Hello Everyone,I hope this letter finds you all well.
I want to thank everyone of you for supporting us through prayer or finances or just words or letters of encouragement. We could not be here in Pineridge if it were not for all of you guys.
This summer has flown by, it is hard to believe that we have been here for 3 months already. We have been so blessed with many opportunities to stay busy. If you would like to see pictures, you can check out either mine or Amanda's facebook page or you can 'like" the Chanku Waste kids camp page for pictures from camp each week. if you dont have facebook, let me know and I can send you some!
We have been working with a ministry called Team Effort, they do mainly construction ministry in different locations all over the country. We primarily worked on the new chapel and dining facility for the Chanku Waste Kids Ranch but were also able to do some things in the community. We helped an elderly lady get running water for the first time in a long time and then through the graciousness of some of the group we were able to bless her with a water heater so that she could have hot water for the first time in many years as well. We were able to bulid a wheel chair ramp for someone who has just been put in a wheelchair. Things like this are not uncommon at all. I have received a list of several people in this area that do not have running water much less hot water, my hope is to be able to steadily work on that so that each one of these elders can have running water in their home over the next few months.
Friday nights is our teen night at the church. It has been so amazing to see how they have began trusting us and confiding in us. We started our studies out two months ago with "How much are you worth" I feel that many of the young people here, as well as the adults, have placed a very low value on themselves, when we know that God paid an amazing lop sided amount for us so that we can be with Him. we are worth whatever someone is willing to pay. I think that it really stirred some interest among them and each week we have grown with newcomers. I am looking forward to seeing what God is going to do in their lives as they continue to give their lives over to Him and as He frees them from so many lies that have been told in this place.
We have been helping with the Kids camp as well. Jacob is loving it because he is at camp everyday and partaking in all of the activities, people are always coming up to us telling of how wonderful he is and has a sweet spirit and is always the first to volunteer to pray, I am so thankful for this and am very proud of him as he learns so many new skills and is challenged in new ways.
It is such a blessing to see how things work out. I honestly don't know how things are going to happen sometimes but they do. My dad has always said that "whatever God orders, He pays for" that is so very true, we have seen God answer so many prayers and even some that we didn't know was a need yet. the camp is able to run the bus in every direction everyday (And nothing is close here) as well as feed every child that comes through a breakfast bar as well as lunch everyday, I look at this and say I don't know how you do it, and then I am told by Mike and Monica "we don't". They have so many testimonies of how God has provided for them over the last 20 years and it is amazing. God is so good.
After being here for 3 months Amanda and I have been praying about what the Lord wants us to do for the next season of our lives. We have been answered and wanted to tell you that we know that God wants us to come here full time. We plan to leave here in the middle of September to head back south and hopefully be able to stop in with some of you along the way and visit with your church if you would like us to. we will spend the months over the holiday doing whatever the Lord leads in raising support. Possibly going down through Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas sometime in October and November. I have been blessed with an opportunity to go to the Northwest territory, Yukon area in February with a dear friend of mine that has planted a few churches up there. This will be a difficult trip to make. it has to be made in the winter months so that you can drive on the ice roads to get there. Please pray for us concerning this, I am very much looking forward to this as well as a little unsure, when you start talking about -50 f I am at a loss and really cant comprehend that. but there are about 47,000 native Americans that live in that region and are mostly forgotten about a lot of the time.
Once I get home from that trip our plan will be to head back here to Pineridge sometime the first of March hopefully visiting in some of your churches again.
I know this might be a lot for some of you, but know that this is where the Lord is leading us and we value you and your support in any way. You having a bible study in your home has no affect on these people here, but you praying in your home for these people has more of an impact than you could probably imagine. There is power in prayer and we covet you praying for us as God leads us into a new place.
Here are some things you can pray for specifically -
1. Sharps Corner Church
2. Us as a family
3. The Brennan family
4. That we would be able to raise support by March
5. We are in need of a van of some sort to travel to these places as God opens doors
6. Wisdom
If You are interested in supporting us at all, feel free to email or call us and let us know.
if You would like to make a donation towards any specific thing, such as toward helping us get a van, lunches for the kids, the materials for one house to have running water or even fuel for the bus (which costs around $500 a week) Let us know and we will see that it goes to that.
If you would like for us to come visit your church and share what God is doing here in Pineridge, let us know so that we can try and make good use of the trips we are taking in the months to come.
God is so good and I know that He has already provided everything we need. We are grateful for your friendships and your support.
Learning to serve the Lord in all we do,
Matt, Amanda, Jacob and Leah Hadden
30 July 2012
16 July 2012
He who Sustains.
Thank you Jesus for another productive, patience - producing, God sustaining week! It has been a while since we've updated you, and I'm so grateful you are still following our blog. We have had such a great time! For Matt and Jacob it has almost be 3 months in this beautiful place, and almost 2 months already for us girls. For us, it has flown by! We are growing everyday more and more in love with the Natives. Has it been challenging? Absolutely. We have had our eyes opened to so many things here, things at home that we wouldn't experience. Our eyes of ministry have been expanded. We strive everyday to see through the eyes of Christ, not through ours which at times turn judgemental or frustrated. Great things are happening, and God is truly blessing this ministry. We have fallen in love with the natives and so appreciate their open arms to let us in to be part of their lives.
For Chanku Waste' Ranch, the kids camp put on by Pastor Mike and Monica's ministry is doing amazing things! Every week we get a few new faces in, and Jacob is learning so much too! He enjoys going every day, playing with his friends, doing crafts, and running til he's completely worn out, which seems to make bedtime around here a little bit easier.
We are in our 4th week of TEAMeffort Mission teams, and boy have we been crazy busy. Matt's brother and sister, Nathan and Laura, have been here for 5 weeks, and sadly we are taking them to the airport to head home tomorrow. I asked Laura to head back a share that we truly have had an unforgiving schedule, so everyone knows we aren't just ignoring everyone back home. This is also a reason this is the most recent post in a few weeks. We have had fantastic groups and some challenging ones. Matt is running the work sites like a boss and we are making so much progress on the facility for the Ranch. I am making sure the budget and administration side is in tip top shape, as well as keeping up my work on my own company, JNL Bookkeeping Services. I try to help on the job site a few days but that isn't always the way it happens. Leah enjoys going to the camp and the work sites but by 12 she is asking for a nap, and with our schedule we defiantly try to accommodate.
A glimpse into our schedule, We are up at the sites by 9, and we break for the day by 3pm Monday - wed. On Thursday we have a half day, and Friday is a free day for the campers. Sunday - Thursday night we have dinner and Chapel starting at 6 and hopefully get home by 9:30. On Friday, we try to catch up on our tornado of a house and if we are lucky we get a few clean clothes put in the closet. Saturday, our groups check out and we head to Rapid City for supplies, groceries, and meal out with our staff. Sunday morning we have Church, have lunch, and prepare for the next group coming in at 5. Phew....what a week! We are finishing out this week, then next week will be our last week and we will continue our ministry with Chanku Waste' and the local Church. Working with TEAMeffort has been such a blessing! The Lord is using the teams that come in to really take charge of the facility progress. Over the past few weeks we have completed 2 bathroom facilities, both Mens' and women' complete with showers as well for the groups that come into work at the camp; finished out a FEMA trailer that we have filled with bunks and closet space; built 2 decks for the bunk trailer;completely framed up the large facility: got the trusses up, and this week we are working on the decking to prepare for the roof. We are making so much progress for their ministry and really looking forward to this part of Pastor Mikes vision for the reservation coming into fruition. To God be the Glory!
We repainted the Camp bus to make it the most amazing Camp bus on the Rez!!
We named the Bus "debbie" in honor of Jake's mom, one of our amazing TE Chaperone's that came from Wisconsin. He lost his mom the week he was serving with us. We are honored to forever have her name on our Camp bus!
Nathan working OH SO HARD!! We are going to greatly miss Nathan and Laura, we wouldn't have survived the last few weeks without them. Sad to see them go :(
Trusses up and going! Thanks to a few professionals that installed 39 trusses in 7 hours.
Some have asked how we are in our Support. There is always a need, because all that we have coming in is pouring straight into the ministry here. We are still taking support through our church Harvest Park Baptist Church (memo: South Dakota Mission). If you need more information on this, you can email us at athadden@gmail.com. Thank you for your continued support, and your prayers.
A few prayer needs:
- Please Pray that the Lord prepares our hearts for what is to come in October. We have had a few opportunities but know in someway we will be connected to this reservation. Pray that we are obedient and at peace wherever He entrusts us to.
- Pray for continued protection for our family. We live across the street from a community that Satan has a enormous pull. Our home has been surrounded by an Army of Angels, and don't hear or see anything that goes on until after the fact. Nothing that Satan has even comes close to our house and we know that we are so protected by the mighty Hand of God. Rejoice in this with us.
- Pray that God will continue to give us wisdom on how to love and reach the Natives. It is a battleground and pray that we are sensitive to the Holy Spirit and His leadings.
- Pray for our growth. As we seek in all areas, as we grow in ministry, as we see through the eyes of Jesus, as we lay our desires down and take up His, as we fall more in love with our family and each other, as we study the word, pray that we are soaking in everything God has for us.
We want nothing more that the best the God has. We want to live a life of obedience, and we want to be a shining testimony of Gods faithfulness and Glory! He has blessed us with more than we can imagine and He continues to give His best. Thank you so much for your prayers, as Christians, we make our prayers weak and think they don't make a difference. But prayers shake the walls of this world, break chains, destroys boundaries, and open the flood gates of Heaven. Prayer is power and we need them! This reservation needs them, Pastor Mike and Monica need them, our nation needs them.
We love you all so much and So appreciate your support in all areas. The title of this post is "He who Sustains....", because He has never failed to do so over the past few months. He has been our rock, our energy, and our drive. He is faithful to sustain, and we are so grateful for that.
Learning to serve the Lord in all we do,
Amanda
For Chanku Waste' Ranch, the kids camp put on by Pastor Mike and Monica's ministry is doing amazing things! Every week we get a few new faces in, and Jacob is learning so much too! He enjoys going every day, playing with his friends, doing crafts, and running til he's completely worn out, which seems to make bedtime around here a little bit easier.
We are in our 4th week of TEAMeffort Mission teams, and boy have we been crazy busy. Matt's brother and sister, Nathan and Laura, have been here for 5 weeks, and sadly we are taking them to the airport to head home tomorrow. I asked Laura to head back a share that we truly have had an unforgiving schedule, so everyone knows we aren't just ignoring everyone back home. This is also a reason this is the most recent post in a few weeks. We have had fantastic groups and some challenging ones. Matt is running the work sites like a boss and we are making so much progress on the facility for the Ranch. I am making sure the budget and administration side is in tip top shape, as well as keeping up my work on my own company, JNL Bookkeeping Services. I try to help on the job site a few days but that isn't always the way it happens. Leah enjoys going to the camp and the work sites but by 12 she is asking for a nap, and with our schedule we defiantly try to accommodate.
A glimpse into our schedule, We are up at the sites by 9, and we break for the day by 3pm Monday - wed. On Thursday we have a half day, and Friday is a free day for the campers. Sunday - Thursday night we have dinner and Chapel starting at 6 and hopefully get home by 9:30. On Friday, we try to catch up on our tornado of a house and if we are lucky we get a few clean clothes put in the closet. Saturday, our groups check out and we head to Rapid City for supplies, groceries, and meal out with our staff. Sunday morning we have Church, have lunch, and prepare for the next group coming in at 5. Phew....what a week! We are finishing out this week, then next week will be our last week and we will continue our ministry with Chanku Waste' and the local Church. Working with TEAMeffort has been such a blessing! The Lord is using the teams that come in to really take charge of the facility progress. Over the past few weeks we have completed 2 bathroom facilities, both Mens' and women' complete with showers as well for the groups that come into work at the camp; finished out a FEMA trailer that we have filled with bunks and closet space; built 2 decks for the bunk trailer;completely framed up the large facility: got the trusses up, and this week we are working on the decking to prepare for the roof. We are making so much progress for their ministry and really looking forward to this part of Pastor Mikes vision for the reservation coming into fruition. To God be the Glory!
We repainted the Camp bus to make it the most amazing Camp bus on the Rez!!
We named the Bus "debbie" in honor of Jake's mom, one of our amazing TE Chaperone's that came from Wisconsin. He lost his mom the week he was serving with us. We are honored to forever have her name on our Camp bus!
Nathan working OH SO HARD!! We are going to greatly miss Nathan and Laura, we wouldn't have survived the last few weeks without them. Sad to see them go :(
Trusses up and going! Thanks to a few professionals that installed 39 trusses in 7 hours. 
"Greater things are still to be done in this City!!"
Some have asked how we are in our Support. There is always a need, because all that we have coming in is pouring straight into the ministry here. We are still taking support through our church Harvest Park Baptist Church (memo: South Dakota Mission). If you need more information on this, you can email us at athadden@gmail.com. Thank you for your continued support, and your prayers.
A few prayer needs:
- Please Pray that the Lord prepares our hearts for what is to come in October. We have had a few opportunities but know in someway we will be connected to this reservation. Pray that we are obedient and at peace wherever He entrusts us to.
- Pray for continued protection for our family. We live across the street from a community that Satan has a enormous pull. Our home has been surrounded by an Army of Angels, and don't hear or see anything that goes on until after the fact. Nothing that Satan has even comes close to our house and we know that we are so protected by the mighty Hand of God. Rejoice in this with us.
- Pray that God will continue to give us wisdom on how to love and reach the Natives. It is a battleground and pray that we are sensitive to the Holy Spirit and His leadings.
- Pray for our growth. As we seek in all areas, as we grow in ministry, as we see through the eyes of Jesus, as we lay our desires down and take up His, as we fall more in love with our family and each other, as we study the word, pray that we are soaking in everything God has for us.
We want nothing more that the best the God has. We want to live a life of obedience, and we want to be a shining testimony of Gods faithfulness and Glory! He has blessed us with more than we can imagine and He continues to give His best. Thank you so much for your prayers, as Christians, we make our prayers weak and think they don't make a difference. But prayers shake the walls of this world, break chains, destroys boundaries, and open the flood gates of Heaven. Prayer is power and we need them! This reservation needs them, Pastor Mike and Monica need them, our nation needs them.
We love you all so much and So appreciate your support in all areas. The title of this post is "He who Sustains....", because He has never failed to do so over the past few months. He has been our rock, our energy, and our drive. He is faithful to sustain, and we are so grateful for that.
Learning to serve the Lord in all we do,
Amanda
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