The fabulous news is that we have successfully moved into our new home in South Dakota! (Located just behind the church in this picture.) On our drive out, God provided us with a 2004 Chevy Silverado that has been very important to working with Y.E.S. We are so thankful for this new tool that enables us to reach so many! As of today, we still have a few boxes left to unpack, but almost everything is settled and we are finding a routine between school, homeschooling, and ministry.
Within days of moving in, we were able to jump into the ministry here. We have made numerous drives around the area, meeting community members in their homes and familiarizing ourselves with getting around. This is a very unique part in our country, where you can’t just look up an address on the GPS. First off, a GPS usually won’t work up here. And second, the addresses are more like knowing where to turn in relation to a particular landmark (water tower, power lines, turn in the road, etc). Other than the main highways, many of the roads aren’t paved!
Our official arrival date was August 14th, with our truck arriving from VA on the 17th. Josh began his job at the local school system on the 19th. He is teaching health and P.E. for pre-K up through the 8th grade, as well as coaching football. This is a great opportunity for him to get to know the kids in our new community and connect with them in a good setting. His teaching license was granted for this year, with the stipulation that he needs to retake the Praxis tests for teaching (the Virginia one is different than the one accepted here), and take classes on Lakota history. He is hoping to begin those courses in the Spring.
In working with Y.E.S., we are settling into several roles. I am managing the food pantry and helping with Sunday School for the little ones. Josh is also working with the food pantry and preached this past Sunday. This upcoming year, one of our main goals is relationship building. We need to build familiarity and friendships with the families in our church and the area surrounding our new home.
Please continue to pray:
- For establishing relationships
- That the girls would continue adjusting to their new home.
- That our house in Virginia would sell (since this is where Josh’s school paycheck still goes)
- For the upcoming classes for Josh
Blessings,
Jess and Family
