Blessed to be a Blessing
“There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.”
1 Corinthians 12:5-6
My recent visit to the James Smith Cree Nation reminded me of how God works through each of us. Your prayers and support to First Peoples Voices enabled us to show and share the love of God to a community still reeling from the mass murders in September. Beyond shipping 45,000 gifts to 131 Indigenous communities and supporting Christmas outreaches, Crossroads also sponsored the Christmas dinner at James Smith Cree Nation. It was a huge answered prayer that we could give a gift to every student who attended, thanks to the donated items we received. We handed out 309 gift bags to children from kindergarten to grade twelve. It was an honour to be a part of this Christmas outreach, and I pray a blessing over Jai Lall and her team from the church as they sorted, packed, and labeled each gift by classroom!
Jim* asked to be our Santa that night, and he was truly the best Santa I have ever seen! At the end of the evening, I complimented him on his joy and love for everyone he encountered. It was only then that he told me he lost two family members that horrific weekend. He said it was the first time he laughed since that fateful day in September, and the first time he had done anything. He also said it brought him great joy to see so many children and families having fun again.
Because of your support and the partnerships with Southend Cree Nation, Birch Narrows Dene Nation, Ivonne St Germaine of Saskatoon, Canadian Revival Center, and Family Pizza in Prince Albert, this turned out to be a fantastic event! There was such unity and desire to bless the hurting families that came out.
Prayer and Praise Points
- 130 Indigenous communities received their gifts on time.
- Cape Dorset, Nunavut, has only received 2 of the 14 boxes as of so far, so this needs more prayer. I recently learned that food always goes on the plane first, and other items only if there is room. It could take months to reach them.
- Many communities said they would start gardens this year because of the seeds we donated as part of our Christmas Gift Campaign.
- As Ambassador to the First Peoples, I want to continue building strong relationships by visiting as many communities as I can between now and the fall.
- Lord willing, I plan on returning to Saskatchewan this winter in 2023, and work with our partners to bring God’s healing and restoration.
- I praise God for His goodness and your support. There was so much unity between the visiting reserves and ministries involved that we marveled at it.
Once again, thank you so much for your partnership with First Peoples Voices. We couldn’t do this without you and we are grateful for the greatest unity among Christ-followers everywhere we go.
Warmest Regards,
Bev Hadland
Crossroads Ambassador for the First Peoples
