Heart Butte, MT ... Tuesday

Day two in Heart Butte, MT...




Marvin's House:
Our crew that went to Marvin's house were excited to head back. Once they arrived they got to work quickly to finish the painting project they started yesterday. They anticipated time with Marvin and a tour of his beautiful mountain range once they were done with their work. However, they began to find themselves disappointed when Marvin had not returned from home after lunch. As the crew cleaned up thinking they were heading back without the culture lesson they had hope for, Marvin's brother Tom came by. Tom had come to his brother's house to begin setting up the Sun Dance Lodge. Tom asked our crew to help unload some porta potties then he invited them to join him in seeing the Sun Dance Lodge.

Here is what our crew shared about what they learned about the Sun Dance Lodge:
Any race, religion or anyone is welcome to come and dance, pray and participate in the Sun Dance. People come from all over the world to be apart of the Sun Dance Lodge. People dance and pray for those who are sick, those they do not know it is place that burdens are laid down for those in needs.

At the center pillar of the lodge participants put gifts in order to participate in the Sun dance.
The eagle nest is where prayers go and at the end of time it fly's away and brings them to your creator.
The lodge is made of 12 Y shaped logs and they represent the 12 disciples. 12 pillars connect to the center and the prayers travel up.

8 ribbons are visible to represent different items: The white ribbon is for the creator, the yellow ribbon is for the sun, the light blue ribbon is for the sky, the dark blue ribbon is for the mountains, the purple ribbon is for the buffalo, the orange ribbon is for the moon, the green ribbon is for mother earth and the red ribbon is for the rain and thunder.

Everything used in the Sun Dance Lodge has to be gathered in a ceremonial manner, it is consider one of the Blackfeet highest ceremonies.
Those who dance wear bracelets around their wrists, ankles and head that represent the nails on the cross. The Sun Dance last 4 days & nights you dance from sun rise to sunset. They believe that all your prayers are answered if you dances the 4 days and nights.



Heart Butte: Our other work crew that was in Browning yesterday, stay in Heart Butte today. They painted and fix up a trailer house down from the school, it was a teacher's home. They did not get to meet anyone but their act of love showed through in the hard work they did. They also had a good time playing, laughing and being with each other as a crew.


Kids Club: Our crews at kids club today loved on many kids today and they showed amazing patience as it was a harder day. We processed as a group how important our love and attention we give is to these kids because many of them do not receive it at home. One highlight of Kids Club today was our group used the gift of music the kids club kids loved singing "Radical God" and they went home singing many of the songs we taught them.




Tuesday Night Evening Activity:
Tonight a handful of our group stay with Denise,a woman who comes in each week to teach traditional Blackfeet beading. She taught the group how to make a traditional beaded bracelet. She family has their own pattern for beading and it is something that has to be past down through the family. Denise received the tradition of beading from her grandmother.



The rest of our group headed out to Lake,(which is on the way to Marvin's house) it sits at the base of Heart Butte mountain. We all enjoyed the view (lots of pictures were taken) and while we were there we prayed for the people we have met and for the community of Heart Butte. It was a beautiful evening.



Shout Out: "Happy Birthday Sam Heath", We celebrated throughout the day. He even got sung to by an a native boy in Blackfeet tradition.



Tomorrow, we switch... those who have done kids club move to work protects and work protects move to kids club. Tomorrow night we head to Glaicer Mountain which we are all excited about!

Blessings ~ Mel