When a Piece of You Becomes the Sky

Montana, how do I describe my time in Montana without wasting your time? I was fearful going into the trip, thinking I wouldn't make any friends or make any difference on the reservation. Coming out of the trip, all of them made a difference in me.

Chief Mountain was our backpacking trip when we first arrived to Montana. It was very challenging yet I still feel accomplished. 

The ministry tools we used weren't really tools, it was all relational. The goal was to "re-present" the gospel to the reservation because of the hard image left by the boarding schools. If you were lucky, you got to hear stories from the Natives about their time in the boarding schools.I got to meet some really awesome Blackfeet people who left a great impression on me, as I hope I did on them. 

During the Idian Days celebration in Browning we had our church service on the camp ground. It was cool because as people passed by, they would stop and stand for a few minutes. Even though it was just a few minutes, those few minutes could have a huge impact on their future. 

Living on the ranch was beautiful in every way. From a view of Glacier National Park by day and the Milky Way by night, I was forever in awe of God's beauty. The adventures never seemed to end on the ranch, never once did I utter the words "I'm bored". I loved doing things on the ranch and "earning my keep" as I helped out. 

The ranch was a bison ranch, we had a lot of fun riding out in the trucks to go and feed them. Such a beautiful and majestic creature, my next investment is a bison rug, perfect for afternoon naps. 

The people we were with were FANTASTIC. From students to leaders, I loved everyone dearly. My favorite experiences were when we either sat around a fire together sharing stories, or just hanging out and being in each others company. We ate on the porch or at the picnic rables for every meal. It was fun just being around everyone during that time, it made dinner fun.  Leaving was hard, as with any missions trip you take. I was challenged so much during my time there spiritually, and physically. The hikes we did were so awesome and some were more challenging than others, it was a true adventure. 

Every morning on my walk to the main house, I used that time to look at the sky. It always amazes me how close you feel to the sky out there, and how close the clouds are. The sun, moon, and stars all have something glorious about them. They don't call it Big Sky Country for nothing. My love for Montana and desire for Native American ministry hasn't gone away. It has only grown with my love for the Lord. 

A huge thank you to anyone who is reading this that supported me on my trip. I wouldn't have had this amazing experience without your help. I am truly thankful and so very blessed. Thank you. 

If you're a student I challenge you to go on a project or a missions trip in general. Do something longer than two weeks, learn to know the people and the culture. Take a chance, step out and go. It is scary and it is hard, but we are called to go and make disciples of all nations. 



- Tay 
(Singing Aspen)