Day 7 | Cassidy Dickens

Only a few minutes left before our last dinner in Montana, and I'm praying that God would choose to make the day a few hours longer just this once. Today was by far the best so far of all our days here, which is a huge statement in itself. We had college day this morning at VBS-- it was really great watching Logan, Tyler, Leandra, and Brian get to know all the awesome kids I've been lucky enough to spend my week with. Watching the kids as we all hugged goodbye and let them walk away made me realize something: a piece of my heart will always stay with them, here in Montana.
As if an amazing morning weren't enough, though, God blessed me again just a few minutes ago. Seven of us-- Logan Morlan, Tyler Morlan, Jarren Morlan, Jay Smallwood, Skye Taylor, David Hughes, Brian Gerwig, Russell Nuckles and myself-- decided to hike up to the very highest point on the mountain behind our camp. It wasn't easy (I had fallen in the creek twice within the first minute), but there are no words to describe what made it worth every ounce of effort. It never ceases to amazes me what a magnificent, awesome God we have. Every tree, every much appreciated gust of wind, every multicolored daisy, unnamed flower, rock cliff... It's all one huge reminder that there is absolutely nobody greater. His work, like his love for us, can't be duplicated or outdone, or even described. Just because the mission trip ends doesn't mean that God stops being amazing though; the memories, the realizations, the changes in heart...it will all follow us back home to Braxton.

Day 4 | Cassidy Dickens

     Day one on the reservation is halfway over, and I have to admit: this is amazing. Confessedly, I have never really been an "outdoors" kind of girl, so when we were informed that we may not have showers for a week, I could almost feel my stomach churn a little. However, it hasn't even been 24 hours, and already, my mind has been changed; after all, we didn't come here expecting a 5 star hotel, did we? I'm beginning to realize that this trip is about so much more than just having a cool story to tell; we have the opportunity every day of this week to make a huge impact on people's lives, and, more than anything, to show God's love.

     VBS this morning has to be, quite honestly, one of the biggest blessings I have ever received. This being the first day, we had a smaller group than we anticipated-- eleven children, as opposed to the thirty something I was looking for-- but numbers proved not to matter.  The kids I met today were incredible, to say the very least. They were all so cute and funny, enough to make me genuinely miss being that little. One boy specifically  made my day, maybe even my entire week, without even knowing it. His name is Tirso and he is absolutely as cute as he can be and as high strung as they come.  We were playing catch, and he accidentally stepped in some mud, so I commented that he would have to go home and wash his feet off.  Then he looked at me and said, simply, "We do not have a sink, or a bath, or a shower." In that moment, my heart broke into about a million pieces: how many times have I complained about my sister staying in the shower too long or using up the hot water? The reality is, everyone here is so fortunate, spoiled even, and yet, we are constantly wanting more.

     The point is, nothing can truly satisfy us except God. I cannot wait for the rest of the week to see what else he plans on revealing to us here in Montana.