USA (MNN) — As fall
transitions to winter, Ron Hutchcraft Ministries looks to spread their wings in
2010. A winter training retreat and an international On Eagles Wings strategy
are on the horizon. The successful "Summer of Hope" report provides
an updraft.
"The only thing we
can say is: the Lord our God is mighty to save," says RHM President Ron
Hutchcraft. "Much that happened this past summer is simply a report on
the answers to the prayers of people like those who listen to [MNN]…I get to
live the answers to prayers of people I've never met."
On Eagles Wings teams
traveled to eight reservations across America's southwestern states. Nearly 600 Native youth gave their hearts to
Christ, and each reservation holds believers committed to following up with new
believers.
Hutchcraft says Native
American and First Nations youth in North America are the hardest demographic
to reach with the message of salvation.
A myriad of moral obstacles litter their paths.
"All of the years
of loss have fallen on them, giving them the highest rates of alcohol abuse,
drug abuse, sexual abuse, and violent crime–and worst of all, suicide,"
says Hutchcraft.
On one reservation,
teams walked into a realm of hopelessness.
"Even among our young
team members from many reservations, their hearts were broken as they went
there. They're used to seeing poverty, they live with it," Hutchcraft
stated. "But this seemed like something beyond anything they've ever
seen."
The reservation held an
85-percent unemployment rate and was rampant with drugs and gang activity. OEW
faced many challenges related to weather and gang activity; teams experienced a
"close shave" when gang members were frightened away before they
could detonate a homemade bomb.
And yet the Gospel
continued to flourish. Many reservations reported an "unprecedented
response" to the Gospel when OEW teams came to minister. Hutchcraft says
OEW is one of the ministry's prayer focuses as this year draws to a
close.
"They come under
enormous satanic attacks," says Hutchcraft, "and because of their
broken and dysfunctional backgrounds, Satan pushes every button he can to try
and neutralize or detour these young warriors who are making history."
Pray that OEW team
members continue to walk strong in their faith and become spiritual leaders.
Pray also for resources to enable local believers with a heart
for Native youth to start youth ministries.
"If the local
people put that to work as we equip them to do, the potential is there for a
great moment to become a great movement for Christ among the next
generation."
Keep the young people
who sought Christ for salvation this summer in your prayers.
"They are
surrounded by traditional religion, by almost-epidemic drug and alcohol levels,
and families that are too broken to be supportive. It is a toxic spiritual
environment in which to try to grow up in Christ. Really pray that God will
grow them into leaders for Christ who can turn the tide in their
generation."
For more details about
OEW's 2009 Summer of Hope or to support Ron Hutchcraft Ministries financially,
click here.
