| News
Archive - Article 38
Celebration of the Nations: Milestone in the Southwest
5/10/02
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Jimmy Jones
speaking during Kid's Kamp. |
From April 30th through May 5th, Operation Compassion sponsored
a weeklong dedicatory event entitled Celebration of the Nations.
The event was a milestone in a two year planning process whereby
the Navajo Nation and the other twenty-two Indian Nations of the
United States would have a Dream Center ministering to their specific
needs. The Celebration comprised of seven specific events during
the week.
 |
Revival services
with Reverend Floyd Lawhon |
Reverend Floyd Lawhon held a revival in the Southwest Indian Ministries
Campground Gym from Tuesday through Friday. Each night the crowds
swelled until there was standing room only. Each night under a heavy
anointing, Reverend Lawhon delivered a timely message and spent
hours ministering to individual needs in the altar.
At the same time revival was happening for adults, the children
were enjoying Kid’s Kamp under the direction of Jimmy Jones
from Christ Central Mission Station in Columbia, SC. Each evening
the children were challenged to make right choices in their world.
Each child was inundated with prizes and toys every night.
 |
Clown entertaining
at Saturday's Carnival |
Friday saw the arrival of Leonard Albert, International Director
of the Lay Department and Ray H. Hughes, Jr. Assistant International
Director and their Life Builders Matthew 25 Men. These men came
to the Navajo Nation to assist with the repair and renovation of
widow homes on the reservation. Twenty-three men came and were assigned
a Pastor and went back to their church on the reservation for the
weekend.
 |
Saturday's
carnival of fun |
On Saturday, Jimmy Jones and his ministry team put together a carnival
for kids of all ages. There was cotton candy, snow cones, inflatable
rides and many others activities for every to enjoy. Toys and prizes
flowed like water through the crowd of child and adults. Everyone
was have such fun that no one wanted it to end.
Each night and during the carnival, Navajo women, joined by volunteers,
cooked hot meals for everyone. Over 2,000 meals were cooked and
served some nights as late as 11:00 p.m.
 |
Navajos enjoying
one of the hot meals after service. |
Following the carnival, everyone moved over to the First American
Dream Center for the dedication. Hundreds of cars wound there way
through the narrow roads and parked in an open field by the Dream
Center. Pastors, laypersons, Church of God Departmental Leaders
and special guests gathered in and around the Dream Center for the
formal act of dedication and prayer.
 |
Crowd gathering
for FADC Dedication |
After everything was said and done, Pastors lined their vehicles
on one side of the Dream Center and Navajo families lined up on
the other side. For the next four hours, Operation Compassion personnel
and Life Builders Matthew 25 Men loaded vehicle after vehicle with
35 pound food boxes, frozen chicken, bottled water and juices, chips,
tortillas and candy. Navajo families were blessed with food boxes
and Navajo Pastors were blessed, not only personally but their churches
were blessed for the future, with food boxes as well.
 |
Life Builders
Matthew 25 Men loading food boxes. |
To round out the weeklong celebration, Operation Compassion received
a semi loaded with doors, window, and trim molding. On Sunday and
Monday afternoons, Pastors came and picked up the building supplies
they needed to finish their homes, churches and those of their neighbors
as well.
During the week, the following was given away:
2,053 hot meals
1,200 25# food boxes
15,000# of chicken
10 pallets of bottled water
10 pallets of juice
10 pallets of clothing
5 pallets of tortillas
5 pallets of chip
1 semi of doors, windows, molding
To God be the Glory forever!
Tim Burdashaw
Communications Coordinator
Anyone interested in donating finances or products or providing
a corporate lead may contact:
Operation Compassion
David Lorency, President
114 Stuart Road, NE
Suite 370
Cleveland, TN 37312
423.728.3932 - Office
423.596.4200 - Fax
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