Your cheerful generosity overflows to the Lakota people on the Pine Ridge Reservation, then comes back to enrich your own lives, and brings glory and thanksgiving to our God! (Just like in 2 Corinthians 9:11)

We thank you with all our hearts for the 224 Christmas Shoebox Gifts that our dear family at Wellspring Church gave this past December, to children in the poorest place in the USA. Together with a church here in Tennessee, and some other donors across the country, we were able to send a total of 342 Shoebox Gifts to the precious Lakota people! Thank you to all who gave the gifts! And thank you to all who promoted this effort, received and processed the packages, and shipped them to the Pine Ridge Reservation. From start to finish, this is a huge undertaking!

Here is a thank you message from our Board Member, Mary Young Bear:

“From the Pahin Sinte district community of Porcupine SD, we want to send our big thank you for sending the Christmas Shoebox Gifts. The whole community truly enjoyed the gifts. It’s always a joy to watch the little ones’ faces light up with joy.

Folks on the Pine Ridge Reservation are on limited funds. Most parents want to surprise their children and grandchildren with gifts. It is harder for folks whose income is limited. People are not lazy, but there are just no jobs available unless one goes off the reservation, quite a distance away.

We hauled all the cartons from the post office to our house with many trips. Dj, Kristy, Tyrell and Lisa all helped. We carried all the boxes down stairs until we were ready for delivery. Then again they started the assembly line from down stairs to the vehicle. We made many trips around the Porcupine district. Because of snow storms and unplowed roads, and because we don’t have all-wheel drive to get to the homes that are far out, we distributed many of the gifts to both the Evergreen and Sharps housing communities.

Also most families came to the Christmas celebration that was held at the school. There, Pastor Dave Lays Bad and our family were able to minister to the people regarding Jesus Christ’s birth, and how He lived on earth for a purpose. We were able to tell about how Jesus is not a white man’s God. Many there heard about the good news of Jesus Christ. The community served a Christmas dinner with candy bags.

We mentioned Pastor Rick from Wellspring Church in Connecticut, and Bethel Church from Tennessee, and last but not least the Wo’iyopastake Ministry. I told them I was on the board for this ministry.

People were in awe! All the folks said to tell them we are so very thankful for their contribution to us. It was a very heart melting day. I had tears in my eyes to see such excitement and joy.

Again, I say thank you for your contribution! May God bless each and every one of you.

Wopila Tanka- Thank You,

Mary Young Bear”

*************

Sadly, though many photos were taken, something happened to them on Mary’s phone and we do not have them. We do have these pictures of much of what was sent out there!

Looking ahead to the end of 2020, we will continue to do a collection and sending of gifts that will be similar to this. But it may include a little variation on opportunities to give, because of a few new partnerships that we are presently developing out there. We hope to let you know the details on that soon.

God bless you,

Dan & Bonnie Licata

Wo’iyopastake Ministry