Tragic News Regarding the Apache Reservation
Today was going to be a happy post as I seem to be consistently placing all my burdens out there for all you guys to carry, but sadly, this post is going to follow in a similar direction. The burdens do not mean that God is not faithful or that I do not have a lot of joy, for both those things are abundant. My life is a blessed one, but sometimes the world is an unfair place and we have to take notice of that.
Today's post is to fill you in on a tragedy that has occurred on the Apache reservation that I will be working on this summer. Late Sunday night, just down the road from the youth center, one of the students and her grandmother got brutally murdered. The girl was just 15 and an active participant in everything that the ministry did. Sadly, this is not an uncommon occurrence on the reservations. There is a large drug culture, much alcohol abuse, and a history of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse. Most of these kids know someone who has been murdered before, so although this is entirely tragic, for many on the reservation this is nothing new.
I will admit, I cried a lot when I heard about the death of this student. The world is an unfair place and I hate that she had to be caught in the middle of it. I now know I am walking into this summer- the heartbreak, the hardships, and the hopelessness. I am sure that in June the ministry staff and the students will still be reeling from this murder, and I need to go in with understanding and compassion. My heart also breaks for the ministry staff and the community, for I know their sadness far outweighs what I feel.
The White Mountain Apache community needs a lot of prayer right now. I ask that you each take a moment and pray for them. Please pray for the students as they work through this tragedy, and for the staff as they cope emotionally and as they try to walk with the students through this. The staff needs prayer for wisdom as they handle this, and I want us to pray that God will be made known through the situation. My prayer is that this atrocity will not feed into the feeling of hopelessness on the reservation but that God will be the comforter and that people on the reservation will come to depend on Him.
I have to believe that God will reconcile this. I have to believe that He will be made known in His fullness on these reservations and that one day they will be a place free of the terrible things that are occurring there. And in believing that I have to go to the reservation willing to be used by Him, willing to put my life down for the sake of these kids. I have step up to the plate. I have to go where God has called me. Because no, I can't fix the reservation. I can't fix the sadness and the despair. But I do serve a God who can, and I have to believe that God can and will use me to bring His restoration to these people. I have to believe that in my weakness He will be strong.
Because if we don't go, who will?
Today's post is to fill you in on a tragedy that has occurred on the Apache reservation that I will be working on this summer. Late Sunday night, just down the road from the youth center, one of the students and her grandmother got brutally murdered. The girl was just 15 and an active participant in everything that the ministry did. Sadly, this is not an uncommon occurrence on the reservations. There is a large drug culture, much alcohol abuse, and a history of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse. Most of these kids know someone who has been murdered before, so although this is entirely tragic, for many on the reservation this is nothing new.
I will admit, I cried a lot when I heard about the death of this student. The world is an unfair place and I hate that she had to be caught in the middle of it. I now know I am walking into this summer- the heartbreak, the hardships, and the hopelessness. I am sure that in June the ministry staff and the students will still be reeling from this murder, and I need to go in with understanding and compassion. My heart also breaks for the ministry staff and the community, for I know their sadness far outweighs what I feel.
The White Mountain Apache community needs a lot of prayer right now. I ask that you each take a moment and pray for them. Please pray for the students as they work through this tragedy, and for the staff as they cope emotionally and as they try to walk with the students through this. The staff needs prayer for wisdom as they handle this, and I want us to pray that God will be made known through the situation. My prayer is that this atrocity will not feed into the feeling of hopelessness on the reservation but that God will be the comforter and that people on the reservation will come to depend on Him.
I have to believe that God will reconcile this. I have to believe that He will be made known in His fullness on these reservations and that one day they will be a place free of the terrible things that are occurring there. And in believing that I have to go to the reservation willing to be used by Him, willing to put my life down for the sake of these kids. I have step up to the plate. I have to go where God has called me. Because no, I can't fix the reservation. I can't fix the sadness and the despair. But I do serve a God who can, and I have to believe that God can and will use me to bring His restoration to these people. I have to believe that in my weakness He will be strong.
Because if we don't go, who will?
... this morning i am thinking of you and praying for you...and all you ask...nothing hurts more than a broken heart...Jesus knows that...He will give you the wisdom to speak for Him this summer...He has already given you the Love...i love you elaine/ccww
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