WILL YOU... PRAY FOR US
THIS WILL ALSO BE OUR FIRST 2012 MANTI PAGEANT
INFORMATIONAL LETTER (see articles below)
SHARING THE LOVE OF JESUS WITH POLYGAMISTS
It is impossible for us to adequately explain what we will face this coming weekend as we conduct an outreach in the Fundamentalist Latter-day Saints (FLDS) polygamist communities of Colorado City, Hildale, and Centennial Park. If the most graphic use of the term "CULT" means anything to you - that perfectly explains this isolated group of people. WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS!
It is also impossible for us to even know for sure what we will face as we enter this community on Saturday morning. Over the past several years the community has been fractured in more ways than we can even begin to explain. Imagine the confusion in this community as FLDS "Prophet", Warren Jeffs, was named the #1 most wanted fugitive in America and subsequently hunted down, captured, convicted, and imprisoned for the sexual abuse of multiple young girls. Today Warren Jeffs is desperately attempting to maintain his iron grip on the community from prison while other self-appointed "prophets" are grasping for his position. WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS!
Today the FLDS community falls into basically four very fractured groups. First are the faithful FLDS but these people are being pulled in every direction by several self-appointed false prophets. Second are those who live in Centennial Park - these people still cling to their polygamist roots but will no longer follow a prophet. Third are those who have lost all faith and are just out there in their thinking. Fourth are those who have been excommunicated from the FLDS - in this group are "lost" boys, young girls, fathers, mothers, and entire families who were kicked out of the group for a variety of reasons. I ask you, how do we even begin to connect with this fractured community? WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS!
WHY??? This will be the fifth year we have conducted outreach efforts in Colorado City. Every year we have to ask ourselves WHY??? All I can say is that once you have seen the desperate plight of these hurting and deceived people your heart breaks for them - especially the children. If there is any group of people in America that could honestly be considered an "unreached" people group this is it. Most were born into and have lived their entire lives in this isolated community. They have very little or absolutely no contact with the outside world - except when we roll into town (BIG SMILE).
WHY??? Because Jesus loved them enough to die for them and they really need some good news, the gospel of Jesus in their lives. WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS!
So, what do we hope to accomplish? Until this year, we really had no idea why God was opening this door or what in the world we would ever accomplish through these outreach efforts. But, God had a plan and as the 'A' team leader Lieutenant-Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith used to say, "I love it when a plan comes together!" This year we have a significant purpose for our outreach to Colorado City because, this coming June, Brody and Liz Olson will be moving into this community to begin the first ever permanent ministry to this unreached people group. What we did not know, but God did, was that for the last five years we have been laying the groundwork and building bridges for Brody and Liz. WE ALL NEED YOUR PRAYERS, BRODY, LIZ, AND ALL OF US!
WE ALSO NEED MORE HANDS AND FEET! So far we have the BIOLA Spring break team of 16 students, the Ephraim Ministries team of about 15-20 people and a few odds and ends individuals who are planning to join us. Maybe about 40 of us total. We really need at least 60 people to conduct this outreach. It is a no brainer that this is not convenient for anyone because Colorado City is in the middle of nowhere. Everyone who will be joining us will be driving for at least 4 hours to get to this God forsaken place. We have people coming from Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah, and Colorado - will you bite the bullet and join us as well?
AND FINALLY, WHETHER YOU CAN BE WITH US IN PERSON OR NOT, WILL YOU PLEASE PRAY FOR US WITHOUT CEASING THIS COMING SATURDAY?
COLORADO CITY OUTREACH DETAILS
If you decide to join us in Colorado City, we can promise that this will be an event you will NEVER FORGET... On Saturday, April 7th, from about 9 am to 3 pm we will be canvassing the community (approx. 1,000 homes). Then from 4 pm till about 6 pm we will be offering a free BBQ for the community in the city park (Cottonwood Park). Last time approx. 300 community people attended and this year we expect a larger crowd.
.We will meet at the Merry Wives Cafe on UT hwy 59/ AZ hwy 389 in Colorado City at 9 am. If you arrive after 9 am, and we are already passing out the door-hangers, call Chip's cell phone (435) 851-4588 and we will connect. Or just drive around town and look for people who are dressed "normally" and passing out flyers.
From the blog post, "If you decide to join us in Colorado City, we can promise that this will be an event you will NEVER FORGET..."
ReplyDeleteIndeed!
When I first heard about the outreach I knew that it would be something memorable, but it was more than that. It was life-changing.