Caring in Complex Places

[5 minute read]


Hi Wai-Lam,


This week we celebrate our Global Workers and Partners in our yearly campaign, wanting to highlight God's work in and through them. Each day this week, we are sending out a story from selected workers. If you haven't received yesterday's email reflection, you may follow along with us at this webpage.

 

We continue our theme of caring for others. Today's reflection provides a glimpse into the ministry Stan and Sally Bragg are involved in. The Braggs have spent more than 15 years in the Saugeen community – a long-term commitment which is necessary to building relationships. Faithfulness is key in indigenous ministry. They've been available and walked with people through difficult circumstances. And in those deep valleys there has been opportunity to speak of hope and life in Jesus.

 

Having experienced the forgiveness and hope through Jesus themselves,

they long to see these friends transformed by Him. And it begins with a love and heart for these people.


"The commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not covet,' and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law" (Rom. 13:9-10).

May you be challenged in your definition of love today,

Director, EMCC World Partners

Our country is becoming aware of what happened in residential schools, facts that our First Nation people have known all along, but without their voices being heard. God is shining light on these things and exposing them.


We cannot have reconciliation without the truth being told, and understood. Isaiah 58:2 says that God’s people delight to know His ways and ask of Him the ordinance of justice. What does it look like to actively participate in this work?

On September 30th, Orange Shirt Day, we joined on the bridge just outside our home in support of Every Child Matters. We joined with selling t-shirts where all proceeds were donated to the women’s shelter on the Saugeen Reserve. We joined in handing out free coffee, water and donuts to the native community on the other side of the bridge. It was a great day of blessing people and demonstrating love and support for our First Nation people.


Last spring we launched a pilot project called, Eagles’ Wings Freedom Session. This is a healing discipleship opportunity that invites people on a journey towards the freedom and healing God desires for each one of us. We all have deeper heart issues that often fuel unhealthy attitudes, behaviours, and destructive choices in our lives. We believe that full emotional and relational healing is possible through Jesus Christ. So many around us are struggling with broken relationships, addictions, trauma from the past, frozen emotions, etc. As we have embarked on this journey we have experienced freedom and healing in our own lives.


Meeting weekly we watch a teaching video together, then split into small groups according to gender. We also have homework to complete during the week. Freedom Session is a Christ-centered 12-step journey that can transform lives and offer a more hopeful future.


Our hearts have been broken by the loss of young lives to overdoses, children losing their parents, grandparents raising their grandchildren, alcoholism destroying lives, broken relationships, etc. We desire for these dear ones to experience freedom and healing in their lives. Only Christ can bring them to wholeness. Freedom Session is just a tool. True freedom and healing comes when we invite Jesus into our lives and into the middle of our brokenness and pain. Christ died so we could have life – abundant life. So let's find it together!


Please pray with us:



  • For Eagles Wings Freedom Session. We ask for God’s wisdom in how we can take this much needed ministry further into the community. It is difficult to do this in a group here, because everyone is related in some way and the level of confidentiality is not there. We may have to do this one on one, which will take a lot of time and energy. But whatever it takes to see Christ’s healing in people’s lives is worth it!
  • For the community of Saugeen and Cape Croker. There is so much hurt and pain in people’s lives, due to residential schools and intergenerational trauma. Pray that the Holy Spirit will awaken the hearts and minds of people here to the true Jesus, not the religious one that has been introduced and done so much damage.
  • For the Holy Spirit to speak and lead us, giving us courage to follow His direction.

Join Us Friday


We'll finish the week with an opportunity to pray with Global Workers and Partners.

November 18th, 9AM MT

Register Here

#gwpweek2022

@emccwp

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