Kathi Dyer
Kathi has lived or worked on the Pine Ridge Reservation for almost 23 years. She has 5 children of her own and many “other” children who call or think of her as mom. She is the ministry’s current CEO, Accountant, and Preschool Director. She loves children and has a passion to serve them on the reservation in Oglala.
Kia Steele
Kia is an indigenous leader. She came to the children’s program, Blow Out, at 9 years old. Blow Out is where she asked Jesus to be King of her life and she has followed and grown in Him ever since. She moved back to the reservation in 2012, with a heart to serve the community where she grew up. She is the current director and teacher of the youth ministries and also assists in the Preschool and with many other daily functions of the ministry in Oglala.
In her own words:
I grew up in Oelrichs and Oglala, SD. When I was 10 years old, I was invited by a friend to attend the Blow Out program at Oyate Concern. Rob and Kathi Dyer recall that I was a shy little kid that sat in the back with my hood pulled up and I wouldn’t talk to anyone. Little did I know that God would begin to use them to help shape my faith and become mentors to help me become the leader I hope and aspire to be for Jesus and to help reach the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation for Christ.I received Christ in 2002 and was baptized. Later, I became a Teen Leader and helped build and lead the Teen Night program. Since receiving Christ, He has taken me on a whirlwind adventure of faith and trust. In 2006, my family moved to Riverton, Wyoming. This was a difficult time. I was leaving the only spiritual family I had known. A year after moving to Wyoming and finally adjusting to this whole new life, I made a friend through one of the clubs I was involved with at my school. God’s hand was at work, because I began to attend his youth group, and continued to grow in my faith, apart from Oyate Concern.
In the summer of 2009, I moved back to the reservation and finished out my high school education. I lived at Oyate Concern in the ministry house and graduated from Pine Ridge High School in 2010. After that Summer I returned to Riverton to live with my brother. In April 2012, I felt God was calling me to go back to work for Oyate Concern full-time.
In June 2012, I returned to Oyate Concern as a full-time volunteer. Since being back I definitely feel more at home than anywhere I have ever lived, being fully reunited with my spiritual family that I love so dearly, I am committed to working with this amazing staff that God has placed in my life, and continuing the work of reaching my community for Christ. I am committed to making more disciples.
-Kia Steele.