A Place, A People and A Purpose

Lame Deer, Montana is not considered a tourist destination by many. The few folks who happen to pass through the village do so on their way from one awe-inspiring site to another, usually travelling from the Black Hills to Yellowstone or Glacier National Parks, or vice versa. There's not much to catch your attention as you pass by. There's a gas station where you can pay about 30-40 cents more than anywhere else in the country. There's a bit of a store selling groceries and such. A few weather beaten homes. A church or two. Horses, seemingly with the right of way on any and all roads. Little Big Horn, a location that does pull in tourists, where General Custer (nicknamed "Hard Backsides" by the Sioux and Cheyenne) met his demise, is 30 miles or so west, right along side of US 90, the main thoroughfare people are trying to connect with. The only thing that slows people down as they pass through Lame Deer is a flashing yellow light at the "major" intersection in town.

So what would bring a bunch of East Coast, upper middle class suburban high school students to Lame Deer, especially in the heat of the summer? Located in the south central corner of Montana, Lame Deer is situated on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. The reservation in total has only about 5,000 tribal members. Lame Deer itself just a few hundred. And it is a place of great, great poverty. 55% to 70% of the people are unemployed, depending on the time of year. Close to 50% of the people live below the poverty rate. Malnutrition is rampant (and blatently obvious) in the children. The high school drop out rate has never been determined, but is somewhere above 50%. Drugs use and alchoholism are seemingly everywhere. It is a place, and a people, with little hope.

And that's what brought a bunch of high school kids to Lame Deer. A people and a place without hope. For in Christ, these high school kids have found hope, and heard a call to bring hope to those who need it. They have a purpose.

And so they went.

And so they did.

Through painting homes.

Through a daily Kids Club (a Vacation Bible School of sorts).

Through conversations.

Through smiles.

By simply being there, and letting these people know that they are loved, and that there are some who do care.

And in the midst of bringing hope, of living out their faith, they found that their own lives were forever changed.

To see more photos of our mission trip, and our sightseeing following, visit www.flickr.com/photos/pastorjohnnya.