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The two most interesting aspects of the workcamp to me are the people who come to the workcamp from around the country and the world and how the Lakota people accept the participants of workcamp. The people this year came from such varied places as New York City, San Francisco, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and New Mexico. One participant came from Victoria, British Columbia and another from Vienna, Austria. The Lakotas that I met the last two summers have been very welcoming and friendly to all of the participants. Pine Ridge is known as a very poor area economically, but the great spiritual wealth and good sense of humor the Lakota possess is overlooked.
The community that was built during the time of the workcamp is amazing considering that most people stayed only for a week or two. Although our working together during the day helped to foster the community, the real community building happened during the evening as we cooked and ate together, and enjoy one another company. As a person who stayed while people came and went, it was rewarding to meet all of these wonderful, fascinating people, but it was also hard to say goodbye as they headed home.
The workcamp is more than helping build and repair homes, it is a time for spiritual growth and reflection. It is helpful, because sometimes the workcamp gets busy and there is no time to process the experience. This summer, we tried to worship every Sunday and, sometimes, had worship-sharing on Wednesday. This year, two of the meetings for worship were held at sunset in the Badlands.
Candy Boyd and I, along with Candy's daughter, Maya Suffern, formed Project Lakota after going to the workcamp in 2000 and seeing the great need for housing. We wanted to give back to the people for sharing with us their great spiritual wealth. Project Lakota raises awareness about the Lakota and raises money for building supplies for the workcamp and scholarships for people to come to the workcamp. It is separate
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from AFSC-IMYM joint service project. Throughout the last year, we raised $7,000+. The money bought interior paint and mud for the wall for Bill's and Emily's house, siding, and porches for the eight Self-Help houses. Project Lakota is under the care of Columbia (MO) MM and St. Louis (MO) MM.
One can't measure the success of the workcamp only by how many houses were painted or tiles were laid. The measure needs to include is how did the individual benefit from the experience. I had a very great experience, one that is hard to duplicate due to the other individuals who came and shared in the experience and the Lakota people who accepted us into their homes and hearts.
IYM to Establish Web Presence
By Cindy Reynolds
Watch for a new website! The IYM ad hoc work group on electronic communications will hold its first meeting this winter to address the many issues involved in exploring ways to add electronic ways to communicate among Friends and the general population. Brayton Gray is convening clerk of the committee. Peter Lasersohn helped start to formulize the agenda with some of the following questions. If Friends have thoughts on some of these issues, they should contact Brayton Gray.
Web page? Where will be hosted? Can we get space free? What information should be included? Besides basic information on monthly meetings and worship groups, do we also include electronic versions of existing publications (minute books, Plummer lectures, directories, Among Friends, IYM Handbook?) If so, which ones, and in which format (html?, pdf?), and how far back do we go? Also, what effect does this have on print versions -- do we continue to print and distribute the same number in the same way? What kind of structure, format,
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