prayer

Buffy (pictured right) lost 5 extended family members in a car accident 2 days ago. They were on their way to a memorial service on the rez and were hit by a semi. The family was also close to Moses, a friend of mine here. Among the 5 people who died were 2 small children. Please pray for Buffy, Moses, and the many others who are mourning the deaths.

Getting Going

The other interns have arrived, and we are all staying at the McKinley Mission, which is an old Indian Mission just outside of a town called Wapato. This week was orientation week for them (and me) but it is time for me to really get crackin' on my research. I am quickly approaching the one quarter mark of my time here and have much to do.
This week I interviewed Wendell, who is an elder in the Yakama Nation. He is a gracious man and more than willing to teach me about Yakama culture and life on the rez. I have attached a picture of him to the right.
I have also had the opportunity to talk more with Chris and Mary Granberry of Sacred Road and learn more about this ministry's vision and purpose. It is always encouraging to see their passion and love for these people made evident in even the most casual of conversations. I have learned a lot about what life out here is like for them, and take joy in sharing in their triumphs and stuggles.
Finally, please pray that I would overcome a mysterious flu-like illness that I, and a few others here, have caught and can regain my strength. Later.

pardon the delay

I have moved since I posted last, and while I now have a bed, I don't have Internet (yet). Thus explains the delay between posts. Moving on:

I had the opportunity to attend (and dance at) a pow-wow at the local elementary school last Friday. It was a lot of fun to see the little native kids in their traditional regalia. During one of the dances a little boy took my hand and said, "I remember you; you're the church people...I missed you." This was extremely encouraging to me, and once the warm fuzzies subsided, it helped me to once again see that maybe being out here is worth it after all.
The next day I took Moses to visit his late parents at an Indian cemetery. While kind of eerie, it was a neat experience and I have really tried to make the most of every opportunity to learn more about Yakama culture, which, the more I know and the deeper I get, the more uncomfortable it seems to be. This is best illustrated when I showed up late for an anniversary party at the Longhouse. I retreated rather quickly after a sea of Indian heads turned to stare- but I guess this is what they go through every day around white people. I am still working on being comfortable around people from a culture drastically different from my own, but no matter how motivated I am my fear of making a fool of myself and/or being uncomfortable gets in the way. This I will have to overcome. Thank you for your prayers. out.

Miş Na Mişa (what's up)

I've been getting to know Moses more and more. I interviewed him about his life and native culture last Saturday (at a Mexican restaurant). I took him to the welfare office today to see if he could keep his benefits, but he's making too much money at the lumber yard. Stinks. He looks like an intimidating guy but is rather meek once you get to know him.
I took a bike ride with a little Latina girl yesterday. Her name is Marisol. She told me about her brother and how he was killed by a drunk driver. It was sad to hear, but her story is not unlike many people's here.
This evening was Bible Study; Paul and Lisa, the other interns, and I have assumed the role of youth directors over the middle school and high school age kids. They're a rough bunch. Most kids out here (almost all) suffer from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. This makes them easy irritated, easily distracted, and hard to read. Every day is a battle to grab there attention for two minutes. The younger kids aren't any better. Its hard to be a friend when you're getting spit on and cussed at...by a six year old. Its hard not to feel defeated when the day is over- but I remind myself that the battle is already won.
The stories I hear from people out here way heavy on my heart- adolescent girls who are raped nightly, pregnant women who are beaten, young children who are neglected. It's draining to be here, but that's Native America. out.

Day 5 on Indian Land

So far I've been helping the Granberrys get ready for the summer. This includes a lot of work on their house, the house where the interns will stay, and other various Sacred Road related activities. I've already interviewed two of the many great people I've met but have spent most of my time observing the happenings.
This afternoon a new friend of mine named Moses Andy gave me and fellow intern Paul Norman a backroads tour of White Swan, his old stomping grounds. Moses has proved to be a great resource for info on native culture and the way things used to be on the heart of the rez. I look forward to talking with him further and learning his story. later.

the first few days

Hello all. I arrived in Yakama on the Saturday night (may 12) after a glorious cross country road trip. So far I've been working, hanging out, and learning all kinds of good from the people here. More to come.