Old & New Team Members: settling in, where are our hosts?

A good night's sleep, followed by an early morning walk and I was off to the airport, an hour away in Billings.  First arrival, Kathy , a colleague of Phil's and prior teammate from West Virginia.  Since then she has been to Cuba and Portugal with Global, ironically, both with Joe T, the team leader who preceded me here in Montana.  We got to spend a couple of hours catchingup, before the arrival of Ellie and Claudia(also from the West Virginia team) and new team members: Marie and her son David, from Lexington, MA.(first Global team for them).

Back in the van to return to Billings, some anxiety, much excitement.  Arrival at the Head Start brought about the usual nesting in issues, where am I sleeping? (a few necessary adjustments to the plan) where is the shower(well......no showers till tomorrow), how about the food and cold water?  How about some cold air?
Off for a short walking tour of Crow Agency, back for a rest, and chicken dinner.  Ellie's enthusiasm is contagious.  She wants to do everything:  can we hike? can we ride horses? can we build something?  The adults, and newcomer, David are more reserved.

Strange to me that since yesterday we have not seen or heard from anyone from the tribal office, the Head Start leadership, or the local Junior College team.  It seems they don't get involved over the weekend.  It did lead one volunteer to ask:  "Do they even know we are here?  Do they even want us here?"  Questions to be pondered through the week.

Meantime, our late evening walk, through the "suburbs" of Crow took us through a poor and dilapidated section of old, poorly maintained homes with junk and debris outside, and in great need of repair.  Outside one of them, a 6 year old girl on her bike stopped to ask us for help:  "there's a man in that house cussing and drunk, I am worried he is going to hurt my friend".  While we considered our options, the boy exited the home and his 6 year old friend and protector said " are you ok?" as they rode away on their bikes.

Hugs from here, and be sure to hug and hold your loved ones closely,
Barbara