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On Eagles' Wings® Update On Eagles' Wings Team USA: Final Prayer Update
Annie was making missions history. She was boldly presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ where it has not been presented for generations - if ever. She was sharing Christ at the On Eagles' Wings outreach on the "Andarka" reservation. None of us knows a tribe anywhere in North America that is so totally closed to the Gospel. They're surrounded by the Gospel, but most of them have never heard it. That's how they're raised - to avoid Jesus. They hate Christianity for what was done to their people in Christ's name. No pastor or missionary is allowed to live there and no Christian meeting can be held outside the walls of the tiny churches there. They are the center, the defenders of the centuries-old entrenched religion that permeates the tribes of this region with an unprecedented hostility to Christ. And they will not have the Gospel preached on their land, except in churches where it is only heard by the few elderly Andarkas who already believe. It is extremely rare for any Andarka to come to Christ. They are effectively sealed off from ever hearing about Him. For most, to be born Andarka is to live and die without a chance at Jesus. Until now. So many Native believers in this area have prayed for the Andarkas for so long. And God chose to use 28 Native young people - the On Eagles' Wings team - to be the answer to those prayers. Amazingly, a devoted traditional religion adherent was the one God used to secure a prime location on the Andarka reservation. Some who have prayed for this actually greeted the news with disbelief that it could really be happening. I believe the worldwide prayer for this team and the long-time prayers of Native believers in this area have literally opened what no man could ever open. The first hour of the first Andarka outreach was long and tense. At first, it appeared as if no one was coming. Then the team began to notice Andarka young people hanging out around the far perimeter - checking things out with the caution they're raised with. They didn't come to the team; the team went to them. And slowly drew them in through friendliness and love. They listened to the Hope Stories. They listened to a crystal-clear presentation of the Gospel by a Cherokee team member. In personal conversations, the OEW warriors discovered two things: many of these young people have never heard the Gospel ... and they are very afraid to consider Jesus for themselves. Night Two of the Andarka miracle was powerful. One of our guys talked with a young man who's been involved with Satanism - he ultimately confessed Jesus as Lord. Marcy (Ojicree) talked with a young lady who spoke for many of the Andarka young people. She said, "I'm sick of my life, sick of living. All we do is party around here and it's getting worse." Amy (Nez Perce) talked with a girl who is very traditional, but who has seen that her traditional religion doesn't change people. She gave her heart to Christ right there. Joe (Dakota) talked with three teenage guys after Annie poured out her heart as she presented the Gospel. They asked questions about heaven and hell. They ultimately said, "We know now that Jesus is the way - but we can't accept Jesus, because we're related to a chief." Three other boys said they wanted to come to Christ, but they couldn't because the people who brought them would be mad. But then they said, "When I go to bed tonight, I'm going to ask Jesus to save me." Another team member spent most of the evening talking with an Andarka chief who attended. His response was pretty amazing: "We don't believe what you believe. But we realize our youth are taking our tribe the wrong way. This might help change their ways - so we're not going to put you down." These people are very dedicated to their religion. But they are very desperate for their young people. On Night Three, the public invitation to come to Christ was given. The pressure against a choice like that is intense. And yet seven Andarka young people actually walked to center court to give themselves to Jesus in front of everyone there. Seven may not seem like many. Unless you know the crushing odds against even one taking a stand like that. Others chose Jesus in personal conversations with team members. One of our young team leaders made this amazing observation: "Of all the strong traditional religion places we've been this summer, there is an openness to the Gospel here like never before. They want to know what it means - they've never heard it. All they know is they don't like Christianity, but they're intrigued to know more about this relationship with Jesus." This is a miracle of Almighty God! This generation of Andarkas could change everything. So what about the future? One of the other traditional reservations in the region has done tremendous follow-up on last year's harvest. Their team has volunteered to come to Andarka and run our "Four Summer Nights" follow-up events - if there's a place to do them. And the same prime location where On Eagles' Wings had their three outreach nights has opened the door for the follow-up events as well! That's huge because the door that opened for On Eagles' Wings is staying open after On Eagles' Wings is gone! We have three of this summer's team members who are from nearby reservations who can be part of the follow-up team. The veteran Native pastor from the family of tribes we've been with all summer is in a unique position to see what God has done in this final lap of the Summer of Hope 2007. "This is historic. They've never allowed anyone to come in. This is a turning point. A milestone. This is God doing something that only God can do!" He went on to describe the new day that God has brought about through a little army of Native young people: "This effort has generated cooperation among Christian Indians across the state. We're all asking, 'Why can't we do this? What's wrong with us? Why couldn't we have done this before?' We couldn't. God raised up the On Eagles' Wings ministry with the burden and the way to do it. We're reprioritizing our ministry to the next level across this region. We're going to capitalize on what God is doing. We can't lose this!" All summer long, as I've written these reports, I've been frustrated at the limitation of words to tell the story of what God has done. I've done my best, but it falls so far short of doing justice to how the God of Glory has revealed Himself this summer. Words fail, too, to express our gratitude for your passionate prayer for the intense, soul-to-soul battles for every soul here. These battles were unwinnable without massive intercession from caring friends like you. Because you prayed, historic victories have been won, hundreds have come to Christ where few ever have, and centuries-old stronghold walls are beginning to break. As you continue to pray for the ongoing work of God among these tribes, please pray, as well, for the one Summer of Hope victory still not fully won. The front lines victories have been awesome. We still need a final miracle on the supply lines. Over $100,000 is still needed to pay for this Summer of Hope. I do not believe that the God who has won all these other incredible victories will let this need limit future On Eagles' Wings outreach. Early in this summer, an insightful Christian woman who was once a strong traditional religion believer, shared with me the Scripture God had laid on her heart for this Summer of Hope. It was prophetic. It's from Psalm 24.
By the miracle-working power of a Savior who has all authority in heaven and earth, the ancient doors are opening. Doors are opening to nations. Doors are opening on hearts that have planned to never listen to Jesus. In every battle this team has fought for lives this summer, the Lord has been strong and mighty. And in these places and hearts where He's always been considered an enemy, the King of glory has come in. To God be the glory.
To send an encouraging word to the OEW teams, click here.
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