7th
World Christian Gathering of
Indigenous People (WCGIP)
This is an early announcement about the 7th World Christian Gathering
of Indigenous People (WCGIP) set to convene in Israel in a
year-and-a-half, September 9-18, 2008.
The first WCGIP took place in New Zealand in 1996 hosted by the Maori
people. The founding chairman was Monte Ohia. The next World Gathering
in 1998 was hosted by Native North Americans in South Dakota, then in
2000 with the Aboriginal people of Australia, in 2002 with the
Hawaiians, in 2004 with the Sami people of northern Scandinavia, and in
2006 with the tribes of Mindanao in the Philippines.
The 7th WCGIP will convene in Israel, September 9-18, 2008.
We are expecting to receive delegates from hundreds of tribes from all
over the world. Many of the tribes and languages coming together will
be represented in Jerusalem for the first time in history.
A few deep-sea, ocean-going canoes are scheduled to sail from the South
Pacific islands all the way to Israel. The World Gathering will begin
with these canoes arriving on the coast of Israel. A number of other
tribes will
be shipping over their own traditional canoes to join the last leg of
this journey and come ashore with those arriving from the South
Pacific. We will
then transport the smaller canoes up to the Galilee, and assemble
a fleet of tribal canoes from all over the world on the Sea of
Galilee (called the Kinneret in Hebrew). Tribal delegates will be able
to paddle together in their own canoes to some of the places Jesus
(Yeshua in Hebrew) ministered around the lake. Some of them may also go
out at night and fish with nets where Yeshua fished.
We are inviting a tribe to erect a sweat lodge on the shore of the
Jordan River. Delegates will be able to sweat, and then dip in the
river.
We have invited the Cayuga people of the Six Nations from Ontario to
erect a very large traditional longhouse in Jerusalem. Inside will be
open fires.
Hanging from the ceiling will be salmon, corn, and meat curing in the
smoke. This will be one of the venues of the Gathering in which
delegates will pray, sing and dance.
We are inviting indigenous people from every part of the world to send
representatives to the World Gathering in Jerusalem. Each delegation
should
bring an offering of prayer, song, or dance in their own language, with
their own instruments, and their own style of singing and dancing. The
delegates do not need to be members of churches or even to call
themselves by the title Christian, but they do need to be followers of
Jesus. All delegates need to be sent with the understanding that any
offering or presentation they bring must be in honor of Jesus, in the
city where He gave His life and where Scripture tells us He will
return.
This will be a truly historic gathering.
There has never been anything like it.
It is now only 2007, and we are still in the early stages of planning.
Please pray for us to be endowed with much wisdom, favor and strength
for all of the preparations that lie ahead.
As more details are available we will send them out and post them on
the web site. We do not yet know the full cost of participation for
each person, and we have not yet made arrangements for registration.
This message is simply to inform you of the upcoming gathering so that
you might
begin to consider coming and participating. Though most of the
delegates will be indigenous tribal people, registration is open for
those who would like to witness this historic event, to listen, learn,
and build new relationships.
Attached to this message is the logo of the 7th World Gathering. The
three footprints represent the descendents of the three children of
Noah on a pilgrimage back to the Middle East.
Please consider forwarding this message to those you know who might be
interested in coming. We especially want to get this out to indigenous
tribal people. If you live in an indigenous community, get the word
out. If you know followers of Jesus among indigenous people anywhere in
the world, please forward this to them. If they do not have access to a
computer, please print it out and send it to them by postal mail. This
message will soon be translated into other major trade languages such
as Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Mandarin. It will also be in German
and Japanese. If you would like a copy of this in any of those
languages, just let us know.
Many blessings,
Gavriel Gefen
