April 2010 Newsletter

April, 2010

Dear Friends,

At the sound of the sticks’ slow rhythmic beating on the long cedar log drum, all heads turn to that end of the Big House. The drummers chant to the drumming. Soon children move onto the packed beach sand floor, shuffling in a circle around the smoky open pit fire that is in the center of the floor of the Big House, the cultural heart of the Native village of Klemtu, British Columbia, Canada. Dressed in red and black vests, and in two long lines, the young dancers dip short canoe paddles up and down, as if paddling a canoe into the village. This “Welcome Dance” begins the potlatch. Other dances and songs follow, with each dance moving in a circle around the fire in the center of the Big House.

Native people look at life in a circular way. In my Anglo-North American culture we also talk about circles. We say “life is a circle” or “I was running around in circles,” or “coming full circle.” I look at my walk as a Christian and I see circles. Jesus Christ’s circle included the twelve disciples. Later the disciples included others in each of their circles. Those circles touched other circles again and again until eventually someone shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with us. We, in turn, were in Klemtu to include people in our circle, but we also found that we were being included in their circle as well.

Suddenly the hostess of the potlatch invites us to share a song, a song we learned during our stay in Klemtu. We sing “There Is Power in the Blood” in English and Heiltsuk, one of the Native languages of the village. We are honored to be included in their circle.

As we continue to visit churches, home groups and individuals to share our calling to Native ministry, we become part of yet another circle, the circle of Christians who are coming alongside us to financially support and encourage us. To those who are supporting us we say thank you.

We are in the process of raising our monthly financial support base so that we can go into the mission field full-time with NAIM. We would like to invite you to become part of our circle of support through NAIM if you haven’t yet done so. If you know of any churches, home groups, mid-week gatherings (or even just yourself), that would like to hear about our call to Native missions, please e-mail us at shultis@naim.ca or phone us at 518-678-3375. We would love to have you partner with us.

"“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations..."