Port Angeles, Washington
Yey! I Am Almost Done!
by Cathy Benzler (Cherokee)
Osiyo!
It has been a busy Spring and Summer here on the Olympic Peninsula. We are thanking the Lord for everything He has done and is doing in the lives of the people here.
As I write this, I am finishing up my Summer EIIT course; “Teaching the Faith.” It has been a really enjoyable course as I have learned many new ways to include active and interactive teaching and learning techniques. I am looking forward to September as I start my “LAST” year of the EIIT program. Praise the Lord! The course work requires a lot of time in study and preparation. When I finish, I will have much more time to spend in the field doing ministry among our Native People. I will also be the first Native woman to complete this 4-year program, so I am really looking forward to see what the Lord has in store for my future. As I have gone on this journey through the EIIT long distance program at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, I have had the opportunity to apply the things I have been taught at our house group on the Lower Elwha Reservation.
We have seen many changes within our Native communities. Many of the people we visit on a weekly basis have become great prayer warriors. We spent time last month breaking down each part and studying the Lord’s Prayer in depth, line by line and what it means for each of us. People have been 
excited to see that the Lord’s Prayer is more than a prayer we recite or memorize, but that there is more substance to it. It has personal meaning for them and it is more than a prayer that Jesus taught to His disciples. We also discovered that we really do pray in this manner, without even realizing it. Maybe the wording is different or it doesn’t follow the exact pattern line for line, but basically when we pray we include all the petitions that are included in this wonderful prayer. This was an exciting revelation for our people!
At the same time, there has been a growing concern for the lack of hope that so many of our people are experiencing. Many people have expressed this concern, so we are planning a full day of praying and fasting for this particular problem. People want to see change in this area and realize the damage to people when they have no hope. They want to see our Native people healthy and healed, on and off the reservation. I am so pleased to see that the people are seeing this as a problem and are seeing that without God there is no hope. I am anticipating God doing great things in this area before the year is over! Please continue to keep us in prayer.