YWAM Native American First Nations DTS » Grafs smoke signals

Video debut

Volkhard — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 18:22:29 +0000

Kevin*), one of Marianne’s former Sunday School class kids is currently studying at Northwest Nazarene University in Southern Idaho. He had to do a video project for one of his classes, which is posted to on the web. It is called “The Dual”. You can watch it here: “The Dual” (He is the one with the red scarf)

*) Names have been changed to protect the identity of the person

YWAM co-workers in the First Nations native min

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Germany 2008

Volkhard — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:40:50 +0000

Although unplanned, it was nice that our trip home to Germany coincided with the European Soccer Championship games. We were able to join many German fans in rooting for the national team.
Another wonderful celebration we were able to take part in was our nephew Nikolai’s wedding to his lovely wife Anne!

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Who Are You?

Merry Christmas And A Happy, Blessed New Year!

Volkhard — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 05:05:29 +0000

Solomon asked: “Can it be that God will actually move into our neighborhood?” 1 Kings 8:27 (The Message)

John states: “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes…” John 1:14 (The Message)

Christmas 2008

Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year 2009!

Thank you for your prayers and support throughout the past year!

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Teams making a difference for Jesus!

Volkhard — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 04:55:30 +0000

This year we hosted three different outreach teams, from Molalla, Sutherlin and Portland, Oregon. We feel so blessed by the wonderful, quality, hard-working, Jesus- and people loving and servant-hearted groups.
Although they were here one after another, the work they were involved in was true team-work. All three groups worked on repairing, scraping, caulking, priming and painting First Indian Presbyterian Church. The church had received a new foundation last year and now desperately needed the exterior work. The teams also did a great job in reaching out to our community and especially in relating to our young people. They did a worship concert in the Park, put on the annual Kamiah Hoop Camp and Vacation Bible School and a very well prepared Field Day with games, sweets and activities.
I think, we are most encouraged, every time, when we see how young people give their time, talents, money, yes, their whole life to the Lord., working hard in His Service. To see how their dedication and service for the Lord enriches them and blesses others is priceless!

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Where we serve

Volkhard — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:56:29 +0000

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Indigenous Ingenuity

Volkhard — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 04:06:07 +0000

After having dug to a depth of 50 feet last year, Mexican scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 100 years and came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network more than 100 years ago.

Not to be outdone by the Mexicans, in the weeks that followed, Texans scientists dug to a depth of 75 feet, and shortly after, headlines in the Houston newspapers read: ” Texas archaeologists have found traces of 200 year old copper wire and have concluded that their ancestors already had an advanced high-tech communications network a hundred years earlier than the Mexicans.”

One week later, “Navajo Nation Council”, in its Window Rock, Navajo times newsletter reported the following:

“After digging as deep as 90 feet in wash beds near Kayenta, Elmer Chee, a self taught archeologist, reported that he found absolutely nothing.

Chee has therefore concluded that 300 years ago Natives had already gone wireless.” Ayyyyyyyye.
(Sorry, do not know who to thank for this, probably received it in a forwarded email)

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Items of Interest:

Volkhard — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 21:49:52 +0000

A young Nez Perce man is currently completing his Discipleship-Training-School with YWAM Tribal Winds in Flagstaff, AZ. We were able to support him financially
Mark & Michaela Garrison joined our team as volunteers this summer. Another couple is seeking the Lord as to whether they are to join us.
We have tentatively scheduled a 6-month DTS to be held here in Kamiah for 2009. Florence Loo from Malaysia, who served here with her husband ten years ago has already committed to join our staff for the DTS!
Volkhard completed his second full year of serving as Commissioned Lay Pastor of First Indian Prebyterian Church, Kamiah.

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The Book that transforms Nations

Volkhard — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 21:48:52 +0000

The fact that the Bible shows us the message of God of heaven and earth becoming man is celebrated every Christmas.

However, does the Bible only give us instruction about our sin and His plan of salvation or does it also provide us with principles and directions for every area of life?

Have we interpreted the Great Commission given to us by our Lord Jesus only as an invitation to evangelize and left out an important part of the Commission? Matthew 28:19-20a…“make disciples of all NATIONS (peoples) and teach them ALL that I have commanded you“.

About 176 years ago a delegation of four Nez Perce made a long trek to the most western outpost of the Union of States to find the „Book of Heaven“ Historians have varying opinions about this journey. They think that they made the arduous trip to gain more influence, possessions and technology from the white man, not to find the Bible or the „Christian Religion“. Whatever their true reason for the search was, it led directly to the coming of the first Christian missionaries a few years later. They were received with great enthusiasm and began teaching God‘s Word.

In 2008 we want to engage in a distribution of Bibles, which will reference the original search of the Nez Perce. We would like to point out that the „Book of Heaven“ speaks about the coming of the Son of God and the salvation he brought but that it also provides us with clear principles for all areas of life. Obedience to these principles can build up and cause growth, while disobedience can cause destruction of individual lives as well as for a whole nation.

Transforming Nations

The Bible describes Israel‘s history under the government of King Manasseh as a nation which has turned away from God and turns to divination and idolatry, causing uncleanness for the whole nation. The King even sacrifices his own sons to the idol Molech and sheds much innocent blood. After that his son Amon is King. He was even more evil and corrupt than his father and is assassinated by his own servants.

During this time an eight year old boy, Josiah, is enthroned as King. Amazingly this young man begins to seek the Lord. As a 26 year old he begins to reconstruct the Temple during which the long lost scrolls of God‘s Word are found. Josiah is very much impacted by the words he hears and he calls all people together for public reading of God‘s Word. The King then leads his people in repentance, does away with idolatry and commits himself to live by the Word of God, which causes healing and restoration for Israel.

Whether it is in Israel‘s times long ago or our current age, the result remains the same: When God‘s Word is buried, left unobserved or even dishonored, it can lead to the fall and even the destruction of a nation.

„If a majority of people in a nation honors and obeys God‘s Word, blessing follows. World history clearly shows, if a critical mass of people honors God‘s Word and obeys what is says, a whole nation can be changed.“ *)

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2007 Outreach Teams

Volkhard — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 04:01:55 +0000

During July and August we were blessed by two outreach teams from Oregon.

The teams did a great job in reaching out to our community and especially in relating to our young people. They did a lot of practical work, such as laying of carpet, painting and assisting several tribal elders with needed work. We also had the fourth annual Kamiah Hoop Camp and Vacation Bible School and a very well prepared Field Day with games, sweets and activities.
Every time, we are so encouraged to see how young people give their time, their gifts, their whole life to the Lord., working hard in His Service. It would be so much easier to spend their vacation at the beach or doing other „fun“ things.

To see how their dedication and service for the Lord enriches them, is priceless—and contagious!

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Wanted: New Ministry Home for YWAM Kamiah

Volkhard — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 04:01:35 +0000

In June we moved out of the building that housed our office and room for gatherings. You probably remember that this facility was generously provided for our use during the last 10 years by our friends, the Wasem‘s. Now they need the building themselves and we have been looking for alternatives for quite a while.
We thought we had found a good solution, when a local church was selling their old parsonage building, a double wide trailer house. Another local church had offered us space on their property to set up the building. We submitted an offer for the parsonage building but a day before the church board was to make a decision, they received another substantially higher offer, which the board decided to take.
This meant we had to find an alternate temporary solution. We decided to move essential equipment and furniture into our guest room and rented a small storage unit for other furniture items, files, etc.
We had prayed for quite some time, (and we thank all of you who prayed with us), that we would clearly experience guidance from the Lord in this situation and we think that this answer, even though it was unexpected reflects God‘s wisdom and we can rest in that.
Please join us in prayer, that the appropriate doors for the right property open and that the needed finances will be available for a modest but suitable facility to house our office, meeting rooms and lodging for students, staff and guests, especially in light of our DTS scheduled for 2009. (see page 1)