Other Reports:

ACFIA (Associated Committee of Friends on Indian Affairs )
By Grayce (Haworth) Mesner

For over 100 years, the Associated Committee of Friends on Indian Affairs has shared the Christian faith, principles and teachings with Native American communities.  It began in 1869, when a group of Friends met with President-elect Ulysses S. Grant and his soon-to-be-named head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Ely Parker.

Friends were concerned about Native Americans who had been removed from their native lands and driven to the West.  Grant was aware that many of the Indian agents, as they were called, were political appointees and their honesty was questionable

Grant asked Friends to suggest names of persons who would serve as agents because of their reputation for honesty and peacefulness.  In June 1869, the ACFIA organized at Damascus, OH.  The Committee supplied teachers, clerks and doctors at Native American centers.

Eventually the ACFIA stopped working with the U.S. government but continued as an organization to assist Native Americans.  With the rapid changes in Oklahoma, the Friends consolidated their work into eight areas: The Seneca Council House in northeastern Oklahoma, Wyandotte about 14 miles from Council House, Hominy with the Osages, the Kickapoo Friends Center near McLoud, Otoe Mission (closed in 1927), Iowa Mission (closed in 1922), Shawnee Mission (closed in 1923), and Big Jim Mission (closed in 1939).  The ACFIA has since opened a center in Alabama and another in Iowa.  (The Mowa Choctaw Center, McIntosh, AL and Mesquakie Friends Center, near Tama, IA.)

The centers have attracted work teams from across the country.  More than 100 years later, the ACFIA continues to be an advocate for Na

AFSC Appoints New Central
Region Director
By Dawn Rubbert

Many of you were fond of Eloise Cranke who retired as Director of the AFSC Central Region the end of December. She often attended all or most of Illinois Yearly Meeting. Following a diligent, spirit led search, in which I took part, a new director began work officially on April 15. The search process was the most challenging I have participated in to date. We spent much time seeking clarity. When it came it was an epiphany shared by all.

Daniel Pearson, his wife and two small children, agreed to move to Des Moines from Kansas City to accept the position. He and his family were very active in the life of Penn Valley Friends Meeting. Dan clerked the Peace Committee and served in countless ways. I have it on good authority that the couple was considered a treasure by Kansas City Friends. Dan had worked for four years as Director of Program Administration for Children International.

Dan has been among Friends for many years. He attended a meeting in Cambridge while studying at Cambridge University. When working on his Masters degree in International Studies at the University of Denver he attended Mountain View Friends Meeting. His concentration was in human rights. While in Kansas City Dan has been working on another Masters degree in Public Administration. He speaks and reads fluent Spanish and has lived, worked and/or studied in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and Santiago, Chile. He worked on a kibuttz in Haifa, Israel and has experience with 14 additional countries in Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.

Dan will be at the FGC Gathering this summer and expects to attend part of IYM this summer. Please seek him out and make him welcome.

Summer 2002 Among Friends  11