Sleepover

Last night I had three girls who are cousins stay the night at the intern house.  Mandy, Nicole, the three girls, and I had dinner (noodles), walked to the store, made brownies (with applesauce instead of eggs), watched a movie, and in the morning had a nice breakfast (pancakes, coffee, apple juice, and apples).  During all the fun, the girls reminded me of little kid Ariel, Brianna, and myself.  Cousins growing up together, we rarely all got along.  Ariel and I wouldn't want to be with Brianna one day.  The next Ariel would be considered a "brat" so we would ignore her.  And so on.  We must have driven our poor grandma crazy!  The same happened with these three girls staying the night: two didn't want to be with the other resulting in the third feeling left out.  Flash back.  But no worries: Ariel, Brianna, and I all get along now, and someday so will these three!  As someone facilitating a sleepover, my solution is don't let a group of three girls stay the night, more or less is definitely better...probably less!  Despite that and a couple other difficulties, it was a good night!  The girls sang me a Lakota lullaby before I went to sleep.

After the girls left this morning around two, Nicole, Mandy, and I started cleaning and fixing things in our house.  Three girls fixing things equals a broken screen door fixed with cue tips, tape, and a tissue and a door denting the drywall fixed with sticky tac and tape.  *feel free to laugh*  We also found space to put all the food we got from Lakota Journey Week.  Organized cupboards, clean floors, and fixed doors feels pretty good.

Then while walking Jed and Copper (Glen's dogs), Greg drove by.  He then stopped at our house to check out a broken railing.  

Church soon at Door of Hope with Mandy.  I hope to see some of my new friends there!

Opportunities and Knowledge

Yesterday, I was excited for my third week of women's awareness at the jail...BUT...instead an opportunity arose: WBCWS advocate training!  An advocate is someone who helps, does not judge, answers the phone which may be a help-desiring victim, helps meet women's needs, takes victims to hospital, etc.  As I learned, the key word is help.  Advocates help women because they may be the only person on that woman's side.  Sadly, I am not actually going to be an advocate...YET(?)!  Maybe that is in my future.  But I've learned so much!!  Not just about being an advocate, also about sexual assault, restraining orders vs. protection orders, rape, abuse cases, native and national court system, and how to deal with such disheartening work.  It was a spectacular opportunity and I am so grateful to God and WBCWS for it!

I then went to Boys and Girls Club.

Then for a run with my fellow intern, Nicole.  She outran me by a little...

After making ourselves smell fresh, we went to a bonfire and outdoor movie at Greg's house.

This morning at WBCWS, I built new relationships and learned even more!

After picking up a couple lovely ladies from St. Francis, girls day started at Boys and Girls Club!!!!!  We had (at least) 17 girls.  We painted our nails.  Two girls painted my nails: my left hand is red and my right hand is black.  Then we started watching Enchanted [though Tangled was my first choice, due to difficulties, Enchanted was a good second].  Mid-movie, we busted out the chocolate and popcorn.  Towards the end of the fairytale, we ate some ice cream.  After "happily ever after," a couple girls reminded me of the dance party I previously said I'd potentially let them have.  Motivated by dancing, the girls quickly worked together to pick up our mess, sweep, and mop.  Then....lights out...music on....DANCE PARTY!!!

At seven, I met up with a mom at Buffalo Jump (teen hangout place and cafe).  Unfortunately, they were closed so we chatted outside.  Now that she knows my face and has my number, I have permission to have her daughter and nieces over for a slumber party tomorrow night!!!  Brownie baking and movies are the plan.  In the future, I will meet up with the mom and the girls and we will all hang out together.

Now Mandy is making us some mac n' cheese, Nicole and I are blogging, and my busy night slowly dwindled into what may turn into a movie night with the fellow intern girls.

I'm very grateful to be here!  All the relationships I'm building here are so special.  All who have supported me financially and spiritually, THANK YOU!  This place has so much hurt, but Jesus is the hope I can bring.  Pray I can adequately bring that hope.  There is so much potential here.  Rosebud is the second poorest county in the United States; one county over, Pine Ridge, is the poorest.  Besides learning about abuse and sexual assault, I've also been learning a lot about Lakota culture and Rosebud poverty.  If you would like to learn more about why I'm here, you can check out this video:

http://www.ted.com/talks/aaron_huey.html

The statistics he gives are for Pine Ridge, but are very similar to Rosebud.  The things Aaron Huey says are hard to digest and I've thought about it much.  He gives very good facts, but I do not agree with his end statement.  He depicts why my skin color can be a barrier between me and Lakota people. This is not a universal barrier among Lakota, but I've already witnessed this firsthand once.  I do not have even close to all the answers, but I am navigating all the information I've received the past three and a half weeks.

I am thankful for........

so many things!

Catching Up

The Basics:
 Who am I?
Brooke Nedland.  Follower of Christ.  Lakota Journey intern.  Daughter of a lovely couple.  Older sister of a really awesome brother. High school senior.  Etc.
 What is my blog for?
Sharing my experiences and thoughts for friends, family, and strangers who find my life semi-interesting.   I hope to glorify God with my blog.  My goal is to not blog about the negative, perhaps mention it, but never dwell.  I desire my blog to be truthful and uplifting.
 What does my blog title mean?
Hoka hey is Lakota for “today is a good day to die.” Thank you, Bruce, for that idea.  And is that not how Christ followers ought to think and live?
 Where am I?
Though I call Janesville, Wisconsin home, I am residing in Mission, South Dakota until August 2^nd.  I live in an intern house with 3 other awesome people.
 Why would I start a blog?
Because many people have asked if I “have a blog”, “plan to start a blog”, or “will start a blog.”  The deciding factor: Evie, a kind woman whom I worked with in the kitchen during Lakota Journey Week, asking me if I had a blog and telling me I look like someone who would have one.  If I LOOK LIKE someone who would have a blog, I might as well blog since I love to write.
 Since I arrived in South Dakota, I have done and learned so much!  Saturday evenings, I go to church at Door of Hope in Mission.  Sunday evenings, I go to church in Parmalee.  Monday through Friday, I work at White Buffalo Calf Woman Society from 8:30 till noon and at Mission Boys and Girls Club from 1 till 6.  On Wednesdays, I miss part of Boys and Girls Club so that I can go to the adult jail facility for women’s awareness with a couple workers from White Buffalo Calf.
         
White Buffalo Calf Women Society is a shelter for battered women.   I see many tragic situations, but the truth is tragedy happens whether we acknowledge it or not.  The Bible says to help the widow and defend the orphan.  Someone must do this work.  Hurting women need to know that God is the binder of the brokenhearted (Isaiah 61).  In the three weeks I’ve been here, I have realized I can handle this work, I like bringing hope to the seemingly hopeless, and this may be what God has planned for my life.
 Mission Boys and Girls Club is fun!  We are planting a garden (which the kids enjoy).  This Thursday is Girls Day!  While Glen takes the boys to do something manly, the girls will stay back, paint our nails, eat chocolate and ice cream, and watch (my favorite kid’s movie) Tangled.  I have many girls planning to come and hopefully it goes well!
            
            Also, I went to my first rodeo!!

           Do not expect me to blog daily or on pattern; it will happen when I have something worthy of saying.