“This is a huge moment for us,” Barnett said. “So many people see us as invisible and we’re not. Here at Indian Falls Creek you will see families who are strong in the Lord, families who are multi-generational and families who are healing from brokenness.
“To see this resolution passed is the start of something. It’s not the end-all-be-all, but what it does is give us the expectation that more will happen. Last summer we had a time of prayer, and this is the beginning of the answer to those prayers.”
For Keahbone, a Native American with heritage from the Comanche, Kiowa and Cherokee tribes, both the federal report and the resolution were deeply personal.
Some of his family members even attended boarding schools mentioned in the federal report where they suffered mistreatment.
Although the report was difficult to read and process, Keahbone is thrilled with the resounding support the resolution has received from fellow Southern Baptists.
“This resolution is the first time in convention history we have taken a stand with Native peoples,” Keahbone said. “I just shared my heart with the committee and everybody was adamant that this resolution needed to be at the forefront.
“It was such a powerful moment bringing it before the convention for the vote. Approving this resolution sent a historic message across the nation to our Native peoples.”
Since the resolution passed in Anaheim, Keahbone has already began to use the resolution as a way to minster to fellow Native peoples.
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In early July, Keahbone read the resolution from the platform at a “Road to Healing” tour event. The tour is sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Interior in conjunction with the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative, which produced the federal report released in May.
The tour is designed to give survivors from the boarding school abuse an opportunity to share their story as part of an intentional effort of healing. The first stop on the tour took place at Riverside Indian School in Anadarko, Okla., where Keahbone read the resolution to attendees.
He is hopeful having the resolution to share with Native peoples of all ages on can help make a Gospel impact on their road to healing.
“Native Americans know these stories about the boarding schools, and that can be a huge barrier in sharing the Gospel with Native peoples because people were doing these things in the name of Christianity,” Keahbone said.
“This resolution begins a conversation of healing that opens the door, where we can say ‘that was wrong, that was something that should have never happened, and we stand against what happened and anything like that or that might happen in the future. We’re going to pray with you and walk with you as start these steps of healing.’ That acknowledgment is huge.”
This article originally appeared at Baptist Press.
