Update from Don and Mary DeHart

Dear Nags Head Family,

Thank y'all for being so faithful in this harvest. Summer has caught up with us. It is by grace alone we expect to carry this work together this summer.

We're heading into a full schedule without any let up until the end of August other than a few days early on when Mary's brother will visit. We are grateful for your prayer cover prompted by your love for Jesus spilling over onto us.

Red Soul Rising Youth Camp runs from July 13 - 27....a marathon before and after in preparation, clean up and follow-up. I'll be in the bush for that time out of any kind of communication but for when we come out to town a couple times for supplies. We'll have over 100 youth and adults... preparing 3 meals a day without any kind of services...hauling water from a creek for food prep and clean-up and purifying all our drinking water. We were forbidden to return to our traditional camp last year by a local Native person and invited to this new territory by elder pre-Christian Natives who heard of our situation. This is a historical first for us...God be praised for speaking into the lives of those He is choosing from among the indigenous people of our land.

Mary is not going with me this year, for the first time. She is waiting some tests on July 29 for abdominal pain, making it too uncomfortable to camp that long sleeping on the ground, away from any services or medical attention. Please pray for her as we wait... and as I must be away for this camp. Pray for local people to rise to the occasion and team with us in helping to carry this work.

We will be telling the Bible story in chronological stories through the whole of Scripture. Please pray for hearts and lives to be open to know our Creator. Pray for the communities of Sachteen, Ska'tin, Shamuk'wum and Lil'wat to be like Lydda and Sharon in Acts 9:35..."the whole population turning to the Lord"...

And for strength of heart to lean into this stretching time of ministry...may it be harvest time among these traditionally resistant Sta'atl imx.

First Nations Partnership has had to turn away several Native colleagues seeking financial support to engage short term start-up ministries due to lack funds coming to the budget this spring and summer. This at first discouraged me, I felt somehow responsible, but through scripture and time alone with Jesus, have remembered it is His work in His time, not mine. Two Native colleagues are in full time work this summer with the assistance of First Nations Partnership carrying 1/3 of their support needs. This alone is cause for thanksgiving.

Our support had risen to 100 % by the time we returned from our recent furlough this late winter/spring, but the past two months have seen our support drop to 72% and 80%. This too is in the hands of our LordFather of the Harvest. His work in His time with His provision... pray we can keep this central in our hearts as we ask Him together to raise up new financial partners and supporters, for our own support and for the First Nations Partnership vision. ..maybe another church or two even.

This morning Isaiah 58:10 and context, 1 John 3:16, along with Philippians 2:17 spoke strong encouragement into my heart as I looked with almost a dread at the approaching months of ministry. These gave me strength of heart to lean into these coming days with confident expectation in the good guiding hand of our God to be my strength ...for pouring out my soul for the souls of Sta'atl'imx people confused by religion and tradition...that many would turn to Him through this camp and the many ways He will be tell His story with our lives.

Psalm 40 has been my anchor for some weeks now...my cry is for verse 8 to be the strength of my heart.

We remain grateful for your faithfulness dear friends, our partners in ministry. May our keeping God hold you all close and fill you with His joy and the strength embedded there,
don and mary