Dear Friends and family,
Two years ago, I spent a week on the Yakama Indian Reservation in Washington state working with a ministry called “Sacred Road” and my life was irrevocably changed. While I was there I saw suffering and poverty on a scale I hadn’t experienced before. Young children raising their younger siblings. Teens homelessly couch surfing to find a roof over their heads. Housing alarmingly similar to that of a third world country, even though it’s a three-hour drive from Seattle. Yet, the most amazing thing I experienced was the love and hope I saw rising from this desolation, the kind of hope that only can be derived from Christ. I saw Christ using Sacred Road Ministries to affect an entire generation even during my simple seven days there. I knew that I needed to come back and be more involved. Consequently, I applied and was accepted for a three month summer internship, one that would have me dive even deeper into the Yakama community. I built relationships with both children and adults throughout the community. I got to see multiple community members profess acceptance of Christ into their hearts. I even received the honor of leading a young group of boys daily at the summer long vacation bible school program, “day camp”. Since returning home I have prayed for an opportunity to spend even more time on the Reservation, that prayer has been answered. I’ve been offered the opportunity to spend 15 months on the reservation.
During the summer months I will be doing much of the same work I did during my summer internship, working with a group of other interns, and staff (who live on the reservation and minister full time) as we host 300+ people who come on five one week teams to roof, paint, host vacation Bible school for underprivileged children, etc. During the rest of the year I will be working directly with the staff within the different aspects of their ministry. They minister to the people of White Swan through hosting spring and summer teams that engage in mercy ministry, children’s ministry, youth ministry, helping at-risk teenagers, responding to various needs in the community, holding Sunday worship services at their church plant, and, in essence, “loving their neighbors”.
Hope Fellowship, their church plant, is located within White Swan, a town on the Reservation. In the town of White Swan, nearly 100% of the population is deeply affected by alcoholism and/or drug abuse. The reservation itself is located in one of the poorest areas in the United States. In White Swan there is approximately a 75% unemployment rate. Most of the children in White Swan suffer from neglect and abuse. There are no healthy evangelical churches in White Swan.
I’m writing you to ask you to partner with me in furthering and building God’s kingdom. Specifically, when it comes to prayers, as I will be needing lots of them. I ask you to pray for the Lord to prepare my heart, prepare the heart of the children and adults I’ll be ministering to, and that God will work in ways I can’t even begin to imagine.
If you would like to financially support me, please go to Sacred Road’s website at www.sacredroadministries.com, go to the “Giving” tab, and choose me as the missionary you would like to support. I will be needing to raise 2,050 dollars for every month I’m on the Reservation. Please prayerfully consider partnering with me. Thank you for considering being apart of my team!
Yours in Christ,
Trey Belisario
