HALLELUJAH RAY

A ROAD ALLOWANCE INDIAN!

by Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.

I had never heard the term ‘Road Allowance Indian’ until I got to know Reverend Raymond Martell. On a recent automobile journey from Saskatoon to Nipawin, the preacher they call ‘Hallelujah Ray’ shared with me the amazing story of God’s grace and mercy in his life! Pointing to the road allowances along the highway, he stated: “I used to live there. I was raised as a ‘Road Allowance Indian’!

With great conviction he states: “ If it were not for God’s grace, I would not be here today. I would probably be dead like so many of my former friends”. From that moment on in my conversation with him, everything Ray shared of his accomplishments carried the proviso: “by the grace of God”!

Ray Martell has gone through a lot of hard times and come out on top! He and his wife Betty have a wonderful family and a successful ministry. They are respected by their growing multi-ethnic congregation, fellow clergy, as well as civic, provincial and federal governmental leaders who have observed the great work they are doing for God and fellowman in Saskatoon. Recently, National Grand Chief Matthew Come Coon of Canada’s First Nations unexpectedly visited the congregation of that city’s ‘River of Life Fellowship’ to worship the LORD JESUS CHRIST together!

FINANCIAL MIRACLES HAPPEN!

The Martells have experienced mighty supernatural miracles of provision and blessing from the hand of the Almighty. A few years ago while on a journey to the Holy Land with his family, Ray became a bit concerned that they had been spending more than they had planned and were running low on cash. He told Betty of their predicament: “We have only $600 left”, as he counted out the money. Suddenly, they both realized that there were seven $100 bills in his hand. Surprised, Ray decided to recount the money. As they watched a miracle unfolded before their eyes. To their amazement, there were not six or seven, but eight $100 bills there! Immediately, they shouted for joy and gave God the glory. He had done it again!

On another occasion, Ray and Betty had booked into the hotel in a town where they were conducting a Gospel Crusade. The offerings they had received were very small and to their embarrassment, while preparing to check out of the hotel, they discovered that they were $50 short. Ray prayed and then asked to Betty to look in her purse once more, if perchance she might have hidden some bills in a secret compartment. Knowing full well that such was not the case - having ransacked her purse earlier - nevertheless to satisfy her husband, Betty opened her purse once more. And there, right before their eyes was a brand spanking NEW $50 bill. The Lord had supernaturally placed it in her purse at the very moment of their financial crises. Hallelujah!

MARTELL’S FATHER LOSES HIS INDIAN STATUS!

Due to ignorance of the English language and exploitation by some who were in authority, Ray’s father lost his Indian status and the Martell family were forced to live as squatters along Saskatchewan’s highways, thus the term: ‘Road Allowance Indians’!

But, that didn’t keep Ray Martell down. He worked at many and varied jobs, even excelling in some, and today is a successful pastor and respected leader among the First Nations and is affecting other Minorities and Caucasians as well. Recently, he was invited to speak at a conference in Switzerland with great success!

At thirteen years of age, Ray left home to join an American Carnival. He worked for twelve years, travelling with the carnival, in small towns and cities across Canada and the USA as well as living the life of a hobo: drinking, gambling and taking dope. Eventually he became a hopeless DRUNK and pill popper, suffering from bleeding ulcers and a bad case of gallstones. He worried constantly, which in turn aggravated his ulcers.

Living in HOBO JUNGLES was dangerous and on one occasion. Ray was stabbed in the stomach, outside a bar in Minneapolis, Minnesota by a man with whom he had argued. Some of his friends intervened in the butcher knife attack and got him to a hospital in time to save his life. Certainly, even then God’s hand of mercy was upon him!

Fear gripped his soul, but he didn’t know where to turn for help. He was born and raised as a Roman Catholic, but had no vital contact with God. What remained were only useless religious traditions and rituals that hung like a millstone around his neck, bringing condemnation instead of peace! To him, God was only a stern judge. And the Roman priests were condemning, authoritative, aloof and out of touch with reality!

He was looking for real love, but he didn’t know where to find it! Not finding it in his home or church, he searched for it in all the wrong places and found more trouble, bondage and pain!

THEN HE MET BETTY AND FOUND LOVE!

Ray had no idea that he was about to meet the love of his life and that God had arranged a change of direction for his empty, fearful and pain-filled existence. It would all start in Swift Current, Saskatchewan where he would meet the sweet daughter of a Chinese cook and his German wife!

Betty went to the Carnival in 1972, when it came to Swift Current. It was then that she met Ray and they were drawn to each other. Betty’s family had no spiritual foundation either, so they groped about seeking happiness and fulfillment, but it was short-lived. Not long after their meeting, they decided to marry, but Ray was hooked on alcohol and pills and their marriage was quickly turning sour. It was in serious trouble, when God intervened!

Reverend Rueben Block, a minister of the Mennonite Brethren Church, was in charge of a Drop-Inn-Centre in Saskatoon. Ray and Betty visited the Centre and were invited to attend his church. Since they were reluctant to do so, Block made them a deal. He would conduct a service at the Drop-Inn-Centre just for Ray, Betty, he and his wife. Ray and Rueben shook on it, and a short while later the four met for a special service, and both Ray and Betty gave their hearts to Jesus Christ!

Upon receiving Christ as his personal Lord and Saviour, Ray received the assurance that God was going to meet their every need, according to Jesus` promise: “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the meat, and the body than raiment”? (Matt. 6: 25)

Just like He promised, Jesus took care of Ray’s ulcers, completely healing him and until this very day, He has met their every need. Hallelujah to the Lamb of God Who was slain for the sins of the world and rose victoriously over death, hell and the grave and has given believers the authority to use His Name against sin, sickness, demons and all the power of the devil! (Luke 10:17-19)

It wasn’t long before Ray and Betty began attending various Revival meetings in Saskatoon and house meetings on the Sandy Lake Reserve and were baptized with the blessed Holy Spirit. Since that time they have grown in grace and in the knowledge of God. They have four boys, Robert, Richard, Andrew and Johnny and one little grandson. And they are all doing just fine!

What more can I say? The little Road Allowance Indian boy who left home at age thirteen and travelled with the Carnival for 12 years, lived in the Hobo Jungles and returned to Canada a desperately sick alcoholic and dope addict - is presently on the cutting edge - winning the lost, feeding the hungry and getting the ear of Saskatoon's leaders on vital social and spiritual issues!

You can mark that down to ‘THE GRACE OF GOD’!