Rob Parker, our director, joined with Stacey Campbell from Kelowna, and Elizabeth Garman from Victoria, to minister at an Arctic conference up in Cape Dorset last week. Here's some of their report.

There were some amazing immediate answers to prayer after the community was led in a prayer walk. On the walk, amongst other things, they prayed over the house of a known drug dealer, and laid hands and blessed the local Anglican church. Just a couple of days later, at a baptism service that initially was planned for 11 individuals, there was a spontaneous work of the Holy Spirit. Eventually 103 people were baptized as they decided to follow Jesus. This included the main drug dealer, who having seen most of his clients committing their lives to Christ, decided he should too! Also, three of the deacons from the Anglican congregation were baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit.

Elizabeth Garman reported that there were over 50 intercessors who accepted her challenge to be networked and strategically work together. They need to be covered in prayer as they take up this task. Stacey Campbell noted that the prayer anointing that is coming from the North is very powerful and will soon have a great impact on the South.

Stacey was also shocked by how many Christians are in government in the North. She declared to them, "God has done this, and you will be a deliverance to all of Canada. God is calling the people of the North to be examples in the prayer movement, the government and in leadership."

One other interesting note: because of the weather, the team was delayed for a couple of days on Baffin Island. It was no coincidence that the Governor General and her husband were there at the same time. Rob reports, "Her husband commented that they needed to come to the Arctic to meet me even though we are only a 5 minute drive from each other in Ottawa!"

The small town of Caledonia (near Hamilton) has been in the news over the last couple of weeks, as the media has finally noted the standoff between Natives and the local community. Sympathetic demonstrations of support have been touched off in other parts of the nation in the last few days.

This week Richard Long, our Assistant Director, had the opportunity to gather for a prayer meeting with local Native and non-Native pastors at the Baptist church behind the blockade. What he found was very encouraging. They are truly seeking to demonstrate the reconciling ministry of Christ to everyone involved.

The sign on the front lawn speaks of a higher way of dealing with the tensions rising out of the land issues. "Jesus commands - Love your neighbour as yourself." As the ministers prayed for their communities and for grace to rise to the occasion, there was a deep sense of the Lord's peace and favour. There was also a conviction that God wants our nation to come to terms with the long-standing land claims issues that need to be resolved.

Pray for these pastors and this community as they bear the brunt of the frustration, and hope for higher levels of government to actively engage in the situation.

1. Pray that the First Peoples of our land would come into their full identity and destiny. We would encourage you to specifically intercede for Native leaders whom you know and for their communities. Pray that the new government in Ottawa would make their concerns a priority.

2. Please pray for a spirit of cooperation between the two "Houses" on Parliament Hill. The Liberal- dominated Senate will need to learn how to compliment the Conservative government in the House of Commons. Pray for humility and a desire to work together.

3. The ongoing tension between the media and the new government is still quite evident. The issues change from week to week, but the conflict continues. Let's pray for boldness and fairness in the way that reporters tell their stories. Humility and grace is needed on both sides.

Did you know that a recent Ipsos-Reid survey found that 65% of Canadians felt that it was not only acceptable, but that PM Stephen Harper should continue to end his speeches with the words we will use to close this newsletter? "God bless Canada!"

Representing you in Ottawa,

Rob, Fran, Richard and the team at NHOP

email: info@nhop.ca

phone: 613-789-4907

web: http://www.nhop.ca