“For the Lord comforts Zion; he comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song” ~Isaiah 51:3 (ESV)
Our first full week in Cherokee is done, and even though its been a crazy journey, I am glad this is where God put me for the rest of the summer. We are surrounded by beautiful mountains, creeks, creatures, and trees. The leadership team here has embraced us wholeheartedly, and I have already been learning so very much over the past week and a half.
The campground hosts different short-term teams that do various mission projects around the reservation. Every Saturday, old teams go home, and new ones come in. The quick team turn-over is difficult for my sentimental soul, but I’ve really enjoyed soaking up the knowledge and company provided by such diverse fellowship.
This past week, a team came in that has been coming to Cherokee for almost 20 years. They have established some relationships with the Cherokee people and have their ministry down to a pretty consistent routine. There was another team that came in as well that did more outreach work. I really enjoyed bonding with members of both teams and serving with them. I primarily worked with the more experienced team as they hosted “Sonshine Bible Days” at the campground. This consisted of VBS for the younger kids, sewing and crafts for the older girls, and construction ministry for the older guys. I got to be a part of VBS, which is always one of my favorite things! Many of the kids look forward to this week every year, so they are enthusiastic participants and make the week a whole lot of fun. I loved my job as a crafts assistant for the week, and I am now a pro at using a hot glue gun! It was wonderful to have a chance to spend time with the Cherokee kids, many of whom come from broken families and other tough circumstances.
Please pray for all of the families that we ministered to over the week, and especially that the missionaries will be able to create and maintain relationships with them. Pray for us as we get ready for new teams to come in, that we would take time to rest. Pray for the Cherokee nation as we continue to come alongside them, wherever in life they may be.
Today, new teams are about to arrive to minister in a variety of ways around the Qualla boundary. Every day my heart for these people gets a little bigger, and I’m looking forward to what they have to teach me. I think that this journal entry from last Saturday provides a nice picture of the home I’m finding here:
Cherokee, 6/20/15. It’s a new week here in Cherokee. We’re cleaning out the cabins and basically hitting the reset button. The night’s rain has left everything in a fresh coat of dew, as though the campground itself is preparing for the newest team arrivals. I like the mountains in the morning, while the air is still cool and fresh…Soon the sun will make its robust appearance, drying things out and kicking nature into high gear, which is too bad, because I enjoy this moment to breathe, with leftover raindrops for my company. If this is the garden the Lord makes from my wilderness, I sure do feel an itty-bit closer to Eden.
Rev. Bekah Rhea, MDiv. 