Summer of Hope sees ‘breakthrough’ for native youth

By August 5, 2010

USA (MNN) — Yesterday, we shared with you some stories of the
incredible things God has been doing through 50 youth Warrior leaders during the Ron Hutchcraft Ministries Summer
of Hope.

Evangelist Ron Hutchcraft said Summer of Hope 2010 has now
ended and can only be described in one word for the thousands of native youth
they reached: breakthrough.

After concluding the Warrior Leadership Summit, the above 50
Warriors and the rest of the On Eagles' Wings team traveled across the U.S. over
4500 miles to nine different reservations: "In just three weeks time,
among a people group where it is rare for people to come to Christ, they led
over 600 native young people to a relationship with Jesus Christ. Many of them
declared it publicly in the middle of their village: not at a revival meeting,
not at a church, [but] on the basketball court in front of all the young people
of their community" Hutchcraft said.

As they journeyed across the country, these young Warriors
shared stories of hurt and suffering from their own lives. They found that "wherever
they went, they seemed to find kids like them. The issues are the same no matter
where they are from: the same despair, the same suicide attempts, the same
violence, the same brokenness, the same sexual abuse," Hutchcraft said.

Through these common threads, Warrior leaders helped native
youth find a Man they also have a lot in common with: "a brown-skinned Savior who came from a tribe called Judah; a Man named Jesus."

Though the Summer of Hope has concluded, Hutchcraft
Ministries is ensuring that the new hope these youth have found in their "Jesus
moment" does not die and is simply the beginning of a life of hope.

Hutchcraft said, "Our prayer and our follow up
commitment is that the moment becomes a movement."

While on each reservation, Hutchcraft met with native
pastors and other believers, giving them DVD resources to share with new
believers and taking the first step in bringing an On Eagles' Wings event there.

With the tools, strategy and new believers who will soon
become next generation leaders, Hutchcraft said the rest is up to them: "The
On Eagles' Wings team is the jumper cables. The local Christians are the battery.
And through the jumper cable, the outside energy source has come in and jump-started
the battery. Now our prayer is for those leaders."

Pray for the local leaders to courageously steer these
native youth who have made first-time commitments to Christ. Pray for the youth
on their new journey and for Christ to be their comfort through the difficulties
they have yet to face.

Finally, pray for the 50 Warrior leaders who just spent
their summer serving. Hutchcraft said 27 of them feel a call on their lives to
further their education through Bible school and then to go back and minister
to their people.

Click here to read more stories about Summer of Hope 2010
and to support On Eagles' Wings ministries.

Leave a Reply


Help us get the word out: