Last month, Eden Keefe, the National President of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML), and Kay Kreklau, former National President, toured our Bismarck campus. The LWML has been a tremendous support for the children and work of the Ranch. The individual LWML districts support various needs, and the national organization has supported our Deaconesses, as well as the construction of our Chapel in Bismarck. This is an organization truly filled with faith-centered, loving, Christian women.
While we were on the tour, one of our children, Nash, stopped me for a hug.
“I’m having a real good day, Joy. I had a home visit this weekend. Who are these people?”
I explained to him that Eden and Kay were touring the campus and asked if he’d like to meet them. He said “Yes,” and shook their hands and looked them in the eye. I was so proud of him. The abuse and neglect Nash has endured is beyond measure. Yet, here he was reaching out to greet visitors.
“He has come so far,” I thought.
Later in the day, after our guests had left, I saw Nash sitting off to the side in the common space of the living area. There were staff present, but it was obvious he had asked for some space of his own. When he looked up, I asked if I could come talk. He nodded.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“I got really mad at one of my peers [yes, the kids here really say “peers”],” he said. “I almost hit him.”
“Oof. Tell me about it.”
Nash’s eyes welled up. “He tried to pull my braid. Don’t mess with my hair.”
Nash is Native American and has a beautiful black braid down his back. He cares for his hair. It is always clean and carefully braided. He wears it with pride. It is an important part of his identity.
“I remember in 8th grade when one of the older girls in my school threw gum in my hair," I told him. "What a mess. Someone told me to use peanut butter to get it out, which worked… but then I had to get the peanut butter out of my hair and that was even harder. It was yucky.”
He looked at me with a crooked smile, and asked, “Did you almost hit her?”
“Nope. I was shy and scared. I walked away and later I cried.”
“I am learning to walk away, but I don’t want people to mess with my hair,” Nash said.
I was even prouder. He was working through his reaction… learning from it… pondering… growing. He has come so far.
Please keep our kids and staff in your prayers.
In His love,
Joy Ryan, President/CEO
Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch
Sign up today to receive ministry updates and stories about our precious kids directly to your inbox!