WHY AN INDIAN CHURCH?

Last week I told you of my visit to an Indian Church. Why an Indian Church you probably asked.  I'll explain that later in this post, but first let's talk about Sox Place.
I had a young mother ask me if we had a baby tooth brush. I've got to be honest, I had no idea what a baby toothbrush looked like. I had her look thru the baby stuff we have but she did not find what she needed.  You can see by that that we need what you need to go thru your day at home.
One man who has been around Sox Place for a few years shared with me that he had cancer and that he had had two rounds of chemo before this.  He said he had been advised to have a third, but he was not going to go thru that again. He is praying for God's healing and letting God have his will in his life and healing. I asked if I could pray for him and he wanted me to. Afterwards he had tears in his eyes and thanked me profusely.  He has come to me every day since and asks how I am doing!
One day while sitting around watching everyone do their thing, I asked a young man, "Where you going tonight?  How will you stay warm?", He said that one old building that he had been sleeping in was torn down.  He guessed he would walk around all night.
While people ask, "How can I help?  What do you need?  I just don't know what to do", our Cintas service man, Thomas, has contacted some of his customers about our needs.  One of his customers has 40 pairs of pants that former employees had bought and then left when they quit, and Thomas will pick them all up for us. Another client runs a  hotel and said they were going to be changing out their blankets for new ones.  Know what Thomas did?  You guessed it, he asked to have them donated to us!  Thomas has started his own personal Matt 25:35,36 ministry.  If we just look around us and pray for guidance, the Lord will show us what's needed and what's available.  Those of you in NW Arkansas, are you aware of Seven Hills Ministry in Fayetteville?  Or Samaritan House in Rogers?  They also have needs. There's a couple of women's shelters in Bentonville that I gave stuff to but can not now remember what the names are.  Look around you, there are needs to be met.
So, why an Indian Church?  Why not a church like I have been use to?  Something I failed to tell you in my first posting was that the Lord used an interest in Native American ministry to get me open to moving out of my comfort zone and into Sox Place.
Having spent 20+ years in New Mexico, and being a student of Western History, I read Louis L'Amour novels,  I had read about and visited some of the Pueblos in New Mexico.  I had joked with Pastor Cass at New Life Christian Center that when you did a short-term mission trip to a reservation, you did not need a passport, no shots, you could drink the water, you could converse in the same language, and you could usually drive there.  I started researching such trips with the object of me leading some people on these type of trips.  While researching, I contacted one such ministry by email and during my July 1-6 trip (this was a momentous time period) to be with my daughter, Chelley, that person contacted me and ask, "Would you be interested in pastoring a Native American church?"  I responded that I would be.  He had the person in charge of Native American ministries for the Pentecostal Church of God get in touch with me.  We were never able to meet while I was in Arkansas, however, he wants to meet with me on one of his trips thru Colorado.  Does this mean that I am not committed to Sox Place?  Not at all, I am committed here as long as the Lord wants me here, and as long as my brother Doyle can use me.  And as long as I can think up things to cook.
So, I visited an Indian Church which is predominately Navajo, but is intertribal in its outreach.  I love old architectur and the building they own was built in 1893 and the exterior and interior design has not changed.  It is not what I have been use to, however, it is evangelical in belief and practice.  The song service not what I have been use to but is worshipful.  They are having a Thanksgiving pot luck dinner on the 21st., what can I cook? 
So, you see now why a visit to an Indian Church?  What has the Lord for me in the future?  I don't know, but I am determined to be open.  Just one more thing I ask you to pray with me about.
Last week, I had a thought and I know it was of the Holy Spirit as I would not have thought of this, at least not as question to me.  "How are you going to love the unlovable if you are never around them?"  Good question. 
I leave you with a quote from a dear friend of Jeanne and mine, Jamie Hedges Collins: "Jesus loves me inside my mess, and I just want to be willing to get out of the way so Jesus can get to us and soothe our aching hearts."
Love to you all and keep on keeping on with the Lord.
Troy
I'm going to try and post some pictures next time.