WE WILL STILL BE HERE by Robert Soto

WE WILL STILL BE HERE by Robert Soto

February 5, 2010

Hebrews 13:7-8 "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

Today as I heard one of our Indian leaders speak on the pow wow and traditions, I heard him say: "Five hundred years from now, we will still be dancing, we will still be singing, we will still be keeping our traditions." I'm not sure if we will still be here five hundred years from now but if we are, I would say that his statement is true. I can base my assumption not on the future but on the past. I see things today that were practiced and carried on over one hundred twenty years ago. I can see it at least the last two hundred and thirty-five years ago. That is as far back as we can trace our Lipan Apache history. So as I see the last two hundred and thirty-five years, I see the struggle of our people to keep who we are alive so that we in the twenty-first century can remember who we are and where we came from.

As I see the past, I see the sacrifice and pain my people went through to keep who we are alive. I see the desire to keep who we are alive. I see the dreams and hopes they had not just for their children, but for the countless of us who would follow in their steps and in their ways. The writer of Hebrews wrote, "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith." So for over two hundred thirty-five years, my people have been passing down the stories from generation to generation to make sure that we in the twenty-first century would remember who we are and where we came from. We remember our leaders from the past and all that they did so that we could stand today with pride to be who we are, Lipan Apache, American Indians. Not just for today, but for our children, our grandchildren and for those yet to come. So if this earth survives to see five hundred more years, we as American Indians, as Lipan Apache will know who we are and where we came from.

Robert Soto, Lipan Apache and pastor of:

McAllen Grace Brethren Church
The Native American New Life Center
Chief of Chiefs Christian Church