Living Waters Family Powwow and Family Camp two weeks ago was again a huge success! Native American Pastor Richard Twiss was extremely excited to have more than 90 youth and young adults this year!
Special thanks to Corey and Gina Greaves from the Yakima Rez for giving leadership to Native American youth. To find out more about this great work, visit, http://mendingwings.net
This year's Wiconi Wacipi theme was Restoring Authentic Community in a Broken World. Here's the rest from the newsletter:
In response to this challenge our entire three days together was focused on friendship making, relationship strengthening and community building in the spirit of Jesus. For example, as opposed to years past, I did not plan a speaking schedule with invited speakers or musicians/worship leaders. Each morning our extended camp staff met to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to direct our main gatherings. From these times, knowing there were many outstanding leaders attending, I then asked individuals to share a morning bible devotional, short message from their heart and music. It was amazing to see how all the messages and music and stories simply flowing together with some powerful times of being touched by the Holy Spirit.
On Sunday morning I found myself deeply weeping as I stood with my arms wrapped around two of my sons as a group of Polynesian young men prayed for our young warriors through a Maori haka or war dance.
This year we added a second location for our sunrise prayer gatherings with a new “sweat lodge.” Traditionally, these places/ceremonies have always been used by tribes as places of worship, cleansing, dedication and always prayerful intercession. Each morning the fire was made and the stones heated so that at sunrise our appointed Native leaders, pastors and elders could lead these times of personal prayer, confession, worship and intercession in the lodges. Like last year, they were especially spiritually significant for numbers of people. This year we had a “sweat” to especially encourage our youth in their spiritual journey as well as special time for married couples.
This years “family talent night” was filled with skits, songs, dancing, poetry and heaps of fun and laughter! We had powwow hoop dancing, country & western line dancing, hip-hop dancing, hand-drum songs, little girls singing praise songs in Navajo, rap songs, slam poetry and other very cool presentations. There’s some footage on youtube under “wiconi powwow” you can check out.
Serving Jesus and finding His healing for our lives, families and communities in the context of our cultural ways is the hope and goal of every Living Waters Gathering.
At the powwow we had dozens of dancers along with seven drums. It is always great seeing old friends and reconnecting in the circle as we dance our prayers. My extended family had a give-a-way in honor of my mom, Winona LaPointe, who turns 80 this year.
A special thanks to all who provided a financial scholarship to enable numbers of Native families from Montana, Arizona, Nevada, and Canada to attend this year. As in years past, numbers of young people said our family camp is the one event they look forward to attending more than anything else each summer. So much more could be said, but thanks for your prayers and financial gifts that helped us make such a positive impact for Christ in the lives of so many!!
2008 powwow t-shirts for sale
Our Mni Wiconi Powwow t-shirts were a big hit at camp. As previously announced, you can order one thru the month of August. All proceeds will go to Jacob Trevizo who donated his art-work for the powwow poster and t-shirt. Jacob and his wife Jodi (our Wiconi secretary) are taking pre-orders for the t-shirts. There will only be 30 and that they will be on a black t-shirt. You can view the design on the website. To order and pre-pay for your shirt call our office, 360-546-1867 and ask for Jodi. They are beautiful!
OAXACA MEXICO DANCING OUR PRAYERS TEAM - NOVEMBER
We are calling all First Nations dancers to join us for a historic outreach among the thousands of tribal people in the region surrounding Oaxaca City, Mexico, this November 7-17. We are honored to partner together with Forward Edge International and the Luis Palau Association with our Dancing Our Prayers Team. Our teams have been to China, Peru, Tibet, Argentina, France, Germany and Switzerland over the years. I would love to take a team of about twenty. Our team will be on the stage with Luis Palau at the main venue and leading our own outreaches at locations throughout the city and in tribal villages in the region. You can read all the details on our website including costs, schedules, etc. If you are interested please call our office 360-546-1867.
Peace and blessings
www.wiconi.com
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