My Favorite Bus

One of my favorite things from the summer was spending time with the Yakama children.  Seeing them at Kid's Club (VBS) each afternoon or stepping off of the red Sacred Road bus as they came to church on Sundays filled my heart with happiness. 

A Beautiful Red Bus

Every Sunday morning, especially, I think about the children.  Wondering if they will get on the bus to come to church.  I picture the bus in my mind and it makes me smile.  I'm so thankful for Veronica who faithfully drives the bus around the reservation every Sunday morning and picks up the children.  Please pray that the children will wake up early on Sunday mornings and be able to get on the bus. 


There is one little girl that especially stands out in my mind.  I met her at Kid's Club.  I looked for her each afternoon - hoping she would come.  We drew pictures of Snoopy with the sidewalk chalk.  We jumped rope together.  We did crafts together.  We blew bubbles together and we sat together during the Bible story.  She was quiet but listening all the time - soaking everything up.  She said she was living with her grandpa for the summer and would be moving away in the fall. 

The last Sunday I was at Hope Fellowship (Sacred Road's church), she asked me why only the adults got to have the fry bread and pop (communion).  I chuckled at the word "pop".  I told her it was grape juice and that it was for people who believed in Jesus.  Of course right away, she told me she believed in Jesus.  Joshua (one of the full-time staff of Sacred Road) came over to talk with us and Joshua shared more with her -- about Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, how He rose from the dead and lives in Heaven now.  I was so happy she heard this story and I think it was the first time she may have begun to have a deeper understanding of who this "Jesus" was that she had heard about during Kid's Club. 



I'm thankful to have this photo of her

I told her I was going back home but that I hoped she'd get on the bus every Sunday and come to church - at least until she had to move away.  I told her I hoped she might live with her grandpa again next summer so I could see her again at Kid's Club.  But deep down in my heart I was saying good-bye.  I knew she would probably move away.  I knew I might not see her again.  It was hard knowing this, but I felt like God had given me a precious gift to be able to spend time with her. 

Then a few weeks ago, I heard she was still coming to church!  She was in Morgan Granberry's Sunday School group and she was listening in her quiet way.  She was hearing God's truths proclaimed.  I can't tell you how happy I was.  I cried and felt all the more anxious to get to the reservation. 

This past Sunday we visited the reservation and I hoped I might see her.  The bus arrived and I learned that she had moved away.  My heart was sad but I am continuing to pray for this precious girl.  Even though her time was brief with Sacred Road, she heard about Jesus.  She heard that He loves her and I think she experienced His love through the staff of Sacred Road. 

We are so grateful for your faithful prayers and for helping to get us to the Yakama Reservation.  I'll try to include a bit of a timeline of where we are at in our next post.