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 Greetings! We have great reason to pray and rejoice this month. First, we pray for Rev. Larry Marshall, a former director for Wesleyan Native American Ministries. He was critically injured in a well-drilling accident and is hospitalized at Rapid City Regional Hospital. He is undergoing emergency surgery today. So please remember Larry, his wife Cindy, and their family in your prayers.
Second, we praise God for the tremendous outreach ministry happening in Rapid City, led by Rev. Larry Salway and team at He Sapa New Life Wesleyan Church.
Pastor Larry reports that 50 Native people committed their lives to Christ over the last year (32 were adults)! Larry says, "Not only are people getting saved, some are getting healed, some have been released from their prison sentences, and live-in
couples are getting married. Wow! Watch God work!"
Isn't it great to know that your prayer and financial support is making a real difference in the lives of Native people? And not just in Rapid City but across North America. Thank you for partnering with us!
In Christ,  Rich Avery Director |
Craig Smith - Native Community: Culture & Context
| This is the second article in a series featuring my notes from Native ministry leaders who spoke at The Gathering of The Nations 2009 on Saturday, May 16, 2009 in Crystal Lake, IL. Rev. Craig Smith is an enrolled member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe Indians and grew up on the Leech Lake Reservation of Minnesota. He works through a ministry called Tribal Rescue Training, which is affiliated with the Christian & Missionary Alliance Church. - Rich Avery
 There is no single way to describe Native people. - 70% urban, 30% live on reservations.
- 4.2 million in over 500 tribes (nations) in the U.S. Almost 2 million more in Canada.
- 340 Reservations in the United States. 200 Reserves in Canada.
- Over 1/2 of Indians are under 25 year old.
Great achievements: High percentage of Natives in military service (the warrior spirit). The Navajo Code Talkers helped win the war over Japan. Great challenges: Three subcultures in Native communities: Traditional, marginal, and assimilated sub-cultures. - Traditional people live in the traditional values. They practice the religion and speak the language.
- Marginal people live on the fence with one foot in Native world and majority culture. They still have ties to the communities they came from, and identities, but they live and function and work in the white man's world.
- Assimilated people have been removed from their identities, perhaps due to adoption or other circumstances. They are totally removed from their Native culture and are completely assimilated into the white American culture.
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Wesleyan Natives Greet Greg Laurie
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Evangelist Greg Laurie hosted his Black Hills Harvest crusade in Rapid City, SD, May 15-17. The three-day event was attended by 19,000 people, which is about one-third of the population of Rapid City. Laurie especially sought to reach out to Native Americans in the area.
Native Wesleyan leaders helped plan and organize the event, and also organized a ceremonial Native greeting for Laurie. Rev. Larry Salway, Dr. Jerry Yellowhawk and other leaders welcomed Laurie and presented him with a Pendleton blanket, star quilt, honor song, and a Lakota prayer.
We praise God for the 1,500 people who committed their lives to Christ at the event, and for He Sapa Church, which is helping with follow-up and discpleship.
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