Entries from January 2007
I am still leader of the local group; every Tuesday morning six to 14 women gather with the express goal to worship God and be still before Him. I an time so full of demands and business we have chosen to set these hours aside for God to lead us however He chooses; we lay down our own concerns and ask: “Lord, what is on your heart for our community, today?”
Out of that developed a seven week prayer project for the local school during summer break. Every day for these seven weeks two women from our group would walk around the school block, interceding for students, their families, teachers, programs, administration, etc. (My prayer partner was my sister, Eva, who spent the summer with us and bravely participated in everything we were involved in).
Since the start of the new school year we’ve been hearing that the atmosphere in the classrooms is so positive that “we are waiting for the other shoe to drop.” (Students and Administration are not aware of the prayers surrounding the school.
We believe that the Lord desires the community youth as a whole to worship Him together on a regular basis. We are asking for wisdom and favor to see all the necessary doors open in order to see this come to pass.
Furthermore, I was invited to become a member of the Aglow Area Team. Part of my responsibility is to work as a liaison for two local lighthouses and look out for opportunities to develop new lighthouses in the area. The Area Team also offers two annual retreats which I will be helping to organize.
I continue to pray for God’s direction and sensitivity in furthering reconciliation between Native and Non Native women. Our success in church and other ministry is directly dependent on our relationship with the indigenous people of the land, the Nez Perce, who in the past have been treated very disgraceful by us Caucasians, even in the name of Jesus Christ. Will we as the church of Christ find the humility of heart to take responsibility for the actions of our forefathers and repent in prayer as well as in front of the ones we sinned against? God grant us a true Spirit of repentance!
Categories: News
My four regular participants have conquered a very critical time in their lives and received a fresh breeze blowing into their sails!
They discovered the joy of singing praises to their Lord and can’t stop! They also want to be involved with outreach to the community; thus they have participated in giving out food and hygiene articles through the Ministers Association and prepared shoeboxes for “Operation Christmas Child”.
We are praying for their friends who do not know Jesus yet and/or are not involved in a local church family yet.
Categories: News
Indian Country Today reports the following story:
A husband was in big trouble when he forgot his wedding anniversary.
His wife told him: “Tomorrow there better be something in the driveway for me that goes from zero to 200 in 2 seconds flat.”
The next morning the wife found a small package in the driveway. She opened it and found a brand new bathroom scale.
Funeral arrangements for the husband have been set for this Saturday.
Categories: Articles
Just as last year, we were recipients again of Central Bible Church’s excellent youth ministry to our community!
In co sponsorship with the Wa-A-Yas Nez Perce Community Center and YWAM Native Ministries they were able to enroll about 100 kids K1 through High School in the Basket Ball camp and Kids Club during the first week of August. We doubled our numbers from last year!
In the evenings they invited youths to fellowship with games, skits, songs of worship and personal testimonies about how God was meeting them in their daily struggles. Our local youth discovered that they are not the only ones who struggle! There was mutual understanding and openness to give and receive support.
Friendships are deepening not just between the young people but also between community organizations and leaders, which we are so grateful for!
We are happy to report: Central Bible Youth is planning to return for yet another encounter first week of August 2006!
Categories: News · Uncategorized
On November 15 we took the oath of citizenship and pledged allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.
We are now US citizens with all privileges and responsibilities. By God’s special grace we were granted the right to retain our German citizenship. So, we actually are dual citizens and that is not even counting our most important “heavenly” citizenship.
The road to this mile marker had bumps, frustrations, set backs, some anxious moments and unexpected fees.
But praise be to God for His continued favor! It was worth it, and we prayerfully uphold our friends and coworkers yet struggling through the legal process.
We should receive our American passports any time now!
Categories: News
This year was a year of Celebration and Sorrow.
In January we celebrated—how can it be possible?—our Silver Wedding Anniversary, just the two of us! During April it was time to comemorate Volkhard‘s parents Golden Anniversary. During our stay in Germany, our Silver anniversary was „really“ celebrated, and in September we celebrated the Wedding of our oldest niece, Sara Schleifenbaum, to a nice young man. Now her last name is the more common German name: „Mueller“. WOW!
In between we had a visit from Marianne‘s youngest sister Eva. This worked out very well, because she could travel with the two of us coming here and going home. We had a great time together!
This years fall was marked as our most colorful ever. During the month of October we had opportunity to spend a few days with Volkhard‘s brother Diethelm and sister in law Martina in Vermont. As you know, Vermont is famous for its colorful foliage that time of the year. We had a great, relaxing time together although the weather left something to be desired, (it rained almost the whole time).
Another great piece of news is that a family in church had twins. After the death of her first husband, several miscarriages and a difficult pregnancy, Annette and Peter Lawrence welcomed two healthy little boys into their family. See them above in their special cradleboard.
We are filled with thanks and our hearts are comforted a little over the loss of our friends Joann, Bunky, Bill and Phillip
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Categories: News
At the end of summer the pastor of the Nez Perce Churches resigned to continue his theological studies. That left the four congregations without a shepherd. At the end of October the elders met with the Presbytery and decided to call Volkhard and two other men who had already been active in service to these congregations to each take on a fourth of a full time pastor’s position, giving each responsibility for one specific church and sharing responsibility for another congregation which at present meets only once per month.
Categories: News
This year the local Ministerial Association began a new outreach, helping needy families with food. This is accomplished in cooperation with Frontier Missions, a ministry, whose desire it is to reach out to Indian people.
Two times this year we were able to receive a semi truck load of food and distribute it to the community with the help of volunteers from associated churches. The food and hygiene articles have to be sorted and repackaged before they are distributed.
Each time we were able to serve between 50-100 families. Even as we write, another Semi is on its way to deliver food and Christmas gifts which have been lovingly prepared and wrapped by many unnamed people. In a short while we will flex our muscles to unload, sort and quickly deliver the precious Christmas surprises.
May God’s abundant blessing be on the givers, workers and receivers alike and may He be born afresh in our community this Christmas!
Categories: Uncategorized
Pat, the first one from our congregation to enroll in a Discipleship Training School, successfully completed her training in New Zealand and is now praying for further guidance.
She has received an invitation to join the school staff there and would love to go back. Her younger sister would possibly accompany her.
We are so proud of Pat! However the financial resources are not available at the moment and Pat is experiencing physical as well as emotional challenges due to a very unfortunate car accident.
Pat and Bunky, our beloved friend and faithful elder sister in the Lord, were traveling along the beautiful Clearwater River when a rotten tree fell across the street and hit the car right on. While Pat got away with a severe concussion, some cuts and bruises, Bunky was killed instantly in the passenger seat.
Just one month earlier Bunky’s older sister Joanne, another beloved friend and faithful elder in the church, had been diagnosed with stomach cancer and died shortly thereafter.
As you can imagine our little church family is in major shock. No words can express the loss we feel in our hearts! We covet your supporting prayers!
As we were in the process of getting this newsletter out we received news about yet another loss to our lives: Phillip Loo, our long term YWAM coworker and faithful friend went to be with the Lord after a successful kidney surgery due to a cancerous tumor. His heart was too weak to support the physical stress. Our prayers go out to Florence and their children Stephen and Joy and her family.
Our prayers also continue to go out for Virginia Samson as she is mourning the loss of her husband, Bill, who went home to be with the Lord in September. Both had become dear friends to us as we labored together in Neah Bay as well as in Kamiah.
We will greatly miss each of their presence and influence on our lives!
Categories: Uncategorized
