September 2008 UPDATE: We have located some land to have our sweats so if you
have been waiting for news of that, please use the links area on the left to get more info.
Never before have the earth and her inhabitants been in such dire need of healing and prayers, so we
are grateful to finally have a place.
WHO WE ARE: We started as a small group of friends who were concerned
about the third world conditions that the Lakota people face everyday. We decided to help the Lakota in tangible ways, but
also to gather regularly to pray for the earth and for all people. Over time, others heard about our work and offered to assist
in our efforts and to join us in ceremony.
WHAT WE DO: We directly help Lakota families and elders, primarily in
Porcupine and Wounded Knee, and visit them once a year. We help with food, clothing, heating fuel, electricity, clothing,
etc.
We also support several Lakota charities and programs that meet the criteria of encouraging Lakota
initiatives toward self-sufficiency. We won’t donate money to organizations that have a paid staff. The organizations
and programs we help must be volunteer service organizations that readily share their financial statements.
WHY THE LAKOTA? The Lakota people have the lowest life expectancy of
any group in the Western Hemisphere outside of Haiti. The infant mortality rate is 5 times the national average, while the
teen suicide rate is nearly 4 times the national average.
Even more shocking than these statistics is the fact that the average American is unaware that fellow
citizens are living this way. Some of us have ties to Pine Ridge, so this became an area of focus and a path of service that
evolved naturally.
WHAT ABOUT THE CRAFTS? Some of the elders whom we work with create traditional
Lakota crafts such as medicine bags, beadwork, dance fans, shields, dream catchers, smudge fans, and more. We help them by
selling their work on Ebay and at local fairs, art shows and festivals. These people are just trying to live at a decent standard
so the prices for these items are very reasonable.
You can get more information about this and other topics by vlsiting our links area on the left.
