Youth they are important EVERYWHERE.

Lakota Instructions for Living

Friend do it this way - that is,
whatever you do in life,
do the very best you can
with both your heart and mind.

And if you do it that way,
the Power Of The Universe
will come to your assistance,
if your heart and mind are in Unity.

When one sits in the Hoop Of The People,
one must be responsible because
All of Creation is related.
And the hurt of one is the hurt of all.
And the honor of one is the honor of all.
And whatever we do effects everything in the universe.

If you do it that way - that is,
if you truly join your heart and mind
as One - whatever you ask for,
that's the Way It's Going To Be.

passed down from White Buffalo Calf Woman

A year ago I got the opportunity to go to the Sioux YMCA for two weeks on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota.  For 6 years, the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities have been sending staff to run summer youth programs in partnership with the Sioux YMCA in Dupree, SD in the smaller communities on the reservation.  We went in groups of 3 and each day would go to two different communities in a van loaded with basketballs, baseball equipment, arts and crafts, and whatever else we could fit besides ourselves.  It is an excellent staff development and cultural peice as well as one more layer to the vastness of how the Y is dedicated to communities. 

The Cheyenne River Reservation is a beautiful, magical place besides the extreme poverty of the communities and social problems they face.  The "amber waves of grain" really come to life here.  And the spirit of the youth is unlike anything.  In this world of young people "needing" the latest fashion, video games, movies etc. the youth on the reservation have giant smiles and they may not have shoes.  They are a joy to see everyday. 

So this year, when I got a  phone call from my teammate from last year who is there again this year, that one of our kids (they are "our" kids by the time you leave, because you kind of want to steal them) had committed suicide last fall it really hit me.  Royce, a 14 year old leader, and one of the older kids in the community had started to dabble in alcohol and drugs.  A reality that is too common for the young people on the reservation.  He must have found his life too hard, and chose to end it.  I can't put into words the saddness that overcomes me when I think of this kid, a great athlete, with big smiles playing softball with us found this world too hard. 

No young person should find this world to hard. 

On another note, I got to hear from some of the kids i met last year with from my former team mate.  They say "hi" they miss me and actually remember me. Wow, if that doesn't make you warm and fuzzy. 

The work is important in this forgotten land.  These are young people with just as much potential and are the exact same as the kids as in the inner city or down the street.  They just need nurturing and the avenue and support to be successful.  The Cheyenne River Reservation is not done yet.  Let the healing begin.

Here are a few pictures of the reservation and kids:

To learn more about the YMCA Sioux Y Initiative check out their blog at http://siouxymcainitiative.blogspot.com/ or to make a donation to the Sioux YMCA  http://www.siouxymca.org/