Entrance to the Zuni Indian Reservation in New Mexico.
USA (MNN) — Native American reservations can be a source of controversy within the U.S. But during Summer of Hope 2014, they’re the mission field of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries’ On Eagles’ Wings team.
Ron Hutchcraft says two constants apply to each tribal land they visit: “It’s a very hard place to grow up, [and] we will be bringing the hope of Jesus there.”
Learn more about the reservations Summer of Hope 2014 visits.
A team of 54 Native young people are sharing Christ with their peers on 10 different reservations. Under the Summer of Hope 2014 banner, teens are telling other Native youth how Christ has delivered them from spiritual strongholds.
Here’s what’s happened so far:
- Sulphur Springs Reservation — One out of every three people who attended Summer of Hope events came to know Jesus as Savior.
- Gemstone Reservation — An OEW alumnus is commissioned to lead a new generation of believers.
- Beaver Lake Reservation — A simple phrase sums it up: “I feel like we’re watching something from the Book of Acts.”
Today, the OEW team is about halfway through their Summer of Hope journey. Hutchcraft says your prayers are needed more than ever.
“Because we are attacking strongholds, there is a counter-attack from the dark side, so that prayer for the covering of the blood of Jesus will be huge,” he states.
For example, on the first reservation they visited, one of the OEW team members led five of his peers to Christ. An attack came quickly on the heels of this spiritual victory.
“The next morning, he awoke to receive a text that his very best friend [that he knew since kindergarten] back home had been shot to death,” Hutchcraft shares.
A young man shares his “Hope Story” with fellow Native youth.
(Image courtesy RHM)
Pray for strength for this young OEW warrior as he grapples with the loss of his dear friend.
“Prayer is not supplemental: it is fundamental to breaking through. Honestly, these strongholds can only be broken if prayer warriors have gone ahead of us.”
Along with prayer, your help is needed financially, too. Only about 80% of the funding has come in.
“Believe it or not, as we are out here on the battlefield, some of the financial ammunition for this Summer of Hope is still needed,” says Hutchcraft.
“If God’s given you a heart for Native America or First Nations peoples, and you want to invest in something that is working and that is truly changing Native lives, we’d love to have you participate on that level, too.”
“When we call this a ‘Summer of Hope,’ that’s not just a cute little name. This is all about hope where hope has been so hard to find. What you’ll be hearing is almost like Book of Acts stuff that’s going on as God powerfully works through these young people,” Hutchcraft states.
Check the RHM profile for more updates as Summer of Hope 2014 enters the homestretch.
Praise God for the harvest on the reservations, and for His willing workers in OEW. I am unable to contribute financially at this time,but will commit to pray for for the success of the Summer of Hope Journey.God bless you!
Every time I see an update on your ministries with native American youth, I am so thrilled. I have native Chippewa lineage and heard last year of your work with them, which made me so glad since the hope I know in Christ is something I would hope for my distant relatives to have, too, not to mention that they are simply ones for whom Christ died and loves, and who deserve to know the truth and be freed from the bonds of sinful human nature. Thank you. I hope one day to do more than pray.
How can i get involved in this? I live very close to Pine Ridge and want to help in anyway possible
The story of 200 suicides or near suicides has broken my heart to the core. I am praying against those strongholds. May I share this? In my prayer, I asked God to place a covering of the Holy Spirit over Pineridge and I saw angels with swords to guard against and slay the dark people/demons. I prayed for God’s Holy Spirit to engulf Pineridge and sweep over it and bring forth a spirit of healing, forgiveness and sinners turning into saints. I’m believing God for miracles in the Native Nations. I know he is going to do it. Trust that many will come to know Christ and transform what Satan has tried to ruin, God is going to break that curse of death!!! I believe that with all my heart. Trust him, he loves each and every one in the Native Nations. God bless all!
Cathy