Residential School

“Children are a gift from the Lord, they are a reward from him.” Psalm 127:3 (NLT) As a child, I remember going for a ride with my parents and siblings one day after sundown. My dad was trying to convince my mom to send us to residential school, since our family was growing so fast, and he wanted to save mom from having too much work. I remember Mom saying, “No, I will never send my kids there. Those people don’t know who God is!” She convinced Dad that this was not a solution. Dad believed in God, too, but didn’t go to church (though he had been raised going to church). Once again, Mom strengthened my faith in Jesus just by standing her ground to keep us from potential harm at the residential school. She never spoke of her own experience in the residential school but was very sure she did not want us girls to go there. It wasn’t until I met and married the father of my children that I started to hear the terrible things that happened in residential school—the very poor conditions. He spoke of having to steal apples from the orchard due to hunger, and children who tried to escape being brought back and punished in front of everyone. The abuses were many from these people who claimed to represent God. It is miraculous how some people who suffered these abuses came to believe in Jesus and accepted Him as their Lord and Savior! As it says in Jeremiah 29:11, “ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’” (NIV) The man I married did just that, and trusted Jesus, amazed at God’s love for him. Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your plan for our lives. Thank You for Your Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit who seals us as Yours. – Loretta Oppenheim   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org