Let's Partner Together in Ministry

This summer was an incredible journey. Each day I look back on it and smile. However, my smile always turns into tears. It is during the moments that I reflect on my summer that I remember my heart still lies in Heart Butte. I long for nothing more than to go back and to be surrounded by the people I love, and to hold the children I so dearly miss. To laugh, play, love, and share the good news with them once again. When I think of their trials, the things their young minds and eyes have to see and endure, it is too much for my heart to bear. It is at those moments I cry out all the hurt, and then fall on my knees and pray for them. And pray for God’s sweet justice, mercy, and love to cover them. It’s in these moments I think, God can I do nothing? Was it truly only a summer? Is my mission over? And God answers with a bold NO.

            With much knowledge comes great responsibility my friends. The things that I witnessed this summer, the poverty, the despair, the need. Those things and calls to service cannot go unanswered. Before leaving Heart Butte I desperately asked Jolene “What can I do Jolene? Tell me how I can serve these children even when I’m miles away.” Jolene told me of how the local school had run out of money, and they had no means to buy school supplies. They didn’t know where they were going to get supplies for the children to go to school. That was one call. Another she told me about was coats. Jolene once told me that some parents would send their children to school without coats during the winter, because they did not have the money to buy them. That was call number two. The students also do not own snow boots. No matter the weather, or their shoe attire the students have mandatory recess. One of the teachers at the school said the children come in with soaked feet and pants, they are freezing and find no relief for their cold damp feet.

            Many of you amazing youth who came and served this summer know of the situation of the children living in heart butte. You witnessed their clothes that were too big/small, dirty, and tattered. I know several of you helped me each day take off and shove back on their shoes that were two sizes too small. And so I ask you to pray about partnering with me in this call to ministry. Is God calling you to rise up and answer this call?

            The past few months I have been working on a ministry for Heart Butte. I ran a school and coats drive at my Church and they were so gracious and gave much. I had the blessing of shipping that stuff out just days ago. YouthWorks also granted me a ministry grant to send some more school supplies and snow boots over. However, there is still much need. More coats, snow boots, clothes and school supplies are needed. I want to give each of you the opportunity to put into practice what you learned this summer. To rise up, to be different, and to answer the call of a people crying out in need. Drives like the one I did can be ran in all of your states through your church, and put on by you. This could be a ministry your youth group decides to put on together to serve the site you served this summer. Guys, missions doesn’t end when you leave the site for the summer. It can continue while you are away. Jesus Once said “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of these brothers of mine, you did for me” Matthew 25:40.

Many of you left me in awe this summer. You are an inspiring group of youth and it was an honor for me to serve with you. I pray that you are all doing well, and I love hearing from you all it blesses my heart! If you feel the Lord is calling you to participate in this ministry please contact me! This is an opportunity for you to love like Jesus, serve like Jesus, and truly make a difference in a world that so dearly needs that love and service today.

If you are interested contact me at

Bcrouch0146@hotmail.com

kakaka kids club!!

On an average kids club day I often hear statements like this “Bonnie….

Two Rez dogs are trying to break into the building

Two kids are fighting outside

Two kids are having a rock fight outside

My dad’s going to shoot your head off with his BB gun

My dad’s going to cut you with his knife

She bit and kicked me

That kids running away

Boo has someone tied up outside, she says she’s playing cops and robbers

And the list goes on……………

Sometimes kids club is hard and frustrating and exhausting. There are times when all I want to do is run away and cry. This is very much what my first two weeks of programming looked like. All I did all day was discipline. I questioned if it was going to be like that the rest of the summer. I questioned my purpose of being here, and I questioned my ability to make it through the summer. At the point when I felt that the only option was to throw in the towel God intervened in mighty ways!

My first few weeks of Kids Club were spent trying to implement structure, disciplining, and constantly having hard conversations with kids who just weren’t listening. However, as week three rolled around things drastically changed. Here are just a few stories of the amazing ways that God is working here on the reservation.

Shawna

Shawna is a three-year-old girl who comes to kids club. She often times runs away from her station and wreaks havoc. One day at kids club I chased her around until I could finally catch her. Once I did I wrapped my arms around her tight while she fought out all of her anger. While she was fighting I thought to myself “I’m done, I am so done with this” As soon as I had finished uttering that statement I heard a small voice say, “I will never stop loving you”. It was such a beautiful moment! The moment my flesh failed God stepped in, in mighty ways and loved her through me! Once she was tired of fighting her body relaxed and I gathered her up in a tight embrace. I began praying over her and as I prayed I felt her body relax and something leave her. She then sat down with me for the next half hour as we read different Bible stories. It was during this time I was able to share with her who Jesus was, and what heaven was. When she asked about heaven and I explained that if we accepted Jesus into our hearts we too get to live with him in heaven forever! Her eyes got as large as saucers and she shook her head no in disbelief. She could hardly believe that could be true. What a blessing it is to see a child hear the gospel for the first time! I pray for her and that she may come to know the Lord! 

Dnky

Is the one who voiced the threats read above. He is only three and yet he was telling me his father was going to shoot my head off, and cut me with his knife. As he was talking I could just see something in his eyes, a wild unruly look. After he voiced these threats I picked that small child up and hugged him tight and prayed over him. I continued to pray over him until I felt him relax in my arms. Once I was finished praying I looked down into his deep brown eyes and my heart just broke! He was able to finish out the day at kids club with no further problems. Much of my day is spent hugging and praying for this little boy.

I could tell you a million more stories, and may just write another blog post introducing you to the children of kids club.

Though my job is hard and exhausting I know at the end of the day it’s worth it. It’s in those moments when I’m praying over a child, or enjoying their smiles and laughter that I know I’m right where God wants’ me to be. It’s the moments when I’m praying over a crying teen who has just encountered Christ for the first time, that I know it’s worth it. It’s when I have a kid who was once throwing fireworks at me coming to kids club and handing over their fireworks, that I know their being changed. It’s when a child comes up to me and says “I wuv you” that I know  I’m making a difference. It’s when I get to share the Gospel with a child for the first time that I know It’s all in God’s timing. These are the moments that get me through the day. Each day I surrender myself as a servant to God and pray that He will work entirely through me. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.(1Timothy 1:17)

You Know You're in Montana When......

1. Everything around you is green
2. Everything around you is green because it almost NEVER stops raining
3. Summer attire includes beanies, large coats, and boots
4. Mapquest directions include: Turn right on an unnamed road. Turn left at the trading post. Keep driving until you past beaver creek your destination will then be on your right.
5. People keep referring to this thing called a crick (creek)
6. You can't go running in the morning for fear of grizzly bears!
7. You encounter a traffic jam on said unnamed road due to one of two things. Either it's Cows taking their sweet time crossing, or a group of people decide to pretend their horses are cars and use the road to ride into town.

Yes my friends tis true this is the state in which my summer shall be spent! Life on the reservation is a completely different world, but God is so good and I have fallen in love with my new home! If not for the beautiful view I get to wakeup to each morning, it's for the remarkable people I get to encounter daily!

Each time my team walks around town we are greeted by several community members, each one asking the inevitable question "Are you YouthWorks?!" I see the excitement in their eyes, they have anticipated this day, the day when YouthWorks returns. It's amazing to me to see the presence this organization has on the Blackfeet Reservation, and how God has used it all for His glory! O what a joy it is to know that God has allowed me to be apart of that mission!

In one short week we will finally welcome our first team! I have the privilege of leading this team in putting on a Kids Club for the local kids. During this time the children of the community will have an opportunity to be loved with the love of Jesus, play games, memorize Bible verses, and hear the Good News! Praise Jesus!

Pray for me this next week as I dive into community life! Traveling from house to house spreading the news about kids club and meeting the children and parents of the community! May I shine the light of Christ in each and every home and with each and every encounter. Continue to pray for the hearts of the children to be ready to hear the Gospel, and that God would be working in the hearts of the teens that are coming to serve!

Summer of 2011- Blackfeet Reservation in Heart Butte Montana

This summer I will be working with the Blackfeet tribe in Heart Butte, Montana. The Blackfeet Nation, traveled by Lewis and Clark in 1806, encompasses approximately 1.5 million acres, and is bordered by the Canadian province of Alberta to the north. The Blackfeet Indian Reservation was established by the Treaty of 1855 and today is home to about 7,000 of the over 15,000 total tribal members. Today, most tribal members are in the ranching and farming business. Unemployment, however, is high on the reservation. The Bureau of Indian Affairs estimates the unemployment rate is 69 percent among registered members of the tribe. The YouthWorks site is located in the reservation community of Heart Butte, a town of about 700 residents. In Heart Butte, nearly 45 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, including 50 percent of those under age 18. 


During the summer I, along with my team will be ministering to this tribe in a variety of ways. Each week we will run a kids club for kids in the tribe. They are estimating an attendance of 40-80 kids each week! Thats 40-80 young souls hearing the truth of God's word and the Gospel each week! Praise God! We will also minister to the community through different work projects and serving them in areas of need. We will be the hands and feet of Jesus this summer as we minister to His children! Pray for us as we go and serve, and pray for the hearts of the people to be ready to hear the Gospel. We are going to a dark land, a land in desperate need of Jesus's light. Pray for us as our feet travel to share the good news!