Indian Ministries of North America Visits World Vision
The leadership of Indian Ministries of North America, Inc. recently received an invitation to visit the international headquarters for World Vision in Seattle, Washington.
Johnny Hughes, President of IMNA, accompanied by his wife Becky and Bridgitt Johnson, a Navajo teenager and member of IMNA’s youth leadership from Gallup, New Mexico. Bridgitt was asked to address the World Vision chapel service on behalf of Native American youth and their struggles with oppression and suicide. IMNA is truly honored to have had the opportunity to meet with the leadership of this great organization and thank God for the doors that have been opened for future work together for the Kingdom of God. The following is Bridgitt Johnson’s account of her experience at World Vision headquarters:
Arriving at the airport in Seattle was when the shock and realization settled in that I would be speaking to the employees and leadership of World Vision. However, my pounding heart was comforted by the fact that I was not alone. Johnny and Becky were there. We met Ruston Seaman, a coordinator for USA Projects, and he began to explain his involvement with World Vision.
Following a time of rest at our motel, we took a tour of the World Vision headquarters. It was amazing to me how laid back everyone was and at how intent they were on helping people in need. I felt so much love when I walked into the building and I felt the sincerity of everyone with respect to their job. As we made our way through the “mouse maze” of office cubicles, Ruston shared about the involvement of World Vision with a new skate park on my Reservation in New Mexico. The people I met were so willing to let God lead them and trusted in His will as they expressed their brokenness and willingness to help the less fortunate in third world countries.
That evening, we accompanied the USA projects leadership to dinner, where I had the opportunity to share more about myself. I shared my Hope Story. While sharing, everyone grew extremely quiet and as I looked around, some had their heads down. This truly humbled me, and I continued to share what my life has been like and all that I have gone through. I shared how my amazing God had always been there for me, even when I turned my back on Him. Through their encouragement, I realized the opportunity that God have given me to make a difference in the lives of Native youth. I forgot how nervous I was about the next day, and a sense of relief settled over me. That night I kept thinking, “Am I truly the voice to bring the change that will help Native youth on reservations throughout the United States?”
That night there was little rest, I kept thinking about the next morning, then the next hour. As time ticked ever closer to the morning chapel service, I started thinking, “I can’t do this!” Then, I had so many encouraging World Vision employees reassuring me that it would be fine and then ask if they could pray for me. I politely responded “yes, thank you,” but inside I was screaming, “Yes! Please pray for me! I need it!” Just before the chapel, we met with the Vice-President of World Vision. He was interested in Johnny and Becky’s ministry, Indian Ministries of North America, and now that I am part of this ministry, I consider it as our ministry. I began to share with him how hard it was for me and others being raised on the reservation. I began to share about Pine Ridge, South Dakota, and I as I did, my heart was broken once again. I started to tear up as I tried to explain the reality of that life, but I knew I could never explain the heaviness that I felt while ministering in Pine Ridge. It was a similar heaviness that I felt when I was younger growing up on the Navajo Reservation. As we closed in prayer, I asked God for strength and to be the vessel that He needs me to be. I now waited nervously for the chapel service to begin, and I soon found myself seeking another quiet place to pray.
The people started in for worship, first two at a time, then five, then ten at a time. There went my nerves again. As we began to worship, I kept thinking about how little I knew about these people. I had only met a handful of them and couldn’t even remember their names. My stomach started to flip and my heart started to pound, as I watched and listened to Ruston give his presentation. From our seats in the row, time was now racing by. Then Ruston introduced me and said, “If she was my daughter, I would be proud,” and with that said, I began to feel better.
As I walked up on stage, I realized how many people there were in attendance. I took a deep breath and introduced myself in English and then in Navajo. Telling my Hope Story was very hard, because I was opening up to so many people that I didn’t even know. While I was trying to choke out my words and hold back the tears, I began to share how I had grown up in an alcoholic family. I looked over the crowd and thought how thankful I was to have the opportunity to share the craziness of my life and how I have gotten through it, even if that means crying in front of five hundred people. As I finished, the employees stood with an ovation, and I was moved, never thinking I could impact so many people with my story. People began to congratulate and encourage me, telling me how brave I had been. I felt invigorated when one lady told me how encouraged she was by my Hope Story.
The chapel service was followed by more interviews and discussions, and I really felt reassured that World Vision might truly help with the plights of the First Nations people. Many of the encouraging comments that I received will stick with me for a long time, especially words like, “Just be yourself and don’t try to be someone else, because if you try to be someone you are not, you won’t reach the people that God intends.” I am so thankful to of had this experience and to have been the mouthpiece for my people. Thank you World Vision for the opportunity to tell you my Hope Story. My hope is to keep moving forward with God and walk it out. I would not be who I am or where I am today without the influence of the people in my life, even those who sometimes hurt me.
(Source: IMNA)
