Hi Everyone, By now, most of you know my story. How God brought me to a First Nations meeting in 1995, hosted by Canadian senator Elijah Harper, called ‘Sacred Assembly’. How, through the sovereign grace of God, and the incredibly sacrificial leadership of Kenny Blacksmith, Jonathon Maracle, and finally Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, a resolution of apology was drafted up, and presented to the host peoples of Canada, that they prayerfully reviewed for a year after it was publicly passed through the Canadian House of Commons in August 2009. This resulted in the epic ‘Forgiven’ summit in Canada in 2010, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z_7oUyq80s) that is now known as a Canadian national holiday called the ‘Day of Reconciliation’, part of Aboriginal Days. http://vimeo.com/42439986 God blessed Canada, they aligned with the nation of Israel, and history was made! Years of anguished prayer had arisen to God, as people gave God pain too deep for human words…. God Himself answered, giving people the grace and strength, to forgive the unforgivable, to speak the unspeakable, and to heal… This is now occurring in the United States, years of deep, deep prayer from the host peoples of this land: for healing, wisdom, justice, understanding…. In 2009, a formal Apology to Native Americans, was drafted up by Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas, in conjunction with Dr. Negiel Bigpond (Yuchi), and Dr Jay Swallow (Cheyanne/Arapaho), and passed through Congress and signed by President Obama in Dec 19th, 2009. To my knowledge, this has never been publicly read by the President, or any state official. It needs to be done. There is power in the spoken word, life and death are in the power of the tongue. Many First Nations leaders are eager to forgive, reconcile, and create a new day of grace and honor for America when this is done, but at present, for those of us in tune with heaven and the voice of the Holy Spirit, there is a scream emitting on behalf of the innocent bloodshed, and broken treaties that still bear witness before the throne of God, against this great nation. God wants it fixed… This is pivotal, before His throne, for this happening. My requests as I post this are twofold: 1. Prayerfully read the resolution, and include Indians and host peoples in your daily prayer. 2. Ask your governor or state official to read this publicly, and invite whatever tribes and host peoples live in their jurisdictions. Last night, at Window Rock Church of God, Cory Wolfe read this here on the Navajo nation, and God clearly bore witness to its power and impact. Please, circulate and post this across America, as I believe this is the current the number one thing on the heart of our heavenly Father, in seeing this nation restored to its destiny, honor and calling. https://www.facebook.com/ApologytoAmericanIndians http://vimeo.com/56785141 The deepest move of God in America presently, is occurring among the host peoples of the land. Are you in, or out? Sure love you, Keep Smiling! Jesus is Lord! Chris
There is an event planned in Washington, DC,
We have set a date for the READ THE APOLOGY gathering!
Date: MAY 8th, 2015 (day after NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER)
Time: 12PM
Location: Lincoln Memorial
Dr Negiel Bigpond has committed to be there and will be Key Note for this event.
The goal attendance for this event is 10,000+
We need $20,000 to cover the costs of this event.
There will be a web page on the Apology2natives.com web site with a Paypal button soon. Until then, please pray and spread the word!!!
For the Record, here is the actual text of the apology:
READ THE APOLOGY:
United States of America
Congressional Apology to American Indians
WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 2004
Text of S.J.RES.37: Apology to Native peoples
The following is the text of S.J.RES.37, a bill to acknowledge a long history of official depredations and ill-conceived policies by the United States Government regarding Indian tribes and offer an apology to all Native Peoples on behalf of the United States, as introduced on May 6, 2004.
JOINT RESOLUTION
To acknowledge a long history of official depredations and ill-conceived policies by the United States Government regarding Indian tribes and offer an apology to all Native Peoples on behalf of the United States.
Whereas the ancestors of today’s Native Peoples inhabited the land of the present-day United States since time immemorial and for thousands of years before the arrival of peoples of European descent;
Whereas the Native Peoples have for millennia honored, protected, and stewarded this land we cherish;
Whereas the Native Peoples are spiritual peoples with a deep and abiding belief in the Creator, and for millennia their peoples have maintained a powerful spiritual connection to this land, as is evidenced by their customs and legends;
Whereas the arrival of Europeans in North America opened a new chapter in the histories of the Native Peoples;
Whereas, while establishment of permanent European settlements in North America did stir conflict with nearby Indian tribes, peaceful and mutually beneficial interactions also took place;
Whereas the foundational English settlements in Jamestown, Virginia, and Plymouth, Massachusetts, owed their survival in large measure to the compassion and aid of the Native Peoples in their vicinities;
Whereas in the infancy of the United States, the founders of the Republic expressed their desire for a just relationship with the Indian tribes, as evidenced by the Northwest Ordinance enacted by Congress in 1787, which begins with the phrase, `The utmost good faith shall always be observed toward the Indians’;
Whereas Indian tribes provided great assistance to the fledgling Republic as it strengthened and grew, including invaluable help to Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on their epic journey from St. Louis, Missouri, to the Pacific Coast;
Whereas Native Peoples and non-Native settlers engaged in numerous armed conflicts;
Whereas the United States Government violated many of the treaties ratified by Congress and other diplomatic agreements with Indian tribes;
Whereas this Nation should address the broken treaties and many of the more ill-conceived Federal policies that followed, such as extermination, termination, forced removal and relocation, the outlawing of traditional religions, and the destruction of sacred places;
Whereas the United States forced Indian tribes and their citizens to move away from their traditional homelands and onto federally established and controlled reservations, in accordance with such Acts as the Indian Removal Act of 1830;
Whereas many Native Peoples suffered and perished–
(1) during the execution of the official United States Government policy of forced removal, including the infamous Trail of Tears and Long Walk;
(2) during bloody armed confrontations and massacres, such as the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864 and the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890; and
(3) on numerous Indian reservations;
Whereas the United States Government condemned the traditions, beliefs, and customs of the Native Peoples and endeavored to assimilate them by such policies as the redistribution of land under the General Allotment Act of 1887 and the forcible removal of Native children from their families to faraway boarding schools where their Native practices and languages were degraded and forbidden;
Whereas officials of the United States Government and private United States citizens harmed Native Peoples by the unlawful acquisition of recognized tribal land, the theft of resources from such territories, and the mismanagement of tribal trust funds;
Whereas the policies of the United States Government toward Indian tribes and the breaking of covenants with Indian tribes have contributed to the severe social ills and economic troubles in many Native communities today;
Whereas, despite continuing maltreatment of Native Peoples by the United States, the Native Peoples have remained committed to the protection of this great land, as evidenced by the fact that, on a per capita basis, more Native people have served in the United States Armed Forces and placed themselves in harm’s way in defense of the United States in every major military conflict than any other ethnic group;
Whereas Indian tribes have actively influenced the public life of the United States by continued cooperation with Congress and the Department of the Interior, through the involvement of Native individuals in official United States Government positions, and by leadership of their own sovereign Indian tribes; Whereas Indian tribes are resilient and determined to preserve, develop, and transmit to future generations their unique cultural identities;
Whereas the National Museum of the American Indian was established within the Smithsonian Institution as a living memorial to the Native Peoples and their traditions; and
Whereas Native Peoples are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, and that among those are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness:
Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND APOLOGY.
The United States, acting through Congress–
(1) recognizes the special legal and political relationship the Indian tribes have with the United States and the solemn covenant with the land we share;
(2) commends and honors the Native Peoples for the thousands of years that they have stewarded and protected this land;
(3) acknowledges years of official depredations, ill-conceived policies, and the breaking of covenants by the United States Government regarding Indian tribes;
(4) apologizes on behalf of the people of the United States to all Native Peoples for the many instances of violence, maltreatment, and neglect inflicted on Native Peoples by citizens of the United States;
(5) expresses its regret for the ramifications of former offenses and its commitment to build on the positive relationships of the past and present to move toward a brighter future where all the people of this land live reconciled as brothers and sisters, and harmoniously steward and protect this land together;
(6) urges the President to acknowledge the offenses of the United States against Indian tribes in the history of the United States in order to bring healing to this land by providing a proper foundation for reconciliation between the United States and Indian tribes; and
(7) commends the State governments that have begun reconciliation efforts with recognized Indian tribes located in their boundaries and encourages all State governments similarly to work toward reconciling relationships with Indian tribes within their boundaries.
SEC. 2. DISCLAIMER.
Nothing in this Joint Resolution authorizes any claim against the United States or serves as a settlement of any claim against the United States.