This is the Tribal meeting area on the Standing Rock where President Obama came and met and visited. They had a moment in a the sun.
Life has been tough on the Standing Rock for a while and many of our faithful people have tried to work there and help with mixed results. We have explored ministry options there years ago and our last conventions resolutions brought up the subject, but it is still a tough place for women and children especially.
Yesterday President Obama visited and showed his concern and many tribal leaders said that he has been working with them to make things better. We have blogged about some of the ways our folks have tried help and will re post them. In the meantime prayers are always appropriate. this from the Washington Post – Katie Zezima.
“Here on Standing Rock, where cows graze on the Cannon Ball River and a casino is the main economic driver, the statistics paint a bleak picture: 40 percent of the residents live in poverty and two-thirds are unemployed. Sexual assault and violence have long been problems on the reservation, which stretches down into South Dakota and is roughly the size of Connecticut. Rates of suicide and alcoholism are high, and, as on many other reservations, at least half of high-schoolers drop out.”
Check out posts from Oct 12, 2012, Jan 24, 2014, and June 24,2011
