Haskell LIGHT
Lawrence, KS
The LIGHT Story
Haskell LIGHT (Lutheran Indians Gathering and Helping Together), known as the Haskell LIGHT House Ministry in the past, is the Lutheran Student Ministry at Haskell Indian Nations University, located in Lawrence, Kansas.
Haskell Indian Nations University began in 1884 as Haskell Institute, intended originally to assimilate Native youth into the American culture. It later became a high school adding vocational classes, and in 1970 was accredited as a junior college. Today, Haskell is the most well known Native American University in the United States. The university has an enrollment of 1059 students representing over 140 tribes from the lower 48 states and Alaska. 
Haskell LIGHT began as a ministry to students and faculty on campus in 1972 when Wiley and Caryn Scott recognized the need to share the Gospel through fellowship and Bible study. Wiley, a Native American is a graduate of Haskell.
The ministry grew to include retreats, workshops, Sunday School for off campus children, and events sponsored on campus for all students. A ranch style house adjacent to campus was purchased and became known as the LIGHT House; the Lutheran campus center. The “LIGHT House” still serves as the location for this ministry, and will continue to be an integral part of the Haskell LIGHT Ministry even as we expand to larger facilities.
In October 2005, the Haskell LIGHT House Board of Directors expanded the mission statement to add: “and empower students and staff to share the Gospel with others.” They determined that the position of Director of the LIGHT House Ministry should become full time and that a greater emphasis be placed on the recruitment and training of native youth to become effective witnesses of Jesus Christ to their own.
As the mission was expanded the Board recognized the need to acquire the resource support and leadership of an organization that has experience and success in the recruitment and training of native people to serve our Lord through the church. As a result, the Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots, U.S. merged with Haskell LIGHT to become one ministry.
After 35 years of serving the students through the Haskell LIGHT Ministry, the founders,
Caryn and Wiley retired. Will and Patricia Main from Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan became the Directors of the Haskell LIGHT Ministry in August, 2006.
Patricia (Cree) previously served on the staff of the Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots U.S. She is gifted in sharing the Gospel with young people. She is also well trained to equip others. Patricia earned her college degree in guidance and has counseled extensively in native communities in northern Saskatchewan while witnessing her faith with young people often troubled by physical, emotional and substance abuse.
Will (Sioux) who was recruited by the Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots U.S., currently serves as vicar of the LIGHT Ministry while he is in training to become an ordained pastor through the Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology program through Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. Will’s dedication to the Gospel of Jesus is born out of childhood struggle and pain. As he explains “I was raised in a home with two alcoholic parents and all of the dysfunction that accompanies that life style.” Experiencing the salvation of Jesus Christ in recent years, Will has a passion to be used of God for His glory. God placed in his heart the desire to become ordained and to “serve First Nations people.” The opportunity for Will to enter the EIIT program, while serving the students of Haskell University through Haskell LIGHT is invaluable to him.
We hope you will be a part of the exciting Haskell LIGHT Ministry by supporting it with your prayers, your financial gifts and - if you live nearby - with your time and talents