Having settled in to the sounds and rhythms of the Heart Butte facility, I slept well until after 8am. I headed up the steep gravel road for an early morning walk. Already hot under the cloudless sky, with the peaks of Glacier in the distance. Noone around except for the neighbors dog.
Norman arrived to show me the sights and sounds of Browning. All the high spots: the gas station, not one, but two grocery stores, the nursing home, the hospital, the assisted living and meal center, and Pastor Hill's ranch. Having moved to Browning about two years ago, the Pastor and his wife have become formidable influences here. He is a Navajo Indian, ordained as a Methodist minister. He circuit rides to 3 churches every Sunday. During the week, he is using his knowledge and his energy to work on community issues. He has been a major supporter of Global Volunteers of late, and assured me that he had two great projects for my teens to work on since the day camp is closed. I am anxious to have a chance to hear more of his complicated story.
While the current team was having their final meeting, I headed off for my first shopping expedition, with many more to come. Several hundred dollars later, the van was full of the non perishable items we will need for the first few days. I rejoined the current team, and we headed to East Glacier for their final celebratory dinner. They expressed satisfaction with their week, and the projects they worked on, but as with my Crow teams, dissatisfaction with the lack of coherent community support, and the disorganization with which projects the community is really invested in. Sound familiar?
With the sky deepening, I headed back to Heart Butte, through amazing scenery. Arriving here, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the trash had been removed, the laundry done, and a second, deeper cleaner. A great and unexpected surprise. That just left me to organize the beds and linen, and think about plans for the week. It is very quiet here, and I am taking advantage of that, as by tomorrow evening at this time, it will be filled with 24 more people!
I was relieved to hear that the brief fire in Golden is fully contained. No damages.
Stay safe and cool,
Love from Heart Butte,
Barbara
Saturday am: test to see if this is publishing
Norman arrived to show me the sights and sounds of Browning. All the high spots: the gas station, not one, but two grocery stores, the nursing home, the hospital, the assisted living and meal center, and Pastor Hill's ranch. Having moved to Browning about two years ago, the Pastor and his wife have become formidable influences here. He is a Navajo Indian, ordained as a Methodist minister. He circuit rides to 3 churches every Sunday. During the week, he is using his knowledge and his energy to work on community issues. He has been a major supporter of Global Volunteers of late, and assured me that he had two great projects for my teens to work on since the day camp is closed. I am anxious to have a chance to hear more of his complicated story.
While the current team was having their final meeting, I headed off for my first shopping expedition, with many more to come. Several hundred dollars later, the van was full of the non perishable items we will need for the first few days. I rejoined the current team, and we headed to East Glacier for their final celebratory dinner. They expressed satisfaction with their week, and the projects they worked on, but as with my Crow teams, dissatisfaction with the lack of coherent community support, and the disorganization with which projects the community is really invested in. Sound familiar?
With the sky deepening, I headed back to Heart Butte, through amazing scenery. Arriving here, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the trash had been removed, the laundry done, and a second, deeper cleaner. A great and unexpected surprise. That just left me to organize the beds and linen, and think about plans for the week. It is very quiet here, and I am taking advantage of that, as by tomorrow evening at this time, it will be filled with 24 more people!
I was relieved to hear that the brief fire in Golden is fully contained. No damages.
Stay safe and cool,
Love from Heart Butte,
Barbara
Saturday am: test to see if this is publishing
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