Can you imagine 500 Nations giving glory to God? It was the prayer of David Brainerd over 200 years ago.

He prayed, Friday, December 21, “Towards noon visited my people, (Native Americans), and spent the whole time in the way to them in prayer, longing to ‘see the power of God’ among them…”

Depending on where you are, you will receive varying politically correct responses. In the lower 48 states the acceptable term is Native American, and refers to 565 federally recognized tribal groups in addition to other state-recognized and non-recognized tribal groups.

In Alaska, the accepted term is Alaska Native people, which is inclusive of 11 distinct cultures speaking 20 different languages and living in more than 200 different villages. These distinct Alaska Native people groups are inclusive of the Athabascan of interior and south central Alaska, the Yup’ik and Cup’ik Eskimo of southwest Alaska, the Inupiaq and St. Lawrence Island Yupik of northwest to northern Alaska, the Aleut and Alutiiq from Prince William Sound to the end of the Aleutian Island chain, and the Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian of southeast Alaska. Today’s indigenous Alaska Natives live in cities, towns, and villages which are separated by vast distances. Though each group is distinct, they share common goals and values.

In Canada, the accepted term is First Nations people, and refers to about 80 distinct tribal groupings spread across all of the provinces and territories of Canada.

In the United States Census, these tribal groupings are referred to as American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN). In Canada, the government refers to these tribal groupings as First Nations. The Native American population in the last 20 years grew from 1,478,523 in 1980 to 1,937,391 in 1990 to 2,475,956 in 2000. That is a growth of 997,433, or 67%, over the last 20 years. The 2000 census furthermore indicates that an additional 1,643,345 people indicated Native American origin in combination with one or more other races. That brings the total Native American population in the United States to 4,119,301.

The last census taken in Canada was in 2006. At that time, the Canadian government reported that there were 1,172,790 people of Aboriginal origin. This included 390,000 Metis (people of North American Indian origin mixed with one or more other races), 700,000 North American Indians, and 50,00 Inuit. When added to the total Native American population in the United States, the combined total is 5,292,091.

Dear Supporting Friends:

It is with great joy to be alive that I write you this ministry report. I apologize for not writing a report for July and August. As some of you know, I was hospitalized on August 11. When my Christian doctor examined me that day, she recommended that I go directly to the hospital. It took my three doctors 18 hours to figure out my case. After many tests and x-rays, I was taken to the operating room at 2:30 p.m on Friday. After 2 hours of surgery, the surgeon reported to the family that it was a miracle that I survived a massive infection due to a perforated and gangrenous appendix which must have been this way for quite some time. Thankfully, my surgery was a success! And my recovery has also been successful! The doctors said that my recovery would take 4 to 6 weeks and I am writing this 5 weeks after my surgery. This week has been the first time that I feel back to normal. In fact, I have resumed my normal work. Although I still get tired easily, I am regaining my strength little by little.

I want to thank all of you for praying for my family and me. I also want to thank you for writing and/or calling us. Let me tell you that your concern has helped us to experience the love and care of God during this difficult time. Through this trial, I have gained a new understanding of the power of the love of God that has been expressed by the love of His people for one another. Your caring love has brought part of the healing that my family and I needed.

During this trying time, I decided to study the book of Job. Although I did not experience the intensity of Job’s trials I did experience the presence of the same God. The good Lord prepared my heart and my spirit to wait on Him and to believe that He would help me not only to get well but also to wait on him if another trial would come my way. And, lo and behold, some more trials came! First, after my surgery, Ginny fell down and hurt her foot badly, so much that for a couple of days, she could not walk. I praise God for Annie and David who rose to the occasion and took care of me as I was in the hospital. Then, during my third week of recovery, my frail, 90 year old mother was hospitalized due to a severe infection in one of her legs. Thankfully, she is out of the hospital now and the infection is under control but still not completely healed.

I feel that we are under the attack from the enemy, authorized by our God, to test my faith and my commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me tell you that my meditation on the story of Job has helped me to continue trusting our sovereign God. He is in control of my life, my family and the ministry! No matter what, I hope to bring glory to His name. I have been praying that I may not sin with my lips, nor blame God for my situation as Job did, (Job 1:21,22). Please continue to pray for my family and me so that, together, we may honor the name of the Lord.

On the other hand, as Roman 8:28 says, God has purpose for everything that comes our way.

The day before I went to the hospital I had a meeting with the Administrative Board of Radio TGN. This Christian Radio station is a respected station in Guatemala that has been in ministry for 65 years. During this meeting, I found out that this ministry had bought a good piece of land in our area and had built a studio for the sole purpose of broadcasting to and reaching as many Quiche Indians as possible through the radio. The TGN Board told us that day that when they went to different Quiche towns to evaluate the Quiche radio programs that are being aired, they discovered that our program, Panorama of the Bible, has been well accepted by the Quiche people. In fact, it is seen as the best program not only for its content but also for the fine production of the material. Consequently, the TGN Board decided to make our ministry the leading ministry not only for radio program production but also for directing the programming for the new station. Although we were surprised by this news, we accepted the opportunity even though we knew this great responsibility would demand much of our time. Last week we began recording our second course, Synthesis of each book of the Bible, and the Lord is blessing our efforts. Since I am feeling better, I have been able to prepare the material and have recorded three half hour programs for broadcasting. Although my voice is not completely normal, I decided to start the recording, hoping that soon I will sound completely normal. God, in his sovereignty, has prepared us for this occasion by providing us with a professional recording studio right here at our headquarters so that I don’t have to travel an hour and a half to the recording studio as we have done in the past. Isn’t God good to His children?

On September 28 and 29, Jorge, our assistant, will carry out his first training session for our six new young itinerant teachers who are eager to start teaching the Bible wherever the need presents itself. This is very exciting to us because the teaching ministry will expand to new areas and reach many more Quiche church leaders so that they can teach the Word of God in their churches. Although God is at work, the enemy is attacking as well. Two of these new teachers have experienced not only rejection but also persecution from their own families. But, in spite of their trials, they are willing to go ahead with the training because they have experienced the life and the joy that the Word of God has brought into their lives.

I also want to mention how grateful I am to our local Ministry Board. During my illness, these Quiche leaders have stepped up to meet the demands of the ministry. While I was sick, the president of our board and another member were able to solve some problems that occurred among our students. Through this experience, I really saw the importance of having a ministry team. I praise God for these brothers who sacrificially give their time and their resources to help us in the ministry.

I also praise God for blessing me with a great family, my wife, Ginny, and my daughter, Annie, and son, David, who gave themselves sacrificially to take care of me when I needed it the most. Truly, I feel tremendously blessed!

Last, but not least, I praise God for each one of you that stands behind us by praying and by giving so that we can keep on doing what God has called us to do: to enhance the Kingdom of God among the Quiche people of Guatemala. May God continue to use you and us to continue working for our Lord until He comes!

A. MINISTRY GOALS FOR SEPTEMBER 15 THRU OCTOBER 15:

1. For Jorge and Isaias to produce 20, thirty minutes radio programs by October 15. This will be the production of Synthesis of each book of the Bible adapted for broadcasting purposes.

2. September 28-29, for Jorge to hold the first training workshop for our new itinerant Bible teachers. These 7 new teachers were recruited by Isaias at the beginning of the year and they are not only eager to be trained, but also eager to open new teaching centers in different areas.

3. October 3, for our ministry Board to hold their next meeting at headquarters.

4. October 15, for Isaias and Jorge to participate in the opening ceremony of the new Christian radio station.

B. PROGRESS TOWARDS MEETING LAST MONTHS GOALS:

1. June 15, for Isaias to meet with Jorge to present to him a follow up training for the 6 young men that came to the teachers’ training that Jorge planned and carried on June 8 and 9.

ACCOMPLISHED

2. June 17, for Jorge to meet with Vina, a sister organization that teaches ministries how to produce radio programs. Jorge has been asked to help teach the materials that he has received to another Mayan group.

ACCOMPLISHED

3. June 20 , for Isaias to meet with pastor Manuel Guarcas, the President of the Ministry Board to discuss items for the agenda for the next Board meeting as well as how he can best help in the supervision of the overall ministry.

ACCOMPLISHED

4. June 29 thru July 2, for Jorge to go to Huehuetenango to train people who work in Christian radio programs.

The participants were very interested in Bible training as they saw Jorge’s knowledge of the Bible. These people are already ministering in Radio,, but they came to the realization that they need to prepare their Bible lesson more accurately.

ACCOMPLISHED SUCCESSFULLY

5. July 6, for Isaias to meet with 6 young men from Chichicastenango to present to them the opportunity to receive teacher training to become our future young itinerant teachers.

These young men accepted the challenge to be trained for the purpose of teaching the Bible in new needy areas.

ACCOMPLISHED SUCCESSFULLY

6. July 11, for Isaias to meet with Wycliffe missionaries to discuss his participation in a workshop for the Use of Scripture in the Guatemalan Mayan groups that Summer Institute of Linguistics will host in Guatemala at the end of July.

Isaias’ participation in the workshop was of great blessing for the attendees.

ACCOMPLISHED SUCCESSFULLY

C. PRAISES:

1. I praise God for allowing me to live thru the Appendix ordeal.

2. I praise God for the doctor that took charge of my case; this Christian doctor went beyond the call of duty to bring me to health.

3. I praise God for my wife and children who are helping me to recover successfully.

4. I praise God for our churches and friends who held us up in their prayers as we experienced these hard days.

5. We praise God for my successful recovery!

6. We praise God for the financial provision to cover the expenses for the health emergency that we experienced, (we don’t have health insurance).

7. We praise God for seven church leaders that graduated from our Bible Training program, August 4.

8. We praise God for the new opportunity to be part of the ministry of the New Radio Station that will be opened in our area.

9. We praise God for the new group of teachers that will be part of the ministry.

D. PRAYER:

1. Please continue to pray for my full recovery.

2. Pray that we will accomplish our goal of producing a month’s worth of programs before the radio station opens in October.

3. Pray that the new teachers apply in their lives what they will learn in their training, so that they teach what they have experienced personally.

4. Pray that the Ministry Board will have wisdom in the new challenges that we are facing in our growth.

5. Pray for our daughter Annie as she is seeking God’s guidance in regard to her future.

6. Pray for Ginny, Annie, and David’s health.

7. Pray for the election of a new president for Guatemala.

September is Suicide Prevention Month.  The federal Indian Health Service identifies suicide as the second-leading cause of death behind unintentional injuries among Indian children and young adults, and statistics show young Native Americans commit suicide at a rate more than three times the national average.

CHIEF will begin its first 2011-2012 Native Christian Leadership Forum by addressing the role of the Native Christian community becoming spritual first responders to the tragedy of suicide.  Rev. Tim Tsoodle, Kiowa/Taos Pueblo will be sharing with us how as a faith based community we can help through community action by identifying individuals at risk,  responding to suicidal attemps, and ultilizing suicide prevention tools and resources.

We at CHIEF are making available to you free of charge several resources regarding suicide prevention among Native peoples:

Rev. Tim Tsoodle speaking at the SONRISE 2011 Conference on “Prevention of Suicide in Native America.”

To listen click on the play button below.

Click to download this mp3 audio file.

The STORY TELLER is an audio collection of true life stories of First Nations/Native American people from across Native North America who are follwoing Jesus Christ without reservation.  This special story is told by Tammy Jackson, Cherokee from North Carolina, who lost her father to suicide and even considered take her own life.  She shares the emotion and solution to life changing circumstance.

To listen click on the play button below.

Click to download this mp3 audio file.

 Suicide:  The Forever Decision, Paul Quinnett, Ph.D.

To help save lives, the best-selling book Suicide the Forever Decision, For those Thinking about Suicide and for Those who Know, Love and Counsel Them, by Paul Quinnett, Ph.D. is herewith made available in a free electronic format to anyone in the world who wishes to read it or share it with others. Electronic copying, translation  and distribution is strongly encouraged.  CLICK HERE FOR FREE COPY

 Live To See the Great Day That Dawns:                                                           Preventing Suicide by American Indian and Alaska Native Youth and Young Adults.  Great resource in PDF format produced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  www.sprc.org/library/Suicide_Prevention_Guide.pdf

If you, or someone you know, is in suicidal crisis or emotional distress please call           1-800-273-TALK (8255).   or CLICK HERE FOR WEBSITE

Suicide is the single most selfish act a person can commit.  It is a permanent “solution” to a temporary problem.  If you are contemplating suicide, please stop what you are doing and contact an adult that you trust immediately. God values you and does not want you to end your life.

If you are trying to help someone who is dealing with suicidal thoughts. don’t carry this burden alone. Take that person with you to an adult you trust.

A suicidal person generally believes that there is no hope so this reading topic is designed to give a person hope – the kind of hope that only God can offer.

PSALM 139

13  For You formed my inward parts;

You wove me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.

This article was submitted from @YouVersion. Check it out here: http://bible.us/r/28.

More than Numbers

• More than 38 percent of the total population of Native American/First Nations are under the age of 19.

Last week in NM there was a conference held on Suicide among Native Youth and how to become first responders to teen suicide.  There will be a follow up meeting at Indian Bible School in Flagstaff, Arizona this Fri – Sat. http://www.indianbible.org/

This Sunday, at First Indian Baptist Church, Phoenix, Dr. Emerson Falls will be speaking.  There will also be “Native Praise”, an all Native Women’s Choir from Oklahoma singing.

Then on Sunday and Monday, the Southern Baptist will be hosting a Pastors Conference at the Phoenix Convention Center.  The conference is free. There will be speakers such as Dr. John Piper of Bethlehem Baptist Church of Minneapolis, MN; Lou Giglio, founder of Passion Movement of Atlanta, GA; Rick Warren, Pastor of Sddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA. and many more outstanding leaders. http://www.sbcpc.net/

Also there will be a special meeting for those invovled in Native Ministries and interested in a new Native Christian Fellowship known as The Fellowship of Native American Christians (FoNAC), scheduled to meet June 13 in Phoenix, from 10 a.m. to noon Monday, in Room 226A of the North Building at the Phoenix Convention Center.

I would encourage you to prayerfully consider attending any of these upcoming meetings.  I know that it would be a great encouragement and resource to your own life and ministry.

Now, I would love to hear what God is doing in your part of the world as well.  Tell us the rest of the story…….

Huron Claus, CHIEF Inc.

Today is the 60th year of the National Day of Prayer.  People will take this day and pray personally and corporately for our country, nation, and leaders on all levels.

Prayer is a vital part among the Native First Nations peoples as well.  Today CHIEF wants to encourage you to pray .  May we suggest you begin by acknowledging the true character that God is. Secondly, concede how far away we may be from Him. Thirdly, thank him, for ways He has revealed himself to you, and lastly, share your concerns and needs to Him.

We want to encourage you to post your prayer requests, today.  How can we pray for your Nation?  How can we pray for your leaders?  How can we pray for the social issues of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas?

Be sure and view  the CHIEF Prayer Quarterly which gives more specifics requests for 31 days.  CLICK HERE

Spiritual Awakening in our Native Nations

You can contribute to the effectiveness of SONRISE 2011 by participating in a survey.

  

1) Go to the link: http://chief.org/2011/03/01/topic-1-access-only/
2) Type in the PASSWORD: Sonrise2011
3) Answer the three questions asked.

We will compile the responses together by topic and select prayer requests to share across the internet during the conference.

 

Pray for SONRISE 2011! May we be sensitive to hear His voice!

 

According to the Institute of Native American studies, an affiliate of the US Center for World Mission, there are now 51.1 million indigenous peoples in 24 countries of North, Central and South America including one tribe in the Caribbean. Wycliffe Bible Translators publishes a listing of over 1,200 living languages spoken by these people.

Surveys suggest that more than 73% of the total populations of indigenous peoples of the Americas are unreached with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

After years of missionary efforts of evangelism and outreach the greatest need of the hour is to strengthen the Native American fellowship within the Body of Christ, thus reinforcing the developing Christian leadership of our churches and of our communities at large. Strong Native leadership means a strong Native church which will reach out to evangelize not only their own people more effectively but corporately gain a heart to evangelize the nations of the world.

For more than thirty six years CHIEF has conducted Native pastor’s conferences, and short-term discipleship training institutes on First Nations/Native American reservations and in urban areas across North America. In 1981 CHIEF hosted the First International Congress on Evangelism among Native American Leadership. In 1992 CHIEF hosted the International Native American Congress on Evangelism, Discipleship and Church Growth.

On March 14 – 17, 2011, CHIEF will be hosting an International SonRise 2011 Leadership Summit – “A Spiritual Awakening in our Native Nations” Conference, in Phoenix, Arizona.

More than fifty tribal Christian leaders, pastors, evangelists, from Canada, USA, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Brazil and Mongolia are invited to speak. Twenty four workshops on Indigenous Evangelism, Discipleship and Community Impact will be presented during the conference.

Each day there will be exhibits, panel discussions, and opportunities to network with key Native leaders and ministries currently working among the many tribal groups in the western hemisphere.

CHIEF is appealing to the Christian community of churches, ministries, schools, study groups and individuals to set those specific days of March 14 -17, 2011 to pray for Native evangelism, discipleship, and community impact of the indigenous peoples of the Americas.

The CHIEF web site will be posting opportunities for you to specifically pray and interact with the activities of SonRise 2011. Stay tuned! Let us hear from you!

 For those planning to attend SonRise 2011