My name is Jesse James Fearing, I am 31 years old, and have served on the Board of Blue Star Inc. for the past 10 1/2 years and have been a Minister of the Blue Star Church since 2003. 

        Blue Star Inc. is a Non-Profit Church Organization in West Point Texas.  The Church has around 40 acres of land called Thunder Ranch, devoted to their Spiritual University for helping others achieve the best of themselves.  The Church, the corporation, and the ranch are the dream and vision of Mary Elizabeth Thunder, a Native American Teacher and Sun dancer devoted to healing and spiritual awakening. 

        At Thunder Ranch we work personally with individuals or groups in guiding them through ceremonies and workshops to aid them in their personal growth and relationship with themselves and the world.  People can come to Thunder Ranch for a short time, as we offer ceremonies every weekend and at different times throughout the year, or if they wish to commit to volunteer their services to the church they can stay on and live at Thunder Ranch for room and board for a predetermined time frame that can be worked out.  I discovered something special there when I first arrived at Thunder Ranch in 1996 and chose to stay on and become a volunteer.  Also, being a Spiritual University, Thunder Ranch would host many elders throughout the year that would come to teach and conduct ceremonies.  Sometimes just one or two elders at a time or other times large gatherings of 100 or more elders. 

        During my first couple of years there, I worked in the Land Management area taking care of the facilities, buildings, landscaping and the various animals that have resided there such as buffalo, horses and cows.  I also assisted in all of the ceremonies that were conducted.  We held a Sweat Lodge every Saturday and a Vision Quest 3 times in the spring and twice in the fall.  There were also many other ceremonies conducted throughout the year, such as dances, and pipe ceremonies.

        I then became Thunder’s Warrior in 1997, a warrior is kind of like a personal assistant in a way, also a bit like a spiritual body guard.  Thunder does a lot of traveling around the country and even around the world.  Being her warrior meant traveling with her and helping to bring ceremonies to the people.  It was a learning of the spiritual flow of the ceremonies, of life, of people, of the Universe and of my self.  It was a learning of how to get out of my self and let spirit through, to be in service to my elders and to the people.  Being a warrior included learning how to set up a ceremony, learning the ancient songs passed down for over 2000 years, and how to assist the medicine person or spirit interpreter in their work. Elders say that the ultimate warrior is one who can create peace out of chaos.        

        I worked one on one with various elders and people while setting up ceremonies and lectures across the country and also around the world.  We would go on the road for months at a time to lecture, give workshops, and perform ceremonies.  I would manage the road trip, scheduling the different events in the different areas and assist Thunder during the events.  Setting up the road route, taking care of the luggage, and any personal matters we needed to deal with on the road.  We were always meeting new people and coming into their lives to help them with whatever they needed, so the road was a practice in flowing with whatever was needed in that moment to be of service.  Yearly, we fly overseas where we conduct a Vision Quest, Women’s Dance, and Sweat lodges in France, Switzerland, Holland, Germany and Italy.  I have also traveled and assisted with ceremonies in Egypt, Ireland, England, & Turkey.

        In 1999 I made a commitment to God and myself to Sundance.  Thunder told me that Spirit said it was good make that commitment.  So I began that journey of becoming a Sun dancer.  It is a commitment to pray for the people, to help the people and to be in service to all of humanity as a warrior for the light.  We dance for four days no food or water out in the sun and give of our flesh to make that prayer so that the people will live.  I have danced now for 7 years, and was blessed by Thunder and Spirit to be able to conduct Sweat Lodges and directly assist people during their Vision Quests 5 or 6 years ago. 

        This is not a religion; it is a way of life, a way of being and thinking.  As a Sun dancer I am committed to helping the people pray and to be in service. It is this prayer and vision that guide me in my hope to be able to help others find their own connection to God and the Universe through these ceremonies.