Strangers in a Tent

The weekend started with me and my mind.  We felt trapped together.  Trapped as if we were locked together behind prison bars.  You might be confused.....how can someone feel trapped with their own mind? Well, if you have ever second-guessed a decision or wanted to make a point to someone but did not know how to appropriately word your emotions than you have felt "trapped with your mind".

I wanted to stay committed to my decision of joining Dad on a mission to South Dakota to fellowship with the Native Americans.  On the other hand, I felt uneasy about the idea of the mission.  In fact, it was not even a mission, but a mere vision.  "To bring about fellowship and reconciliation between Whites and Indians through Jesus Christ." I guess I understood the 'why' but the 'how' really stumped me.

The plan was to show up.  As an avid planner who sets her schedule by the half hour, I had felt a considerable amount of anxiety the week before the trip.  Seriously, one cannot just throw a pile of people from different backgrounds together and think that they will just fellowship.  You need activities and organized programs.  Fortunately, my trembling and clingy mind was filling me with false alarms......sound familiar?

The weekend turned out to be, in one word, intimate.  The turnout was twenty, most of whom flew in from Alexandria on two planes.  Our adventure and God-seeking clan immediately began to fellowship the moment we stepped into the Alexandria Airport.  There was a dizzying excitement in the building that carried while loading, riding, and exiting the planes.  Everyone had something to discuss with someone else.

Pierre greeted us with an intimate rain that made us feel touched and welcomed by the open country.  We met up with a couple pastors and the head of Tourism in SD.  We planned to have a taco feed at a church nearby.  Throughout all the cooking, preparing, eating, and sharing, there was not a break for silence.  How we receive abundance and life when we share our lives with strangers.

That night, we all separated out into various tents.  Couples shared a tent and singles were split into men's and women's tents.  I can honestly say from an insider's view that the single women's tent was the hit of the night.  We basically had to tell each other to "shut up" to keep from waking the others with all our stories and laughter.  I don't know what it is, but you get a group of people (especially strangers) in a tent, and everyone opens up........or maybe that was Linda.

The following morning, we did our best to free our souls to God with song and praise, and plenty of prayer.  One of the Native American women brought bread and grape juice for us to present and take a communion.  It was a beautiful morning that allowed us to taste every moment and look at who we are in the loving eyes of Jesus.  Afterwards, Jackie Rhode gave gifts and we all said our goodbyes before returning by plane to Alexandria.

Did Dad have the right idea with "just showing up" or should have there been more structure??  I believe for this situation it was great.  It offered us space and freedom to focus on each other rather than the activity. However, if annual Native American Fly-ins are to continue; God may reveal ways to utilize the new-found individuals who wish to participate in organizing, planning, and promoting.  Thanks to all who brought their spirits as well as their support to this mission.

By: Ahndree Conn

Greetings from Honduras

Hey Dennis!

Just wanted to say Hi and let you know what a blessing our IFR training has been. We don't fly a lot of hard IFR but it has given us an incredible confidence to fly through clouds and marginal weather that would have been a NO GO a short time back. We actually find ourselves enjoying flying through clouds instead of avoiding them. The greatest improvement has been in our level of confidence.

We appreciate your hospitality and the great training we received. You certainly went the extra mile with us God Bless you and thank you for your help.

Alan & Scott Sumner
Honduras Central America

2nd Annual Native American Fly-In

Make sure you attend the 2nd Annual Native American Fly-In. Don't miss this unique opportunity to:

1) Camp overnight at KPIR. Bring your tent.

2) Support the Indian Taco Fundraiser

3) Enjoy the Native American heritage demonstrations

4) Fellowship with Native Americans and other pilots

Purpose: To seek reconciliation between First Nations people and all Americans so that we may become as one through Christian fellowship.

Presented by On His Wings Pilot Training Foundation

Contact: Dennis Conn 320-808-8505 or dennis@onhiswings.org

Where: Pierre, South Dakota Regional Airport (KPIR)

From Noon Saturday May 15th til 1PM Sunday May 16th

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

Click her for 2nd Annual Native American Fly-In Flyer

Fly-In. A Native American Perspective for Non-Natives

Purpose: To seek reconciliation between First Nations people and all Americans so that we may be one through Christian Fellowship

Why do we need reconciliation in between Native Americans and non-Natives?

1. Historical and Personal Trauma has made the healing Christ offers us through the ministry of reconciliation necessary

Many people lack an understanding of the interconnectedness of issues for First Nations people.

Historical Trauma may seem like a distant and disconnected issue for most mainstream Americans but it is a very real present day and Biblical issue for most First Nations people.

When we say “historical trauma” what is meant is things that have happened in the history (both for Natives and non-Natives) that have left a physical,  mental, spiritual and social impact and wounds upon the people individually and as a collective people. Events like massacres, the neglect, abuse, molestation and cultural genocide of the boarding schools, land issues and reservations, prejudice and the like have led to the modern day issues your Native American brothers and sisters face daily.  They have left deep wounds that effect the generations including messages that today’s children receive. It is a cycle of sin that if not broken by the blood of Christ will continue. This is not a “past issue”--IT STILL HAPPENS TODAY!

2. Generational grief and trauma is Biblical

There is much Biblical evidence for generational sin, grief, trauma and repentance. One only need to look at the sordid journey of God’s chosen people the Israelites to see how sin and grief carries onto generations

The book of Nehemiah is one of the clearest examples of historical trauma and grief effecting the generations and how God used that grief to inspire action and healing. Nehemiah was born into captivity, he was a cupbearer of the king, the food taster in case the kings food was poisoned. He had never even seen the land of his fathers, yet when he heard of the destruction of Jerusalem, and how it lie in ruins and the people still lived in reproach and shame so many years later, Nehemiah 1:4 records that he wept and fasted and prayed for many days! Such is the pain a people! Yet Nehemiah was given favor by God and used the pain to restore the city ultimately leading his people as governor and healing the people despite all the neighboring countries trying to stop him in the process.

If God can do that for His people Israel then certainly the grief of the Native nations is not too much for Him to heal and restore!

3. Blood Guilt on the Land vs. Christ’s Blood

As we look at the issue of massacres and violence in the history of the Native American people, it does us well to look at  the account of the first murder of Cain killing his brother Abel

“The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.  Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.” Genesis 4:10-11

So does it not follow that if Abel’s blood cried up to God from the ground that perhaps the blood on our own soil and upon the reservations cries out to God as well? What then is the answer for this blood?

“to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” Hebrews 12:24

It seems then that we can renounce the curses of the blood guilt on the physical land and plead the blood of Christ which has been sprinkled for all and speaks a better word than the shed blood of the past. As the old hymn goes “There is power, power, wonder working power, in the blood of the Lamb” 

Broken Treaties and Promises=Broken Covenants: An issue that is still happening today

Almost from the beginning of Native American and European relations there have been promises and treaties. Some of which were kept, most of which were not. These treaties are binding laws and agreements between sovereign nations. It could be most likened to the kind of relationships embassies of foreign governments have within US borders. It is a government to government relationship. These treaties are just as much law of the land today as the constitution of the United States. In fact, some of the treaties are older than the constitution itself. It seems unthinkable to most Americans to tread on the constitution and disregard it, yet that is done every day with Native American treaties. These treaties and promises are covenants, binding agreements before God, and they have been broken.

One major problem since the beginning has been corruption of the authorities in charge to carry out these promises and laws, which was the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Corruption in the Bureau  of Indian Affairs (BIA) both from Natives and non-Natives has happened since the beginning and still exists today. Issues like corruption within tribal governments and offices further weaken the people. Keeping the biblical commandments to stand for righteousness, justice and mercy and difficult and involving real spiritual warfare in such an environment.

This year (2010) alone, Crow Creek Sioux reservation in central SD, almost lost 7,100 acres of its already shrinking 125,591 acres to the IRS illegally to pay for the tribes back tax debt.  Most of the original land granted by the Fort Laramie Treaty  of 1868 (still law to this day) has been taken bit by bit over the years leaving the current borders.  Not only is this a serious violation of treaty law, but also affects the identity of the people itself. Federal Indian recognition laws usually require a certain amount of acreage of tribal land, as well as blood quantum, losing this land could have meant losing federal recognition for the tribe.

What does this mean? Well lets put it this way, imagine you are an African American, to be recognized by the US government as such you must prove you are at least ¼ blood African and belong to a family or group that owns a certain number of acres of land, which the government could have taken away. Unthinkable? That’s exactly what’s at stake.

God is a covenant keeping God and takes covenant seriously; He demands His people be covenant people

Covenant is a term used often but rarely understood by the Church in the west. In his book “Messianic Church Arising” Dr. Robert Hinder describes and defines Biblical covenant in clear terms by examining David and Jonathan‘s covenant in 1 Samuel 18 and how it mirrors Christ‘s new covenant with us on the cross .

Covenant is a serious deal- it involved 5 things:

1. Counting the cost ( knowing the risk and laying down of self, could include life)

2. Exchanges (representing exchanging identities, enemies, and victories)

3. Covenant mark (a practice of Old Testament times of cutting of hands that would heal leaving a scar, this was an identification mark to others that the person had a covenant partner and was protected)

4. “cutting covenant” meant that an animal was cut in two and the parties passed between the two bloody pieces of the animal saying in effect “if I break this covenant may it be done to me as was done to this animal” -covenant meant shedding of blood, just as Christ said “This cup is the new covenant in my blood which is poured out for you” Luke 22:20

5. Covenant meal (a meal of bread and wine was then shared between the two parties signifying a sealing of the covenant and fellowship with one another.)

I have heard communion described as the cup is the blood, making us right with God, the bread is the body which we are all a part of, it binds us in love to one another.

What Dr. Hinder says regarding cutting of covenant when God did such with Abraham in Genesis 15:7-19 was that in effect God was saying “May I cease to exist if I do not keep my word to you.” THAT IS HOW SERIOUSLY GOD TAKES COVENANT!  That HE the Creator and Author of all, who has always been and always will be, would cease to exist if He broke His covenant.

If God takes His covenant pledge that seriously, how serious does He take it when we break covenant to one another? God has called us to be in the new covenant with Him through His son Jesus’ blood,  He wants us  as Christians to be covenant people and take covenant seriously.

Unity not uniformity: The whole body of Christ needs each unique part

“That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I in You; that they also may be one in Us that the world may believe that you sent Me.” John 17:21

When Christ prayed for his disciples before His crucifixion He also prayed for us believers today. He prayed “that we would be one, as He and the Father were One” That’s unity!

Unity, however does not mean uniformity!

We tend to think unity means no conflict, everyone the thinking, acting and feeling the same, this however is not what the Bible means by unity, rather it is uniformity. A good word picture of uniformity is “cookie cutter Christians” This however, is not what Scripture teaches us in

1 Corinthians 12:12-31 “For the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body…” 

True biblical unity means that we have all been created differently by the same God to work together under Him for His purposes.  Think of it like a mosaic made up of tiny colored pieces of broken glass, individually they are broken and worthless; each chipped and different, but together they form a beautiful masterpiece of art under the careful direction of the artist who placed them together! That’s unity; broken people cemented together in love by the master artist, Jesus Christ,. Though Christ, we are made right and unified with God, as well as with each other. We are one though the One.

Helping our Native brothers and sisters mature and be who they are in Christ

Hosea 4 tells us about how the land mourns and the people stumble spiritually as a result of lack of knowledge of the Lord. Hosea 4:6 tells us clearly “my people perish for lack of knowledge.” Such is true of our Native American brothers and sisters and as we have seen to a large extent the land they live on as well. Many Natives lack the understanding of who they really are in Christ.

Throughout history Natives were presented with a European  version of the gospel that demanded that Native Americans conform to European culture to accept Christ.  This cultural genocide has led to many in the older generation dismissing Christ as “white man’s god” Due to this and other issues like historical trauma, many Native Americans struggle with identity issues

While there are practices in Native religion that run counter to the gospel and must be discarded there are many things that when done in light of the ultimate standard of Truth: the Word of God and with discernment, love and sensitivity for each other, and direction by the Holy Spirit are gifts that God has placed in this part of His body to reflect a part of who He is; like a facet of a  jewel, it is a piece of His image.

Native American Christians have unique gifts, talents and callings that the body of Christ needs to be complete! Among them, worship in Sprit and Truth through dancing our prayers, beautiful artwork and a deep understanding of spiritual things, to name a few. Without your Native American brothers and sisters, the mosaic of the body of Christ remains incomplete.                       

The walls of prejudice, bitterness, unforgiveness , fear, ignorance and anger have kept us divided for far too long. Satan loves nothing more than a divide and conquer strategy. Christ even tells us in Mark 3:25 “that a house divided against itself cannot stand.” It is time that we recognize each other’s unique gifts and callings, be reconciled, and appreciate the unique place in the body of Christ that God has called each individual, family, culture and nation to be in Christ.

Repentance and Reconciliation =Revival: One Nation Under God!

First Nations people are the host and first people of the land we call America, without reconciliation to our Native brothers and sisters and healing on both sides we will never see the revival we so desperately need and pray for our nation. 2 Chronicles 7:14 shows us the pattern God has ordained for healing and revival.

First we must humble ourselves and pray and seek God’s face. We must know what God says about these issues and be willing to agree with Him, then in repentance, turn from our wicked ways, THEN He will hear from heaven, forgive our sin and heal our land. Repentance proceeds revival.

But in order to be heard by God we must have a right heart when we pray: We must be reconciled

"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23-24

2 Corinthians 5:11-21 further tells us of the ministry of reconciliation we are compelled by Christ’s love to stop seeing one another as the world does, but to see each other as new creations, brothers and sisters. Hence when we are reconciled to our Native brothers and sisters we are praying in accordance with God’s heart, mind and will. God  promises when we do that He will give us whatever we ask in Christ’s name. So let us ask aright that we may see revival in our land. One Nation, One body, UNDER GOD!

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:” 2 Corinthians 5:18

By Jacqueline Rhode
Crow Creek Dakota

Niye Woyawaste Ministries

Fort Thompson Aglow Lighthouse for Crow Creek and Lower Brule

SD West River Native American Liaison

Ahndree Conn to Apprentice at On His Wings

To all the daughters and sons out there,

Family is the root and fruit of our lives. Through time and health, God has brought about the ability for me to apprentice my dad, Dennis Conn, in his teaching here at the academy. I'm so excited and thankful for this opportunity. Too much of our lives are spent trying to get useless things from our parents like acceptance and appreciation. Do we ever take advantage of their knowledge and the things they've built? Do we ever see what they've accomplished in their lives along with their love for us as a HUGE resource for our well-beings.

Ahndree Conn

Excerpt from Kyrgyz Klatsch

Finally, another scholarship and fabulous facilities in Minnesota, I’m twelve hours closer to a commercial pilot’s certificate than before. (The commercial An-2 certificate from Kyrgyzstan is practically worthless outside of the Russian-speaking world.) The folks at On His Wings Academyare top notch and I spoke at several Bible studies and prayer groups.

Note from Mitch Kehler

Hey Dennis,

This is Mitch Kehler, I got my instrument rating with you back in the summer of 2005. About a week after I left Alexandria I went to Aurora IL for my multi training from ATP, which was no problem after flying ndb approached with you and nothing but a compass and turn coordinator. Seems like I keep thinking I am going to stop through Alexandria some time to see how things are going, the next thing I know 4 years goes by. When I came out to your school I was around 80-90 hours into my log book, I past the 1000 hr mark pretty recently with the last 150-200 hrs in a conquest II. Just thought that I would report back that you must have done something right and I am having a great time doing it. One of these days I am going to have to stop by and see if my Frasca 141 print out is still on the board there, hopefully I haven’t been dethroned. Anyways, just wanted to check in and see how things are up in Alexandria, hope all is well and thanks again.

Mitch Kehler
KMC Controls, Inc.
http://www.kmccontrols.com