Four Native American church groups band together to give to those in need

By Michael Barrett

Freelance Writer

      Four Native American church groups worked together on Saturday, October 4, 2003, and distributed a variety of items to anyone in need on the Red Lake Indian Reservation.

      From furniture, to toys, to clothing that was both new and used, the Red Lake Center was filled table to table with a variety of these items.

      In some ways it was like a huge rummage sale, with one exception–everything was free for the taking. If a person could use any of the variety of items, it was there for the taking without having to fill out any type of income guideline paperwork, or even have to join their churches or anything else like that.

      Of course they did have Bibles and other literature there, as well as free food to those stopping by, and live entertainment–a puppet show for kids and live music.

      Outside there was even a big bus filled with racks of jackets and shirts and other items.

      One of the groups, Indian Ministries of North America, was based in Cleveland, Tennessee, and give years ago they began ministering among Indian Tribes within the United States.

      In January 2002, the ministry began an extensive benevolence program to help relieve some of the sufferings of life on the reservation.

      This Ministry is developing a team of workers, presently in five states, to minister to the Indian people through preaching and teaching the gospel, youth camps and Bible schools, recreation and sports clinics, construction and maintenance, as well as the collection of food, clothing and other household items.

      “Due to widespread poverty and neglect, life on many of the American Indian reservations is equivalent to that of third world countries,” they realize.

      This group is currently working with ten reservations throughout Arizona, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Utah and Montana.

      The items they give to those in need, are all donated items from corporations, businesses, companies and individuals.

      A mother and son were just two members of this group in Red Lake, Imogene and Johnny Hughes.

      “One company, just last week, came and donated over 60,000 barrels of new socks,” Imogene Hughes said.

      “What we really try to do is reach out and love–show the people that we really care about them as a person,” Johnny Hughes said. “From there, we minister to them...”

      Their next big project for an upcoming Christmas celebration on the Navajo Reservation. This annual event distributed nearly 600 new toys, books and other items there, and theis year they plan on distributing at least 1000 quilts and blankets to keep families warm throughout the reservation.

      The second group was a church organization from the Ball Club area called ‘Hands For Jesus’. This church was run by Pastor LaBallie, a Turtle Mountain Tribal member.

      Their church also played a part in organizing and making the event happen.

      “There’s so many people sending so many things overseas, and we have such a need here, that it’s being unmet,” Pastor LaBallie said as one of the reasons they were doing what they were doing in giving away items to needy American Indians.

      They also provide maintenance services to various reservation, mainly for the elderly people, but they haven’t been doing it as much because most Tribes took care of their elderly already with various assistance programs–which was a good thing.

      LaBallie said they were also going to come back maybe within a month and bring more furniture. The items they had, went fast and there wasn’t enough. On their next trip they plan on bringing more furniture for people.

      The furniture they had brought was new furniture and some used–which also looked new.

      They also work with social service organizations to help financially with some of their unmet needs, as well as individuals with such things as food, electricity payments, heating fuel and etc.

      “Just this morning we gave a check to the Family and Children’s Services,” he said.

      It was to help them out with the family needs of Red Lake individuals who had certain unmet needs in their household. 

      The other two church groups that had helped to organize the event and were a part of it, were from Sword of the Spirit, Red Lake Fellowship, with the help of the Redby PTL Church.