Jul 15, 2004 - 06:18:14 CDT
FORT YATES -- Before the 11 Volunteers for Peace came to the Standing Rock Indian Reservation to work they were given a packet of information telling them what they would find here; unemployment, alcoholism and idleness were to be expected.After being here for a week they say they've seen many of the things they prepared for, but they've also been pleasantly surprised.
"The people here, the Indians, some of them are very poor," said Ji Hyun Lee, from South Korea. "But also very nice. That was very impressive for us."
Lee and three other volunteers from Korea were out at the Lake Oahe Group Home for girls cooking for the six at-risk girls who live in the home. They are part of a group of 11 volunteers from across the world who have come here to work and interact with the reservation's children. Besides the volunteers from South Korea, others come from Denmark, England, Spain and New York.
The group is a Vermont-based nonprofit that coordinates projects for international volunteers in the United States. It has no political or religious affiliation, according to its Web site.
The Volunteers for Peace spent their first week painting and cleaning at Standing Rock Junior High. This week they were supposed to work at a youth camp. The camp was postponed, however, and they have branched out into other parts of the community instead.
The four South Korean volunteers had spent three hours preparing rice, egg and sausage dishes for the girls. But they said interacting with the girls and having a chance to learn about their culture first hand was well worth the time spent preparing the meal.
"I heard these girls had hard lives sometimes," said Young Joo Hong. "I want to know how they think about that."
Hong said she hoped to share feelings and thoughts with the girls.
"Although we are from different countries we might have the same types of ideas," she said.
And they hoped to teach the girls at the home a little about Korean culture.
"When people see us they think we are Chinese or Japanese," said Moon-ju Park. "They don't know we are Korean."
Korean culture has its own uniqueness, Park explained, and said she hoped to impart that idea to the girls, aged 12-16.
The camp's director, Fay Foote, said having the volunteers out at the home was a valuable experience for the girls.
"We try to get our residents here to learn about as many other cultures as they can because it's important," Foote said.
Tuesday three of the volunteers from Spain had visited the home and cooked lunch for the girls. At first everyone was shy, but after a while the girls opened up and wanted to know about normal activities of young people in Spain.
Foote said the volunteers will be repaid today for sharing details about their lives and cultures by being invited to attend a buffalo slaughtering ceremony.
(Reach reporter Natalie Storey at 355-8842.)
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