ON A MISSION CASTAIC MAN TO MINISTER TO NAVAJO.Byline: Orith Goldberg Staff Writer CASTAIC - A dozen years ago, when Kurt Freeman ran two public drug and alcohol rehabilitation rehabilitation: see physical therapy. centers, he reached out to American Indians American Indians: see Americas, antiquity and prehistory of the; Natives, Middle American; Natives, North American; Natives, South American. , and in helping them learn to love their culture. Those ties, strengthened over the years since Freeman retired, resulted recently in his selection as chief executive director and chief executive officer of Western Indian Ministries, an independent Christian mission to the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona. Freeman, 61, and a former Castaic Union School District board member, said he was wonderfully surprised by the board's unanimous decision A Unanimous Decision is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and others sports involving striking in which all 3 judges agree on which fighter won the match. . ``Working with Native Americans was kind of a hobby with me,'' he said. ``I had no idea, as a little boy playing cowboys and Indians, I would ever be involved like I am now. Really, it's an honor to serve the Navajo and Hopi reservations.'' Samuel Huestis, chairman of the ministry's board, said Freeman's background as a pastor for the First Baptist Church First Baptist Church may refer to many churches: Canada
or Native American or Amerindian or indigenous American Any member of the various aboriginal peoples of the Western Hemisphere, with the exception of the Eskimos (Inuit) and the Aleuts. culture, made him a first-rate candidate for the position. Freeman's appointment was effective May 1. Freeman and his wife, Peggy, live in Castaic and will relocate to the ministry's 90-acre campus in Window Rock, Ariz., by this week. He will be responsible for a reservation that spans portions of New Mexico New Mexico, state in the SW United States. At its northwestern corner are the so-called Four Corners, where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah meet at right angles; New Mexico is also bordered by Oklahoma (NE), Texas (E, S), and Mexico (S). , Colorado, Utah and Arizona. His duties will include traveling and appearing on behalf of the ministry as a goodwill ambassador This title may refer to:
Freeman had worked as an executive director for rehabilitation centers in Acton, Warm Springs and a substance abuse program that once operated out of Lake Hughes. During the course of speaking and consulting on rehabilitation, Freeman worked with Cree Indians in Canada. That experience heightened his appreciation of the American Indian nations. Freeman ultimately won the respect of Frank Halcrow, the grand chief of the Cree nation, and in a rare honor, was made a chief and blood brother to Halcrow in 1993. Among his extensive credentials, Freeman has received master's degrees in divinity and public administration, and also serves as a chaplain and moral leadership officer for the Civil Air Patrol  The U.S. Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is the civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). It was created on 1 December, 1941 by Administrative Order 9, with Maj. Gen. John F. and the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary. Freeman has taught psychology, health, physical education, rehabilitation and public administration at the college level. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) Kurt Freeman's familiarity with American Indian culture will be useful in his new role on the Navajo reservation. Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News |
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