Restoration in the heart of the Plains

We are riding through the heart of Great Plains territory.  I've been so struck by the beauty of the prairie grasses dancing in the wind.  Such a variety of texture and color that I had not imagined.  The wind carries in the rain, the grasses receive their needed water. 

The roar of a headwind can overwhelm all else in my ears; the intensity of it surprises me. when it shifts or dies down, the sound of the silence amazes me.  The wide open spaces, wildness of the unknown, the mystique of the bison, calls in the Prairie dog villages. It is a new environment I've never experienced before.  Though we learned about the Dakota territory in history and geography,  photos in a textbook or on a blog are but a shadow of the reality. Pedaling through on a bike is a unique way to experience the sights, smells, sounds; my leg muscles help me become intimately aware of the topography.  The place comes alive in my being. 

Nature is our teacher; by observing and experiencing, we can learn about life. Nature also provides the things we need to live: our food, shelter, clothing, and raw materials for other goods.  Nature speaks of the Creator who caused it to be: power and majesty, beauty and bounty. As we pedal through reservation lands, I think about the people who once lived closely connected to the hills, the buffalo, the grasslands; people who knew and experienced our close relationship with this natural world, and learned well from it. Today, their descendants are still in the land.  There is much for these survivors to remember and to grieve for the staggering losses of the past.  How many generations will mourn before the season of grief is past? For some, the time is now to dream a new dream. The media recently publicized the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's famous "I have a dream" speech. As I pedal through this country, a privileged glimpse of its beauty, I have a dream of seeing the people and the landscape restored.   what is the way forward, the way the Creator intends to fulfill His promise to restore what is broken to His glory?  I anticipate the unfolding of this dream. 

We met two men on the main crossroads in Lower Brule, sitting outside taking a break.  They gave a friendly wave, welcoming us to pedal over and into a conversation.  They pursue their part inthe  dream. Alcohol and drug abuse prevention through teaching the traditional tribal ways is their passion.  They help people be restored through rediscovering their roots. 

Across the street lies the tribal college, offering higher education; they take part in the dream by imparting knowledge and skills to navigate through today's world.  Down the street is the tribal center and the health center; each serving the community in different facets of healthy lifestyle. Then there is the church, whose message is the restoration of all things to the Creator through the sending of His only Son Jesus; the message difficult to accept and understand because of the shortcomings of the messengers who brought it. Somewhere in the intersection of spiritual awakening, education, community, and healthy lifestyle is the road to recovery and restoration. Each of us makes our own journey in our own way and timing through the process.  Heaven rejoices every time a life is restored. 

Across the river on the Crow Creek reservation, we met two more men in Fort Thompson at their farmer's market stand on the main crossroads.  Billy Joe and Terry are promoting healthy lifestyles from a different angle: organic gardening. 

They received a grant to give away kits with the seeds and materials needed to begin a home garden.  The goal: to help people reconnect with their roots. Part of the traditional tribal lifestyle was farming as well as buffalo hunting.  Working with the soil and growing things is a great way to reconnect with their history and who the creator made them to be, as well as promoting good nutrition and supplementing income with fresh healthy foods. Way to go guys! Thank you so much for your your friendliness, generosity, and help.  Your tomatoes and cucumbers were DELICIOUS.