We knew the diminutive guy with thinning hair because we’d met before; others in our congregation had no clue. But when he rose to speak, there was no doubt. They recognized Ron Hutchcraft from his radio voice. He told of how in 1992, he was invited to speak at a banquet for KHAC (WIM/AN radio station), and the Lord completely captured his heart to reach the Native American people. After 400 years of missions, still only 4% are Christians. He calls this the “unfinished business of the American church.”
He told the Lord that his plate was full enough already. But God nudged him saying, “But your hands aren’t.” Thus formed the idea of mobilizing Native and First Nations believers to reach their peers, and through his ministry https://www.hutchcraft.comand Warrior Leadership Summit https://oneagleswings.com/wlsto train and mobilize Christians to communicate to their lost world.
“There’s a lot of pain, a lot of loss, a lot of death… and there is a tendency to ‘stuff it’ rather than face it,” observed Hutchcraft. “I’ve been on about 100 reservations and [On Eagles Wings has] been in Canada and Alaska, and all over the continental US. Wherever you go, it’s true: Jesus is perceived to be the white man’s God.”
“Tragically, His name has been associated with so many of the things that they’ve lost… so much was taken from them in the name of Christianity,” said Hutchcraft.
He added, “No people on this continent have lost so much. They lost their land, their language, their family unit – and their lives. The estimated 10 million Indigenous people here when Columbus came had shrunk to only 200,000 by 1900.”
An On Eagles’ Wings team worshipped with us on Sunday and stayed in Fort Defiance for three days, inviting the young people 15+ to play basketball, participate in other youthful challenges such as making sandwiches blindfolded and cup stacking races, eat pizza, and most important, listen to the Hope Stories of the aqua-shirted team members.
I watched their intense faces as they leaned into the testimonies of Lance, Tsarina, and Dustin.https://oneagleswings.com/dustin. They wondered how this kid from another Reservation knew exactly what they were going through in their own lives. We prayed on the sidelines that some would receive the Words and the Savior to fill the void in their lives. And we rejoiced to watch youth stream to center court when the invitation to follow Jesus was given.
Even now, in recalling yesterday’s gathering, I’m overwhelmed by God’s work and God’s Word. Pray with me for those who received Jesus to be wrapped in His arms of Hope and become true followers and lights to their own peers.
As we approach the beginning of a new school year, pray that God will provide us with a fourth grade teacher.
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| Students plant the last week of school in hopes of vegetables in the fall. |
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| Kindergarten Graduation is always a fun event. |
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| You don't want to get stung by this! |
