On Eagles Wings - Ron Hutchcraft Ministries

Nearby - the village, the stronghold of the "Mendava"* religion. Close by - our team of young spiritual warriors, coming to proclaim that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Our On Eagles' Wings team members talked of sensing the intense spiritual battle.

As the On Eagles' Wings team entered our fourth reservation of this Summer of Hope, we prayed our way in. There were little prayer triplets throughout the team bus, praying fervently for God to show Himself "mighty to save" among the hard-to-reach Mendava Indians. As I told the team, commitments to Christ on this reservation truly come "only by prayer" (Mark 9:29 ). This is a tribe whose leaders boast about the fact that, unlike other tribes, they have resisted Christianity for 500 years. They literally drove out the early missionaries who came there to reach them.

As a Mendava, centuries-old spiritual ceremonial practices are deeply ingrained from childhood. The religion of the Mendava is not just what they believe - it's who they are. But this generation of Mendava young people is plagued with drugs and depression, suicide and violence - all beyond the power of the centuries-old ceremonies. Still, there is always a fierce battle to break through to any Mendava young person. When one of them chooses Christ, it is nothing short of a supernatural work of Almighty God.

Our challenge on this reservation was compounded by the fact that this would be the first time we'll divide into two teams. We've been preparing the warriors for this during the last two weeks, but we knew it would still be a challenge.

Attendances the first night at both villages were modest, but both teams did a great job connecting with the Mendavas who came. That night - and each night - some of the most powerful moments each place came from Mendava Hope Stories. Unlike many reservations On Eagles' Wings has been to, there's a vital youth ministry on this reservation - so there are some Mendava young people who have been growing in their relationship with Jesus.

Amazingly, God raised up five reborn Mendava young people to be part of this year's team. For them to present what Christ has done for them in their home village took more courage and love for Jesus than most of us could ever muster. It meant talking about "B.C." (Before Christ) parts of their life that few, if any there knew about. And it meant finding the boldness to represent Jesus among their own Christ-resistant people.

"Kenny" told about the meaning Jesus had brought to a young basketball player whose hurt had driven him to drugs and thoughts of suicide. "Brenda" talked about her search for love in guys, then along came a pregnancy, an abortion, guilt, and shame. Then she found life-changing love and forgiveness at the cross of Christ. "Tracy" tenderly poured out how her alcoholic father had broken her heart - and how she found in Jesus "a love that will never hurt me or never leave me." It was a powerful moment when Mendava young people heard something they had probably never heard before in their lives - Mendava young people like them publicly declaring their allegiance to Jesus Christ.

The turnout in both villages increased on Night Two. As the buzz spread through the village of Arroyo, the attendance jumped from 40 to an electrified crowd of 150. The hold of the traditional religion is particularly strong there. We were presenting Jesus - with an inescapable sound system - almost literally in the shadow of the stronghold. You cannot know what it means to know we are covered by your prayers in front-lines moments like these!

More and more, we are seeing these young warriors experience a seriously broken heart over the young people they are meeting. In our late-night debriefings, there are tears and fervent prayers for hearts hardened and blinded by a darkness they're introduced to as young children. Just like a young man in "Arroyo" who one of our team talked with a long time on Night Two. He said, "I don't need your Jesus. I've got my Mendava ways, and I'm fine." When our rescuer asked him what he would say when God asked him why he should enter His heaven, he said, "I don't believe in heaven. When I die I will become a cloud or something like that." It was not a joke. It was his sincere belief.

We prayed passionately for our last night with the Mendavas. There was an excitement at our events in both villages and respectful attention whenever there was a Hope Story or a Gospel wrap-up. But we knew the public invitation in an environment like this would be a battle. Especially nearby such a major stronghold.

That night, as I've done many other nights, I reminded our warriors that it's all about Jesus. Not just God (which allows people to think whatever "God" means to them), but Jesus! And to "make much of the Cross." The wrap-up that night was full of Jesus, and full of the Cross. Then came the call to "give yourself publicly to the Man who died publicly on the Cross for you."

A long 30 seconds of silence. Then one young man started walking to center court. It was the young man who had, 24 hours earlier, said all he had to look forward to when he died was becoming a cloud. Now he was telling over 200 people from his village that he was ready to follow Jesus. Then they started streaming to center court from every direction. It was a meltdown moment for anyone who knows and loves the Mendavas. There was a wonderful harvest in both villages that night, and the young warriors of On Eagles' Wings got to lead to Christ many who they had fought and prayed for these past three days.

The Mendava breakthrough was cause for great celebration and praise when our two teams came together afterwards. These young men and women have gone where few would ever go, done what few would ever do, and they've seen what few ever see - the dramatic victory of the light of the Gospel over the deepest darkness.

They will never be the same.

*Names and locations changed for privacy.