Christmas and New Years

    We have been reaching out with the love of God to the Secwepemc People here in the Salmon Arm region for over 11 years.  Many of you have been sharing in this outreach from the very beginning.  Thank you for praying and your support.  We would like to give you an update on what God has been doing.

    We serve a community breakfast on the Reservation every Tuesday morning.  It means getting up at 4:45am, and driving to the Reserve.  We serve scrambled eggs, sausage, pancakes, hash browns, fruit, yogurt, coffee and juice.  We have about 16 regular attendees.  While it can be tough to drag oneself out of bed on a dark snowy morning before the birds are singing, it is a great way to connect.  We look forward to seeing the kids and parents as they get a good breakfast to start the day.

     The Health Nurse for the Band stayed behind to chat this past Tuesday.  She said, “I never thought I would be saying this, but this community is actually doing better than the larger one in Chase.”  Then she said something that I did not expect to hear, she said, “I think it is because of your presence in this community.”  She was referring to the Breakfast Program, Creator’s Talking Circle, and other ministries.  I never expected to hear that from a non-Believer. 

    Two days later, we were in the city of Chase, making contacts with Band leadership on the Reservation.  One lady told us, “Our Band provides education for its members.  We have teaching times with the youth and families.  Mostly, they get told what they should be doing, and the people don’t really listen…but you guys are different!”  This lady had come to drop in on Creators Talking Circle.  The building had moms, dads, grandparents, and kids.  There were about 40 people present.  We provided a craft, which is always a popular activity.  Then we served a nice meal.  After the meal, we have a story time.  This time, we had a power-point presentation that started with the idea of a path.  We are all on paths somewhere.  Our choices determine where we end up.  There were good graphics and up to that point, it was similar to every other “self-help talk” they had heard.  Then came a “picture” of Jesus and the words, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life…”  We didn’t hold back or mince words.  We went on to say that we had made that choice of following Jesus, and it made all the difference in the world.  It doesn’t sound so preachy when we simply share our personal faith in Christ.  I wondered how people were taking it.  This week, I got some feedback from that lady who said, “you guys are different.”  The difference is we try to share the love of God with our friends.  We don’t just give them rules to live by, that would be falling for the self-help model.  We give hope, encouragement, and our own lives are examples that with God’s help, their lives can change and be filled to over-flowing with God’s love, too.

     We were invited to participate on the Christmas Party planning committee.  During the meeting, the chair-person said, “…and we would like live music…”  She paused, as if waiting for someone to volunteer.  We thought of speaking up, but we have learned it is a common “white-man” thing to do, to come on the Reservation and tell the Native People what they need, and how to “fix” what is wrong.  That is a mistake.  So, we have learned to wait to be invited to speak, or respond.  During the pause, which seemed to last a long time, the chair-person looked up and directly at me and said, “Howard???”  She smiled, and everybody laughed.  Jannie and I quickly volunteered to provide live music, and then the Holy Spirit seemed to give me an idea.  I asked, “Do you think the community would like to have the kids gather up front during the party and sing some songs?”  (This was a touchy subject because back in the time of the Residential School, the kids were forced to sing Christmas songs.  They were punished if they didn’t sing well, or forgot a line.  For some, I feared that kids singing Christmas songs might trigger flashbacks to those awful times in the past.)  The chair person said she thought that was a good idea, and the other committee members agreed.  Since we are in charge of the music, we get to pick the songs.  Since Jesus is the reason for the season, you guessed it, most of our music directs our thoughts to T’Kwalt Kúkpi Jesus.  (T’Kwalt Kúkpi means “Chief of chiefs.”)  We have begun to teach a Christmas song in the Secwepemc language, Le Meri Peskúye Mé7e, or, “Mary Had a Baby”; we do this during the Creator’s Talking Circle.  The kids love it, and even parents are joining in. 

·         We have two Bible studies each week. 

·         Try to visit the sick once a week.

·         Participate in a Men’s Support Group

·         Teach lessons to youth in traditional skills, like making stone tools and weapons, archery, trapping, hunting and fishing. 

There are positive things happening with the outreach to the Secwepemc People here in the Salmon Arm area.  Yet, it always comes with a struggle.  We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against powerful spiritual beings that oppose the Gospel.  We had a Bible study going in Chase, but the Christian couple got way-laid by the devil.  It seems with every two steps forward, we get knocked back one step.  For now, it is like trench warfare.  Victories are measured in feet. 

    Thanks again for your prayers.  I am firmly convinced that you have a huge part in the victories we have been witnessing.

    We want to wish you all a very blessed Christmas.  May you experience Immanuel, the God who walks with us, as you journey into the New Year.

Howard and Jannie Johnson