I had a wonderful opportunity and invitation to jon 97 youths from the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana last week on a 400-mile journey. Indeed, it turned out to be a journey I’ll likely never forget. The students were all part of the Fort Robinson Outbreak Spiritual Run. The group ran the 400 miles as a relay, starting at Fort Robinson in Nebraska and ending in Busby, Mont. The five-day journey ended last Friday, Jan. 14, 2009. I was in an area on the reservation where we didn’t have cell phone service, so I was unable to post anything from the event when it ended. I am, however, back in Missoula now. I will take some time to edit videos and photos from the run. I’ll also take some time to write out my own thoughts in more detail. Overall, I was impressed with the incredibly positive attitude of the young people on the trip. From day one, they were excited and wanted to run. Their enthusiasm only intensified the closer they got to their homes on the reservation. The kids were whooping, cheering and hollering. I rode with the younger kids on the Yellow War Ponies bus. And I also rode in the van with some of the older youths. Last Wednesday, the older runners and I loaded into a van so the runners could log in some miles to get the group closer to home and on time. Those kids ran until 3:30 a.m. They pushed themselves to keep going, challenging each other to be strong and to keep the warrior spirit alive.
I am still decompressing! Come back to this site as I compile all the information gathered on this trip. I can say it ended on a high note on Friday evening with a community dinner in Lame Deer, Mont. A number of people spoke about the trip, with several testimonials from people who said it changed their lives. The organizers, Lynnette Two Bulls and Phillip Whiteman Jr., did an outstanding job pulling the whole trip together. I don’t know many people who put themselves on the line for kids the way Two Bulls and Whiteman did for this run. They’ve been doing the 400-mile run for 11 years. It’s a gargantuan feat to put 97 kids in vans and have them run through Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming and finally Montana. I asked Whiteman why he did it one afternoon while we were riding in the van. He pointed out the window at the female and male runners jogging beside the van. Whiteman looked at the kids and said it was because of them. It wasn’t just idle talk. I could everyone on the trip was affected by the joy and enthusiasm exuding from the kids. Their joy and positive attitude was infectious. Those kids gave everyone hope in large doses.
Thanks Fort Robinson runners for sharing that with all of us who were lucky to be in your presence.
Jodi Rave
