The Red Shirt Project
During the summer of 2014, St. George’s missioners had an opportunity to change lives, including their own, through the Red Shirt Project. Red Shirt Village, on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, is listed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as the poorest Indian reservation in the United States. The reservation is 47 miles west of Rapid City, South Dakota, just across the Cheyenne River. Each night we camped in tents under the vast, beautiful South Dakota sky. Living on the land in South Dakota takes some hardiness and resolve, but the rewards will be infinite. We camped in tents on the enclosed grounds of Christ Church, enjoying campfires, conversation, and the wonder of nature.
What the Trip Meant to Us
The drum of the Sun Dancers woke me in the morning and their chant pulled the sun up over the edge of the Badlands. Awe inspiring! A mission team member
It was beautiful and the people I met were fun. Paul
Blood, sweat and flies, I have an incredible sense of accomplishment and a feeling of satisfaction in a job well done and friends well met. Donna
A great escape from worldly worries. Meghan
On returning home…
I love my red chair
I love getting a glass of water from the kitchen
I love being able to take a bath
I love sleeping in my bed
Keira
Red Shirt was a time of activity and a time to pause; a time for interaction and a time for contemplation; it was a time to make new friends and a time to become reacquainted with ourselves. Red Shirt stretched us and held us accountable; we are the better for it. Cynthia
I had a good time! Alex
The beauty of the land, and the poverty and dignity of the people have left a mark on me. I need to go back there. Mary
I’m so glad we did Vacation Bible School; it gave the children something to look forward to. Lily
Everyone was so welcoming and eager to work, the experience was one that I won’t soon forget. Amanda
We were standing, working, laughing, and weeping on holy ground. A mission team member
So much human kindness, so much human pain – So much human sorrow, so much human joy. A mission team member
Red Shirt Table, where the gift of time was given
time for meditation or prayer
time for meals and relationships
time for learning,
time for labor,
and time for rest.
Gay