Here's the team heading to Yellow Knife. Our plane was delayed so we had a little time. We are all wearing beaded caps that Bro. Don gave to each team member. Pray. (Pictured: Augusta Smith, Don Tiger, Priscilla Arneecher, Ruth Walker, Stephanie Wickliffe, Billy Anderson, Jimmy Anderson, & Andy Anderson)
Traveling with a team of 8 soldiers for the Lord, Canada-bound. We are currently driving from Oklahoma to the DFW Airport. We will fly to Calgary, then change flights to Yellow Knife, Northwest Territory. Then, we will take a 5-hr drive to our ministry area of Hay River for the week.
This a first for all the ladies, to minister in Canada among First Nations. We've been praying, & now we are ready to work! Keep us in prayer. I will post more, if I can get near WiFi. I'll take pictures, in the meantime. Native Praise to National WMU Celebration….AGAIN!
The event will be held June 12-13, 2016. Nostalgia. In one word. Prior to 2001, a group of Christian Indian women, were gathered together a few times, by Willene Pierce, founder/director of The Native American LINK. The women represented many tribes & church congregations, and enjoyed singing the Christian Native hymns that most had learned as children. Things begin to change for the group, as Wanda Lee, Executive Director of Woman’s Missionary Union, made a visit to Oklahoma, at a WMU meeting, where “Willene’s choir” was singing. Ms. Lee extended an invitation to have the “choir” sing at the national WMU celebration in 2002, to be held at St. Louis, MO. As Willene gathered the women together to share the news with the group, a name was formulated. We became the Native Praise Choir. As a celebration of this historic event, the choir decided to return to the place and occasion of significance, not to sing, but to be present for Ms. Wanda Lee’s last Director’s Address, before her retirement. When Wanda Lee learned that the choir would be present for the WMU Celebration, an invitation was once again extended to sing. We will honor the Lord and Wanda Lee for her support to our ministry. Pray for us as we prepare. My heart is full. I have received a picture of the paver located outside the tabernacle at the Fall Creek Baptist Conference Center at Davis, OK. It will be so exciting to see the paver when several of our Native American women attend the OK State Women's Retreat on April 22-23. Willene deserves honor.
Although we know that the earthly death of a saint (Christian) is the beginning of eternal life, grief will present itself to those loved ones who remain.
Our women have endured much in the past few months with illness & loss. Just last week, the Native Praise Choir stood in support of a choir member, Ruth Walker, who lost her husband. Then, last Thursday (3/24/2016), we had to accept the devastating news that our beloved sister, Mary Silmon (Mississippi Choctaw) lost her battle with cancer. And, now as we prepare to bid her farewell, we receive news that our first Creek lead singer, Hattie Beaver, passed away just last night (3/26/2016), from complications from heart surgery. Please pray for our Native Praise Choir in these days. It still seems unreal at times.
Two years ago, the ministry was making preparations to bid farewell to our Founder and first Executive Director of The Native American LINK, Inc. She had left us so suddenly that we were numb. Willene Pierce worked so tirelessly for our Native American women, ever seeking ways to bring us together in service to God. This picture of Willene is one of service. She had taken a group of Native American volunteers on a medical missions trip to Ukraine, the first native group to do this. She was a true trailblazer who will be forever loved & remembered. Back to busy days. Today I was in a meeting at the Baptist Building in OKC, then home to get some choir "chores" (do people still say that?) taken care of. The highlight of my day was seeing Willene Pierce's Native Praise Choir dress in the Mission Center. I admit, I got a big lump in my throat, & tears surfaced. Founder & first Executive Director of The Native American LINK, Inc. I can't believe that God would have me work with such an incredible Christian woman who loved our Indian people so much.
Good things are coming our way...it's always good when it is God's design. Look for the Native American LINK, Inc to be present at the following events:
March 4-5 - Northern OK Indian Evangelism Conference @ First Baptist Church, 114 E Breckenridge, Bixby (noon Fri until Sat noon) March 11-12 - Southern OK Indian Evangelism Conference@ Emmanuel Baptist Church, 120 Veterans Blvd, Ardmore, OK (THE NATIVE PRAISE CHOIR will sing at both conferences.) Excitement is growing as the choir will attend the BGCO Women's Retreat at Falls Creek Conference Center on April 22-23! The NATIVE PRAISE CHOIR has been asked to open the Oklahoma Gospel Singing Convention on May 25 at the McAlester Expo Center. This is a new event for us. On June 11-14, the NATIVE PRAISE CHOIR will travel to the SBC-WMU Annual Meeting @ St. Louis, MO. The choir will sing at the WMU Annual Meeting AND will sing at the annual meeting of the Fellowship of Native American Christians on Monday, June 13. Keep checking our Facebook page for more events! Thank you all for your prayers for Augusta Smith, Director of the Native American LINK, Inc. during her illness. Back to work now, but returning to the work force gradually. Excitement is in the air, for the 2016 year. The Native Praise Choir will be singing at the southern regional Oklahoma Indian Evangelism Conference to be held in Ardmore, Oklahoma in March.
Plans are underway for a large delegation of our Oklahoma Indian women to attend the state Missions & Ministry Retreat in April. The choir will also attend the WMU Annual Meeting to be held in St. Louis, MO in June. The choir will sing at the annual meeting of the Fellowship of Native American Christians. Again, we will be sending a VBS team to assist at the Western Oklahoma Indian Baptist Family Camp in July. Of course, we all look forward to Indian Falls Creek Baptist Assembly in August. More opportunities to minister always come in, so be watching for more news! Thank you for your interest, support, & prayers for our ministry. Two weeks ago today, after spending about two weeks of excruciating headaches prior, I was diagnosed with Bells Palsy. I was devastated, knowing that speech would be difficult, & singing with our beloved Native Praise Choir would not take place for an unknown period of time. It's not been an easy time for me, as headaches continued & medicines left me nauseous & groggy. However, I am confident that God is with me, has never left me, & Jesus continues to be my Rock.
Others in the choir have been facing illnesses, & we seek your prayers. We also pray for little 12-yr old Rachel Scott, who has been with us, & is facing chemotherapy, beginning tomorrow. Pray for ongoing ministry. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:38-39 (KJV) - Augusta Smith (The Native American LINK, Inc. Executive Director & Native Praise Choir Coordinator) |
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