park, and it was wonderful, for certain of our number found it necessary to have long and in-depth conversation with Park Rangers about the law and how it should be enforced. Finally, we had dinner, and it was wonderful, for Jack Diemer knows how to make good BBQ. Hopefully, the rest of this evening will be wonderful, and free of the specter of tyranny that compels my hands to type this.

Jillian- Today was so much fun! Great day to the first day of the trip. For one, I did not sit in the back of the vehicle like I usually do on road trips{that's a plus for me}. We went to a park, as a substitute for the water park, and I was able to submerge myself under a tide and jump off a cliff,so it was a really good experience. Food was amazing and I can't wait for the rest of the week!

Kate- Today, instead of going to the water park we decided to take a trip to the Palisades State Park and were able to swim in a river and a few people jumped off some rocks. It was interesting going to a new state and being able to swim in a river. The drive was pretty short, and the church has showers which was a big plus.

Frances- Today, instead of going to the water park, there was a unanimous decision to visit the Palisades State Park in South Dakota. A few of us jumped off a cliff and got quite a thrill. I will never go back to that State Park, for if I do, I could be fined $110. After that memorable experience (We're in the system!!), we came home and had an amazing dinner. (Thank you Mr. Blinkey!)  I love spending time with all of these wonderful people and am looking forward to the week ahead!!

Molly- As everyone else has already mentioned, we decided to go to Palisades State Park. It was a very fun and memorable experience. Before we made it to the park, we had a lovely car ride. Even though, everyone in my van decided to gang up on me again, to get me out in our word game we often play in the car, Ghost. Other than that it has been a great day, one I (of course) won't forget!

Getting Ready

Our departure date is quickly approaching and plans are being finalized.  On Saturday, July 9th, we will gather at Leawood UMC to load the vans for an anticipated departure time of 9am.  Please come see us off.  The ten people heading to Spirit Lake Ministry in Sheyenne, ND will appreciate any and all that come to pray over us as we head out for two travel days.  We will spend Monday through Thursday working in whatever way we can to help the people of the Spirit Lake Tribe.  As with past mission trips, flexible will be an important word for the week.  We need to be flexible in our expectations of the work we will be doing and the weather and people we will encounter.

I look forward to another week of service with great adults and youth.

Barbara