Wow, how do I describe the Rosebud mission trip from my perspective? In order to express what took place I need to take you on a journey from the past. Those of you who have been with us from the conception of our ministry will enjoy a recap and those who are new will discover more about us.

It has been ten years since we left Rosebud Reservation, after spending four years working with the Lakota people. We always said we left a piece of our heart there when we left to pursue what we believe God was calling us to. Since that time Howard and I had returned five times for brief trips. Three times for a visit while traveling other places, once for a funeral and once on a mission trip. This year’s mission trip made our second mission trip, and sixth trip back

During our field term on Rosebud when people asked us what we were doing there, our answer was always the same “building relationships”, somewhat sheepishly I might add. Sent forth to a reservation to “build relationships, what happened to “Sent forth into all the world to preach the gospel?” Isn’t that what missionary work is?... Preaching comes in so many forms. During that time we mostly worked with children and youth. I remember God continued to remind us that our calling there was to love people, and build relationships.

Rosebud was very hard ground to plow and there were many times of discouragement, and to be honest, we left Rosebud feeling like we had failed God. We tried our best to believe otherwise and were encouraged by many that we had done well, but in our hearts we felt like we left a work unfinished. We often talked of going back someday with other Native believers to continue a work there. Little did we know then, or even know a few months ago, that God was asking us to go on a short term trip that would forever change the way we look at our past time on Rosebud.

It all started when Howard was scheduled to go on a trip with Wiconi to Rosebud. Richard Twiss taught an immersion class that was presented in conjunction with Wiconi International, Sinte Gleska University and Sioux Falls Theological Seminary. Howard was scheduled to film the classes. Howard asked me if I wanted to go with him on this ministry trip since he was headed for Rosebud. I had already decided at the beginning of the year that I was going to stay home this year for a multitude of reasons. But the question kept coming to me, “Is God asking me to go to Rosebud, and if so, what would I do there?” So I began to seriously pray about the trip.

Cathy Kable, who also lived and worked on Rosebud for several years (six of those after Howard and I had left), was checking out the Wiconi web site and saw the upcoming Rosebud trip and asked if I was going on the trip. At that point God began to speak to the two of us through our telephone conversations. We had a real sense that God was asking us to take a “Ladies Tea” to the young girls, now young ladies, who we had worked with on Rosebud. That was the beginning of our journey; the next step was to ask Liz and Debra, the ladies who minister with us during the “Ladies Teas,” if God was speaking to them. The four of us had not hosted a Ladies Tea since May of 2006. The word was “to take the tea”.

Thus we began to meet and pray, and God began to speak, He told us He would take care of every provision needed and He did. First during one of our prayers times He spoke very clearly that Howard was going ahead of us to prepare the way, to break the ground and every place He walked he would break up the ground. Howard was sent on a task of filming, but God sent him as a mighty warrior ahead of us, to prepare the way. As we traveled to Rosebud it gave us peace knowing Howard traveled the road before us preparing the way.

Through donations of people here in Oklahoma (including our son Nathan, which is significant because of the time he spent on the reservation as a child) we were able to provide a lunch for the ladies complete with dessert and flavored iced tea. We were able to give them gift bags containing journals and pens, body cream, beauty products from Mary Kay, beautiful candles, and fruit flavored lip balm. The bags were a very special gift from their Daddy God, just because He loves them. Because of a handful of people we were able to feed them an awesome brisket lunch (which was our host Pastors favorite meat), give them gifts bags, and invite them to hear the word of God shared by Liz. They were so ready for a date with their God!

God had also shared we were taking life to them the very breath of God, and you know as we gathered into the room for sharing of the word I saw two of the girls just breath in and I believe spiritually they were breathing that very breath of God. Even as I write the prescience of the Lord is so strong and I know at this time we don’t fully comprehend the magnitude of what God did and is still doing. I am in such awe of Him and His ways, how He never forgets a people, nor does He forget me. I tremble at the thought of how He might choose to take our love for obedience to Him and use us mere men and women. We love Him so we obey Him and He takes our simple obedience turns it into something magnificent! Only He can do that, only Him, none other than the Almighty God of the Universe. I wish I could stand before you all and thank Him with you because many of you have been a part of all of this.

How do I describe the ministry time during the tea... the word was shared in story form, which is just how the Lakota people relate. But the personalized ministry time, although it was public, He made it so personal, so intimate, it was incredible. I was there and I can’t adequately explain it. The ladies received a lot of ministry, and they were very grateful. They were desperately waiting to hear from God. One of the young ladies emailed later to say “Thank you all for coming, I am so glad you all came it was just what I needed to get back on track, now I will be okay.”

I have rambled but what I want to get across is that in 1993 God sent us to Rosebud and in 1995 He sent Cathy to Rosebud and thus he began a work in us, and through us, which is still going on at this present time. Some of the ladies didn’t know Cathy was coming and the surprise was so sweet, the embraces said so much. Many of you have been a part since the beginnings and have been praying for us, I want you to know the fruit of those prayers and support are being manifested. Just as I told Wastewin the fruit of her Grandma Mercy’s prayers are being realized before our very eyes.
 

Wiconi Family Camp & Powwow is an Important Beginning Step for a Young Lakota Man!
 

Once again Howard and I were able to attend the Wiconi Family Camp and Powwow. We also had the pleasure of inviting a guest, Marcus Packard from Rosebud Reservation. Marcus, 22 Yrs old, is the middle child of April Harrison. Some of you may remember April from your Rosebud trips.

Marcus has had a few rough years, the last three especially. He has kept in touch with us over the years. When he met up with Howard on Rosebud he asked if we would be willing to help him get off the Reservation. He felt as long as he stayed there he would be unable to walk away form all the unhealthy lifestyle choices he was making. Howard and I had a suspicion he would ask that question when he heard we were coming, so we had been praying about it ahead of time. Howard shared with Marcus he would be willing to help him change his life if that is what he truly intended to do. Marcus had talked about going to Job Corp to learn a trade. There happens to be a Job Corp 20 minutes from our home. Marcus came with us when we returned home from Rosebud.

We had plans to attend family camp a week after we returned home so now we needed to raise money for Marcus to fly with us. We contacted a few churches in the area explained the situation and within the week enough was donated to pay for Marcus’s flight, and we paid his tuition for the camp. He really enjoyed the camp and began to build relationship with the Twiss guys (Richard & Katherine have 4 adult sons). Marcus had a chance to see and fellowship with successful, focused young Native American men around his own age.

Marcus made several giant steps since his decision to make a better life for himself and his daughter. The first was actually taking the step to leave the reservation. It is very difficult for Native Americans who grow up on the reservation to leave. The next step he accomplished was going through the process of signing up for Job Corp. He also flew on an airplane for the first time, which he was not looking forward to, but now after four flights he has overcome the fear. After his time at Family Camp he was encouraged to take a chance and dream of a better life for him and his daughter.

He has been at Job Corp for 6 weeks and is doing well. He chose the hardest of trades, masonry work, but he loves it. Please pray for Marcus, he still has many struggles. Some of the steps Marcus has taken may seem small to us but believe me when I say for a young Native man who has lived on the reservation and lived the life Marcus has lived they were huge steps. We pray that through all of this Marcus will see Jesus the Life Changer as his own personal Lord and Savior and allow Jesus to guide him through the rest of his life.


 

A few months ago Cedar Creek Church asked Howard if he would help them plan an outreach during the Carnegie Fair. They had desired to do a ministry outreach to the community for some time, but just were not sure how to go about it.

Howard worked with them giving them some pointers on doing a puppet performance; and they ran with it. They put together an excellent show. They asked us to come to watch their dress rehearsal. We were so excited when we saw what a great job they had done, they had practiced diligently and it paid off. The puppet show went off so well at the fair they were asked if they could perform it on Sat evening as well.

Now I am going to do a little reminiscing again, we had used puppets, had people come on outreach to teach how to make puppets, had puppet seminars and I (Char) taught puppet techniques twice at Cedar Creek. At the time, which was years ago, it seemed as though it was a nice thing to do but no one was really interested. Now I believe we are once again seeing God using “simple obedience” to do a work years later. Another instance of following what you heard the Lord say even though you’re wondering where the fruit is, only to see it manifest later. Does He thrill your heart or what? He certainly thrilled mine when I saw the excitement of those preparing to do the outreach. They were reaching out into the community for Jesus and they would do it with all their heart.

Another part of their outreach was doing a Gospel sing, which Howard participated in. Howard loves to sing and Cedar Creek folks always welcome him as one of them.
 

Prayer & Praise

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. From whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man. That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.   Ephesians 3:14-21