The love of God

There don't appear to be many bible verses 
about God being like a constant warm fire 
in the depth of winter. 

I suspect the disciples, 
being from lands of endless desert and blazing heat, 
could never have imagined cold like a South Dakota winter cold; 
the kind of cold in which you can literally freeze to death 
if exposed to the elements for longer than 20 minutes. 

They probably couldn't imagine that the same landscape 
would be capable of desert heat in the summer - 
with temperatures in excess of 110 degrees! 
Welcome to South Dakota!

They probably also couldn't imagine the inadequacies of housing stock 
where you could freeze to death 
while being inside a building.

Again,
welcome to any reservation in South Dakota. 
Emmanuel designated the 2016 Christmas offering to Rosebud's
Firewood (and Propane) for the Elders project
to address both these realities.

It was our most successful in-gathering in Emmanuel's 150 yr history - 
with over $20,000.00 being our final offering. 

Money which translated to 65+ cords of wood 
being reclaimed from tribal lands, 
cut and distributed
to Lakota elders and their families 
(frequently comprised of multi generational members),
as well as $10,000.00 of propane bills paid
 for those lucky enough to have heaters.

Firewood for the Elders is now a year long operation
and we'll spend time tomorrow chopping and splitting.
 Today, there was more work on the Kiddie Korral -
an enclosure around the playground
which will help ensure that the little ones don't wander off
while older brothers and sisters are playing ball.
and working to put the floor and roof
on the announcers booth aka concession stand.

We also got to visit with a family we've known the longest on the reservation -
since the early 90's!
We worked in full - on South Dakota sun
 and it was exhausting!
As in brutal!
Weather promises to be even hotter tomorrow -
so we decided to take our half day off then;
we'll visit a museum, the University book store
and then clean
in anticipation of an early start back
on Saturday morning.

Where has our week gone?



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