Painting at Payabya 
Seven adults and seven pathfinders from Green Bay, Wisconsin arrived at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation the evening of May 16 to paint the Payabya (Pah-yaw′-bee-ah) Church. The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, the eighth largest reservation in the United States – larger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined – is also the poorest. Led by their pastor, Delmar Austin and their church school principal, David Smith, they patched, sanded and painted the interior of the Pine Ridge Church for two days. When they had finished the painting, they pulled up the church carpeting in preparation for new carpet. They were good troupers at camping!
On the seventeenth, they were helped by four upper grade students from the Rapid City Church School: Gabe Frie, 6th grade; Leyla Frie, 7th grade; Mark Baker-Sanchez, 8th grade; Becca Rittberger, 8th grade and their teacher, Nora Kertzman.
Nora reported to the Green Bay Pathfinders, “We had a fun time and it was a really good experience for us to do service for others. Thank you for letting us join you.” One person from Hot Springs, Ben Hobbs, also came and painted the steeple and repaired the roof where it was leaking around the steeple.
The members in Pine Ridge greatly appreciate the contribution of time and dedicated effort on the part of the Green Bay Pathfinder Club, the students at Rapid City Church School and all who donated their time and effort.
Author: Joseph Story
