Litany brings rain; will peace follow?
Determined group offers prayers for troops

Raymond Jones, a Road Man with the Native American Church, marks a u-shaped figure inside a teepee that represents the moon on Saturday in Wheatfield. Jones was preparing for a meeting to honor current service members in Iraq and Afghanistan and to call for an end to the wars. [Photo by Brian Leddy/Independent]

By Kathy Helms
Dine Bureau

WHEATFIELDS — Margaret Mead said it best: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Such was the case during this past weekend's prayer service to bring America's service men and women back to U.S. soil.

Traditional medicine men, members of Native American Church and those who follow Christianity joined prayers to end U.S. participation in the war in Iraq, Afghanistan and other conflicts, and also to pray for much-needed rain.

Raymond Jones of Rock Point, who helped organize the event, said Monday that the turnout was small compared to what was expected, but those who showed up were sincere and dedicated, and all signs observed by NAC members indicate that their mission was accomplished.

They asked for rain and they got it by the bucketful which was a blessing but also probably a factor in the small turnout. And when the eagle whistle sounded at midnight, shooting stars streaked across the night sky.

"Everything pointed to it was good. Everybody was seeing things in the fire, the coals, the ashes. They said it was good," Jones said.

"People felt better, especially the moms who had their sons in Iraq. They were really thankful that somebody thought of something like this."

The traditionals came out Friday evening, and the Christians, "they did their prayers at their own place on Sunday. We just kind of left it up to them," he said.

On Saturday, visitors from Fort Defiance, Dinnehotso, Oak Springs, Dilkon, Shiprock, Wheatfields, Rock Point, Lukachukai, and Tohatchi stopped by.

"A bunch of them brought their sons' pictures for blessing and prayer and to have them cedared off and fanned off. We did that and included them in our prayers," Jones said.

"We had one active-duty guy that had made two tours to Iraq. He was back and was on his way to Missouri, where he will be stationed. He spent the night in the teepee. He saw the flier in Gallup somewhere and made it over here. He had some stories.

"And then we also had a presence from the President's Office, T.C. Tso. He spent the night with us. Everybody was glad that the President's Office was sending somebody."

Out of 110 chapters, there were only a few represented, Jones said. "They were thankful for them, but for all the rest, they were saying, 'Where's the rest of the people?' There were no local politicians, no delegates."

"We had three non-Natives from Nashville, Colo. They said they saw it on the Internet, and it was something they wanted to see. If they can make it from Nashville, local people what's wrong with them?" he said. "Everybody yells, 'Veterans this, veterans that,' at election time, but when that's over, nothing."

About 50 people gathered inside the 28-foot teepee Saturday night, filling it to capacity. Others sat outside in chairs, and participated from that vantage point.

"A lot of the older people were saying that the fewer, the more effective the prayer meeting, rather than having a mixture of people that are just there for the good time and the drumming the fewer people, the more sincere and true at heart. They'd rather see that.

"They were really glad about the ones that showed up. They said, 'You are the ones that are concerned about the warriors, the veterans.' They'll be blessed double for making that effort," Jones said.

Afterward, some of those in attendance told Jones, "This might be a start, and it should grow." But, he told them, "Maybe this is the first and the last and there will be no need for another one."

In the long run, the answers to some prayers happen right then and there, he said. Some of them take a few days, a week, maybe a month. "All you need is one meeting to pray for something to happen," he said.