CULTURAL EXCHANGE

A Unique Opportunity

Students (including foreign exchange) from Arkansas Baptist High School had a terrific trip to Flandreau, South Dakota during their Missions Week! Working with the FIS Chaplaincy, the goal of the week was a cultural exchange between Native American students at Flandreau Indian School (FIS) and non-Native students. The hope in doing so was to build bridges where the Chaplain and mission team would have more opportunities to share the love and hope of Christ with the students of FIS; they in turn could take that hope back to their families on the reservation.

Arkansas students shared testimonies during the Sunday worship service on campus and were able to connect with the FIS students during after school and evening activities, as well as during family dinners in the home of the school chaplain. During the day when the FIS students were in class, the mission team travelled to The Center for Western Studies at Augustana College and Pipestone National Monument to learn about Native American history and modern culture, which gave them all a new perspective and broke their hearts for the conditions of the Native Americans in our country. On campus they toured the Cultural Center and visited classes on Native American heritage. The team also prepared support postcards to mail, sorted and washed hundreds of clothing items donated to meet students’ physical needs, and set up for the after school and evening activities.

As the week came to a close many new friends had been made among the students from Arkansas and Flandreau. A team member said it well, “This was great! I’m coming back next year.”