Canada Awakening Highlights for the Year 2014

Healing the Land at Salluit Easter Conference -- April 17 to 20, 2014

Healing the Land in Salluit, Nunavik (northern Quebec) on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2014.  The mayor of Salluit, Paulusie Saviadjuk, said, "Wow this is great, God is moving us mightily these days.  We will see His glorious movements and many will be changed to higher holiness in Jesus' Name.  Let us all be more humble and pray more for His LOVE."  James Arreak's comment was:  "This was absolutely awesome!"  

  

Cathy Towtongie, the president of the Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., an Inuit organization that seeks to insure Inuit well-being through the implementation of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, was not in Salluit at the time, but upon seeing these pictures exclaimed:  “Yes!  This is the way it should be…I believe in this!"  

Secular Academics in Canada are Taking Note of the Healing the land Message

Just to illustrate how the Healing the Land message and the stories coming out of Northern Canada are beginning to make an impact on the thinking of scholars in secular universities, there is this testimonial from Noor Jehan S. Johnson from the Department of Anthropology at McGill University in Montreal.  She wrote an article that is published on the Internet entitled,  'Healing the Land' in the Canadian Arctic:Evangelism, Knowledge and Environmental Change. 

In an abstract, she writes:
“In this article, I explore the appeal of HTL’s theology and ritual practice to Inuit residents of Clyde River, Nunavut. I argue that residents found HTL’s explanations of environmental change compelling because HTL offered a vision of integrated action through which individuals and communities could address social and environmental issues simultaneously.” 

Her thesis submitted to McGill University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy is entitled, "Mobilizing Inuit Knowledge:  Representation and Institutional Mediation in the Era of Global Climate Change."  In it she writes: “In contrast to sentiments of skepticism about the value of climate change research I had encountered in the community of Clyde River, Nunavut, there was clearly something very compelling about the HTL’s vision of change, as articulated in a service that I attended there in July of 2009.  Many in attendance came forward and testified to the power of the movement and its impacts, sharing personal observations of changes that they related to the prayer and healing work… 

“Social and natural scientists and environmentalists concerned about global environmental change have much to learn from being attentive to the conditions and processes by which alternative narratives of change, such as HTL gain persuasive power.  In Clyde River, the appeal of HTL points simultaneously toward gaps in social policy as well as a sense of alienation from the norms and processes of Western science.  Most noticeably, the dominant position of scientific knowledge in national and international contexts means that local people rarely set the terms of the engagement.  Yet from the perspective of community members, what is most important is not so much the acquisition of scientific knowledge as it is being able to address the issues that they find most pressing in their own lives, such as the availability of game or the maintenance of social harmony.” 

On January 1, 2010, McGill-Queen’s University Press published a book written by Frédéric B. Laugrand and Jarich G. Oosten entitled Inuit Shamanism and Christianity that includes an analysis of Canada Awakening Ministries and Healing the Land from a secular viewpoint.  Frédéric B. Laugrand is a professor of anthropology and director of the Centre for Interuniversity Studies and Research at the Laval University, and Jarich G. Oosten is professor of anthropology at Leiden University, and chairs the Research Group Circumpolar Cultures in the Netherlands.  They have devoted an entire chapter in this book (pages 342 to 371) to Canada Awakening’s Healing the Land Ministry in Canada’s North.  Because we work with municipal as well as church leaders in the communities, they try to make it out to be a political as well as a religious movement, but I have personally challenged their thinking on this.  This is a spiritual movement, and transcends partisan politics.

Canada Awakening Ministries Returns to Rankin Inlet July 7 to 9, 2014

In early July of 2014, Canada Awakening Ministries was able to revisit Rankin Inlet where the  Healing the Land process was first started in July of 2006, this time to participate in the funeral of Sally Curley (wife of Tagak Curley) who played such a prominent role in initiating that process exactly eight years earlier.

Here, Sally Curley (second from right) is standing inside of a circle of stones that mark the tent pegs of one of the original dwellings of Rankin Inlet.  She and other descendants of the original occupants are releasing forgiveness towards the inhabitants who moved in later, and are repenting of their own bitterness.  The reconciliation that followed and the almost immediate impact on the caribou and plant life in the region has been documented by Sally Curley.

Sally's legacy was passed on to her children and grandchildren, as they were told about these words of hers that she shared with Canada Awakening back in 2007:

“As one of the originals of Rankin Inlet, I encourage every community to open up to the ‘Healing of their Land.’  The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.  We tend to forget that God had blessed us with this beautiful land.  Instead, we fight over it against each other—either verbally, or by our actions, making others feel unwelcomed in the community.

“As we have heard of our forefathers speak of their life on the land, we see the difference today.  We the younger generation tend to get hard hearts towards the people that we think are responsible for the different lifestyle today.  If we feel that we are being pushed aside, it is crushing us inside.  Some are hurting silently regarding this, and some have voice.  From the time that we can remember until now, we have stored all the hurts of the past without realizing it at times.

“Forgiveness is the best medicine for a new beginning with the people of the community and the surrounding land and sea.  This healing and forgiveness needs to take place from the oldest to the youngest.  It is like the land has been holding its breath for the longest time, and now, wow, there is new breath and air and water.  It is the same with the sea.”

In November of 2014, seeds toward a Healing the Land process were planted into the nation of Cuba as well.  So stay tuned!

Outreach to Hollow Water First Nation on May 29, 2014

On May 29, 2014, Canada Awakening Ministries was able to team up with Island Breeze Manitoba and Grant and Roberta Kurian of Seer Logging, Inc., to do an Outreach into the Wanipigow School on the Hollow Water First Nation.  Seer Logging had cut down some trees in the area to make room for a bigger road allowance, and so they wanted to give each of the students a seedling tree to plant, and to watch it grow, so that there would be new trees for the next generation, and as a sign of their faith in the future of the youth and the children of that community.

The afternoon also featured a free barbecue lunch for the staff and students...

followed by a short program by Island Breeze that really connected, and was well received.

This was then followed by the handing out of the tree seedlings to all of the staff and students who received these gifts with much eagerness and much joy...

This was then followed up by a testimony from William Pangman, who told about how he got out of the gang world.  The students and staff listened with keen attention, and a tangible impact was made.

Everyone Matters Family Street Party in Core of Winnipeg on August 9, 2014

Canada Awakening was also a co-sponsor of the Everyone Matters Family Street Party in the Core Area of Winnipeg on August 9, 2014, flowing together with some 50 volunteers from Niverville and region...

And together feeding hundreds of hungry people...

Sharing the Father's Love in word...

and in song...

as well as in providing activities for the children!

As Joel Cormie, director of the Lighthouse Mission commented later:

“I’ve heard tons of positive feedback from around the community and several people approached me in the days following, looking for assistance, after hearing my invitation to come to the Lighthouse for help..I know I saw many of you talking and praying with people, and I’m certain God will grow many of the seeds that we planted in faith.  Can’t wait to do it all again next year on Saturday, August 8^th.  (Plan your holidays accordingly). Let’s all give God the glory for every good thing that happened at this year’s event, and anticipate great things for the next year as well.  God Bless you all!”

Open Hands, Open Hearts, Your Kingdom Come! Event in Niverville Oct. 22-24

The Open Hands, Open Hearts, Your Kingdom Come! Conference took place in Niverville from October 24 to 26, and was a huge boost in creating understanding of the Apostolic anointing which is all about releasing the Body of Christ into the work of the ministry to a place where there will be a greater release of what God has already deposited inside of each believer.  The ministry of Alain Caron, wife Marie, and team from Gatineau, Quebec (Gina Vilsaint, Lisa Knapp and Nadeige Altidor) was powerful in combining the ministry of the word and the spirit together.  The following pictures tell their own story.

As a further confirmation that the message on a present-day move in God in raising up equipping and missional Apostolic Centres in the nations of the earth right at this time, including our own region of south-east Manitoba, and the Winnipeg area, when we were in Cuba just one month later, a strong prophetic ministry that is accountable to a ministry that we highly respect, said this about the Winnipeg region, an area he had never heard of before:  “God is raising up apostolic centres in Winnipeg.  God is raising up the apostolic, true apostles are coming, true prophets.”

Ordination at Peguis Church During Week-end of May 23 - 25, 2014

It was a great honour and privilege to participate, along with Irvin and Dolly Wilson, and Raymond and Jean McLean, in the Ordination Service of Glen Cochrane, along with his wife Verla, into the Fellowship of Christian Assemblies on Sunday morning of May 25 at the Peguis Church on the Peguis First Nation.

The Peguis Church carries forward the legacy and the ministry of reconciliation of Chief Peguis, who welcomed the first settlers into western Canada.  That morning, we had special prayer not only over Glen and Verla Cochrane who pastor this church, but over all who were present who were direct descendants of Chief Peguis, that they would carry his legacy forward.  The words that Chief Peguis declared boldly and publicly were these:  "I want for the Word of God to always be spoken on my land!"

A wonderful meal was served after the Ordination Service.  Everything that this Peguis Church does is with excellence and first class, and it is entirely self-supporting from within--truly an indigenous church in the Inter-lake region of Manitoba.

As if ordained by divine Providence, later that afternoon of May 25, 2014, a rainbow was photographed touching the earth at the very point where the Peguis Church stands.  The rainbow is a sign of a covenant promise, and God is and will continue to keep His promises to bless the Peguis Church as an Apostolic Centre that will reach out missionally to bless other First Nations communities as well as other communities beyond Peguis.  There is a call upon this congregation to that very end.

Canada Awakening Ministries Co-sponsors Dr. Negiel Bigpond to minister at the Forks in Winnipeg on May 19, 2014

It was a great honour and a privilege to host Dr. Negiel Bigpond at the Inn at the Forks On May 19.  Negiel is one of the foremost authorities among Native Americans on the topic of strategic spiritual warfare. Many people are afraid of the term "warfare," likening it to physical warfare.  Negiel is a "quiet warrior" who packs a big wallop in releasing forgiveness that brings true healing and freedom to those who are bound, both Native and Non-native.

"Quiet Warrior"

Canada Awakening Involved with Island Breeze Manitoba's Discipleship Training School on June 26 and 27, Focusing on Identity and the Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith

These precious people at Island Breeze Manitoba are so receptive to the Word, and the transformation that has taken place in the lives of those who have taken this discipleship training is visible and tangible and real.  Youth who used to be shy and withdrawn are now releasing the deposit of God's glory within them with much joy, and they in turn are Making Disciples to Make other Disciples (MD2MD).

Ministering at the Stony Mountain Penitentiary on June 28, 2014

 Prison ministry has long been on the heart of Canada Awakening Ministries.

 It was a special joy, therefore, to be able to participate in a day-long seminar with some 25 men in this institution on June 28, which just "happened" to be on Roger's 70th birthday.  There is no place he would rather have been on that day than to be sharing with the men who needed to know that they were not forgotten.  The seminar went from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Leading the seminar was none other than Steve Masterson, a long-time friend of Canada Awakening Ministries, sharing the timeless truths that he has learned on biblical manhood, and how the being a male is a matter of birth, but becoming a man is a matter of choice.

Also joining the team that went into the Stony Mountain Institution that day was Steve's son Scott Masterson.  As each participant shared their stories on being fathered, on becoming a father and on fathering, the message on what it means to become a man of God became crystal clear, and the men received the word with much joy.  Special thanks goes out to the chaplains, Brian Brglez and Dean Suthern, who opened the doors for us to get in, and welcomed us.

Canada Awakening Participates in Radio Talk Show on Four Stations on Sept. 24

On September 24, Roger together with William Pangman (on the left) were interviewed by four radio stations in southern Manitoba (Mix 96.7, CHSM, Country 107.7, and CHVN) to be part of a Radio Talk Show that addressed the issue of mental depression and suicide in connection with the Imagine Marathon that week.  With them here is Corny Rempel of Mix 96.7 FM.

Roger was able to talk about how this issue is addressed by communities in Northern Canada, and William shared on the impact that his mother's suicide had upon him, even though he was only six months old at the time that it happened.  He still grew up not being able to tell others what really happened to his mother, which made for strained social relationships, and eventually moving in a direction whereby he found his friends in the street.

The theme that came through these interviews was that "the future need not be like the past," and that change is possible through the power of Christ.

For more on this story, check here.

Fresh IE Concert in Niverville on April 11, 2014

Canada Awakening Ministries was privileged to host gospel music rap artist Fresh IE in Niverville on April 11.

As this headline in the Carillon News of April 10 made clear, this concert was about far more than entertainment, but was about tackling the issues among youth today head-on--issues of suicide, mental depression, drugs, gangs and street violence.

Adding tremendously to the evening were five of the guys (Tirrell Thomas, Tony Cote, Stan Hamilton, Malcom Munroe and Troy Lydiate) that Fresh IE has mentored and discipled over the years, and who all have ministries in their own right now, but who flowed together in unity that night--each adding their anointing to the others, which made for a powerful combination.  

Some 300 Youth showed up, and the message was very clear, and was connecting with many lives in their own heart language.

Here are some of the Youth who responded that night to yield their lives to Christ, the Anointed One!

The Concert ended with a powerful rendition of Chris Tomlin's song, God of This City!  "Greater things are yet to come, greater things are still to be done in this city!"

Ministry in Cuba November 24 - December 4, 2014

People are here coming into the church building whose occupants are pastored by Raudel and Mayelin Diaz from Cardenos, Cuba.  The place is just packed wall-to-wall with passionate worshipers and lovers of Jesus.  This was the third time that Roger has ministered in this church, and each time, the anointing and level of life is getting stronger, and breaking out in greater ways, especially among the youth.

 They have male flaggers...

Vibrant worship... 

Notice how the place is packed wall-to-wall... 

And that men, women, youth and children are all a part of the service.

Raudel and Mayelin's children are already ministering the word of God, and being greatly used of the Lord.  Raudel and Mayelin have now ministered in Niverville, Manitoba, three times, and Roger has ministered in their church in Cardenos, Cuba, three times, and there is a growing connection between them.  Both share a heart, a passion and a vision for an inter-generational church.

This picture was taken at a church in the city of Aravos, Cuba, where a youth group from the St. Ouen's Church (near Beausejour) put on a drama telling the Christmas story.  There are many more stories to tell on the Canada-Cuba Connection, so stay tuned!