A Foreigner’s Perspective: Thoughts from a Newcomer 4

Okay, in case you’re tired of me blathering on about this trip, here’s my friend Ellen Rodgers to take over the blathering. Just kidding. This was Ellen’s first trip with up (but hopefully not her last), and I think a first-timer’s perspective is an important thing to share. I think Ellen has done a beautiful job of sharing her thoughts. Enjoy!

A Foreigner’s Perspective

Foreigner in the sense that I was the only one that drove out to South Dakota from Washington State and  was told I was the first person from that part of the country that had ever  participated in the trip.  Mainly everyone is from the Mid-West or further east.  And…I’ve always loved mid west folk, because they portray a part of  America that I have always loved.  Just good, warm-hearted, stay in one place, down to earth folk.  And boy did they prove me right. 

From the minute I arrived in South Dakota I got a very warm welcome hug from Lloyd and then was introduced to all the others.  Everyone welcomed me with open arms and I just went along for the ride.  They  included me like I had always been a part of the group and didn’t adjust their routine or schedule for the “newcomer.”  And because they did that and stayed themselves that in turn enabled me to just be myself and be a part of a very wonderful and unique experience. 

Well except for Spencer who kept teasing  me that I was indeed a Starbuck’s foreigner, which I’m really not as I’m not from Seattle.

Anyway, the first thing we did after we met at the truck stop, was drop off most of  the donations at a community center and then the rest at the homes in Potato Creek.  It was really a neat and humbling experience for me to see people come out of their homes and start looking through all the bags of clothing, diapers, toys, housewares etc. with no hint of embarrassment or pride. 

I could tell the Indians considered everyone in the group  their friends and that they were  enjoying the yearly reunion.  There was an unspoken trust that this group of people, mostly from Indiana,  were their friends and that they knew they were being genuinely cared for and that they mattered. 

The trip was amazing in that we did so much in a week, yet it didn’t seem rushed or too much to do etc.  Everything seemed to flow with ease even though there was no particular leader at the helm.  Everyone respected one another and helped and supported each other.  I got to see a lot of South Dakota too, so it was like a mini vacation wrapped up in a mission trip.  The sight seeing ties in with the mission too, as it is heavily laden with Indian history and culture. 

I think my favorite experience was the ceremony we had at an Indian Elder’s home.  We arrived at the house and entered into a room full of people.  I have never seen so many people jammed into a home at one time!  It got quite warm and there were no windows so I began to get a little uncomfortable but I just said a prayer and asked God to give me peace, which he did. 

Then the lights were shut off and the only other time I’ve been in complete darkness like that was in a cave.  But…what was cool was to hear the Indians pray in their language and see them perform their prayer rituals (before the lights were turned off).  I felt a real peace in being a part of their worship/prayer time and had this thought that maybe heaven will be like this.  We will all be worshiping God in our own unique way as one people, no more divisions.   

Another thought I had was how white people seem to be uncomfortable with darkness as with our culture it’s always lots of light and being seen and performing.  Where the dark is a way to  keep us more humble because there wouldn’t be the focus on one  person (because you can’t see anyone else).  It just showed me we can always learn something from other cultures and religions.  We aren’t always right in the way we do things.  

Then they fed us this huge meal of Indian fry bread, a  yummy soup and a dessert called wah-jhah-pee made with choke cherries which was delicious.  I wish someone had told us they fed us as I had dinner before and wasn’t hungry and I would have enjoyed it more.  Afterwards I told our group that I didn’t have to do the sweat lodge now as I already experienced it in the house,  profusely sweating in the dark, ha, ha.

And…last but not least, playing with the Indian children every day and bringing them a lunch was a way to just love on them and let them know they are important.  Spencer Davis was in charge of the Bible lesson each day and being able to play a guitar and sing with the children added so much more to the lesson.  But…I could tell those children enjoyed  playing with us and having a meal.  Again a reminder that it’s the simple things in life, of sharing our humanity with them that is the most important and makes the most impact on their young memories of us as a group.

Ok, ok Lloyd told me not to be afraid of mentioning any of the bad stuff.  Well….there really wasn’t any bad stuff since this was my first time I have nothing to compare it to.  I felt like I was just floating having a good ‘ol time while poor Lloyd was suffering.  That’s beginner’s luck, I guess, ha, ha. Ok, I’ll admit at first I thought there is no one in charge, no instructions or directions etc.,so how is this all going to work out?  But, like Lloyd said in his post, it all seemed to work out. 

If you are thinking of coming on this trip, the best way to experience it in it’s fullness is to be open, positive and VERY flexible.  If you are a rigid, control freak please don’t come.  But…if you can let go of all your expectations of how a group mission should be done, you will then be blessed and surprised beyond your  imagination.  

Ellen