There was much time spent in setting up and breaking down the equipment as they traveled from village to village.
The music was great; rock music mixed with Native American music and dance. Wow!
The testimonies are the heart of it all.
Mark Swensen, Mike Boettcher, and myself (Bob Widman), had the privilege of traveling with Broken Walls, a Christian Gospel band, on their Iditarod tour at the beginning of March. The band included Jonathan, a Mohawk Indian from eastern Canada, Chris, a Native American from Thunder Bay Canada, and Pete from Wasilla, Alaska.
Bill is a Native American Tlingit Indian who was raised in a dysfunctional home. When Bill was four-years-old his uncle and friends who were in their home would make Bill take shots of whiskey, and smoke marijuana to see how much he could stand before he could not control himself any more. At age seven Bill's mother and father divorced, and he thought it was his fault because he was such a bad kid. At age eight Bill was addicted to marijuana and his mother was his drug supplier. At age twelve Bill's mother signed papers to give custody of Bill to a supposed family friend. This man abused Bill in every way possible. When Bill made even a simple mistake like putting his toothpaste away in the wrong place, this man would chase him around the house with a loaded handgun screaming derogatory things at him. Bill came to believe he wasn't worth any thing, and perhaps the world would be a better place if he was not around. He contemplated suicide but according to Bill the only thing that kept him going was a few positive things some friends and teachers said to him. These were simple things that were said like, "Hey Bill, what's up!", or a teacher saying, "Hey Bill, you can really play those drums, some day you will be a great drummer!" Some of Bill's friends invited him to church, and this is where Bill heard about Jesus and grace, and that Jesus loved him unconditionally. Bill gave his life to Christ. When Bill experienced God's grace through Christ, his life changed. After meeting his wife, they decided to minister to, and take care of, Bill's former abusive guardian. This man was so amazed by their forgiveness that he became a Christian. Bill was given a full music scholarship based on his ability to play the drums, and has taught as a music teacher.
Jonathan told about leaving his family in eastern Canada to become a rock and roll star. His dad, who was a pastor, walked him to the bus when he was leaving for California. His parting words to Jonathan were, "Remember, when your back is against the wall turn to Jesus." After getting established in the music business and opening for several famous rock bands, Epic records offered him a record contract on the condition that he would be willing to use profanity, sing about using alcohol, and other worldly topics in his songs. When Jonathan told the record company that these were the things that destroyed his people and he was not willing to include them in his songs, the record company took back their offer. Returning to his apartment discouraged and alone, he followed his father’s advice and turned to Christ. He now uses his gifts as a singer and musician to minister to people in many different parts of the world with the rest of the Broken Walls band.
Guy told of how he was left alone at home when he was a child, while the adults in his life were out partying and getting drunk. One day when he was playing with some boys that he thought were his friends, they threw him over a river bank into the Yukon River. At that point he said that he felt like trash, and that he was not good for anything. As he grew up he watched most of the people that were close to him die due to accidents, suicide, or alcohol related deaths. As time went on he got on the wrong side of the law and wound up in prison.
Will Guy get out of prison?? Join us next week for the second installment in Bob’s Article!
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