Late Monday evening, Vice Chief Craig Munroe of Garden Hill First Nation issued a powerful plea for prayer as wildfires crept dangerously close to the community.
Garden Hill First Nation, also known as Kistiganwacheeng, is located in the northeast section of the Canadian province of Manitoba on the shore of Island Lake. Last week, a full-scale evacuation was ordered after the wildfire breached the southern edge of the community. The province declared a state of emergency, and the Canadian Armed Forces deployed Hercules aircraft to assist. Many evacuees are now sheltering in Winnipeg, facing uncertainty and hardship far from home.
According to reports, firefighters are working around the clock to defend a vital lumberyard from an encroaching wildfire that has already scorched over 2,800 hectares (6,918 acres). This is problematic, considering the wood is needed for homes in that area. Alex McDougall, interim grand chief of Anisininew Okimawin, which represents four Island Lake First Nations, estimates there’s a shortage of 400 homes.
Garden Hill First Nation Vice Chief Calls For Prayer
CHVN 95.1 reports Vice Chief Craig Munroe took to social media late Monday night with an impassioned plea—not for resources or political action, but for unified prayer.
Calling on hearts across Canada and the United States, Munroe wrote, “We are asking God for protection—that the forest fires will not reach our homes. May the winds turn, the rain fall, and our essential local workers be kept safe. Lord, place Your hand over Garden Hill and shield us from harm.”
His words were underscored by scripture, drawing strength from Isaiah’s promise: “When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.” The scripture quoted is from Isaiah 43:2.
Meanwhile, The United Church Of Canada (UCCan) Indigenous Ministries posted on their Facebook page the latest update:
The province of Manitoba has again declared a provincial emergency. Pastoral staff at Garden Hill, in consultation with community leadership, have said that in addition to prayers, donations to the community’s relief efforts would be appreciated…”
How To Help Garden Hill First Nation:
- Visit the United Church of Canada Foundation website: https://unitedchurchfoundation.ca/
- Click the ‘donate now’ button on top right corner
- Under ‘fund’, choose the ‘Ann Baker Estate Trust for Emergency Relief’
- Write a message indicating to direct the funds to Garden Hill First Nation for wildfire relief
A Prayer for Garden Hill First Nation
Lord of mercy and protection, We lift up Garden Hill First Nation to You. Shield every home, every elder, every child. Let the winds shift and the rains fall. Strengthen the hands of those who fight the flames. Also, comfort the hearts of those displaced. May Your peace settle over the land like morning dew. May hope rise from the ashes. In the name of Jesus Christ through the intervention of the Holy Spirit, we pray for everyone affected. Additionally, we pray for those stepping into the danger. Amen.
Pastor Rick Penn is an ordained pastor, writer, and the founder of Get-Prayer.com, a resource built to help believers develop a consistent, grounded prayer life.
With more than 20 years of preaching the Gospel, Pastor Rick brings deep theological training and lived pastoral experience to everything he writes. He holds a Master of Divinity from Virginia University of Lynchburg, an M.A. with a concentration in New Testament Studies from Baptist Bible Seminary, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Averett University.
His writing reflects a personal commitment to making prayer accessible to everyday Christians. Whether he is writing a prayer for someone in a hospital waiting room, walking through fear about the future, or sitting down with a blank prayer journal for the first time, Pastor Rick writes from a place of both theological grounding and pastoral care.
Pastor Rick hosts In The Moment, a Christian television program airing on Roku through AIM Christian Television. Viewers can watch the show at aimchristian.com/yourmoment and listen as a podcast on Spotify.
Before founding Get-Prayer.com, he served in the U.S. Navy, where he built his communication skills as a writer, editor, and public affairs professional. He now applies those disciplines directly to ministry and teaching.
Every article on this site reflects his core conviction: Prayer is not a performance of faith. It is the daily practice that holds everything else together.
Pastor Rick Penn is the author of all content on Get-Prayer.com.
Rick currently resides in Pennsylvania, where he continues to teach, write, and encourage believers to deepen their walk with God through prayer and the study of Scripture.
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