The Building Fund is Growing!

Donations came in today (10/27/10) that took our total from $150,000 to $186,000 in donations and firm commiments! Keep praying about the offer we are making today!

If you'd like to see the website for the home, visit

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/14531-Pumphouse-Road_White-Swan_WA_98952_M14953-40441

Sacred Road Building Fund

Sacred Road Ministries is a church-planting ministry serving on the Yakama Indian Reservation in the remote town of White Swan, Washington. Sacred Road builds relationships in the community through children’s ministry, youth ministry, weekly Bible studies, and mercy ministy projects using volunteer teams from throughout the USA.

THE NEED

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• 100% of the Yakama people are affected by substance abuse
• 75% are chronically unemployed
• Life expectancy is 39 years
• Suicide rates are very high
• 65% drop out rate in high school
• 70% of teenagers are homeless
• Most children and youth are fatherless
• There are very few intact marriages
• One of the poorest communities in the country

HISTORY

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While serving as youth pastor at Oak Mountain Presbyterian Church in Alabama, Reverend Chris Granberry brought his youth group to the reservation on a short-term mission trip in 2000. He was devastated by the hopelessness and despair of the people. Yet Chris was hopeful, knowing that the power of the gospel can change and does redeem broken lives and
communities.

In 2003, the Granberrys moved to the Yakama reservation with a desire to serve the community and establish a healthy church in White Swan. They also recruited believers to come on one week mission trips to share the love and the truth of Christ through mercy ministry projects and backyard Bible clubs.

Since Sacred Road Ministries was established, the full-time ministry team has grown significantly. This has enabled Sacred Road to host over 2,000 people from throughout the United States who have performed works of service on the reservation. In the spring and summer, nearly 100 children per day are involved in the Children’s ministry. Approximately 75 teenagers have been reached through weekly Bible studies, mentoring relationships and outreach activities. On average, 80 people attend the Tuesday night meal and Bible study conducted in the Yakama traditional Longhouse. Sacred Road Ministries is a church-planting ministry serving on the Yakama Indian Reservation in the remote town of White Swan, Washington. Sacred Road builds relationships in the community through children’s ministry, youth ministry, weekly Bible studies, and mercy ministy projects using volunteer teams from throughout the USA.

THE OPPORTUNITY

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The opportunity for Sacred Road to reach out to the community of White Swan with the love and truth of Christ is growing daily. However, the size and depth of Sacred Road’s ability to do that is limited by the lack of a proper facility.

THE FACILITY

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Sacred Road needs a facility immediately to begin an after school tutoring program for children and youth, expand youth ministry, and in which to host Sunday worship services. Sacred Road has the opportunity to purchase a 7,000 plus square foot building on 40 acres of land near White Swan. In addition to meeting the ministry’s immediate needs, the property has space to support long-term goals.

PROJECT CAPITAL NEED

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Acquisition: $300,000
Renovations: $50,000
Reserves: $58,000
Total: $408,000

YOUR INVOLVEMENT

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Based upon the opportunity and your appreciation for Sacred Road Ministries, would you consider making a significant, sacrificial donation to this project? Time is of the essence as the property is on the market now and generating interest. Your donation needs to be mailed by Nov. 10.

YOUR COMMITMENT

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Your commitment can be in the form of cash or appreciated assets such as stock or real estate.

Please mail your tax deductible contribution to:
Sacred Road Ministries
22116 SE 51st Place
Issaquah, WA 98029-9221

Please include a note indicating that the contribution is for the purchase of the new facility.

MISSION STATEMENT

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Sacred Road Ministries was established by the Pacific Northwest Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America. Its board of directors is composed of the following persons:

Rev. Eric Irwin, Chairman: Senior Pastor

Covenant Presbyterian Church, Issaquah, WA | 425.392.5532

Steven O’Ban: Senior Trial Lawyer
Ellis, Li and McKinstry PLLC | 206.682.0565

Stephen Meerdink: Marketing Manager
The Commercial Agency | 206.575.1758

Rev. Eddie Koh: Pastor for Equipping and Mission
Hillcrest Presbyterian Church | 206.937.0101

(Pending) Rev. Luke Morton: Assistant Pastor
Covenant Presbyterian Church, Issaquah, WA | 425.392.5532

(Pending) Jonathan Ross: Software Architect
Microsoft | 425.943.1477

Update from a Sweet Summer Intern (and so much more!) Mollie Simpkins

Hey beautiful people!

So much to say, but I might forget some details.

I'm sorry that it's been so long since I’ve talked to most of you. Things get a little busy out here. Not an excuse! :)Anyways I wanted to just tell a little bit about what I have been doing for the past month and what's going on on the REzzzzzZ.

This is my life for the summer. I do go into work, which is my missionary family's house, and I cook and put together kids ministry programs and crafts. I have a variety of random jobs I might also get assigned to. On team weeks, I would then go to kids club in the afternoon and spend the evenings with teams. Then at night I come home with the other girl interns and staff, so basically our team is are all together all day everyday. And it's wonderful. I love it.

I arrived in May and had a long week and a half of staff orientation that went great! I learned a lot about what it means to be behind the scenes in a ministry (and still learning obviously) and what it takes to be able to work with people and serve. We have such a beautiful little community here within Sacred Road. It's great to be surrounded with these people everyday. Our staff theme for the summer is "Image of God." We wanted that to be our constant reminder throughout the summer... that all these people you are surrounded with are so precious and beautiful... in the image of God. It’s been really fun to be able to get to know our team – I really see them all as family (haha a giant family of course).

I went down to the Warm Springs Reservation our first team week - it was great to see ministry happening there, but it is so dark. Please pray for the people on that rez.. There are many relations to Yakama here in Washington. Pray for the ministry happening there this summer! We have been able to get really involved with working with the actual tribal workers...maintenance people and others. Last team week… these guys had a big BBQ with salmon and different meats. That’s really special! And awesome that we are making friendships down in Warm Springs. They are doing children's Ministry at a boys and girls club, and it is going well - keep praying that the kids, their homes, and that they would see the hope of Jesus.

A couple weekend ago I was able to go to the Treaty Days Pow Wow. It was amazing to see the dancers and drummers there. What an experience! It was so awesome.

This past week we had a team here in Yakama from Idaho and Chicago. They worked on roofing and painting houses, and had kids club in the afternoon. I have been working a lot on the kitchen crew cooking for the teams! I'm learning a lot about cooking, so hopefully that will happen more in my dorm next year. This summer i'm going to a housing project neighborhood called "Adams View" in the afternoon for kids club. It was great to start to get to know the kids there. We played with sidewalk chalk, 4 square, tag, jump-rope, crafts, etc. Please keep these children in your prayers. They do not come from stable homes or families, and need the love of Jesus. Pray they would see hope in the midst of brokenness.

This past week was good, but very hard in many ways. Satan was trying very hard to divide and conquer our group – everyone felt it - and it felt at times like he was succeeding. But he didn’t succeed. ☺ I’m resting in the fact that Satan is conquered already and he can’t separate me from my Father. Please continue to pray for our team spiritually! It is a battle everyday.

I've enjoyed being out here in Yakama so much this summer. I can't begin to describe how much I feel blessed to be a part of this ministry for the summer. God is working out here, and I get to see it and feel it. And sometimes I don't see it or feel it, but God is still working. I'm learning so much about what it means to serve, and that my time is not my own. I'm learning how much more sinful I am than I like to believe. I'm enjoying seeing the beauty in the Yakama culture. And I'm loving our community here: believers, nonbelievers, native americans, whites, dutch, old farmers, mean kids, adorable kids, interns, staff, the Granberries. All of them. I love them.

I should write more, but I will later. I love you all, and I hope you are having a wonderful summer! Please keep me in your prayers, and let me know if I can be praying for you for anything.

I fear no Foe,
with thee at hand to bless.
Ills have no weight
tears lose their bitterness.

:)

love you,
Mollieeeeeeee

:)

"Uncle Dave's" Reflections on the 2010 Spring Break Teams

2010 Spring Break with Sacred Road

Having just returned from a month on the rez in Yakama I cannot help but be in awe of the blessings God has lavished upon us. We have a nice, secure house to live in. We have a complete family that is free from abuse. We can walk around my neighborhood without fear. We have an income to sustain our daily needs and I have my truck to get me where I want and/or need to go when I want it to. These are all things that most of us take for granted.

Why is it, then, that in this same United States of America, in the little town of White Swan, on the Yakama Indian reservation, there are hundreds of people who do not have all or even any of these things? Most of the homes in White Swan are at some level of disrepair. Most are worse instead of better. We worked on a home during the spring break session in which its only toilet was literally ready to fall through the rotten floor. It was no longer secured to the drainpipe and much of what was flushed went to the ground below the house. Thankfully, a spring break work team was able to put a new floor in this bathroom and a sanitary connection to the drain, giving the young single mother and child living in the house a safe and clean bathroom. Unfortunately, this did not make the home secure. Someone has challenged her family’s ownership of the house and wants to kick her out so they can move in. She and her child are facing possible homelessness.

Most of the families in White Swan are not complete. Many are single parent or no parent homes. Quite often children are being raised by grandparents, aunts and uncles and sometimes even siblings not much older then the children they care for. And 100% of the families are affected by alcohol and/or drug abuse. Vandalism and violence is the norm. Gangs recruit children even at the pre-school level. The unemployment rate is near, if not at, 75%. Only a small income comes from the tribe. It will not sustain a family. Jobs are scarce. During the summer months, children will often come to our afternoon kids club so they can have the snack we hand out. That snack may be the only “meal” they get that day. If you are a Yakama Indian living in White Swan and are fortunate enough to have a car that runs, it is likely that you regularly do not have money to put gas in it or repair it when it breaks down. There is very limited public transportation.

There is very little that you can take for granted in White Swan or even that you will be alive tomorrow. The average life span of a Yakama Indian is reportedly 39 years with some of the leading causes of death being suicide, traffic fatalities and heart disease. And if you wake up in the morning, it is likely that you or someone in your family are dealing with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Reactive Attachment Disorder, alcohol or drug abuse, or sexual abuse just to name a few. It isn’t hard to understand why I feel so blessed but it is even more of a blessing watching how God is working in the lives of many of the people who most of us would describe as “Victims of White Swan”. And they feel blessed.

My plans are to return to White Swan in May to assist with summer teams. Cheryl, along with our grandson, Josiah, will join me there later to conclude the summer before returning to Florida. If you have been a partner with me in this ministry I wish to thank you for enabling me to have the privilege of serving God and His people in this way. If you have not would you consider checking one or more of the boxes on the coupon below?

Thank You.

God Bless,

Dave

Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. Hosea 1:5

(Print and send this coupon to : Sacred Road Ministries22116 SE 51st Place, Issaquah, WA 98029-9221

http://sacredroadyakama.blogspot.com

Checks are to be made payable to: Sacred Road Ministries) Yes, I would like to support Dave to serve with Sacred Road Ministries in 2010 ________
I would like to be a prayer partner$________
Monthly pledge through August$________
One–time gift ________
I would like to receive monthly prayer updates from Sacred Road Ministries via email
Name
Address
City
State/Prov.
Zip/Postal Code
Phone
Email
Checks are to be made payable to: Sacred Road Ministries
http://sacredroadyakama.blogspot.com
Please return this card with your donation
Dave and Cheryl Koerner
2939 Shepard Dr
Rockledge, FL 32955
321-961-0880
davekoerner@cfl.rr.com

April 6, 2010 Baptism Video is on Youtube now!

Please visit our videos at youtube to see the recent baptism service and listen to Jack "Wildman" Spencer's testimony and thoughts on the service. There are two videos (part 1 and 2). You'll need to listen to the second to hear "the rest of Jack's story" because I couldn't fit his whole testimony on one, but it's worth it :).

http://www.youtube.com/user/SacredRoad#p/u/1/elCUDkKqjkg

Pray for Madison

Please lift up Madison (5th grade) who is facing surgery this week. Her family is raising support to join the Sacred Road team here on the Yakama Indian Reservation full time. Here is the prayer request from her home church, Oak Mountain Presbyterian in Birmingham, AL...

Update on Madison Yarbrough (5th grade daughter of Bill and Tina Yarbrough) They met with the surgeon today and he is going to admit her to Children's Hospital tomorrow (Tuesday around 9-10am). He will do 2 days of testing and then has surgery set up for Thursday. They know it is a large tumor but didn't say 100% on whether it is benign or not. It will be a pretty large, almost hip to hip incision (like a C-section). Madison is understandably afraid and sad about the whole thing. Meals are taken care of for the next 3 weeks - PTL! Please continue to PRAY!

Dictionary of the Yakama Language

A dictionary of the Yakama language was recently completed. Experts say that "language is the cornerstone of culture". Today there may only be about ten fluent speakers of the Yakama language (Sahaptin) remaining, so this is dictionary is significant.

Happy Easter!

Chris

http://uwnews.org/uweek/article.aspx?id=56671