During four long days, the group raised a barn, held ministry nights, and more
Riva Sharples | Editor
The days were long and hard, but the overall experience was incredibly rewarding, say the 30 volunteers from Beresford’s Brooklyn Church who traveled to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation for five days of mission work last week. The crew, which was made up of children, teen, and adult volunteers, were on the reservation from last Sunday evening, July 20, through Friday morning, July 25.
“We were a very diverse group with many different gifts,” said Brooklyn Pastor John Mochel, speaking to the Brooklyn Church congregation last Sunday after returning from the trip. “God allowed us to be able to work quickly and efficiently together to accomplish way more than we thought we could.”
The crew was on the Pine Ridge Reservation to assist Oyate Concern, a Christian mission that serves the people of Pine Ridge from its headquarters in Oglala. During their time there, the Brooklyn volunteers raised a barn from nothing to near completion, leveled and graveled a road, led ministry nights, painted and did other projects around the Oyate Concern headquarters, and spread God’s love through an impromptu food ministry.
The crew got going each day at 6:30 a.m. with breakfast and Bible study. Then, a little more than half the crew went to work constructing a horse barn that will be used by Oyate Concern for an outreach program. While some were building the barn, a smaller crew worked on smoothing out a pot-hole ridden dirt road and turning it into a leveled-out, gravel road. Back at the Oyate Headquarters, meanwhile, a crew of women, children, and teens painted and carried out other important projects around the base. The kids made cards for those in a nearby nursing home and spread God’s love through a variety of other similar projects. The two Brooklyn volunteers who were in charge of food fed the hard-working crew three meals a day, and cooked even more food that turned into an impromptu food ministry.
Utilizing donations provided by Brooklyn Church members back home, the ladies cooked up enough food to not only feed the Brooklyn volunteers, but also to feed some in the community. “To go” meals were sent home with kids and families after ministry nights. The kitchen crew was also able to put together food bags to give to people on the reservation, which were much appreciated. This ministry was able to sprout thanks to the generosity of church members back in Beresford and the crew’s hands being guided by God, members said.
Back at the horse barn, after working in the hot sun all morning and afternoon, the crew returned to headquarters for dinner and a bit of recovery before switching gears to stage ministry nights with different themes: Teen Night, Kids’ Night, and Family Night. During these ministry nights, the Brooklyn crew interacted with members of the Pine Ridge community, playing games, and, most importantly, sharing the news of Jesus and His love for all in attendance.
It was rewarding to see the joy on the faces of those who came, said one Brooklyn volunteer. Added another, speaking about the children in particular: “Although not everyone may have fully understood what we taught, a seed has been planted that God can grow in the future.”
This was the first time a mission team from Brooklyn Church has traveled to Pine Ridge to help with Oyate Concern. Church members said they are open to taking additional trips in the future, if that is where God calls them again.