Hope Against Pain

So many young lives hang in the balance. So many mask the truth of their pain with a tough exterior, a flippant remark, a quiet demeanor. The lie of being alone, of being unchangeable, unredeemable, floats in their minds and tugs at each of their thoughts. It is hard to watch them crumble, to watch them drift away. We invest so much, but there is always so much more to do. We care for them, we fight for them, we shower them with truth and love, and even still, we watch as the pieces of their lives fall and the darkness threatens to overwhelm. 

And I worry. I worry about them because I can see the hollowness in their eyes. I can hear the quiet desperation in their voices. And I know that their fragile lives hang so precariously on the edge. I know that one simple thing can make them throw it all away. One thought, one action, one decision. 

But in the midst of their pain the answer is so seemingly simple. I hear it in the wind and I feel it in the sun. It is the warmth in the eyes of our staff and the pressure in our heart. The answer lies in them coming to believe that they are truly valued in the eyes of God, that there is a way of life that will bring them to a fullness of life that they have never known before. 

And it is to this hope that we must cling. It is this hope that will push against their desire to jump into the false promises of death. It is this hope that will slowly strengthen the hearts and minds until they can stand against the winds of hopelessness and declare that they are truly worthy of life. 

-Meredith 

Welcome to AYM's crazy summer!

Well, the school year is officially over and this week summer begins! For some people, summer means a break. For AYM, summer means things get crazy.

This summer, for instance, we lose our regular programming but gain 10 short-term teams from around the United States. That means b.u.s.y. In addition to working with these awesome teams, we also have to work at making sure that we don't drop our own students in the hustle and bustle of accommodating and loving on our visitors.

For us, the summer becomes a balance. It is a balance of caring for multiple groups of people, from different backgrounds, with different stories and expectations. And we are blessed because our short term teams are fantastic, and our AYM students are so lovely and flexible and kind and excited. But there is a danger in trying to accommodate so many needs that we forget about the purpose behind it all. 

For me, as I prepare for the summer I get small bouts of anxiety, because I want it to be perfect for everyone. I want our teams to get a full picture of this beautiful place. I want them to leave with the right perspective, with new friends, with a new appreciation for God. For our kids, I don't want them to feel left behind. I don't want them to feel like a project or a show. I want them to feel loved and cared for and happy. My team and I have such a passion for God's work in this place, and I don't want anything to become lost in the busy weeks to come.

In the midst of the preparations I become easily overpowered by expectations, and I get tired before the summer has even started! But as I often have to do, I take a deep breath. And I find rest in the deep and perfect breath of God saying, "This isn't about you, your team, or even AYM. This isn't about the "perfect week" or the "perfect summer." This is about AYM letting go and letting Me work. Trust me. I've had this planned long before you did. I AM in control." 

And as I breathe in that truth I throw all the expectations out the window, because a summer in which God has control is better than any summer my team and I could plan.

So bring it on summer. We are ready for you. And we can't wait to see what happens.

-Meredith Carpenter

Blessings and Questions

Last night the AYM staff was driving around celebrating a birthday and laughing so so hard. It is one of the beautiful blessings of the current AYM team. We really like hanging out with each other and when we are together we are generally having a lot of fun.

Partly because we all like each other so much as a team, I think we would all say that we really feel blessed in a lot of ways. We feel blessed to have each other, to have a great job, to get to live in such an awesome state as Arizona.

But in the midst of the blessings, we have also been having conversations about the hardships, the questions, the concerns that come along with working in a place such as the reservation.

For me (and for some of my teammates) working here has been a constant progression in learning to reconcile and understand God and our ministerial efforts in terms of the suffering and the lack of what we might like to call "success." Our job is actually relatively ambiguous. Our efforts might help, they might not. Our day in and day out life may seem like it isn't really doing much, but at the same time we know that if the Kennel was not a part of this community, there would be a great loss. We do know that we make a difference, we might just not see it on the surface, the outsides, the day to day.

And the quaint answers about God sometimes don't fix it all, because the problems, the work, the complications in decision-making, are all really intense.

But in the midst of the conversations, in the midst of my own doubts, it is so cool because God is continually revealing Himself to us. He reveals Himself in conversations with our students and conversations with each other. When I am struggling to believe He provides others to push me forward and help me recognize the Truth in a world full of lies.

And as we walk this path, trying to figure out how to best serve God in this place, we continue to learn and seek out His will by dialoging with each other, with mentors, with friends. We realize that we don't have it all together, but that we are putting forth our best effort. We are seeking to be faithful, to be the best we can be, for that is what we are called to do. 

So even in the midst of the questions, we feel blessed. Because God has proven Himself to be good, to be faithful, and to be full of love.

-Meredith 

Wisdom from Tiffany

On Tuesday bible studies at the school we always start out the same way. One of the students opens in prayer and then I open with what I opened with the very first bible study that was held in that classroom.

I share with the students why the bible study?

I tell them, in this world there are cycles that were created by God & these cycles will not change unless God Himself steps in and changes them.

I also tell the students that there are cycles that were created in their lives and in the lives of their family that were never intended to be & these cycles are meant to be broken & can be broken by the Word of God. That's why we have these bible studies.

 

Genesis 8:22

“While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.”

 

I am really captivated by that phrase "Seedtime & harvest"

 

plant the seed, give it time & then.....Harvest!

 

Mark 4:14, the sower sows the Word.

 

Sowing seed can be exhausting, can be discouraging, & even disappointing.

 

I think when we sow seed into the lives of our students it is, at the time, uplifting & exciting & even soo hopeful. But what can be exhausting, discouraging & even disappointing is the "time" before the "harvest". 

 

In Mark 4 Jesus describes the 4 soils or the 4 hearts & as people that sow the Word for a living we must be aware of each.

 

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

 

The Word is so multi-faceted, it can cut and heal all at the same time & it can expose and cover.... because God doesn't ever expose a wound that He doesn't want to heal.

 

Ecclesiastes 3:1, to everything there is a season.

 

Things change, the youth that have come through the kennel have changed & teams change.

 

Mark 4:20, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

 

As we sow the Word, whether we like it or not, there will be TIME before we see the harvest. How much time, only God knows.

 

Harvest = gathering crops....fruitfulness

 

The time before the harvest can seem never ending & the truth is there may be seed we sow we may never see harvest on & as leaders we must be okay with that.

 

Galatians 6:9, And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

 

Human nature can be disappointing and sometimes we can become tainted but we cannot lose heart for if we do what we are called to do, which is "Sow the Word" we will reap.

Success vs. Faithfulness

75 students at the Rising last night.

20 students regularly attending Bible Study

12 students hiking a longer-than-expected hike (thank you Seth) on Sunday

5 staff members taking joy in every moment

If you wanted to review our ministry by the numbers you could see that we are doing pretty well. Any youth ministry would be glad to have 75 students at a youth night and 20 students coming to study the Bible every week. By the numbers, we would probably be considered successful and making progress.

But in a ministry like ours, we don't find the numbers to be the most significant. In truth, "success" is not really a word that applies to us. A more appropriate word would be "faithfulness." After all, we aren't called to be successful, but we are called to be faithful.

I am pleased to say that each staff member at AYM has been faithful to the call they have received. I watch as my fellow teammates laugh with students, pull them aside for serious conversations, beat kids at chess, and have the ever impromptu dance party in the Kennel kitchen. In terms of faithfulness, our team excels, and it is a beautiful thing to be a part of.

We certainly have deep spiritual and emotional challenges when it comes to working with our students but one thing I always go back to is the joy that emerges when our team and our students collide. It is a joy that is unmistakable and beautiful.

It is the joy that comes when God enters a place and transformation begins. And that, I believe, is more significant than anything else we could hope for.

Join AYM in Prayer this Year!

Hello and Happy New Year! Here at AYM we are excited to start anew as we build relationships with our students, consider new and exciting programming, and continue journeying closer to our Lord. We would love to invite you to be praying with us and for us throughout this upcoming year. In order to give direction and focus to our prayers, I (Meredith) have chosen "Peace" as this year's prayer theme (although we welcome prayers of all sorts and topics!). 

Here are some handy-dandy bullet-point prayers for your convenience: 

1. Peace for our souls: Working in a high-risk environment can wear on a person. Pray for our team, that we are growing in our personal relationships with God and trusting in His goodness amidst despair.

2. Peace for our minds: I personally worry about "our" kids a lot, knowing that if something happened to them it would be hard to recover. Pray for peace of mind as we become part of these kids' lives and take on everything that comes with that.

3. Peace for these students: For these kids, life is consistently unstable and not peaceful. They worry about their families, relationships, grades, and much more serious matters. Pray that they find peace and rest in God and in their interactions with AYM.

4. Peace for this community: The White Mountain Apache reservation has a very high crime rate and a very high suicide rate. Pray that this community finds peace in God and that crime and suicide would decrease.

5. Peace amongst spiritual warfare: I have never seen the spiritual battle as strong as it is here on the reservation. Pray for peace in this battle, that God will declare victory and all evil will be expelled. I believe that there is power in Jesus Christ and that this prayer can be answered.

At Apache Youth Ministries we hope that our youth center is a place of peace and that we become relationships of peace. Those five prayer points should help lead us towards that. As different issues and concerns come up we will make sure to post them so that we can all continually be praying.

Please join us as we seek to walk alongside these students on a journey towards Christ. And as always, thank you so much for your support! 

The Beauty in Questions

Hands raised, one after the other, our students asked us questions.

"If someone is a good person but doesn't believe in Jesus do they go to hell?"
"If I do believe in Jesus and I do bad things do I go to hell?"
"What if I keep doing a bad thing over and over again?"

Question was followed by question, and I could see the excitement in the eyes of our staff as we brought our kids to the Scriptures and explained the ins and outs of forgiveness, grace, life transformation, and Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We were at Tuesday night Bible Study and we were beyond excited because our kids were interested, and curious, and their questions were significant and thoughtful. They listened carefully to us as we responded, and in that moment I could feel God's movement.

Things are happening here, and good things are coming. Sure, each day comes with its challenges and its setbacks, but we can see our students transforming before our eyes. We can see the transformation in their attitudes, their words, their questions, and their joy. We believe that God is about to do something big here, and as a staff we feel privileged to be a part of God's work.

Tiffany said something great last night that spoke to my heart as I work with Apache students. She reminded me that God has chosen us to be here and He therefore trusts us with these students and their lives. He must believe that we can do this job and that we can be a part of His work here on the Apache reservation.

What freedom there is in realizing that God believes in us and the work we can do with Apache youth. And what joy there is in seeing Him move in the lives of our students. 

Time Away With Our Youth...

By John Book

    I knew as soon as we began to plan this year’s fall retreat that it was going to be different, new, exciting, and full of memories. It did not disappoint! We had close to fifty students attending this year from two different reservations, a ton of activities, and great speakers. 

    The most popular activity this year, by far, was paintball. We were blessed to have a company come in and run everything for us. From the guns, the gear, and even the specific games we played; they came ready to give us a good time. I did not see one unhappy face coming from the field. Everyone had a blast. 

    A new aspect of our retreat this year was a special time set aside for a service project. I thought for sure it would not have been accepted by the students, but I was totally wrong. The youth took full advantage of the opportunity and did a great job cleaning up brush, and cutting up wood for the American Indian Christian Mission, the location where the retreat was held. I was extremely proud of them. 

     It's no question that God moved at the retreat this year. Through the worship, the speaking, and the small groups; He moved through the lives of our youth. Something else new this year was bringing in a guest speaker, someone that was on the level of our kids and can speak to them in ways that we as an AYM staff could not. Joe Donnell, a Sioux native from South Dakota, brought a powerful series on a new hope for a new generation. He really brought home our theme this year, New generation, new hope. Though it sounds simple, the theme as a whole was extremely complex, and Joe was able to embody the that theme into his series. Our kids learned that no matter what we have done previously, we are all made new in Christ. 

      God provided a great weekend in which we, as a staff, were able to grow closer with out youth, and it was no question that the students had an awesome time. We heard from many of them after the weekend was over that they wished it had lasted longer! Was it exhausting? Yes. Was everyone ready for a couple days straight of sleep? Yes. But I don't think any of us would have traded it for anything. Thank you to all those who made this Fall retreat possible!

Teaching Jesus, Changing Lives...

By Meredith Carpenter

What is one thing that no one can ever look cool doing? 

This was the ice breaker at our Tuesday night Bible study last week and the answers were hilarious. They ranged from brushing your teeth to walking out of a port-a-potty, and we all laughed until we cried. Though these questions are just for fun, it has been great seeing our students become more comfortable with us as a staff. 

For the past few months our numbers have been spectacular. We have had around 30 kids at our Bible Study. . .when we used to have only 8! At the Rising, our Thursday night event, there have been up to 90 students in attendance. But what has been most encouraging recently is not the super high numbers, but the low ones. Each of us as a staff have been intentionally investing in five students. We work to understand their lives, their families, and their performance at school. Through focusing down on five students each we have been able to be attentive to their needs as we speak Scripture into their lives and pray with them when times get hard. It has been a rewarding process of discipleship. 

Another number that was encouraging was the number 35. Last week when we told our students that we would not be hanging out at the Kennel after the worship service, we watched over 50 students walk out the door. But 35 stayed. 35 students resisted the peer pressure to leave and made a statement that they were there to learn more about Jesus Christ and how He can impact their lives. It was perhaps one of the Rising’s finest moments. 

Here at AYM we are not about numbers, we are about lives changed and transformed by the power of Jesus Christ. But we are also grateful that so many students walk through our doors and that we have the chance to speak truth into their hearts, (as well as have fun).

Boots On The Ground

By Lydia Humphries

How I met your Mother, Friends, and Cheers, are all Television shows about a group of people who live, love and learn together. They (as we in the church world like to say), “do life” together.  Mixed with the occasional crude humor, these shows are wildly popular for a reason. They depict something that is attractive to our culture, we desire to have a group of people who know and love us unconditionally, and who will always be there for us. The lyrics for the theme songs state these things plainly. You want to go “Where everybody knows your name” and live in a place where someone says “I’ll be there for you”. We desire to be known and loved, and accepted in a community of people. 

As of the end of September, our team at AYM has added its most recent member, and we have come together remarkably. Our full team is now assembled of six people ranging from ages 23 to 32. Our original homes are spread across the map from places like Indiana, Georgia, Maryland, Florida, Oklahoma, and Texas. We are diverse in many fashions. We like opposing sports teams and types of sports, a wide variety of music and movies, we even have a few different views in politics. It would appear on the outside that people with such varied views, likes, and dislikes would be bound for disaster, but that’s not the case. When people flow in and out of our lives throughout the summer and the year, people like our students, short term teams, or visiting churches, there is one thing that remains. They see something in us, an identifying factor that we all share. 

Admittedly, our youth doesn’t always know what they are seeing. They simply see the way we love each other as brothers and sisters, but they don’t quite get it. They see the friendly banter or the love in the acts of service we provide for one another, but they can’t always identify the reason they desire to be around us more.

Do you know what they’re seeing? It took me a while to label it myself. When they witness authentic community they are seeing Jesus. They see the way we mutually submit to one another, the way we share our joys and our burdens, and the hope is that they want to participate, that they want to be part of something where love and grace abound in a powerful way. They look at our team, but what we hope is that they are actually seeing Jesus. 

As a team we have discussed how humbling it is to have Christ working in us so strongly. We are truly nothing special. What is special, is Christ in us, and His light that draws others to Himself. If it was up to us alone I doubt anyone would take a second glance, but because He shines through us we are able to live in authentic community that calls each other to a higher purpose. We are able to share what a family in Christ looks like with our youth, and hopefully, bring them into our family as well.

Paintball, Jesus, and Kids...oh my!

When your weekend includes hiding in the woods, bonfires, paintball, and community meals, you know it is going to be good.

I am happy to announce that our Fall Retreat was an absolute success. With approximately 30 kids (plus 2 from the Navajo rez) we were able to build relationships, discuss deeper issues, and have a lot of fun while we were at it. Here are some pictures to give you a better idea of the weekend...and thank you to those who helped support the retreat!

With our great friends from the Navajo reservation during the basketball tournament. 

Look at the joy on their faces! 

So much love!

During our service project, collecting wood for American Christian Mission 

Hard workers! 

These guys volunteered to do the dishes. We might invite them over to our house next! 

Paintball! 

What a blessing and a privilege to work alongside these kids! 

Welcome to the Blog!

Well, hello there! 

Welcome to the new and improved AYM blog!

To be truthful, the only thing “new and improved” is that we are actually going to start keeping this thing updated regularly. We at AYM rely so much on your support and encouragement, therefore we want to do a better job of keeping you up to date with our needs, prayer requests, joys, and happenings here in the White Mountains. Are you excited?

Now that you are here, I (Meredith) would like to introduce you all to something else new(ish)- our AYM team! God has been doing a great work and has brought together an incredible team (if I can say so myself). 

From left to right: Ron (who began AYM), Meredith, Lydia, Tiffany, Alvina, Seth, and John (in the back). Sarah is not pictured, but no less important!

I (Meredith) am the latest to arrive, having been here for just a week. Over the next months I hope you will get to know each of us on the team a little better through this blog. But today, I want to ask for you to join with us in a very awesome endeavor:

The Rising presents: Fall Retreat!

This is one of our key events for the students that attend our Thursday night youth event. It is a great opportunity for us to get to know our students better in a setting away from the reservation. The weekend includes music, messages, paintball, bonfires, and other fun things. We really love these retreats, but in order for them to continue (and for us to pull this one off) we need your help!

We are currently in need of $800 to fully fund our Fall retreat, which is coming up on October 11-13. This helps fund the cost of food for the weekend, the speaker we are bringing in, and other aspects of the retreat. We would love for you to partner with us to make this a life-changing weekend for our students. 

Click here to donate to our Fall retreat!

In addition, we ask that you mark October 11-13 on your calendar and be in prayer for us. Pray for our student’s hearts to be open to the messages they will hear. Pray that they will come to us as staff with their questions and concerns, and pray that our relationships with our students will be deepened. I know I can speak for all of our staff when I say that we love these kids and we truly desire to see transformation in their lives through the power of Christ and His healing love. 

Thanks for sticking by us as a ministry and for putting this great blog on your bookmarks bar (hint hint). We are forever grateful for your continual love and support. 

Sincerely,

The AYM team 

2012 Warrior Leadership Summit

by Meredith Carpenter

It had been a long week filled with dehydrations, foot injuries, and a great lack of sleep, but sitting in that circle under the lamppost I could feel God’s presence among us. We had brought twelve students to the Warrior Leadership Summit in Missouri, a conference for Native Americans aged 15-30, and my expectations had been exceeded. When the week began I had been the new intern, having spent only a couple weeks on the reservation, and from the first 26 hours on a bus I knew it was going to be a week of new experiences. The conference was a gathering of over six hundred native students with over one hundred tribes represented. We spent six days hearing the truth about the power of God unleashed in our lives, building relationships, and doing a good amount of swimming, snacking, and laughing. The six days we spent in Missouri were life-changing for our students. I watched as they slowly transformed throughout the week. Slowly they became more unified, more responsive to the messages, and more open to us as leaders. On the last day we gathered as a group as we had done each day and we asked the students to confess one thing that they wanted to change when they got back to the reservation. We were amazed at how God was pulling at and fighting for their hearts and their lives. Only six days earlier these students had been closed off and unresponsive. Now I watched as each of them opened up to the group, putting themselves in a position of great vulnerability, confessing what was wrong in their lives that they needed to change. Our students broke down to tears as they spoke of giving in to sexual sin, stealing, and living life for all the wrong things.It was a moment none of us leaders expected, but we were thrilled. This conference had been the push some of our students needed to turn their lives around. As we got back to the reservation we continued to watch our students thrive. They planned events so they could hang out with each other and weeks later still had new life in their eyes. They were changed by the work of God when they were in Missouri, and we watched as these students committed to working hard and to staying strong and unified back in the battlefield that is their home. 

The battle is far from over for our students so we ask that you pray for the twelve that went to WLS, as well as for the impact that they can have on the other students that come to the Kennel. They are full of potential and we a praying that they have a great impact on the reservation. 

This opportunity for our students was made possible in part by donations and sponsorships from supporters like you. We are so grateful for the way that God provides for our students through your prayers and financial support, so from all of our students, thank you! 

2012 Hoops On The Rez

By John Book

Each year, basketball coaches from all across the country come together for something special and exciting. A basketball camp called Hoops on the Rez. In its ninth year, Hoops on the Rez saw its largest number of Apache Youth in its existence, with over 150 Apaches from elementary thru high school. Not only did they enjoy the insights on basketball, but also a daily devotion into Gods Word. Learning valuable lessons such as; winning with a good attitude, the importance of being a good teammate, and finishing strong when things are hard. This years Hoops on the Rez in one word could be described as, amazing!

            However, this year the minds that put together this amazing camp did something a bit different. Each year when we see the students it is sometimes difficult to pick out the ones who really have a passion for the game of basketball, but this year we had a couple of students who the coaches asked to come back for a special "Elite" camp. Which was only for the students who really wanted to work, and put in the time for individual improvement. As a college basketball player myself for three years, I can say from experience that if you want to become a better basketball player, you have to be willing to work on individuals. This consists of dribbling drills, shooting drills, and conditioning drills that you do on your own, or with a partner. They are not easy! Especially when you have seasoned coaches like Jake Deer of Florida Christian College, and Jon Everingham of Dekalb High School at the helm. With the years each of these coaches had, they had plenty of drills to teach the players, as well as put the players through specific drills for there playing spot. These coaches worked the students till they could go no more, but they became better players because of it.

Hoops on the Rez "Elite"

            Though Hoops on the Rez has only been a camp for only nine years, the bonds and the friendships are ones that will last a lifetime. Not only the bonds between the coaches and staff, but also between the staff and the Apache youth. Without a doubt I believe that each staff member, weather basketball coach or just someone that came to help, that has ever been to Hoops can tell you they are still in contact with at least one Apache still on the Rez. If there is something more special than that, I dare you to prove me wrong. The friendships are special, the coaching is special, and Hoops on the Rez is just that, special.

            The entire AYM staff is so appreciative of the sacrifice everyone made to be here this year. Weather if you were from Ohio, Indiana, or Florida, we thank you for being a part of this camp. I hope we can have even more next year, after all it will be the 10th year anniversary of Hoops on the Rez. Now that is Special!!

2012 Summer Missions

Cornerstone Ministries
Pittsburg, PA

by Seth Harkins

Summer is one of the most encouraging times of year for the staff of AYM. Teams come from all over the country to serve with us in Whiteriver and we are able to bless the community in ways that we would be stretched to as a small staff. Working on the rez year round can wear you down and it’s refreshing to see the rez and our ministry through the eyes of those coming for the first time and it’s always a blessing to reunite with those who have come before.

Looking back over this summer we were so blessed by all of the teams we got to work with. We met some amazing people and made some great memories. I want to acknowledge all of those who came and served.

• ·       Cornerstone Ministries – Pittsburgh, PA
• ·       Sherwood Oaks Christian Church – Bloomington, IN
• ·       Native Vision Basketball– Florida and Georgia
• ·       Mountain Christian Church – Joppa, MD
• ·       West Cypress Church– Cypress, CA
• ·       Hoops on the Rez – Indiana, Ohio, Florida
• ·       Lincoln Trail Christian Church– Irvington, KY
• ·       Community Christian Church – Tamarac, FL
• ·       Danville Chinese Bible Church – San Ramon, CA

These 9 teams together left a powerful witness on Whiteriver and the surrounding communities. This summer they completed the following:

• ·       Work projects at three schools, the hospital, children’s shelter, East Fork community center, Paradise Creek Camp, and the Kennel.
• ·       Provided firewood for the children’s shelter
• ·       Put on three, weeklong VBS ‘s in three different neighborhoods
• ·       Ran two basketball camps
• ·       Volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club and two nursing homes
• ·       Created an art mural at the Kennel with our students

A lot was accomplished this summer and our presence was felt throughout the community. Even through small acts we were able to encourage many of those who serve in Whiteriver year round and be a blessing to many who live in the community.

As great as it is to accomplish more work with the additional hands, the most powerful part of teams coming for me personally is the people I get to meet and spend time with. It’s like a summer long family reunion. Although we met many for the first time we had an instant connection that is unique to the body of Christ. That’s the beauty of the Kingdom. We all have experienced the love of Christ and that shared experience binds us in a special way. Not only do we share our relationship with Christ, but God is at work throughout the world building His Kingdom. Having the chance to hear and share with brothers and sisters from all over the country what they have witnessed Him doing is priceless. All of a sudden the work we do throughout the year that feels so small at times seems a lot bigger.  We all serve in different places, but we all serve the same King. There is no greater purpose and no greater joy than being a part of God’s work.

Every summer I’m reminded of how universal our mission is to make disciples. I’m reminded that the hardships we face in ministry are not unique but are shared by brothers and sisters everywhere. I’m also reminded that the joys and the victories we experience are not unique, but they belong to all who are in the arena. No matter how isolated or insignificant our work may seem, each summer I’m encouraged by the truth that everything we do is part of the greatest movement to ever take place. Building the Kingdom and restoring a fallen world to the way things were meant to be.

To all who came; thank you for your hard work, your great attitudes, and for showing the love of Christ not only to our community but to us. It really has been a great summer and I pray that God continues to do amazing things through you wherever he has placed you. I hope we see you again next year.

For those who did not make it out this year, we love ya and hope you can make it out sometime soon.

Thanks to everyone for your constant prayers and support.

Grace and Peace,

Seth

Homes and Hope...

By Sarah Stienmeyer

In Whiteriver, they have CPS just as they would anywhere. They have foster families that take in kids who need a place to live. But where do these kids go if there isn’t a family available? Where do they go if they can’t cope with living with a family? “Our Kids Group Home” is a group home that has been in Whiteriver for years. There actually used to be two group homes and the kids were split between them based on age. Now one is a home for the elderly and the other remains for children. There is too much information to go into how all the changes took place and how the two group homes for kids is now one, but I would like to share a bit about the children’s home and really just my heart when it comes to these kids.

It is a bit of a struggle for me to know what to write so I don’t breach any kind of confidentiality but I have been visiting this group home once a week for almost a year now. I first came to Whiteriver last June and I’m not sure when I started going to the group home weekly but I have had connections with them since last summer when a couple teams who came out helped with yard work and spent time with the kids.

I go to the group home every Monday evening and stay for about an hour to an hour and a half. It depends on the night. The kids always want me to stay longer but the time I spend there has a lot to do with the time that works for the staff and the kids’ schedule. There are times when I take a few of the teenagers with me. The kids love it when the teenagers come. Sometimes we read books with the kids, sometimes we play games, we always talk to the kids, there have been times I have helped kids with homework. I have gone on walks with the kids too and we have played outside when the weather is nice. Most of the time they just want time like any other kid. They want love and attention and to know someone cares about them.

The staff at the group home have to record everything that happens from who comes into the group home, to what the kids do, and any behavior problems. They also work with the kids on reading and writing. They have requirements of what they have to do in order to maintain funding for the group home. They also teach them the Apache language. The kids have chores they have to do to help pitch in around the house. There seem to be a lot of rules sometimes but the staff cares about the kids. The director of the group home has been there about fourteen years give or take, and she has shared stories of how she loves and hates her job at the same time. She grows to love these kids and wants them to find a home, wants the parents to do what they are supposed to in order to get their kids back, but at the same time she hates to see them go because she grows to love them and she sees the improvement from the time they arrive to when they leave. There have been times I have heard her say, “I’m not gonna let them get to me anymore, it’s too hard when they leave.” But that never happens. She says, “She can’t help but love them. They get into your heart and you just love them.”

AYM also has a “program” called Homes for Hope. And, I’m not even sure I want to call it a program. But this is when a child is placed with a family and it is not necessarily through CPS. For example, many know that Ron and Darcy have adopted kids and I would consider this under Homes for Hope. And most recently the relationship we have with the group home and Homes for Hope have collided in that one of the young boys who was at the group home now lives with the family of one of my co-workers. This is a young man who grabbed the heart of those of us that knew him and one family has opened their home to him. I do not feel the liberty to go into detail at this point but I ask that you pray for this family to have wisdom and discernment, and that God would grant them what they need as they love this boy. There will be challenges and it will not be the same as having their own kids in the home. But God does amazing things when His children step out in faith. Pray also for this little man, that God would work in his heart, that He would bring healing and restoration, that he would adapt to this new life and environment, that he will find true freedom and life in the one place freedom and life are found, in Christ. There are so many things to pray for when thinking about a child, a family, and raising him to honor and glorify God and they are not limited to what I have listed here.

There is another young man who has captured my heart; both him and a little girl that I have known since last summer. The little girl was placed in a foster home but the boy is still at the group home. He has had a challenging life just as the boy mentioned above. And it makes it more challenging when trying to find a home for him. These two kids have been on my heart for a long time and I can’t shake it. And, if I’m vulnerable right now I would say, if I had my own home, stable income and an amazing husband I would be talking to him about taking these two kids into our home. But that isn’t where God has me right now. Some have said I should just do it, fill out the papers and adopt him. And, the process would go relatively quickly for me as I have talked with his case worker and I have had visitation with him. You see, he’s one of the kids who doesn’t have family and I decided I wanted to know him better. So I have spent some time with him. But, I feel very strongly about male leadership in the home. And, I am hoping not to hurt or offend anyone in saying this because I know there are many single parent homes in the world today. Some of my good friends are single parents and they do an amazing job. Honestly, I don’t know how they do it, but they do. And although it is possible to be a single parent, in spending time in prayer about this part of my life, knowing that God has put adoption on my heart from the time I was small, I also know that I am not to be a single mom. I believe that God has made that very clear to me. So I continue to pray for these little ones and that God would provide the right home for them as He did for the one mentioned above. I want the best for these kids and God always knows best. Sometimes it’s hard to wait for what you know God wants you to do. Sometimes there are details we don’t know about that He still needs to work out. Sometimes we would rather think with our heart instead of our head. And, I think our heart should be involved but God also gave us a mind for a reason. Sometimes it’s easy to want to be the “rescuer” and want “save” the kids you meet. It’s easy to want to reach out but also easy to forget all the little details that come with having a child. It’s another life. It’s a huge decision and one I would never want to make by myself. And the only true rescuer is also the only true Savior. Pray for these kids, all three that have been mentioned. Pray that those that still need a home would be given the one God has for them.

I am asking that you continue to pray. Prayer can move mountains. A co-worker told me about a sermon he listened to about prayer called Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtick from Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Basically it’s about praying impossible prayers. It’s easy to forget who we are praying to and that He is more than able to do exceedingly more than we could ever imagine. Let’s Pray Big Prayers Believing He Will Answer.

This One Thing I Do

by Ron Everingham

Once I had a dream that God would use a youth center to impact the lives of hundreds of teens on the reservation. This thought - vision - idea came to me while serving on one of our regular stops with a bus ministry out in a little reservation town called Canyon Day back in 1999-ish. I'll never forget sitting on the sidewalk talking to my friend Tim Hirschy about the dream. Would it be possible to start something that had never been? Would the tribal council go for it? Would teens even hang out there? Where would we build it? How would we build it? How would we fund it? Questions seemed endless, but there was always a quiet confidence that God would do something big. We just needed to have a "this one thing I do" kind of focus. And our "one thing" is to empower Apache youth to impact the world, for Jesus.

Have you ever felt this confidence? I can imagine that you have had a dream or two along your way. Did you trust God? Did you persevere? What is your "this one thing I do" kind of focus? The "one things" happen in your life when you catch a vision. You have a burden. I know a lot of you reading this blog right now. And I'm so thankful to say that you also believed in the "one thing" that God placed in our hearts for Apache youth. Without the prayers and resources of Gods people, and staff moving in to help, we'd still be sitting in a dumpy ole' broke-down house out by Gernimo's cave. But you believed, you believed that God would do amazing things through us on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation ... and indeed He has.

Paul reminds of this kind of focus in Philippians 3. He gives us some amazing imagery of finishing a race, reminding us that if we are thinking with mature minds we should think this way. That we should forget what lies behind us, strain forward to what lies ahead, and to "press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." This was Paul's "one thing". He had such great focus and clarity, he was prepared to finish the race.

This summer is a summer of celebration for our youth center. 10 YEARS of open doors to the White Mountain Apache community! I'm still in awe over all that God has done. But with mature minds, we press forward to what lies ahead. Currently we are serving hundreds of teens per week at our youth center and through our programs. Our average attendance at our youth center remains at over 75 per day, maybe as many as 400 per month! One of the most exciting things that has happened this school year is the growth of "The Rising". A weekly youth church service, that we have partnered with some others on, has been having a regular attendance of over 75 teens! I want to ask each of you to continue to pray and support these efforts. In order to show these teens (that are continually bombarded with the evil) that there is a God who loves them and a Jesus that died for them, we MUST keep our operations running smoothly. Right now, we need to raise monthly support for the operational costs of the youth center and we are raising funds for a couple of mini-vans so that we can offer more students rides to church and our programs. In order to press forward, these are our needs. Thank you for contributing your prayers and resources. Contact me now if you can help.

Imagine how different lives are going to look 10 years from now. How exciting to think that we are impacting lives now and, by the power of Jesus Christ, teens will never be the same. And because of what God is doing in them, they will raise their family differently. You are resourcing the battle as our staff fight in the trenches of the battle-field. Thank you for believing in the "one thing" that God has placed in the heart of AYM...empowering Apache youth to impact the world...for Jesus.

It's Easy To Sin When You're Bleeding Within by Seth Harkins

It’s easy to sin when you’re bleeding within

And why I am the way I am is no mystery

My mind is not in proper order or in therapy

Deranged, confused, and sexually abused

My life’s been hanging on a string for so long, what do I got to lose

I took a look at myself and came to grips with what I found

It was the vision of a child, disturbed and broken down

No soul, no heart because I gave it away

No time for feeling sorry, I’ll grieve another day

And all those tears are stored in storm clouds

That hover above me and cover the ugly

They continue to haunt me when I feel low

They are the reason I hold on and never let go

This was part of a poem one of our girls wrote recently. She frequently brings new poems to the Kennel for me to read and it’s like a way she communicates the depth of her soul. She’s an amazing writer and when she channels that gift for good she writes some truly beautiful things. More often than not though, her poems are a window into the darkness of her life and while they are powerfully written, they can be hard to read.

Amidst all of the success that God has given us in the recent months and with all of the good news there has been to share, it’s important to remember that we are in a fight for these kids and that fight is ugly. Life is not always pretty and our kids by and large are immersed in a world that reeks of despair and oppression. For us that means opposition is always around the corner, especially in times of success.

Our numbers continue to grow, God is bringing amazing leaders to our ministry, and our team is gelling exceptionally well. I cannot explain the joy this has brought to our entire team and to my life personally. These have been prayers of mine from the beginning and to experience them being answered is amazing. I want to savor that. However, the task at hand remains daunting. The cries of poems and phone calls from some of the kids in our ministry are small windows into the silent suffering that almost all of our kids live with everyday often unseen from the outside. It’s a sobering reminder that all is not well and that we can in no way relax. In fact, success demands greater awareness.
The enemy has not and will not give up easily. The harder we push into the darkness, the harder it will push back. In many ways I feel that we have just begun to experience resistance and I am actually encouraged by that. This is why. Momentum is always met with opposition and the greater the momentum, the greater the opposition. That is a timeless truth of life with God and life in ministry. Whenever we have victories over sin or victories of faith in our personal lives, whenever the Kingdom of God advances, whenever ground is taken, and whenever the enemy is threatened, resistance is inevitable. But this should not be discouraging. If anything we should be energized by this because it means we’re doing our job. Idle laborers hold no threat to the enemy.
So that being said, we are grateful for the assurance that our work is going well and we look forward to leaning into whatever opposition comes our way. Trouble is on its way of that we can be sure, but as it says in Hebrews we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved. God will always overcome and He is greater than all who come against us.
Despite our bangs and bruises, God continues to move. This past Sunday after our spring retreat we baptized our third student and first guy of the year, Arthur Henry. Arthur is currently a senior at Alchesay. Pray for him in this decision. He has a long road ahead of him and life can be very difficult at home. There’s no doubt that a battle awaits him and our team for his life. Pray that God will protect his faith as the Gospel takes root in his heart and that in time he will grow into maturity. I’m excited about all God is continuing to do, and so thankful for your faithfulness in this mission. This is a poem that one of our students Rico wrote recently and it sums up the hope we have no matter what happens in life.

Jesus gave His life for me,

He died for me.

Jesus gave His life for me,

He died for me.

Because of HIM, I'm fighting on the side of Victory,

He rose from the dead and so He lives on,

Let us all stand up and get our praise on,

Let's sing another song.

A song about His glory.

Let the trumpets sound,

Raise your voices and shout it out.

We're FIGHTING ON THE SIDE OF VICTORY!

He paid the price for me.

Because of Him, I'm fighting on the side of victory!

I'm FIGHTING ON THE SIDE OF VICTORY!

We're FIGHTING ON THE SIDE OF VICTORY!

LET THE TRUMPETS SOUND!

JESUS GAVE HIS LIFE FOR ME, HE DIED FOR ME,

HE PAID THE PRICE FOR ME.

BECAUSE OF HIM, I'M FIGHTING ON THE SIDE OF VICTORY!

We're FIGHTING ON THE SIDE OF VICTORY!

LET THE TRUMPETS SOUND!