선교지소식

Arizona Mission Field

Millie Toms 2004.09.06 14:55 조회 수 : 3347 추천:31

  

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Eight out of ten windows at our Church in Hotevilla had been smashed by rocks this weekend by some hoodlums.  The piano as well as all the Sunday School shelves of books and art supplies have been turned over, a bench has been smashed by an axe and the walls have been hit by an axe, leaving marks all over.(The curious thing is that both of the big children's murals have been completely preserved, all except one axe indentation on an unimportant area) The wooden cross out of the sanctuary had been taken into the Sunday School room and put on some tables which they put together and black paint among other things have been spilled over it as well as the butter and other items on the floors. Broken glass and turned over piano, trashed books and supplies....it is a mess!  These hoodlums don't understand how pathetic their thinking is that their behavior might cause any of us and the new believers from continuing to love our Lord Jesus.  On the contrary, it makes us love the Lord all the more because He has endured so much more for us!   "Praise the Lord all my soul.  I will praise the Lord all my life, I will sing praise to my God as long as I live."  Psalm 146:1,2

Susan and Garold Hayah's wedding in Hotevilla was beautiful.  Many new believers and families helped out financially and also in decorating and in cooking to bring the wedding together.  The tents were put up outside by the side of the Church and the wedding was held outside for there was not enough room inside the Church. (A bigger Church building will soon be needed.)  All of the bridesmaids and all the flower girls wore a Navajo or a Hopi dress. (the bride is half Navajo)  For the first time, I was dressed in a full Hopi regalia by my Hopi sister, Nita.  I was asked by a relative of the bride whether I was a Hopi for I  had Nita's grandmother's booties, NIta's mom, Ruby's woven cape, the bride's daughter's Manta, the Hopi dress, and my green and black and red belt.  I felt wondrously like the King's daughter as I walked down the long isle with Will who was also one of the groom's men, to the altar.  Yes, the Lord is so great and awesome.

I am not doing very well health wise at the moment and I could use some prayers.  After returning from our YWAM DTS training Conference and right afterwards, attending YWAM West Coast Conference, we have returned to Hopiland.  I think the months of doing DTS and none-stop summer group activities, and the traveling has all taken a toll on my health.  A constant low fever and lack of energy accompanies me for the last several days and many other duties still awaits. We just had a family of a potential DTS student and his family coming through for a couple of days as soon as we got back.  Just today alone, we had a call from YWAM staff working in Iraq who will be coming to Hopiland tonight and another staff couple from YWAM Mexico.who will be coming by tomorrow night.  Hospitality is one of the big values in YWAM and I consider it a joy to have these servants of the Lord.  Please pray for the Jail ministry tonight and the rest of the cleaning job at Hotevilla Gospel Church today.

Someone at the Conference asked me, "What is redeeming the culture?"  I answered, "It is not up to us to determine what is redeemable and what is not, but that it is up to every Hopi and other Native American believers to hear God and determine for themselves what within their culture is honoring to God and what needs to be put aside."  We and the new believers who come to YWAM have fallen into some persecutions because we have decided that we're not the Holy Spirit to tell the new Hopi believers what to do and not to do but that they have the freedom in Christ to obey the Lord and to honor Him.  So, we have some who believe that they need to enter into the Kivas not because they honor any other gods, but that they believe Jesus would have gone as well to pray for the people right where they are, and to pray for their eyes to be opened only in the name of Jesus.  Some of the new believers believe that they ought to attend and even let their children dance at the social dances so that they can be connected to their own people.   Whereas, in the past, the missionaries have told them all of Hopi ways are not to be mixed into Christian faith, therefore, completely severing any relationships with their own people and not being able to witness at all.

We also have those who feel that they as a believer in Christ, need nothing of Hopi ways. They are very happy to sing white hymns and not attend any ceremonies out here, and yet they bless others who feel differently because they know each one will stand before the throne of God someday, and accountable for one's actions.  We have another, who is a "holy water carrier" in a very traditional village and she feels she ought to continue this job to bring the water to her people for the dances and ceremonies because she believes this is where she can pray for own people to come to know the Lord as she did.  And yet, she says, when it comes to going down into the kivas to pray with the katchinas, she will not do that.    Would you pray for these, our new sisters and brothers in Christ who are trying their best to follow and obey Jesus, but are coming under persecutions by the Church out here who seem to believe anything that resembles Hopi is evil.

I miss our son John very much who's now in Illinois at Wheaton College.  Please pray for him as it seems someone has already convinced him that he ought to switch from Pre-med to becoming a youth pastor because that it is higher goal "to save souls than bodies," as they say.  It may be higher goal to save both, I say.  Blessings to you!  

                                                                                                        Loving you,
                                                                                                            millie