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In our January we were planning at the end of the month to go snowtubing in Flagstaff. One of our volunteer leaders was going to share her testimony. The event as described did not happen; the testimony did. Instead of going tubing (which was sold out before we could even purchase our tickets) we went to Flagstaff and bowled. It was a lot of fun—pizza, music, and of course bowling. We had 29 teens and everyone seemed to have a blast. When the bowling was finished we went out in the frigid parking lot (which sits right off of busy old Route 66 and across from the equally busy train tracks) and the 29 teenagers, after pelting each other with snow and climbing the drifts, gathered around and listened while Bernice told her story of how God saved her and radically changed her life. Bernice is Native American. We had several Native American teenagers listening. Christianity is often thought of here as a “white man’s religion” and it is very powerful to hear a testimony from a Native believer.  One of the teens, who is Navajo, and whose sister became a committed follower of Jesus this past year, listened to Bernice’s story as she spoke over the din of the cars and trains going by. While she listened intently, she was not moved in a positive way—she was bothered, even annoyed. On the way back to Holbrook she told her sister that she did not need God and that was that. As the weeks went by, however, she began to notice an unwanted desire to read her Bible (she attends a Christian high school and has heard the Gospel many times). The desire did not go away. A little later, Carrie received a call from the girl’s sister who said “My sister wants to receive Christ!” Carrie assured her she didn’t need her help, but ended up going. She talked with the young lady at length and the young lady, after years of wrestling, gave her life to Jesus.    


On another note, Mentoring Moms, a new Oasis ministry is set to launch the first week of March.  It is going to be a small group Bible study for young mothers and will begin with the involvement of 3-4 moms.  Please be in prayer for the leaders and mothers who are beginning this exciting new ministry!  

Thank all of you so, so much for your continued prayer and financial support for the work that God is doing here among young people in northeastern Arizona!  May God richly bless you!                     —Jerad & Carrie Burgess