Originally Posted May 22

Hey Everyone!!!

Just thought i'd give you all a little update on things here at Daystar.

these past few weeks have been PACKED with hanging out with the girls to re-establishing our friendships from last summer...

The hardest part was that when we (the other interns and myself) left for the summer, some of the youth saw that as a "we're just more people that are leaving and won't come back or even care". and immediatley put walls up and grew cold...

Thank God that those are coming down!!!

We took a group of 4 girls (Mary, Giselle, Sydney & Chelsea) and 1 guy (Pierce) down to an event in Paris, Ontario, called "Pitch and Praise". It was so worth it, non of these kids never really seen any actual christian youth before, so to see 2000 kids coming together and praising God was totally mind blowing for them! (here on Wiky, you have either the Catholic Church or a few other small family churches that aren't too involved with the youth)

One of the things all the kids loved was that Manafest (the rapper) was there and took the time to talk with the wiky kids and let them know that he had remembered them(earlier this year Manafest came to this reserve and did a performance and some workshops) which made them feel special and in a deeper sense gave them a feel of worth...

During the sessions it was sometimes too hard for the girls to really pay attention, one of the girls even commented how "the guy is a brutal comedian" and was shocked to hear he was actually a preacher... However, Mary you could see her abserving EVERYTHING, really taking it in and trying to see what this "Jesus thing" is all about... Giselle, was the girl to ask questions, and really want to hear answers and want to know if other people have had a "hard past" or if they all grew up happy... Sydney, understood a little more than the rest of the other girls but still wants to learn more, she wants that decipelship... chelsea, Man, she really experienced God's love, and really felt his presence, she came out of a session for Girls and was like "I'm Free!!!" which is amazing! chelsea was always the slower learner and sometimes she just doesnt understand what Sin and repentance and salvation is... but this weekend she totally got it, and loved every moment of it... Pierce really came out of his schell saw was interested in meeting the other christians and seeing how they lived their lives by just socializing and expecting Pierce for who he is....

I know that God doing things within these Kids lives theres soooooo much i'd love to share about all of the kids, telling you about their stories, what they go through everyday... please keep praying because i really feel that a break through is coming! If you'd like to help in someway, whether it be donating clothes for the depot, praying for a specific Youth and their family, or finacially, or want to know how to get involved somehow feel free to private message me!!!

Take Care & God Bless
Melissa Williams

Left to Right: Sydney, Mary Giselle, Chelsea & Jen

Myself & Mary

updates

Hey
I thought i'd start posting my updates and photo's on here... feel free to check it out whenever!
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This was originally writen
April 26
Just decided to send a little update on whats going on with me...I'm living back on Manitoulin Island for the summer, working with an organization called Daystar Native Outreach, on a First Nation Called Wikwemikong (aka Wiky) theres about 1000 Aboriginals here... If you knew me for a long time you would know that living on a reservation would be one of the last things i would have done, because i hated the native stereotype and just saw a lot of Natives falling into it... and it seemed like anyone wanted to make a change for their future...

but a few years ago God had to really break my heart for the things that break his and gave me a loving heart toward my people... Instead of choosing to just see the stereotype, God really opened my eyes to see what was going on, opened my my eyes to generational trauma, oppressions and depression and the effects of residential schools, etc... God really placed a passion to see Native Americans come to God in a really way, and truly search His Character...

almost all the youth i work with have come from broken homes, have lost someone close to them, and for many of the girls have been sexually abused somehow, they have all felt the effects of substance abuse, and are falling into the same pattern...

the churches here are for the most part really dry... last summer, the Daystar team and Myself, were here building a relationships with the Kids, letting them know that they could come to us and trust us.. it was such a blessing to hear the kids ask questions wondering who God really was, and i've never felt so blessed to see a few of the youth come to Christ...

This year, we are starting bible studies that are more indepth, and really searching out Gods Character, and trying to show them that he's very real.... which can be a little hard, the organization i'm with is brethern/baptist... and sometimes it feels like some of the full year team still has God in a box an limits on him...

So basically i'm writing this for support, just pray that this summer would be a break through, that God's spirit will pour out over the community of wiky, and that the people here will be able to experience God in such a real and powerful way....

also, i'm here completely on volenteer terms, so please pray that God will provide finacially for me these next few months... that food will be provided and my bills back at home can be looked after...

thanks so much
God Bless
Melissa Williams