Ron and Sue Jensen Newsletter

Click here to go to the Lakota Sioux page on MNA.org

March 8, 2008

Hi Everyone!!

So many of you have asked how we’re doing and what we’re up to, I figured I better send out a general letter. I wish I had time to send an individual update to all of you; I hope you’ll understand, after reading this update, why I’ve been negligent in writing!

In case you hadn’t heard, after much soul-searching and some challenging times, I resigned as pastor of Black Hills Community Church, effective the end of last summer. We applied to a few churches to see if God would direct us that way, but to no avail.

So we set our hearts and sites on a ministry that has always been an attraction – ministry to Native Americans.  Not having financial support for it, I started looking for work so I could do ministry “on the side”. 

In mid-October I started working at National Electronics Warranty (NEW) here in Rapid City, a large Virginia-based company that does technical support for DirecTV.  It was definitely a “God appointment”. I’ve been working as a pastor for around 30 years, and I’ve never seen God bring so many things together in so short a period of time.

For several months a model for ministry to Native Americans had been forming in my mind/heart. It has been radically refined by being welcomed into a little Lakota (Sioux) church in Rapid City. There were anywhere from 10-20 people worshiping together with a native Lakota Pastor, Larry Salway. Within just a few months, the little group has grown to 70-80. As I’ve learned more about Lakota culture through Pastor Larry and our new friends at the church, the model for ministry has matured to the point of “birthing”. 

The model looks like this.  It’s all about partnerships, not some white guy coming in with all the answers. Pastor Larry has a very similar philosophy of ministry, so we’re joining together on this project.  It’s not outwardly evangelistic, it’s a ministry of building bridges and building partnerships.  It’s in the partnerships that ministry takes place.  There are three kinds of partnerships that we are building: individual partnerships where learning and support takes place, employment partnerships, where job acquisition takes place, and financial partnerships, where funding happens to help people get a home, education, or start a small business.

1 -  INDIVIDUAL PARTNERSHIPS – First, we build partnerships between people. The partnerships may be between Lakota people, or they may be inter-cultural between Lakota and non-native people. People in these partnerships take part in training led by Larry (In addition to pastoring, Larry is a professor at Oglala Lakota College and former Tribal judge). Lakota and non-native people learn together about Lakota culture, the dynamics of multi-generational poverty, financial planning and other topics. In this partnering approach, people who want a mentor and people who want to serve as mentors can get together.  Both give, both receive. Most of these partnerships will be in small groups rather than simply one-on-one.

2 -  EMPLOYMENT PARTNERSHIPS – Second, we develop strategies with employers who want to invest in the lives of employees who have a background of multi-generational poverty. Here’s where more of the God-appointments happen.  I knew we’d have to focus on just one or two employers to start with, otherwise we’d be spread far too thin.  I proposed this idea to the manager of NEW, the place I’m now working.  NEW has 500 employees in Rapid City right now, and they’re growing like crazy.  The manager really liked the idea!  This is amazing! Here’s a very busy guy and he wants to get together with me and the Human Resources Director to work out details on my mentoring plan and the next phase of this idea – financial partnerships.

3 -  FINANCIAL PARTNERSHIPS – Last, we’re working with a local credit union to apply for and administer a federal grant in partnership with us that would provide matching funds for a down payment on a house, a college education, or start-up money for a small business.  Our organization would provide training, mentoring and employment connections while the grant would provide an additional motive for participants to save money for a better life. We’re praying for a fund of at least $200,000.  There’s a lot of interest in this already.

Each area of partnership – individual, employment, and financial – reinforces the others.  And all the while, people are in a shared task, growing in trust with one another, and in an environment where spiritual topics can be discussed.  Is this cool, or what???  Yes, I’m pretty excited about what’s been happening!  We see God working all over the place, and the response we’ve been getting from companies and organizations as I share this idea with them is amazing.

As this model has been refined, I’ve established a non-profit organization (“Life Initiatives, Inc”) with an active Board of Directors, and set up an informational website (www.LakotaLife.org).  Oh yes, we even have a logo!

So, that’s what we’ve been up to.  I work on Life Initiatives organization / ministry things in the morning, then work at NEW from 3 pm until midnight.  Sue continues her work as Administrative Assistant at Bethany Christian Services. All in all, it makes for a pretty full life!

The planning and implementation of the Life Initiatives organization is already requiring a lot more time than I can give while working full time, so I’m going to have to start raising funds to provide for at least a part-time staff. If you hear of foundations, organizations, or government grants that fit what I’ve described, could you drop me an email and let me know about it? Thank you!  I promise I won’t turn down private donations, either!!

Again, if you want more info on what we’re doing, check out our website at http://www.lakotalife.org. I wish I could write individually to everyone, but I hope this fills you in a little bit on our lives. Feel free to forward this email to anyone you think might be curious.

As things progress, I’ll send out another update.  If you’d rather not be on this “Life Initiatives List”, please just drop a quick reply email and I won’t send you further updates, ok?

Thanks again!

In Jesus,

Ron and Sue Jensen

(605) 484-1180

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