On Eagles Wings - Ron Hutchcraft Ministries

It is unlike most reservations that you will see. It is surrounded by a city - pavement, instead of dirt everywhere you look, and close to just about every modern convenience. However, as our team quickly found out, this "Asphalt Rez"* may have looked different, but the problems were still the same - drugs, violence, and life without a Savior.

This reservation was the last one added to our schedule, just about a week before we arrived. Normally we do not add a place this late in the game, but after talking with some of the locals, we knew it was a place the On Eagles' Wings team needed to be. Praise the Lord we have a strong enough team to split them up, and that we had this two day window to fit this in. It is a forgotten place, with very few mission teams even going there and no young people to speak of in the local churches.

We hit the streets of Asphalt Rez with half of this year's team, as we were doubling our efforts with the rest of the team on another reservation. Now, for starters these were hot streets to be on. The temperature was about 113 degrees, and the heat was just trapped in and pouring out of the concrete. That didn't stop our team, as they headed out in their teams of three to meet people face-to-face and hand out flyers at the houses in the area.

Our team had a choice before that night's event - either we could hold the event in the air conditioned, comfortable recreation center, or we could go across the street to the open-air basketball court. Did I mention it was 113 degrees during the day?! Our team firmly chose to be outside, knowing that people would be driving by, seeing what was happening, and stopping to check it out. Making sure we waited until the sun set, and that our team was well hydrated, the team hit the courts to do what they do so well.

It was a slow roll at first, with people coming out of the rec center, driving by, riding by on bikes, all checking out what was happening. What this team does is big in any area, but in this forgotten corner, you could tell people were almost stunned that this was happening here.

The incredible youth of the On Eagles' Wings team did what they do best - run a great event, meet and greet the locals, and have solid one-on-one conversations where they share their Hope Stories and the Gospel. It was certainly a "check it out" mentality, as the locals hovered around the edges to see what this was all about. Fortunately, our team has been trained to "work the edges" and did just that.

Over the two nights, relationships were built, and it showed as the crowd grew. It was especially cool to see most of the crowd made up of the "big boys" - ballers, dealers, lots of young single dads. God brought out the tough and hardened, in order to set the stage for something I have never seen in 18 years with OEW.

As "Jason" gave the invitation to come forward, for those who had prayed to begin a relationship with Jesus, no one knew what to expect. The local people had made their way from the outskirts to the main court by that point in the night, but we didn't know which of these big young men would step out in front of their peers to stand for Jesus. We had heard people praying out loud as Jason led them in a prayer, but that doesn't mean their legs will move to make their decision public.

We waited...and then "Simon" stepped out from the crowd. Alone.

Then, for the first time I've ever seen (or heard), standing alone in the center of the crowd, Simon started "calling out" his friends for Jesus. He said, "Tommy, I heard you praying along. Get out here. James, I heard you, too. Don't worry, I've got your back on this." Here we were in the middle of the Asphalt Rez, in the middle of this violent, tough city, and Simon is calling out his friends to take a stand for Jesus Christ!

And they did! From the crowd, Tommy and James both stepped forward. Many others gave their hearts to Christ in this place, but these three led the way. It was amazing to look out at the court and see three of our OEW guys with these three guys, huddled up, arms around each other, praying together at center court. That truly is one of my "Kodak moments" from the summer.

Oh, one more thing. These three young men who gave their lives to Christ? They were there at the courts to buy some drugs from a local guy. The dealer never showed up, but these young men stayed for our event. Those who had come looking for junk wound up finding Jesus!

The team will now meet up again to tackle the last reservation of the summer, but I know for this part of the On Eagles' Wings team, this Asphalt Rez will forever be part of their hearts.

Grateful for your prayer,

Brad Hutchcraft
Director of On Eagles' Wings

* All names and locations changed for privacy and safety.