Dear Prayer Partners,

Sunday, we were overwhelmed at how God has been blessing our worship service. Sunday morning Bible study we had ten adults, the most we have had since we have been here. Five were from our weekly Bible study. In addition, Jill and I had sixteen children for children’s church. We have been giving a shoebox gift to the children who come to church for the first time. These are the shoebox gifts that Remnant Ministries brought out at Christmas. Sunday we gave out the last of these gift boxes. Until Jill and I moved here to Wingate Baptist last summer, they did not have the teachers to provide growth potential. Since our Friday night adult Bible study and our regular visits to Iyanbito, we have increased our attendance in both adults and children.

Sunday afternoon, Jill and I went exploring south of the ranch, mapping out trails for horseback rides and places for overnight back country campsites. This area is located on the Cibola National Forest and has both open valleys and tall pine forest with miles and miles of trails. I have spoken with one of the men from the National Forest Service and they will welcome our use of the area. He advised that they will have a new park ranger soon and that we should meet with him.

As some of you are aware, I have a problem with ulcerated colitis and occasionally it causes me great pain. Such was the case Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday evening, I was feeling well enough to go to the home of one of our most faithful Navajo families. This family had called Brother Eddie Monday evening and told him that their children were having bad dreams. They were hearing things in the house at night that was frightening them so much that they did not want to stay in the house. Jill and I met Brother Eddie and Ms. Carroll at their home on Tuesday evening to pray with them and cast out the presence of these evil spirits in the name of Jesus. Jill typed up some spiritual warfare “fighting” verses to give to them. I know what this family i s going through, for I have experienced this myself and have had to deal with this. Just two weeks ago God revealed to me His power over these demonic spirits. We ask that you pray for this wonderful family, that God will strengthen their faith to walk in His path. They have four precious children, two boys and two girls.

Wednesday, we had wind storms, with continuous 40-50 mph winds, and gusts up to 60 mph. The wind was extremely bad, but the dust was even worse, for it causes eye irritations. It pours through windows and cracks, covering computers, printers, and everything. I was still suffering some with the ulcerated colitis, so we did not go out visiting except for our Wednesday visit to the school dorms. Wednesday evening we had a wonderful time in Bible study with our first through fifth grade boys. For the last two weeks the dorm parents have had the boys in the day room early which gives us more time. We have been amazed at how much they remember of the details from the previous week’s Bible stories. As always, the boys have so much fun singing alon g with us. Our cup overflows with blessings! Praise the Lord! This week we also gave out some “Jesus” DVDs and other materials that some of you have sent to us. We appreciate your help in providing these materials. Thank you so very much. We did not get to have Bible study at the high school due to a dance that was being held that night.

Thursday, we had some dear friends, Dale and Katie Zundel from Colorado, come down to help with some maintenance and repair work here at Wingate. They brought a neighbor-friend, Debbie, along with them. It is always a joy to have them visit with us. Dale has caught the vision of the youth ranch and is making plans to spend more time with us when their home is sold. Thursday evening, I went out to the reservation to check on Ivan. He is back in the hospital and has pneumonia. I did get to visit with some of his family. Kevin and Emerson were home, so I gave them some of the DVDs and literature before leaving. We were to start counseling with Wilford’s family this week, but they have not been home. I left DVDs and Bible study material at their door for them to use until we can get together. Please continue to pray for Ivan and his family, that they will come to know Jesus in a real and personal way.

Thursday morning, one of the men from the Forestry Department stopped by to bring us a trail map. He also told us of areas that were good for trail rides and for overnight stays. He told us of the old McGaffey school that would be a great place for back country camping. When I am feeling well again, Jill and I plan to check this out. The Forest Service Department has been an encouragement to us in using their facilities.

Friday, we stopped in and spoke with Scott Merrill, the owner of Bear Springs Plaza. He is going to share with us all the old photographs he has of the Fort Wingate area. We will post these on our website when we have them available.

We have a number of new readers after our visit back home and some have remarked at how detailed our letters are. The reason I try to give a report on our daily activities is for our sending church and those that make it financially possible for us to be here. Naturally, we are accountable to God first, but we are also accountable to our supporters. We are thankful that they understand our physical limitations, and that they also understand our heart and desire to be faithful servants of our Lord and Savior. Since they are actively involved in God’s work here through their financial support, I believe they should share in the spiritual blessings and rewards of what God is doing through us. These are treasures accredited to their account as much as to us.

Some of these partners in God’s work here visit with us as much as two weeks during the year in order to share personally in God’s work. In fact, two of these dear friends were here to tour the ranch when it was opened to us for the one day and will return again this summer. Without their support, we could not be here. They have also taken all of our newsletters from the beginning and formed them into a book. We are so richly blessed by their prayers, financial support and phone calls, but we are so much more blessed by their love and just being our friends in a dark and lonely place. For all this, they deserve our faithfulness to report on what God is doing here.

Dear friends, we love you all and thank you for your prayers. I’m reminded of the words of Jesus in John 15:12-15: My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

To God Be the Glory,
Jack and Jill Foster, Co-Founders
Native American Indigenous Ministry
P.O. Box 265
Fort Wingate, NM 87316