HOPE Response, Inc.

06/02/2026

Wow! What a fun day we had but sad too! Bittersweet because you laugh and cry at the same time. Thanks to Kari Fotis our friend for many years who is a "home away from home" for many ASU exchange students introduced us to Andika Parsaoran and Rosario Margaretha Harianjaa while he worked on his Master's Degree in Education! He brought the love of Jesus Christ in the form of education for 5 years among the Indigenous Papua of Indonesia. A people group that in areas he went to resembled still the simple tools and sustenance means of living. He graduated! A major accomplishment in a 2nd language and now they are returning home. We will miss the joy that they spread here and are happy to know the community here of Indonesian students that rose up around them. We have been invited to someday join them for a season of ministry together in Sumatra, God willing! Pray for them and their children with so many difficulties in the journey plus new adjustments. Phil.2:2 "then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind" is our experience with them! A Hope Response to Jesus Christ crosses cultures and languages and makes us "one" in Him.

05/22/2026

05/19/2026

NAVAJO TRIBE, DILKON, AZ. We know our time with Dilkon Restoration Church has been from the beginning by "Divine Appointment." We met the Pastors Leonard and Brenda Yellowhair at the funeral of our dear Hopi mom, Virginia Benally. Then an invitation to come share at this Monday night Bible study was met with a warm welcome and diligent study. We began with our histories and Hope Stories as it is said in Psalm 107:2 "Let the redeemed of the Lord, say so." Ot is their practice to every Sunday from 10-10:30 to share testimonies. They also have a registered Bible School for earning credits in intensive Bible study every Tues. and Sat. for 4 hours. As we shared the tract we use that gives the Good News of Jesus through the lens of one's loss, pain and grief with questions, several shared with which they most identified with. A man who lost his leg with "why me?" and a woman facing marriage struggles with "how long?" We prayed with obvious visitation of God's Holy Spirit. Even a 10-year old came to us and said, "that was a good teaching and I learned a lot." We've been invited back to 2 weeks in June and all October. You see God's Word tells us in Matthew 22:29 "You are mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God". A Hope Response studies God's Word and testifies to the life-changing power of Jesus.

05/18/2026

NAVAJO TRIBE, SHANTO, AZ. This was a wonderful day...a full day with a Navajo pastor....a true joy. They gave thanks toPastor Neal Riggs for giving them our book on the Bible's Hope Response to Loss, Pain and Grief. The pastors read it and felt their church and community needed it so requested 15 books and began a nice slow study on Wednesday nights. The discussions led by the workbook opened people to intimacy and healing...the group doubled and more books were needed. They implemented right away ways to be ready to be Hope Responders! The resources they collected in turn they shared with their chapter house for those who cane to them. They were hoping some day we could come share with them and we did! We can say they are truly a Hope Response Church with a network of churches that they arranged meet-ups with the pastors in Twin Hills, Tonalea, and CowSprings for some. The pastors of Shonto Nazarene have taken on pastoring at Twin Hills after their pastor passed away. The people who shared their struggles and testimonies in the 3 services were such a blessing! In all the services we were invited to preach and teach. It was like 2 Timothy 2:2 "And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also." A Hope Response is being one who has received Jesus's love and passes it on!

05/17/2026

NAVAJO TRIBE, Shiprock, AZ. Until you drive the vast land distances of the tribe you do not realize the remote nature of the people. It is the largest tribe in the USA, with 400,000 enrolled members and the most tribal labd mass spanning 27,000 acres. Leslie grew up in Gallup, NM and traveled with her father to all these little towns as he was a veterinarian helping with their sheep, cattle and horses. It has changed but some things remain the same such as the tent revivals. We went to one in Shiprock that goes from May 11-23 nightly! It was SO encouraging, multi-generational, and inspiring. We saw from little girls singing to grandmothers speaking in Navajo then leading songs of favorite hymns. There were teenagers who came early, some recording the whole time, others taking nights and able to move about in their Bibles and even moved to go forward and kneel at the altar to pray. The message addressed things they have been hearing said among their people "that there is no hell, that we just die and cross the rainbow bridge to a better place." But then Pastor Uriah Silversmith, went through God's Word to show that this is A LIE! A tool of the enemy that keeps people unaware that their soul is immortal but the decision of where you will spend it, is your choice of heaven or hell. Yet Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes unto the Father except by me. John 14:6. Jesus warns of the reality of this decision is before you die in Luke 16, and this requires one admit and repent of his sin. A Hope Response then accepts the gift of eternal life to those who put their trust in Jesus and follow Him.

05/16/2026

UTE MOUNTAIN TRIBE, Towaoc, CO. A unique place to celebrate our 33rd Wedding Anniversary! Truly, our hearts are knit together to venture wherever the Lord leads us these many years and so enjoy each other and His purpose for our lives. Interestingly, May is the time of their spring Bear Dances which are specially for finding a mate, and enjoying only their company once found. We went also to nearby Cortez, CO to the Christian Discipleship Center, a lovely, peaceful retreat where we had fond memories of treaching the Hope Response both to their leadership and to separate women and men's groups there for 3 month recovery from addictions. Truly it was a pleasure to visit with Joe Mehezy, who has run this center for many years! You would not believe he is 81 years of age and so actively serving their and preaching at several native churches. He will especially surprise you when he speaks to you in the Navajo language. What a blessing! Acts 13:36 reminds us that if we are still alive at any age that God has not finished his purposes with us. "David carried out God's purpose while he lived. Then he died. He was buried with his people." A Hope Response lives one's life fulfilling God's purposes.

05/15/2026

SOUTHERN UTE TRIBE, Ignacio, CO. We spent our first day ever in this tribe to learn as much as we could of these people and their experience of faith in Jesus. It is a very impressive tribe being fully independent, sovreign, resilient, and yet very progressive. The revised education of their young to include their own language and culture with a montessori-style method. Yet in a bold and humble way they post a large sign of pictures depicting their struggles with drinking & driving, drugs, relationships, conflict, and su***de. We spent time with elders who are keeping the church alive. An elder shared that long ago they were taught to "listen to your thirst stand, that deep in the spirit is a longing for the Creator God that leads you to the light until you feel it's heat and seek that which saves." Matthew 5:6 in the Bible, God's Word, says "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." A Hope Response is one who recognizes this thirst for God is satisfied with Jesus as the living water."

05/14/2026

JACARILLA APACHE TRIBE, Dulce, NM. We joined the local ministry of the Reformed Church of the Jicarilla Apache that has been present for over 100 years. Pastors Brad and Robin Kautz are faithful serving the community with the Word and love of Jesus since 2012, trying to work towards a retirement. It was a Wednesday night sharing and prayer time that opportunity was given to share what Hope Response has been called to in our shared concerns for the loss, pain and grief everyone faces. Only today a woman came to the church in great grief of two consecutive, unexpected deaths of loved ones in her family. It is a spiritual search for God's help when someone such as this comes to the church. Psalm 62:5-6 ("find rest in God; my hope comes from him" A Hope Response is the heart's cry for the comfort of the Great Holy Spirit!

05/14/2026

TAOS, PUEBLO Tribe. The people have brought their ancient cultural ways to survive and thrive in the modern world around them. They reminded us so much of the Hopi we worked with for over a decade...and in fact share ancestry and many ways but yet are distinct. Yet you can see from their church and cemetery that there has been strong Christian influence. Just outside their guarded, closed community there were outreaches to youth and First Baptist Church of Taos, pastored by a full Taos Pueblo. It is said of Bennie and Edna Romero that "There is no state or government agency a person can call when they need someone to hold their hand through fear, suffering, pain, or loss. For such intimate and personal support, the mechanisms of the social welfare system have little to offer. A person can, however, call Bennie and Edna Romero." They love the Lord Jesus and people, until the day He takes them home! "After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands." Revelation 7:9. A Hope Response is available to all people, tribes, nations and tongues!

05/13/2026

ENID, OKLAHOMA. Only 2.5 weeks ago, on April 23. 2026, was an EF-4 tornado in clear view and a loud, freight train roar....moments only for people to go into a safe room or storm cellar...it's path 9.5 miles long, 600 yards wide and 175 mph wind speed. 40 homes were levelled, yet praise God-- no fatalities! Walking through the aftermath aisles of "lost & found" items made available was moving especially once a survivor found a treasured item or photo. They were so open by this time to share the good memory that it triggered for them. The volunteers were amazing in their ministry, showing free access to supplies and even craft kits for kids. What struck us all most is all the little miracles and ways that survivors and volunteers saw God's love, protection and provision in the midst of this terrible storm. Trust that "God is our shelter and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble." Psa.46:1. A Hope Response trusts God in the storms. Thanks to all those who pray for their strength and hope to endure.