On the Sites

Each day is different and unique in its own ways.  I enjoy all of them...most of the time.  Yesterday was my first day working in Re-Member's workshop.  I know from last year's volunteer experience that I did not enjoy the workshop as much because we did not get to see very much of the reservation.  So I have been happy that I've been going out to job sites everyday, therefore I didn't complain too much that I had to be there yesterday.  The workshop days are long and tiring.  Going down to the shop we build bunk-beds, outhouses, and just this year we began plans for future home building.  Along side of that we do sanding and staining for the wood we use for those projects.  After Tom's 'wisdom of the elders' everyone heads down there to begin the day, which is around 8:30 AM.  However, there are positive sides to being there.  Yesterday we built 22 bunk-beds for kids across the reservation.  It is such a heart-warming feeling to know that we built those beds with our own two hands and that kids would be sleeping in those instead of cars or floors.  You wouldn't believe the need for beds.  Even outhouses.  Most trailers don't have electricity, plumbing, or running water.  The other day I went on a delivery drive with Corbin, one of our construction supervisors, and we delivered outhouses together.  When we got to one sight out in Kyle, SD, the kids who lived there were so excited to get an outhouse for the yard.  They were fighting about who got to be the first one to use.  In a way it was very silly, and I laughed, but in another way, I couldn't believe what I was watching.  I mean, who gets excited about an outhouse?  But back to the workshop....the day is long.  Sanding takes the most energy out of you.  Most of the time you stand there for about 3-4 hours bent over a piece of wood.  Its a pain...literally.  Staining is the same way.  It;s so hard, but it is benefitting everything else...I keep trying to tell myself that.  

Today I had the honor of working with Maria's home.  Maria grew up in Pine Ridge, but only just came back three years ago.  She lived in San Francisco for the past 43 years working as a teacher there.  She moved back here when she retired, but her home was gone, so she bought a new house.  It is one of the few actual houses on the reservation, and even that was i rough shape, so we came to help her.  She has taken several people in and many are handicapped, so we built wheelchair ramps for the sides and we also put new skirting around.  In her front yard, she started a garden, and so we brought her new seeds to use and a few vegetables to plant.  It looked great when it was complete.  The only thing that I didn't like about working at her home was that there were black widow spiders everywhere.  No fun!

Anyways, that is basically what the sites are.  We are either working in the shop, Helping someone with their home/trailer, or delivering outhouses, beds, etc.  It is always such a long week, but somehow after each week is over, I always feel a little more satisfied with how I spent my week.  It is an amazing feeling.

Thanks for following me through this incredible journey.  Love to all!

Mitakuye Oyasin