Heartbreak and hope - by Casey and Terri Haarstad

You have been hearing a little bit about our prayers and hope that the children from Geraldine Bluebird’s neighborhood would be able to connect with the program run at the Pine Ridge Retreat Center by Larry Peterson. There were 9 kids at Larry’s afternoon program on Monday but only 1 was from Geraldine’s neighborhood. The other 8 were kids Larry already knew. This is my first time at Pine Ridge and I cannot even put into words what Geraldine’s neighborhood is like. All I can say is that it looked like a neighborhood from another country.

I hear from people who have been coming a long time that kids would come running from everywhere when they saw the van pull up. I heard that it was very poor, very crowded, and always busy. Now, however, it looks and feels like a ghost town. When we pulled up to Geraldine’s house, there was no one on the street. But, a woman opened the door and peeked out of the Sugar Shack. I think she is living there. She saw us, went inside, and closed her door, and moved something in front of the window so we really couldn’t see in there. The rest of the street was completely empty except one little boy, about 3 years old, playing on the porch alone. He was sitting in a wheelchair and wheeling to the edge of the stairs like he was going to go right down it. We went to the door and a man answered. He said the children are all gone. Some have moved, some just don’t come around here anymore, and others – like Bobbi’s (Geraldine’s daughter) children went with her to Rapid City just an hour before we got there. Her baby has lung problems and is really sick and had been taken by helicopter to the hospital there. Anyway, Tyson, the little boy playing in the wheelchair, was the only one we could bring to the Retreat Center.

Today, after lots of prayer for more connections with the children, we went back. It was still pretty deserted but there were some young men on Geraldine’s porch with Tyson and a little girl. Tyson was allowed to come with but for some reason the little girl did not. It made me really sad to see these little kids here because there was huge piles of garbage laying everywhere, broken down cars piled up in yards, houses with no doors that you could see right through to the other side, burned out trailers, broken glass and stuff all over.

A card my gramma gave me had a Bible verse in it. It said “They may speak without a sound or word; Their voice is never heard. Yet, their message has gone throughout the earth; and their words to all the world.” Psalm 19:3-4. It kind of made me hope that even though the people won’t come out of their houses, they will see we are there. They will see we still care and that we are there when they are ready.

Okay ... That’s enough heartbreak!!!!!

For the hope part ...

Casey was exhausted and needed sleep so... She has gone to bed and I have promised to finish her blog. She felt very strongly that everyone needs to know the hopeful part, too. So you’re stuck with my thoughts and opinions. ;0)

Peggy was able to connect with a woman named Janine on Monday. So, after picking up Tyson, we drove to the place where Janine is staying. Janine is a beautiful young Lakota woman who used to hang around Geraldine’s neighborhood. She had agreed to help round up children who had connected with the Pine Ridge Team on previous trips and she came through. There still wasn’t the 12 – 15 we expected but there were a great deal more than 1. Janine came with us to the Retreat Center and we got to visit with her while the kids played. She has experienced a lot of tragedy in her life (which, unfortunately is common here) and was very open and willing to share details of her life with all of us. I was amazed by her willingness to share since some of us hadn’t met her before. Krista, Casey, and others made spray painted t-shirts with all the kids. They had a blast (I meant the kids but Krista & Co. did, too)!!! The great news is that the kids and Janine want to come back tomorrow. The retreat Center is also within walking distance of Janine’s home which means that there is possibility for year round support for them vs 1 week a year. Anyway... It’s time to go. More later :0)