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.

"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