On the first night of the Rankin Inlet Celebration of Hope, Will Graham reminded the residents in the remote Nunavut community of God’s presence: “God sees everything that you’re struggling with. God sees your hurt. God sees your anger. God sees your bitterness. He sees it all, even here in Rankin Inlet.”
The Celebration offered the hope of Jesus Christ to the Arctic region’s Inuit people, who are plagued with high suicide rates, broken families, unemployment and high costs of living, according to locals.
English, French and Inuktitut—the language of the Inuit people—are the official languages of Nunavut, Canada.
The Friday night event was the culmination of months of prayerful preparation. Nearly 40 Rankin Inlet residents participated in the Christian Life & Witness Course—an evangelism and discipleship training course led by the BGEA—ahead of the event.
The Color—including band members James Shields, Jordan Jansen and Larry Abrams—led an upbeat musical set to kick off the Celebration of Hope.
“My people are hungry for something, even though they don’t see it,” said Barb Tartak, a resident of the tiny Nunavut community of Rankin Inlet.
Juno Award-winning Nunavut singer Susan Aglukark led the crowd gathered at Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik High School in worship.
“God loves you. God loves you more than anything else in this world. He loves the people here in Rankin Inlet. … God has a plan and purpose for your life," Will Graham encouraged the multi-generational crowd at the Friday night evangelistic event.
Hundreds heard Will Graham’s message of hope at the first night of the two-day evangelistic event.
"In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." —Luke 15:10
