Highlight of the week

     Today we continued working our little projects, accomplishing what we could from the list, and fostering relationships as we can throughout the day. Eric Red Horse made his habitual early morning visit for breakfast and coffee. Sylvester came by for lunch and to ask for some assistance in moving the old merry-go-round from the park in the community up to the church ( a new playground is being installed in the community). Debbie Day came by to take the guys to her place and to her brother's to mow the grass.  Nan went along to visit and ended up doing quite a bit of cleaning at Debbie's house. We have had a great week connecting with people and deepening relationships.  

     Wednesday night we had a larger than expected meal with many people coming up who have connections to the church and to Byron and Toni. We had a great meal with chicken, hot dogs, fry bread wo zapi (fruit syrup into which you dip the fry bread). It was another great time of fellowship. 

     We had heard earlier in the week that they wanted to do a ceremony for the Fiskes since they had lost both of Chip's parents and Joy's father all in May. They did a Wiping of the Tears ceremony for them. It started out by one of the ladies giving Chiles a quilted pillow and Joy and Chip received a quilt. The elders were asked to share a few words to the Fiske family. Ben, who is a councilman representing this area to the Indian Council, then sang a song and while he was singing Byron did a smudging for them. The smudging is where he takes a smoldering bundle of sage and shakes the smoke around them. It was a very moving experience for the Fiskes and it was special for the rest of us to be a part of.

Later in the evening we gathered around the fire and talked with Nathaniel. This week we have been very intentional about relationships and we are seeing the benefits of that as we are able to get well beyond superficial conversations. We have been invtited into their homes and into their lives.