A helping hand

Pictured left to right: Colton Small, O.T. Thompson, Lynn Gray, Rol Bradford, Gus Craven. Photo courtesy of Roland Bradford.

WAMBLEE—When Gus Craven, the Pastor at Eagle Nest Life Center in Wamblee, SD, heard about the fire on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana and how the fire had burned out some of the ranchers pasture land and some of their hay, his heart went out to them. He wanted to help. He wanted to get hay to those who had been hurt the worst. As a part of the Oglala Lakota Ministry Coalition, he recruited the help of other members, Rol Bradford and Dale McGaa. A load of hay was donated and the men went to work organizing how they would get the hay to Montana. Rol Bradford of Lakota Cowboy Ministry contacted his friend Lynn Gray of Lynn Gray Trucking, an over-the-road hauler, and Lynn was all-in to help. But a trailer was needed to haul the hay. Lynn decided he would lease a hay trailer and when the owner found out what it was going to be used for, he donated the use of his trailer.  All that was left to figure out was how the hay would be unloaded on the other end. Rol contacted his friend O.T. Thompson in Lame Deer, Montana and told him what they were planning on doing.  O.T. volunteered and said he would take care of getting the hay unloaded and distributed.

Dale, one of the Coalition members and the owner of Crazy Horse Construction, volunteered his time and trailer to help haul and brought it to Wamblee from Slim Buttes. A rancher donated the use of his tractor to load the hay and a large number of Christian people donated money for the fuel.

In the early morning of August 25 the project began. It was not without its challenges. As the group got into Kadoka to fuel up, it was noticed that one of the tires on the trailer was not going to make it. The load was taken to the tire shop and a new tire put on. When the men went to pay for it the owner John and Sue Kaiser said, “No charge. That is our donation to your project.” Now there was only one hurdle left before they began their journey, to get permits to cross into Montana. What they thought would take a few minutes took 3 hours. With permits in hand at 4 pm and 300 miles to go the men finally started their journey. Arriving at 9 PM in Lame Deer, O.T. was there waiting for the group, and directed them where to go. There waiting as the evening switched to night was Colton Small with his tractor ready to unload the trailers. As the lighting flashed and the rain came the men diligently got the hay unloaded and after some thankful goodbyes they were headed back home. Feeling a little tired but joyous knowing that it wasn’t just one person that made this happen, but it was God’s work, and the generosity of many caring people coming together as one, to make it all possible, and these men knew they were blessed just to be a part of it. There is still good in America!

(Contact Roland Bradford at mailto:lakcowboy@yahoo.com)

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