Arizona Reservation Ministries -- Quarterly newsletter may 2015

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On Wednesday evening, March 25 th , the ARM Team gathered to celebrate with the Belvado family. After years of living without a home, they received the keys to a home they could call their own. Guy May was on hand to present the keys, representing the three young men who had served nearly three years with ARM, affectionately self-proclaimed as the “A-Team.” Guy, Mac and Mike had started this home during their service with us. Rob, Jon and Greg were on hand as well, as ARM’s current home-builders, to complete this gift of promise. The House Blessing Celebration was filled with smiles, good food, and great celebrations! Along with the keys, an engraved Bible (and words shared about the eternal home waiting for this family!), hand-created quilts and a photo album of the many who arrived from across the US to add their ARMs to make this home a reality, were given at this celebration. Why do we build homes? Many years ago, the Tribal Chairwoman’s smile was huge as she answered the question of whether she would like for us to build homes. Still today, up to 30 people must reside in one home, adding dangerous dynamics to the lives of residents, as the addictions of some family members cause them to inflict physical and emotional abuse upon others within the walls of “home.” Other families reside in portable garden sheds…or worse. Today, over 1,400 homes are still needed! One young father had been living in a shed with his family, passing each day (unemployment still exceeds 75% on this reservation!) by drinking/taking drugs. When the news arrived that his family would be receiving a home, it was the hope he needed! Today, his family has been drug-free and Christ-filled for several years! He and his wife serve faithfully at one of the Apache-led churches on his Reservation! The hopelessness of home-lessness is tangible. Holding keys to a home where you can keep your kids safe, and begin to dream of a profoundly different future is life changing…eternity - changing for many. Our next House Blessing is scheduled just before you’ll receive this news! Another home (yes, three!) will, Lord willing, be completed before the end of June. The mama of four receiving a home, Lord willing, after these homes are completed is currently living in the living room of a home with her babies. Sleeping is a luxury as she stays awake to protect her children when others arrive under the influence of chemicals that would certainly cause harm. Why do we build homes? Because many years ago when asked, the Tribal Chairwoman smiled with hope at the possibility of such a provision for her People; the Tribal Housing Authority added their “yes!” as well. Our 26 th home was started in March. Each and every home is inhabited and well-cared for, as these family members have worked with us to create them. Please pray for the provisions needed so that more families can have this hope as well. Keys To More Than Homes Arizona Reservation Ministries ‘God’s ARMs around the Reservation’ Volume 13 Issue 2May, 2015 That 26 th home has already brought other unique elements! Grace Church in Mesa AZ built the walls for this home in their church parking lot one Saturday in March, and then put them up the following weekend. Then teens from mainland China added the exterior covering and siding just a few weeks later! When this home was just a dream and a foundation, the family who will reside within grasped hands and prayed around their future. We’re all praying!

Transcript of Arizona Reservation Ministries -- Quarterly newsletter may 2015

On Wednesday evening, March 25th

, the ARM Team gathered to celebrate with the Belvado family. After years of living without a home, they received the keys to a home they could call their own. Guy May was on hand to present the keys, representing the three young men who had served nearly three years with ARM, affectionately self-proclaimed as the “A-Team.” Guy, Mac and Mike had started this home during their service with us. Rob, Jon and Greg were on hand as well, as ARM’s current home-builders, to complete this gift of promise. The House Blessing Celebration was filled with smiles, good food, and great celebrations! Along with the keys, an engraved Bible (and words shared about the eternal home waiting for this family!), hand-created quilts and a photo album of the many who arrived from across the US to add their ARMs to make this home a reality, were given at this celebration. Why do we build homes? Many years ago, the Tribal Chairwoman’s smile was huge as she answered the question of whether she would like for us to build homes. Still today, up to 30 people must reside in one home, adding dangerous dynamics to the lives of residents, as the addictions of some family members cause them to inflict physical and emotional abuse upon others within the walls of “home.” Other families reside in portable garden sheds…or worse. Today, over 1,400 homes are still needed! One young father had been living in a shed with his family, passing each day (unemployment still exceeds 75% on this reservation!) by drinking/taking drugs. When the news arrived that his family would be receiving a home, it was the hope he needed! Today, his family has been drug-free and Christ-filled for several years! He and his wife serve faithfully at one of the Apache-led churches on his Reservation! The hopelessness of home-lessness is tangible. Holding keys to a home where you can keep your kids safe, and begin to dream of a profoundly different future is life changing…eternity-changing for many. Our next House Blessing is scheduled just before you’ll receive this news! Another home (yes, three!) will, Lord willing, be completed before the end of June. The mama of four receiving a home, Lord willing, after these homes are completed is currently living in the living room of a home with her babies. Sleeping is a luxury as she stays awake to protect her children when others arrive under the influence of chemicals that would certainly cause harm. Why do we build homes? Because many years ago when asked, the Tribal Chairwoman smiled with hope at the possibility of such a provision for her People; the Tribal Housing Authority added their “yes!” as well. Our 26

th home was started in March. Each and every

home is inhabited and well-cared for, as these family members have worked with us to create them. Please pray for the provisions needed so that more families can have this hope as well.

Keys

To More Than

Homes

Arizona Reservation

Ministries ‘God’s ARMs around the Reservation’

Volume 13 Issue 2May, 2015

That 26

th home has already brought other unique elements! Grace Church in Mesa AZ built

the walls for this home in their church parking lot one Saturday in March, and then put them up the following weekend. Then teens from mainland China added the exterior covering and siding just a few weeks later! When this home was just a dream and a foundation, the family who will reside within grasped hands and prayed around their future. We’re all praying!

Each set of keys ARM is blessed to give to a family waiting for a home comes at a price that only GOD could provide. Each ARM home costs approx. $25,000.00. Those funds arrive as 75% of the fees our Short-Term Ministry Team sends (the remaining 25% covers the costs of their food, lodging, etc.) These funds help…but they are not enough. ARM’s Partners contribute to our General Fund, adding their help for this practical need. When Amor Ministries ceased building homes on the San Carlos Apache Reservation in December of 2014, they left behind three unfinished homes, and the commitment of a home for another family. We feel compelled to complete these projects as they represent Christ. An “Amor home” is much different than an “ARM” home. They are built of Styrofoam, chicken wire and stucco on ALL surfaces. We are grateful for the groups who had worked on these homes in the past and were able to add their ARMs for a few days, each this spring. The costs to complete the three “stuccoed” homes will be over $10,000.00. Our 26

th home is the remaining home Amor had committed

to building. Please pray for the provision of laborers and funds to complete not only the homes we had committed to completing, but these four homes as well. We need your prayers, too! One of the three Amor homes that is under construction and this 26

th home are in one of the two most dangerous neighborhoods on the San

Carlos Apache Reservation. GOD orchestrated their beginnings just as HE orchestrates all. Prompted by the needs presented primarily within this neighborhood, our Church Bus team, along with others from the ARM Team, and the kids and teens who join in their Church Bus each week will be prayer-traveling through their neighborhoods. We did this once before! Drug dealers and alcohol-makers were arrested at the end of that week of prayer! Please pray for the community of Labumba as these two houses become homes. Please pray for them to become the beacons of light this community so desperately needs! God has provided many volunteers since our last News! Prayer Journeys have taken place on average once each week! Couples have arrived from California, Oregon and Indiana to join their ARMs! Teams have arrived from Stoneridge Church, Yuma AZ; Abiding Hope Lutheran Church, Littleton CO; First Christian Church, Phoenix AZ; Grandma Winnie and friends from Indiana; Grace Church in Mesa AZ and Exchange students from Mainland China! They have worked on homes…and shared with the 200+ children and teens who weekly participate in ministry through ARM’s Church Bus. While with us, the 25 students from China also participated in prayer journeys, hearing through many on the ARM Team, and also the Apache kids, about Christ. Only God can bring students from China to hear about Him…and accept Him! We thank God for our volunteers, and for the innumerable opportunities He leads to bring eternity to the hearts of others…even those from across the planet in China!

Eternity was also changed for ladies as God allowed us to provide transportation, food, lodging, laughter, mentorship and prayers for 22 ladies! The weekend of fun in Phoenix as we participated in a Women’s Conference prompted three to stand and make decisions for Christ. One of these, a woman who regularly comes on the Church Bus with her little ones found the hope she had been longing for as the scripture was revealed. She was assured that we would see her husband who died last spring just moments after discovering that he would be a father. Please keep these ladies and Baby Bella in prayer, as Christ continues to unfold his plans for each of them.

‘God’s ARMs around the Reservation’

For the past ten years, it has been so fun to

serve as God’s ARMs in providing backpacks

and school supplies to students of the San

Carlos Apache Reservation! Before school

began in 2014, we provided 975 students with

the supplies they needed to start a new

school year well! This project is much larger

than what can be accomplished without your

help!

We especially need the

following items:

Brand-new backpacks, water

bottles and pencil boxes.

To save postage costs (and

multiply the amount of school

supplies you can provide!) please

consider sending funds, or

Walmart/Dollar Tree gift cards.

What We Need:

Brand-new backpacks

Binders

Fat crayons (for preschoolers)

Coloring books

Crayons for older children

Colored pencils

Fat pencils (for preschoolers)

Small pencil sharpeners

Facial tissue boxes (Kleenex)

Glue sticks

Water bottles

Coloring books

Pencil boxes

Cap erasers

Wide-ruled loose-leaf notebook paper

College-ruled loose-leaf notebook

paper

Journals

Highlighter markers

Dry erase markers

Red ink pens

Blue ink pens

Black ink pens

Rulers

Dictionaries

Calculators

Pocket folders

DDeeaaddlliinnee ffoorr aallll ddoonnaattiioonnss:: JJuullyy 44,, 22001155 ARM8435 S. Six Shooter Cyn. Road, Globe AZ 85501

(928) 425-8449

www.AzRez.org

‘God’s ARMs Around the Reservation’

NON-PROFIT US POSTAGE

PAID GLOBE, AZ

PERMIT #90

Arizona Reservation Ministries 8435 South Six Shooter Canyon RdGlobe AZ 85501

928-425-8449Fax: 928-425-3173 [email protected]

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*If you have two residences, please save us postage by letting us know when you’ve moved.

Simply email or call us. Thank you!

Arizona Reservation Ministries P.O. Box 2393 Globe AZ 85502 Return Service Requested

East met West and the smiles were contagious!

Staff Positions Available Bookkeeper/office

worker (part-time) Youth ministers Church Bus

drivers/mechanic

Interns Needed

Year-round! (For more information regarding any position,

please look at our website at azrez.org)