Bringing Gifts
For Native American peoples, generosity is a way of life.
Traditionally, Native American people are motivated by the joy of taking care of one another and the trust that, when we are in need, the community will take care of us in return. To Native Americans, the act of giving brings individuals closer and creates loving and committed relationships with others.
When Lutheran Indian Ministries deploys staff to reservations and communities to implement its healing ministry, we also often bring gifts. As in the case of the Wisemen, who brought gifts to honor the newborn King, we bring gifts to honor the chiefs and tribal leaders and to show respect.
Please know, with confidence, that every gift you bless Lutheran Indian Ministries with is used for ministry. Your generosity to our ministry is a sacred trust and one that we take very seriously. Your faithful gifts to Lutheran Indian Ministries are used to care for the needs of the Native communities in which we serve. Through them, you are there with us as we proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, disciple our Native brothers and sisters, and help them heal from the dysfunction of generational trauma
Your faithfulness has resulted in more than 200 homeless Native brothers and sisters moving off the streets in Phoenix and into treatment homes where they can receive the services they need to begin rebuilding their lives in the light of Jesus Christ. Your gifts became food for the hungry and shelter for the lost and weary.
Every gift is an opportunity to reach more Native people with the hope of the Gospel. This year alone, you helped bring more than 100 Native men and women to baptism, where your gifts became the ultimate gift – the water of living and eternal life for those who know the King of kings and Lord of lords as their Savior.
Additionally, in Native culture, an individual would never ask for anything he would not be willing to give himself. It is an honor to be asked for help, an opportunity to care for another and show the love of our Creator God. At the same time, we give thanks to our Creator for all He provides us from his beautiful creation which we can share with others.
As an organization, we are honored by our ministry and office staff, as well as our board of directors, 100% of whom are financial donors to LIM. We are partners alongside you, putting our treasure where our heart is – into Native ministry.
And, we give thanks to you, for your donations that ensure our missionaries can share the greatest gift of all with their brothers and sisters, the gift of Jesus, the Son of God!
Finally, in traditional Native culture, wealth is not based solely on tangible items, and generosity is not limited to monetary gifts.
We know you uphold us in prayer, as you have told us so many times, and we see how the Holy Spirit is working through them to bring the light of Christ to our precious Native people.
We are grateful to those of you who know our names and faces and hold us up in frequent, fervent, and heartfelt prayer. Thank you! Keep those prayers coming… they are working!
In this Christmas season of giving you will purchase many gifts. Some will have monetary value, others will have personal or spiritual value. But your gift to Lutheran Indian Ministries has all three: monetary, personal, and spiritual value.
Your gifts to LIM make a difference. They build teen camps and provide programs for the homeless. They train staff so they can help others. Sometimes, they buy a meal for a hungry and lonely student. Your gifts provide one-on-one counseling to those who are hurting and hope to those in need.
We are so thankful to you for your generous gifts to Lutheran Indian Ministries which have blessed the lives of so many Native Americans across the land. Praise God!
And yet, we know, as much as we have accomplished in 2019, there is still so much to be done. Because of your past gifts, the ball is rolling in new and exciting directions, and momentum is building. Now, we need your help to keep it going.
I am asking you to join me, and our LIM staff, in this season of giving to make this gift to Lutheran Indian Ministries your best and most generous ever for the year ahead!
May God bless and keep you always, in Him.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Tim Young Eagle (Pawnee)
Executive Director
P.S. Our greatest gift is God’s gift of His Son, Jesus. Thank you for helping us share that message this Christmas season with our Native American brothers and sisters!
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