Letter to St. John
[See photos from Scott’s New Year's Eve Worship Service by following this link.]
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Thank you for your continued support and interest in my seminary career. The past couple weeks have been a time full of rest, relaxation and continued seminary progress. Over the break I spent two weeks on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. This was a cross-cultural experience and opened my eyes to the beauty of Lakota culture and to the harsh realities of their living conditions.
Forced assimilation in our countries past has left many people on reservations clinging desperately to a culture which was nearly abolished. Today many are wrestling with how to blend their culture in such a way that they can preserve their meaningful, sacred rites, which show their heritage. A common misconception of Lakota people is that they pray to trees and dance with wolves. This couldn’t be more untrue. Rather, many of them are devout Christian people.
The people of Pine Ridge are in economic despair. The reservation is roughly the size of Connecticut yet there isn’t a single bank. The unemployment rate is well above 70% and many of their youth drop out of school because of pregnancy or gangs. In spite of this, many people are continuing their education at Oglala Lakota College. And a group called Lakota Fund has set up a program which enables people to start small businesses.
One of the sayings they use is mitakuye oyasin, which means “we are all related”. This is an age old Lakota belief which resonates deeply with the Christian idea of loving our neighbor. The reservation proved to be full of loving people who warmly welcomed us into their midst and taught us the value of being a part of a diverse church.
Thank you again for your prayers and support of my ministry and education. As I begin my second academic semester at Southern I will continue to pray for you all and thank God for the blessing you have been in my life. Feel free to contact me at any time if you have any questions regarding seminary or this past trip to Pine Ridge.
Grace and Peace,
The Rev. Seminarian Scott D. Hannon
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