You may have noticed that Dad and I (Bob and Alan Butcher) were absent from church a couple of weeks ago; and then when we returned, we were wearing matching shirts emblazoned with a Mission to the World (MTW) logo. What could that mean? It meant that we had spent the week of July 25-August 1 on a short-term mission trip to Omak, Washington, sponsored by the MTW ministry program of the Presbyterian Church of America. More specifically, we teamed with churches from across the country, ministering in words and deeds to the Indians on the Colville Reservation.
MTW has been coming to the Colville Reservation for the last eight or nine years, and each year it has blessed the Colville Indians living there in one way or another. Ministry planners, led by Dave and Bernie Kruger coordinate projects with the tribal elders at a meeting early in the year and then divvy up tasks to the volunteers who come. This year, there were about forty-five of us from here in Washington, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and New Jersey. Broadly speaking, we were expected to do some light construction, painting, VBS-ing for the children, or live music for anyone who'd listen. The hope was to open a dialogue about Christianity with anyone we could help or entertain.
Because Dad and I had volunteered three years ago, we knew what to expect: long days in hot weather, lots of kids on their first mission project, impoverished Colville Indians needing some encouragement here or some assistance there. We also knew why we were coming: a chance to serve God with the abilities He's given us and to advance the Kingdom, an opportunity to bond, a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city.
What follows is a collection of my photos and reflections from our week.
This is the Omak Longhouse, located about five miles east of Omak at St. Mary's Mission. It served our group for meals, meetings, and women's sleeping quarters.
This is the men's dormitory, located across the parking lot from the Longhouse. MTW thought that because we made so much use out of this building, we should express our appreciation by refreshing its appearance. (A couple of years ago, MTW repainted the interior.) Dad and I did the bulk of the preparatory pressure-washing and spraying for wasps before swarms of painters surrounded it. You can't see it here, but MTW also washed and stained the wheelchair ramp on the far side of the building.
For an elderly couple in Omak, Dad and I replaced bent, metal stairs with wooden stairs of a longer run and shorter rise.
This is the interior of the Longhouse during one of our nightly times of worship and devotion. Attendance was unusually low tonight - I think some of the volunteers were either hiking or house-painting. Nonetheless, it was a blessing for the teams to worship the Lord together and hear encouraging homilies.
This is one of my favorite photos from the whole trip, even though it is no prize-winner. We had had a lightning storm earlier in the week that was literally and figuratively electrifying. Bolts illuminated the whole terrain. Rain stung the ground. Thunder pealed like cannon fire. And I missed every flash of lightning with my camera. Flash. Click. #$&@! I prayed and prayed that I could get one good shot, but pretty soon I had to go inside and hope for another opportunity. That opportunity came three nights later... after more prayer. I realized that I needed to open the shutter and then wait for the lightning. Cliiiiiii - flash - iiiick. Here's the result. Lightning is one of those natural phenomena that is so un-natural, it reminds me that there are unimaginable forces at work and mysteries beyond our knowledge.
Here was one of many beautiful sunsets over Omak: you can just barely see the city lights in the valley. As one of the team leaders commented during his devotion, the country, wildlife, and astronomy here help one to reflect on the Creator and to praise Him. Praise Him.
Here's Dad making nice with one of the locals. Other locals we met included deer, pheasant, grouse, coyotes, bears, snakes, eagles and hawks, beetles, bats, and some variety of marmot. We made no attempt to feed any of them.
Here's a woodshed constructed in 100 degree conditions. I don't get it. Could we at least build it when it's cold outside? Anyway, this took my dad and me a day to put together. The next day, we shingled it and another shed. In all, MTW built five sheds on this trip for families in need of winter warmth. From what I've heard, the tribe provides firewood to those who need it, but damp wood is worthless for burning. So MTW has taken the chance to meet this need. It's a great project for as few as two carpenters or as many as five or six. But what's really great is driving through the Reservation and counting all the sheds we've built over the years. As a side note, the materials alone cost about $400. As another side note, you can get an idea from this picture of the poverty of many tribal members. In the foreground is a regularly used fire spit, and in the background is an abandoned vehicle. Who knows if the child's ATV even runs. It's not uncommon to find trash strewn throughout the yard. Regardless of the root cause of this lack of waste management, the result seems to be demoralization and more trash.
This ramp was special to me because we (Dad and me; Jay and Rob from Raleigh, North Carolina; and Mark from Kent, Washington) were able to do something of immediate, genuine benefit for Scotty and his wife, Carol (They're to the right of my dad up on the landing.). Boy, were they happy. Scotty walks with a cane now but will soon transition to a wheelchair. Let's pray that he is able to use this ramp for many years.
Here is Dad on his coffee break at the wheelchair ramp jobsite. This really was a fun job. We had shade and a breeze after working in the direct sun all week!
At the end of the workweek we had a celebratory barbeque at a park in Omak. Some of the Nez Perce thanked us for our work; others entertained us. Here was Good Bad Woman, otherwise known as Loretta, telling stories to the audience consisting of MTW volunteers, locals invited by MTW, and children from MTW's VBS. Another guest was Tinker, the local shaman, whose house MTW painted. He and Loretta graciously performed a couple of Indian songs for us.
Sunrise on the final day
By the week's end, MTW completed five woodsheds, a flight of
stairs, and a wheelchair ramp; painted a longhouse, a dormitory, and at least
two houses; sang several times at a senior center, two correctional facilities,
and a community center; and held a week-long VBS. Much more was surely
accomplished behind the scenes.
It almost seems that the word hope is overused today, but I
think we did bring hope to the Colville Indians we met. At some time, we would like to
establish a church on the Reservation, but for we are happy that the Colvilles
want us to come back and help them. They may think that this is a great
opportunity for more woodsheds or another extreme home makeover, but we know
that it's a great opportunity to preach salvation to those in bondage to
ritualistic animism.
Many Natives know of Christianity - after all, we lodged
near a Catholic mission more than 100 years old - and some have even adapted
elements of our faith to their own, but there are few devout Christians. Pray
that God would use missionary teams like our own to enlarge His kingdom. Even better,
become one of the laborers Jesus told his disciples to pray for after he
observed that "[t]he harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few"
(Matthew 9:36).
