On Eagles' Wings® Update

On Eagles' Wings Team USA Prayer Update

“It breaks my heart. He’s only eight years old.”

OEW Team U. S. just finished an amazing three days on our second reservation of this Summer of Hope. One of our warriors was helping the eight-year-old fill out a response card when the boy said, “I can’t do that.” When he was asked to explain, he said, “I can’t do what you’re asking us to do.” Our warrior finally figured out what he meant – “Is this about Jesus?” The boy’s answer spoke volumes: “I can’t. I’m traditional.”

That hurts. Night after night, our OEW warriors pray and fight to break through to hearts more hardened to Jesus than we’ve ever encountered. Now it’s becoming clear that if you grow up on the reservations of this area, you know from your earliest years that you must never think about Jesus. For centuries, whole generations have been lost to a five-word lie about Jesus – “I can’t. I’m traditional.’”

I ask you to pray against this lie that has kept so many from even looking at the Man who died for them. And please pray for the young warriors of On Eagles’ Wings who are battling to rescue young lives in Jesus’ Name.

It should come as no surprise that we were up late the other night with team members who reported supernatural manifestations they had seen. They come from backgrounds where the spirit world operates much more in the open than many of us are used to. We confronted this spiritual attack in the authority of the Name and the shed blood of Jesus. As you pray, please pray against the multiple attacks the enemy brings against God’s warriors throughout the Summer of Hope.

In spite of the attacks, in spite of the resistance, God has used these warriors on this reservation in mighty ways. On night one, we had twice the largest crowd we’d had here last year. It was an exciting community event with sports competitions, high-energy Christian music and, of course, food.

Our warriors were aggressive in meeting and befriending the local young people – but for many of them, there was intimidation and fear in the air when it came to being bold about Jesus. By night two, the promises of God’s Word, the confronting of the spiritual attacks, and fervent prayer made them strong for the battle.

The Hope Stories again riveted the attention of virtually every person around the court. “Andy” (Hopi), who has been powerfully delivered from a life of drug using and drug dealing, told the crowd: “As a former dope dealer, the best deal I ever made was to accept Jesus into my life.”

“Kerry” (Wichita/Seneca) came to the RV glowing. “I just had my first divine match-up of the summer!” she said.

The girl God led her to had just lost her dad. Kerry told her about her struggles when someone very close to her died. The girl told about her battles with serious depression. Kerry’s been there, too. Kerry told this girl about the medical issues that have been with her from birth – she said, “I always thought I was destined to die young.” That’s when the girl said in amazement, “That’s how I’ve always felt.”

This happens night after night – a warrior from thousands of miles away is divinely matched with someone who’s lived the same life, except without Christ.

Please pray for divine match-ups!

One guy in the crowd really stood out to us. You couldn’t miss Brian in his long black trench coat on a steamy hot night. Knowing that black trench coats are often the uniform of some very lonely, very wounded, even very angry young men (like some of America’s school shooters), we did have thoughts about security issues. Especially since he was carrying a little black case in his hand. Local young people said, “He wears that coat everywhere. He’s scary.”

But several of our guys connected with him and made him feel welcome. On night two, one of our warriors spent a long time talking with him. Brian explained that his father told him, “Don’t you ever get involved with a religion – especially Christianity.” But that night, Brian gave his heart to Jesus Christ. The next day, he came to the “Great Start Party” the team hosts on each reservation for those they have led to Christ. He told everyone there, “I know I’m forgiven.”

On night three, we saw Brian standing at his usual spot by the court. Without his trench coat! He doesn’t need it anymore. He asked if he could talk to the team before we left that night. With our warriors huddled around him, Brian said, “I want to thank you guys for giving me the best three days of my life. You showed me how to leave Satan and follow Jesus.” Then he choked up – “You talked to me…you accepted me…you loved me – and nobody does that.” Only God knows where Brian’s life was headed. By God’s grace, he now belongs to Jesus Christ.

But so do many others now on this tough reservation. The odds are long against people choosing Jesus publicly in front of a mostly traditional crowd. In our “prayermobile,” we prayed God would move some of the “big guys” to lead a public response to the Gospel. The “big guys” are the toughest of the tough of these reservations.

The Gospel was powerfully presented, then there was a public call to come to Christ. At first, no one moved. Then it broke. One of the big guys who had come to play ball walked by himself to center court – followed by three other big guys. Followed by many others of all ages. It was an amazing breakthrough!

Pray for these decisive third-night moments when people PUBLICLY choosing Christ can help change the climate in a Gospel-hardened place.

Once again, the warriors of On Eagles’ Wings got to see God mightily display His power – in a Gospel breakthrough and in the stormy skies overhead. As invitation time approached, so did a violent thunderstorm. We prayed to the One who has “His way in the storm” (Nahum 1:3). The rain fell for a minute…then the wind suddenly changed direction…and the storm split and literally went around the court. You could see lightning on both ends of our outreach location – but nothing where the harvest was about to begin.

The Lord of the weather…the Lord of the harvest – showing up to do a mighty work in a place where Jesus has been shut out for so long.

Again, we lived the answers to your prayers!

Ron Hutchcraft for OEW Team USA