Travel Volunteering - Pine Ridge Reservation (Days 7-9)

I don't think there is any doubt that one of my passions in life is traveling and seeing new places and experiences. But being able to help people while you travel gives you an entirely different viewpoint of the world and a whole new perspective on your life. It almost sounds selfish to say this, but I think everyone should give travel volunteering a try so we can realize what is important in our own lives. We take so many things for granted in our day-to-day life: water comes out of the faucet when we turn it on; we can go for a walk around the neighborhood without an extremely high chance of being struck and killed by a drunk driver; we have enough resources that we can afford to take time off of our busy schedules and volunteer to help people who have none of these luxuries. I think the second sentence of my "Day 7" travel entry sums up my sentiments succinctly.

While Re-Member helps the residents of the Rez with a variety of home reconstruction tasks, our main duty on this trip was to build bunk beds. Lumber was donated from various Michigan lumberyards and mattresses from hotels that just bought new ones. We learned that in many of the houses on the Rez, there would sometimes be over ten people crammed into tiny, tiny buildings with nowhere to sleep but on the floor, on each other, and even in bathtubs. We brought all of that material out to South Dakota with us and the beds we built had the capability to sleep nine people: three on the top bunk, three on the bottom bunk, and three on a trundle bed that slid out from under the bottom bunk. These beds would take up only a small amount of space in the house, but would at least provide a comfortable bed for numerous people.

Day 7 - August 17, 2000

Today is our last day here. I’m excited to leave, but I also feel guilty leaving those who desperately need our help. After a regular breakfast, my group went to St. Albin’s, loaded the back of Rev. Keith Titus’s truck with all the material needed for two bunkbeds. We then drove to a house, almost across the street from our church. This family had just moved into this house. (4 bedrooms) It surprised me. I had heard that all the houses were so dumpy looking, but this one was nice. It was messy, but I’m sure that was because they just moved in. As we set up the beds, I noticed that the family was watching TV and VCR. They had some nice furniture, too. We worked for about an hour, then returned to our church to prepare it for the barbeque. We cleaned up a little, then went to lunch at Bette’s Kitchen, which is actually her house. After lunch, Brennen, Alissa, and I went up with Keith and Keith to St. Albin’s to put the pews back in the church and to lock up. As we came back to the church, everyone else was working inside (cleaning), or outside (painting). The painters were having a paint fight. All the work finally was done, and we had an hour before guests arrived [for the barbeque we were hosting there]. Brennen, Alissa, and I talked on the swings for a little bit. When guests started to arrive, us older kids had to watch the little Indian kids on the playground. After about two hours, guests started to leave. We cleaned up after they had all left, and got our bags packed. Then we had our “unpacking” session. Then we went to bed.

Painting the walls of the Church we stayed at...and each other

The messy painting group

Swing time

Alissa and Brennen

Brennen and Belle

Marc with one of the kids that came to the barbeque

Missy swinging

Earlier that day, while we were driving, Alissa wanted a photo in the fields of sunflowers that are scattered across the Rez. Farming for sunflower seeds and oils are some of the most lucrative businesses on the Rez, but most are not operated by the Natives so they do not reap many of the benefits.

Day 8 - August 18, 2000

We got up, had breakfast, and then had our chapel session. Then we got our bags packed into the trailer and headed home, this time in a van with Sigrid, Cindy, Alissa, Becky, Marc, Brennen, and Ben. We slept most of the way to Des Moines, stopping in Sioux City, IA, for a Chinese lunch. I tried some, and it was okay. We got back in the van and three hours later arrived in Des Moines. We were ally really hyper and had a pillow fight in the van. Then we put “You’re Hot” signs in the window. We got yelled at and then arrived at Plymouth Congregational. We had our showers, ordered pizza, and went to bed.

Day 9 - August 19, 2000

We got back in the vans early today and drove the rest of the way home, stopping once for gas and once for Bob Evans. We got back to Titus’ house in Grand Haven, unpacked, and said our goodbyes, and went home.

The kids from First Congregational Church, back in Grand Haven

The trip was over, and we all agreed it was an eye-opening opportunity for all of us, but was it something we would do again? The answer came the following summer when Brennen and Alissa and I went back to the Rez.