The African AIDS Pandemic | Operation EaglesWings | The “Untouchables”

“Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street.” (Lamentations 2:19)

At The Rock, we have a heart for children at risk around the world. We believe these children are worth our time, our efforts, our prayers, and our sacrifices. Jesus loved the children and we desire to emulate His life by doing likewise.

In June of 2004, The Rock took our first family mission trip to help Pastor Gabriel Medicine Eagle reach out to Sioux communities on the Rosebud Reservation by assisting with a youth camp located outside Mission, South Dakota. The trip was a phenomenal success with 38 participants (over half of those were children!).

The Sioux are in desperate need of Jesus Christ. The following statistics are overwhelming evidence of this need in the Sioux Nation.

• Per capita income is $3,000
• Highest spousal/child abuse USA
• Teen suicide 5X USA average
• 75% affected by alcohol/drug abuse
• 50% school drop out rate
• 85% unemployment
• 70% live in poverty
• Over crowded housing dwellings
• Several families share one structure
• 44% of homes have no kitchen
• 55% of homes have no phone
• 33% of homes heated by wood

The hearts of those on this trip were radically impacted. The Rock began to realize our larger calling to the Sioux people and began developing a long term strategy to bring the love of Christ to this unreached people group located in our own backyard.

For more information on our outreach to the Sioux nation contact Max Wharton at 720-840-5988.

In November 2003, Pastor JR participated in a trip to meet the people of India who are deemed “untouchable”. These “untouchables”, or Dalits, are born into their caste and therefore, by virtue of birth, face a lifetime of poverty, injustice and degradation. They are considered to be literally “untouchable” by the rest of Indian society.

As a result of this trip, The Rock purposed to participate in improving the lives of these people. We are working with Operation Mobilization (OM) India and The Dalit Freedom Network to build a Dalit Education Center (DEC) in Bangalore, India. This center will provide Dalit children with education which in turn will bring authentic freedom to the Dalit people.

For more information on our outreach to the Dalits of India contact Dave Kadlec at 303-814-1352.