Parade!

     On Saturday, balloons, streamers, candy, 15 youth, the Sacred Road staff, 2 vans pulling a shower trailer and a work trailer, bubbles, shower caps, and a plethora of giant cardboard rubber duckies equaled a parade.  The festivities started when the youth got together on Friday night to wash vehicles, blow up balloons, and cut out decorations for the Harrah Town Fall Parade.  That night, after things were in place for the parade everyone roasted hot dogs and marshmallows over a bonfire and we ended the night with singing.  Each of the youth got to spend the night with their D-group leader.  

     Early Saturday morning we were all back together assembling our two floats for the parade.  The first float we pulled was our Warm Springs shower trailer.  Because the church that the teams stay at down in Warm Springs does not have any showers, our friend, Bob, built us a trailer with four shower stalls in it that we could haul down to Warm Springs.  The youth made signs for the side of the trailer that said “showers of blessings”.  Four youth guys stood in the stalls, shower caps and all, and blew bubbles as they rode down the street.  Staff and youth followed behind the trailer carrying giant, card board rubber duckies and tossed candy to the crowds.  The second trailer we pulled was  decorated with balloons and streamers and Sacred Road banners. Youth and staff tossed more candy from inside the trailer.  It was great to see the youth enjoy the entire process of getting ready for the parade and then being a part of the parade.  They were proud to be associated with Sacred Road.  We even one a trophy that we hope to put in the youth room at our new building.  

Tianna getting the float ready

Kassandra, Connie, and Morgan

Ann Marie and Chris working on the shower trailer

Anthony, Chris, Errol, and Eric

Anthony blowing bubbles

Marisol, Beth, Yaanibaah, Sonovia, Ann Marie, and Connie

Sacred Road Float

Summer 2011 update

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

(509) 930-5903

Levin and Philip

My mom told my a fun story about my nephews the other day.  My parents had two of my nephews (Levin-5, and Philip-3) over to play on Saturday.  The boys were outside riding in their plastic cars-  the ones that are red on bottom and yellow on top.  My mom listened in to the game they were playing.  They were loading up the back of their cars with wood and driving it over to the other side of the yard which was "Yakama".  They were going to repair houses in Yakama.  I know they remember to pray for me and my friends in Yakama often.  Missions has become a part of their reality at such a young age.  It is fun to think about what God will be doing through them in 20 years.

School supplies

Sacred Road is collecting school supplies for the kids and youth involved with Tuesday night Bible study. If you would like to join in the effort please consider sending a Walmart gift card by July 30th to:

Sacred Road Ministries
c/o Chris and Mary Granberry 
4711 Branch Road 
Wapato, WA 98951

If you would like to send supplies email our Children's ministry coordinator, Joshua Tsavatewa, for a specific list. jtsavatewa2002@yahoo.com

Yesterday I was driving home from the Granberry's house with several intern girls when the car in front of us pulled off to the side of the road.  I saw a women in the driver's seat flagging us down.  I went about  50 yards passed her car and decided,  I should turn around and see what she needed.  As we approached  the car and pulled over I could see it was a man and woman.  I rolled down my window to see what was wrong.  They were out of gas the woman explained.  Could I take her husband a few miles up the road to get gas?  I said sure and he hopped in the car with his plastic container for carrying gas.  The ride was silent.  When we got to the gas station he got out and said thanks for the ride assuming I wouldn't take him back.  I asked if he wanted a ride back to which he gratefully responded, "That would be great."  So we waited a couple of minutes for him to pump the gas, and drove him back the few miles.
      When we got back his wife got out of the car and I got out to greet her.  She hugged me as she explained that their gas gage was broken.  She thanked me for giving her husband a ride.  Then she held our her hand and said please except this gift.  In Yakama culture if somebody offers you a gift you take it.  So I reached forward to take the gift.  I thanked her and we parted ways.  When I got back in the car I examined the gift.  It was an intricately beaded barrette made from cut beads.  It was worth far more than a quick trip to the gas station and back.  The gift outweighed the act by a long shot. I didn't even pay for his gas.  I was extremely humbled.   It was a reminder to me of a good and beautiful part of Yakama culture.  They are generous and not stingy.  I pray that I may be as generous as they are with Christ's love.
 

Time for a Picnic

This is my fifth summer being here on the Rez, and this week I did something new.  Instead of heading over to the Granberry house in the morning to cook for the teams,  I picked up youth girls to work at the new church building.  When we arrived Monday morning there were two large piles of 2x6's.  When we pulled away on Friday afternoon, there were 9 brand new,  half primed, picnic tables.  Six girls worked with me and Bob throughout the week to create the masterpieces.  They worked very hard learning to use tables saws and drive screws.  I was learning along side them from our enthusiastic teacher, Bob.  The best part is we sweat and labored for our church.  These tables will be used to feed  a lot of people many meals.  I am so proud of the work they did.   And they are proud too!

L-R: Bob, Yaanibaah, Tionna, Riata, and Felicia

Promotion Party

This week we promoted our graduating fifth graders into the Youth Group.  On Monday evening we gathered with them at the new church building to celebrate their entrance into the youth group.  We played games, ate lots of food, did some praise and worship, and handed out our official youth group T-shirts to ten kids.  We talked to them about the privileges of being in Youth Group, which includes fun events and the possibility of being in a D-group.  We also talked about the responsibilities of being in youth group, which include serving and cleaning up the meal at Tuesday Bible study and helping run kids club.  They were all very excited to finally be considered a part of Youth Group.  At one point I was eating ice cream with one of the girls and I asked if she was having fun.  She said, "This is the best day of my life!"

At the end of the night the girls were all huddled around me and I told them that we would be having a Baptism service soon.  So they started asking me questions about what baptism was.  One of the girls, Judy, was just baptized in our baptism service two weeks ago and she started telling them all about it.  I really enjoyed the few moments I had with the girls close around me talking about baptism.  I am looking forward to getting those girls into Discipleship groups sooner rather than later.  I am excited to see this group of kids grow over the next few years into our youth group leaders.