Easter Week-end Conference and Healing the Land in Salluit, Nunavik, April 17 to 21, 2014

Salluit is the second northernmost community of Nunavik, the Inuit territory in northern Quebec, located on Sugluk Inlet close to the Hudson Strait.

Its population was 1347 in the Canada 2011 Census, and is growing rapidly.  It is not accessible by road, but by air year-round through the Salluit Airport, by ship in the summer, and by snowmobile during the winter.

Salluit means "The Thin Ones" in Inuktitut, referring to a time when local inhabitants were facing starvation as a result of a lack of wildlife.  It was therefore appropriate for a Healing the Land emphasis to take place during the Easter Week-end Inuit Bible Conference during the week-end of April 17 to 21, 2014.  Inuit came from communities all over the Eastern Arctic, including Baffin Island and Nunavik.  Communities represented included Arctic Bay, Pond Inlet, Iqaluit, Cape Dorset, Kujjuarapik, Umiuiaq, Puvirnituq, Ivujivik, Kangiqsujuaq, Quaqtaq, Kangirsuk, Aupaluk, Tasiuiaq, Kuujjuaq, Kangiqsualujjuaq, Whale Cove, and, of course, Salluit.

The services took place in the Anglican Church Facility.  Syra Sallualuk, wife to Eliyassie, who pastor together in Puvirnituq, said on Facebook after the Conference:  “To the people of Salluit have come abundant blessings.  People being baptized!  The land being prayed over!  Communion!  Hospitality!  Meeting good friends from far away!  Homes being prayed for!  Men being prayed for!  Wow!  What a Community!”  James Arreak, the Conference Co-ordinator from Iqaluit, stated on his Facebook page:  “Beyond Measure…I am blessed in Salluit!”

On the mornings of Good Friday, April 18 and Saturday, April 19, 2014, Roger Armbruster was able to lay a biblical foundation for the Healing of the Land according to II Chronicles 7:14

 The message was received with much joy!

It resonated with the hearts of the people, who released a heart cry to Abba Father! to come and to heal their land.  “Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! (Psalm 100:1).  “Oh sing to the LORD a new song!  Sing to the LORD, all the earth” (Psalm 96:1).

The Conference was organized by a network of Inuit churches in the Eastern Arctic who are called KUT (Kuut Umanaqtiit Tuksiarviit) which in Inuktitut means “Rivers of Living Water!”  Truly God is melting the Arctic ice to produce rivers of living water that are flowing outward!  

On Good Friday afternoon of April 18, 2014, a water baptismal service was held right in the Anglican Church.

Some 25 Young People identified their lives with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ in water baptism that Good Friday afternoon!

There was a sense that not only Inuit, but angels as well as the Trinity were witnesses to this event.  

This picture shows the Healing the Land Ceremony beginning with James Arreak translating on Roger's right, and Paulusie Saqviadjuk, the mayor of Salluit, on his left.

The following photos were taken on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2014, during the Healing the Land Ceremony in Salluit, Nunavik.  Comments from Inuit on Facebook about this ceremony are like this...Lootie Toomasie: "This is beautiful event of Blessing the Community of Salluit, Nunavik.”  Lizzie Kulula:  “I love it!”

Picture #1 Ceremony begins with James Arreak translating on my right, and the mayor of Salluit, Paulusie Saviadjuk on my left. Picture #2 shows a portion of the crowd assembled together to pray on behalf of the land. Community of Salluit, Nunavik." Lizzie Kulula: "I love it."

Picture #1 Ceremony begins with James Arreak translating on my right, and the mayor of Salluit, Paulusie Saviadjuk on my left. Picture #2 shows a portion of the crowd assembled together to pray on behalf of the land.

With James, Roger and Paulusie leading the ceremony on the left, here is a portion of the crowd facing them that had assembled together in one accord to intercede, and to pray for the healing of the land in Salluit.

The above two pictures show two of the respected elders from Salluit sharing during the course of the ceremony.  These are elders who themselves have been healed, and risen above the hurts of the past, calling for God’s blessing and spiritual unity in the community of Salluit, welcoming the newer people who have moved into the community in more recent years, and also blessing the youth, the next generation.

The elders and descendants of the original inhabitants of the land in Salluit stand together in one accord as intercession is made for the healing of the land. 

“The land mourns…for joy has withered away from the sons of men…Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders…Let them say, ‘Spare Your people, O LORD, and do not give Your heritage to reproach…Then the LORD will be zealous for His land, and pity His people… Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done marvelous things!  Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field, for the open pastures are springing up…Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD  your God….(He) will restore the years that the swarming locust has eaten…You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the Name of the LORD your God who has dealt wondrously with you” (Joel 1:10, 12; 2:16-18, 21-23, 25, 26).

The Inuit are here lifting up hands and voices in one accord to welcome the Holy Spirit to come and to heal the land in this region, crying out to “ABBA Father in Heaven!,” their true Source and their true Origin, welcoming Him to come and to fill this land with His glory!  Both our Origin and our Destiny are in Him!  There was a release of a cry for Father, Abba (Aramaic), Papa (English), A Tata (Inuktitut)!                                                                                                                                                           We called forth the wind of the Spirit from every direction--the North, the South, the East and the West--according to Ezekiel 37:9, 10: "He said to me, 'Prophesy to the Breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the Breath of Life, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from THE FOUR WINDS, O Breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.'  So I prophesied as He commanded me, and Breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army."  We had no sooner prayed that in every direction, and it started to get very windy!   The Hebrew word Ruach = Wind, Breath, Spirit!                                                                                                                                                     The mayor of Salluit, Paulusie Saviadjuk, said later on Facebook:  “Wow this is a 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 said on Facebook: “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, but upon seeing a picture, exclaimed: “Yes!  This is the way it should be…I believe in this!”

Near the end of the Ceremony, Mayor Paulusie Saviadjuk is pouring water on to a boulder, symbolizing the welcoming of the pure water of the River of Life into the community!  He plans to put a plaque on this boulder with words in Inuktitut, English and French to declare that on Easter Sunday, April 14, 2014, that the land was blessed, and given back to the Creator of all who has revealed Himself in His Son, whose blood was shed for the healing of the people and the land!