Awe November, the month of thankfulness! As my mind reflects on the multitude of things I'm grateful for, my friend Ruby ranks high on my list. I met her several years ago on a mission trip to the Pine Ridge Reservation, in South Dakota, just above the Nebraska state line. Pine Ridge is roughly the size of Connecticut. It's home to an estimated 40,000 Lakota Sioux. It's the poorest county and reservation in the entire country. There's no banks or box stores there. Drugs and alcohol and all the undesirable things that can accompany them are ever present there.

When I first met Ruby it was at her home, it was the smallest trailer house I've ever seen. A rust red welcome sign caught my eye first, followed by a car port, and an elderly Indian woman. Little did I know at that moment how much that elderly Lakota woman would change and impact me and my family. As Ruby welcomed our group like long lost grandchildren, I began to realize that the weathered car port was the 'stage project' our group had been assigned to. It didn't take long for us to understand how important the makeshift stage was. Ruby hosted Christian music concerts and speakers using this stage and also used it to distribute clothing donations. Suddenly our task of replacing the worn out tarps with tin panels took on a whole new meaning and importance to all of us on this mission trip. We'd soon learn that the chicken coop and very large garden Ruby tended were shared with everyone. Ruby rarely kept any of the eggs or produce for herself. We also quickly noticed a pattern, several carloads of people would knock on the door of her petite palace and when they came back out, their hands were loaded with boxes and bags.

During our water breaks, Ruby would sit with us and tell us about life on the reservation. We realized this humble sweet woman was distributing clothing, food, household items, as well as eggs and produce and pretty much whatever you can think of from her little red and white trailer to the carloads of people randomly showing up.

On our last work day we begged her to come lunch with us. She was very reluctant to join us. As we were enjoying all the greasy gas station goodness, Ruby quietly munched on a pale garden salad, the cheapest thing on the menu. As we sat there visiting, she confessed, this was the first time she had eaten out in over two years! Every penny she had went to helping her family. We came to learn the homeless was who she was referring to when she spoke of her family.

This trip opened the door to many more trips with my family to see and help our beloved friend. Throughout the years, Ruby fought health problems but never seemed to miss a beat. She formed her own version of meals on wheels and would feed her 'family' the meals she cooked in her tiny kitchen. She'd load up the food she'd prepared and head to the parking area where most of the homeless hang out in. She did this at least once a week, feeding as many as 60 people, all on her commodities and donations she received. Feeding her 'family' didn't stop here. She organized Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter dinners. My family and I had the pleasure of helping at a few of these meals. They were beautiful! These people who had practically nothing would scrape up whatever they could to help contribute to these meals. Often her 'family' would set up, serve, and clean up after these large feasts that often fed hundreds of people. It was an incredible thing to be a part of. On several occasions, Ruby would come grab me from whatever task I was doing to introduce me to her friends in a manner that made me feel like I was a daughter or grandchild of hers. I can't even begin to convey how loved she made me feel.

On one quick trip, we delivered a box of socks collected by a sweet young man in Center. When Ruby opened the box and saw all the brand new socks, she started to cry. She was so overwhelmed and couldn't wait to give her 'family' the socks. This encounter was mind blowing. I had never worried about socks before. My only sock troubles were having matching socks. Talk about a dose of perspective!

Ruby loved fiercely, like no one else I've ever met! She believed you couldn't have true love without consequence and was not afraid to call out bad behavior or disagree with people. She took the Tribal Council to task numerous times on various issues. She pushed extremely hard to get a homeless shelter opened. Thanks to her efforts, there is a day center for the homeless and several large heated tents for the homeless to sleep in.

When her health issues came to ahead and she was put on hospice, she was went to the nursing home that she played a part in getting built. A week before her passing, she was on the phone working to secure funds for propane to heat the church she had worked hard to reopen a couple years ago.

At her funeral this last Saturday, friends from 8 states came in to say their goodbyes to this beautiful and fierce soul. A dear friend spoke a few brief but powerful words he had heard years ago, live in a manner in which the preacher doesn't have to lie at your funeral. Ruby definitely lived that way. I am grateful for her friendship, her love, and lessons she taught my family and I. I want to strive to love as hard as she did. She spreads love like glitter and for that, I am forever thankful!

Well it’s the somethingith day of the trip! Not sure if it’s the travel, the sun, hopping back and forth on various time zones, or just the fact we are enjoying our Adventure so much but most of the time we don’t know what day it is! 

The sights have been absolutely incredible. We’ve never experienced colors or textures like this in the landscape. Everywhere you look, God’s presence is overwhelmingly evident! A few months back ago a very wise friend greeted us at church. When asked how he was, he responded with ‘better than I deserve.’ That was so profound and has really stuck with Matt and I. I have found myself thinking this multiple times a day, all this beauty around me is better than I deserve! God is just so good! 

As we were making our way through the Arctic Circle on our way to Tuk, the spindly and height challenged forest grew nonexistent. My mind began to wander and great concern came over me as to how the Inuit people stayed warm in the winter or how they built shelters with so little resources around. I should have known better, God’s way ahead of us. On the shores of Arctic were copious amounts of drift wood! It was quite remarkable! I love how God always provides! I was visiting with a local woman and we both chuckled about how there was probably some pretty interesting stories held within that drift wood. 

Nestled among the driftwood rich beach was ‘Grandma’s’. We had heard about Grandma’s from people in several of the ‘neighboring’ towns. While we were navigating the gravel streets of Tuk, we spotted this very modern beautiful deep blue building that we figured was Grandma’s Restaurant. As we traveled closer we saw a sign direct us past the very restauranty looking building. Back behind a trailer house was a quaint little enclosed trailer with wooden steps and painted plywood signs for the famous Grandma’s Restaurant! Before we even made it out of the truck we were warmly greeted and asked where we were from. It was strange how comfortable I instantly felt with new found friend. She whipped up a delicious meal of fish and burgers as well as two of her favorites, muktuk and dry fish. These are cultural dishes that make up a big part of the locals regular diet. Muktuk is beluga whale. I’ll admit I was hesitant but was committed to eat the local fare. Visually, it’s definitely not the most appealing but the taste far exceeded my expectations! The dry fish was great and is comparable to jerky. 

Inside the sitting area of Grandma’s was a beautiful view the ocean, various entertaining Grandma signs, and a picture of a man posing with polar bear had shot. One notable thing missing from this ‘restaurant’s’ unattached seating area was a washroom aka restroom. The only available bathrooms were in their trailer….their home, their personal bathroom! All that’s asked is that you remove your shoes before entering! If there was any plus to this awkward call of nature was Matt got to meet and visit with the hunter in the polar bear picture. As Matt was visiting with John, the hunter, I was having my own fascinating conversation with our new friend/cook/waitress. She was filling in for Grandma for the day. When complimenting her on the food she said she wished she could sell us a bag of the dry fish but that’s what they live on. She said they also eat a lot of caribou in the fall and winter. She remarked that she loved that so many people were interested in their little village of Tuk. I had told her about our old weatherman that use to give the temp in Tuk every night and she just thought that was nearest thing. As we reconnected back at the truck, Matt had informed us that John had invited us to go swim on their beach front with our girls and dogs! He also told Matt that whooping and laughing was encouraged! John too had shared with Matt a little about their way of life there and about harvesting the polar bear for meat. 

After a relaxing swim we dried off and took a cruise through town. Right on the shore and in front yards even, we witnessed flurry of activity. From people fishing, cleaning fish, and smoking fish in homemade smoke sheds. Towards the end of our drive through town we got to watch two seasoned women pull in a fishing net rich with white fish. It was so evident again of God’s presence and provision. Even at the literal edge of the continent, God provides. 

It’s very exciting and rewarding to have accomplished a dream/goal of making it to Tuktoyaktuk! Over 2,800 miles from home, more than 500 miles traveled on a gravel highway one way, a couple ferry crossings, ‘towns’ with a hundred to sometimes over two hundred miles between them, little to no cell service, some of the harshest climates on earth, not to mention a ridiculous amount of mosquitoes…..and we got to take it all in with our girls! God is so good! 

Tombstone Territorial Park

Can’t believe we are on day 6 already! As anticipated, cell service has been very limited. Hence the lack of Fb updates and blogs!

We made it safely to Dawson City in the Yukon Territories. It’s rugged and beautiful! This whole trip has been amazing. Here’s a few highlights:

Our critter count is;

15 blacks bears

1 black tail deer

1 caribou 

2 black phase red foxes

2 golden eagles 

1 large herd of wooden Buffalo 

1 elk

2 moose 

The current time here is 5:39 central time it’s 7:39. The sun rose about quarter to 5 this morning after setting at 11:56! So it only pretends to get dark here! That’s taken a little getting use to as well as seeing 100 on a speed limit sign and then realizing it’s 100km which is about 60 mph! 
 

Our new family pastime has been playing Canadian Pictionary….aka comprehending Canada’s clip art road signs! This has become quite entertaining! I’ll try and get some pics of some of the funner signs! 
 

I’ll keep this post short and let you enjoy some of the pictures the girls and I have taken.