On Eagles Wings - Ron Hutchcraft Ministries

The time had come for our last reservation of the 2009 Summer of Hope. We knew months ago "Rattlesnake Flats"* would be a special place to wrap this leg of things up. Ever since two of our On Eagles' Wings team members had visited this rez in early 2008, we felt the Lord leading us there. "Jim," a team member raised on a very violent reservation, came back saying this was probably the most violent reservation he had ever been on. That got our attention!

Being close to the border brings challenges for the local people in addition to what is faced every day on other reservations. This rez is a major drug corridor. There is much poverty and few resources, so many are pulled into a life of illegal trafficking, just to try and survive.

It is a place of much hurt that is very ready for Hope.

Just about every single place the team has traveled to this summer has presented new challenges. There have been new settings, heavy spiritual challenges, a laundry list of vehicle breakdowns. As with the previous few weeks, this last reservation certainly would keep us from getting bored.

First, there was the heat. On the way there, the extremely hot roads had already claimed a trailer tire on a much needed vehicle. Then the team had to face the "slap-in-the-face" heat while going out in the community to meet the local people and invite them to our events. "Oh, but it's a dry heat, right?" When it's 115 degrees, there's no such thing.

Then, the two locations. We were asked to split the team on the first night to cover more ground on this large reservation. One team headed to a remote community that has long been forgotten - "H-Town." The other part of the team kicked off our three nights in the biggest town on the rez.

Our one team arrived in "H-Town," ready to go. Despite going door-to-door in the main community earlier in the day, they hit the hot streets once again in this area. They knocked on the doors of this community with a Third World feel. "H-Town" is an even more violent place - a stronghold of this reservation. There is gunfire every night, lots of violent death, and very hard hearts.

We were only in "H-Town" for one night, which means trying to pack three nights into one. The sandstorm was also there for one night, or at least part of one. As the team set up outdoors, the sand started blowing. Sound equipment, the free literature, everything was set up in the face of pelting sand.

Our team knew what to do - start praying! As they watched a sandstorm on one side and a monsoon season storm coming on the other, they prayed. The Lord of the weather moved both storms aside, as He has done countless times before with OEW. The team prayed those storms away.

The sandstorm stopped, the rain never came, and the people of "H-Town" got their chance at Jesus!

In the main town on Rattlesnake Flats, the other team prepped for their night in the gym. That might not sound like much of a challenge, but for a team geared for an outdoor court, it can be a nightmare. If you're looking for something to do this weekend, head out to a high school gym, turn on some music at a decent volume, get some people playing basketball, throw in some running and yelling children, then try to have a personal conversation with the people next to you.

Fortunately, our team rose to the challenge, and made it work. It was certainly a blessing to be out of the heat, and our team was able to focus and had countless personal conversations in the bleachers that night, and in the nights to follow.

As the team came together in the bigger town for the last two nights, they did what they do best. They ran great programs, shared Hope Stories from the heart, boldly proclaimed Jesus, and finished this leg of the Summer of Hope strong.

On the final night, as "Greg" gave the call for people to come forward in response to the Gospel, it was a bench-clearing response. There were easily more people on the court than in the stands. One of the local leaders called me the next day after we left and told me how several of the leaders from three local churches met together for breakfast and marveled at what God had done.

We leave this place knowing there is a coalition of solid churches ready to work together. Our friend and brother who invited us said, "We've seen it done, and people are ready to work together to do what we saw." Please pray for the local church leaders on Rattlesnake Flats as they work together to follow-up on all of the many commitments to Christ that were made.

In high school, I played on a championship football team. We had talented players, but we had an incredible coach, too. In the dog days of summer, he would have us doing triple sessions and running more than this ex-lineman thought he was capable of running. Why? Well, when it came to game time, not only was our team ready for the first part of the game, but we were conditioned to play our hardest to the very end. Lots of games were won in the fourth quarter, because we knew to not give up until the final whistle.

After a long month of traveling with this incredible On Eagles' Wings team, I can tell you we traveled with a spiritual championship team. They played through the heat, they played through the most adverse conditions, and they gave it their all until that final whistle. I am privileged to have been able to serve with them for these past few weeks.

As we headed to our lodging on that last night (for most of the team), we got to overhear those memorable conversations. There were those excited about going home to share and teach what they have learned. There were those nervous about going home because of the attack they would face upon arrival. And there were many filling out their applications for further Christian education this fall, which On Eagles' Wings will help them get to.

An amazing team - an amazing month!

Now, as most of the team heads home, some of our top leadership will continue on. For the first time in On Eagles' Wings history, we will take a team beyond North America. This team is made up of some of the most solid Native American young people you will ever meet and they will head on quite an adventure - to help reach the lost, but primarily to train a small band of Christian indigenous youth to be "On Eagles' Wings" in their country!

Thank you for your involvement in this ongoing Summer of Hope! Your prayers have helped win many battles the past few weeks - please keep them coming until all of the warriors are home!

Grateful for your prayer,

Brad Hutchcraft
Director of On Eagles' Wings

* All names and locations changed for privacy and safety.