Hello Family and Friends,
As I reflect over the summer on all of the joys and the sorrows I am reminded of a verse in 1 Peter 5:7 which says, "Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you." With all the people that come and go in the summer months sometimes it is hard to know what to do with all of the memories- the good and the bad. What a comfort it is to know that the Lord is our friend who bears all our anxieties and cares.
It hardly seems possible that our twelve week summer program has come to an end. We had a very eventful summer. 19 houses were roofed here in Yakama, several hundred kids were loved on and heard the gospel both in Yakama and in Warm Springs, Oregon, and 29 people were baptised. Most of the baptisms were of children and youth who regularly attend our Tuesday night Bible study. Also, we had five full teams serve on the Warm Springs Reservation as well as on the Yakama Reservation. To watch videos of the teams and baptism services visit
you tube.
I enjoyed spending more time with several of the girls from our youth group. We spent several weeks this summer building and priming 21 picnic tables for our new church facility. It was fun to learn how to use the power tools with them and to share a feeling of accomplishment. I enjoyed seeing how proud they were of their own work. To read more about the tables and to see a picture visit my blog
here.
I was also able to spend a week at summer camp with our youth director, Chuck Clevenger. Camp High Rock is the work of four churches coming together to serve kids 4th though 8th grade. This year there were about 80 kids. The high schoolers worked as junior counselors. We had about 10 of our youth who worked as junior counselors. They did an amazing job of serving the kids by helping them with their crafts, leading small groups based on the Bible lessons, and helping serve and clean up all of the meals. Chuck and I led the evening Bible lessons and we were able to use the youth to help us retell the stories to the kids. To watch a video of camp click
here.
Also, I was able to spend a week with one of our youth, Felicia, serving with a team down in Warm Springs. It was good to watch Felicia serve Native America not only on her home reservation, but also on another reservation. We worked with the tribe on several projects which included: painting planters in their community garden, painting and posting house markers for the fire department, and cleaning the community center. It was good to see our youth group find their role in the church this summer through working with the teams here in Yakama, helping at Camp High Rock, and serving down on the Warm Springs Reservation.
As a team we continue to taste the pain and sadness in the community. A couple of weeks ago a 9 year old boy, Sonny, who has been a part of kids club in Totus Park and has attended Tuesday night Bible study off and on was killed in a car accident. It is hard to know why the Lord would take Sonny at this time in his life, but we know the Lord is good and just. Pray for his family, especially his younger sister sissy who has also been a part of kid's club and Bible study. Pray that we would have good interactions with his family over the coming months.
I just received word today that the recent caretaker of the Long house, Jesse Gomez, passed away. He was diagnosed with untreatable stomach cancer at the beginning of the summer. His wife Leah, one of his three daughters Thelma, and two of his three sons, Sam and Manny, have been a part of our Bible study. Chris Granberry had a few chances to talk to Jesse before he passed away and he did confess Jesus as his Savior. Pray for his family as they go through the several day funeral process. Pray for comfort and strength for them over the coming months and that they would cast there sorrows onto Jesus.
I continue to be so thankful to be living and working and the Yakama Reservation. Thank you for all of your prayers and support for me and for the community of White Swan.
Heather German
PO Box 218 Harrah, WA- 98933
