Grind it Out The Dog Days of a Mission Trip

So with the group arriving on Saturday night, having a relaxing day on Sunday at Glacier National Park and Monday having the excitement of being at the school for the first day, I think the boys hit a bit of wall mentally on Tuesday. The comments are overwhelmingly positive, but the work in the school can be a challenge. The teachers in the school are faced with daily disruption from the students and utilizing an Immersion Student is sometimes hard to do. Having to do your job and also give a meaningful experience to a volunteer would be a tremendous challenge. The end of the year challenges all teachers face is just another distraction to the daily grind of teaching and learning. The DLSBS students can taste the freedom of summer vacation and so can the CBC boys. Nonetheless the boys are getting great hands on experience and being challenged in ways they probably did not imagine.

Some of our boys got the opportunity to act out part of the sacraments in religion and if they messed up they were Nerf attacked. Many of the CBC boys were supporting students in reading and Math and some had to sit idly by while students completed tests (but not too long). It may not be the most meaningful experience to do basic tasks, but to the DLSBS teachers it is extremely helpful when the Immersion students can run an errand or grade a few papers.

My favorite part of the day is connecting what happens here at DLSBS to what happens at all schools, even CBC. They see first hand how a disruptive student can mess up a whole lesson and they were telling their own tales of incidents at CBC. Drawing those connections makes this all the more real. Listening to the CBC boys conversations when they think you are asleep or not listening gives you the real perspective. They are being challenged and pushed, physically, emotionally and intellectually.

The night evening featured our first guest speaker, Mrs. Rides at the Door and her husband. She teaches Native studies to the DLSBS students. As an integral part of the spirituality and cultural piece of what happens at DLSBS, her historical perspective and understanding of the social challenges facing the Blackfeet (Pikuni / Southern Piegan) is important. The connection between Christianity and the Native American Spirituality is significant and we have heard more than once the old American / Evangelization adage "Kill the Indian, but save the Man". That old way of thinking is something that is changing to allow the Blackfeet to rediscover their heritage.

As the night came to an end the boys ventured out of the Mission to tell ghost stories down by the river and to get cell service up at the cemetery. Wednesday will feature another field trip, a visit from a local artist and the first day of school with ALL the students and Brother Dale (the 7th grade was on a school trip and Brother was out of town on business). Till next time, Live Jesus in our Hearts....FOREVER!!!