September 29

Today we are going to play 20 Questions:

1. It looks like you have changed your e-mail address:

We have added a new address to keep our ministry-related mail separate from our other accounts. We can still be reached at our previous address

2. What is your mailing address and phone number?

See the website.

3. How do you spend your free time on the weekends when you have no teaching responsibilities?

While it is true that the children go “home” every other weekend, our teaching responsibilities never seem to end. We spend quite a bit of time preparing lessons, etc.  Then there are the normal household chores to be done. We usually don’t go anywhere. The cafeteria is not open on the weekends. While I’m content to live on chocolate and coffee, it is not the same for Roger.

4. What about on the weekends that the children are here?

We usually spend the same amount of time on school preparation and household business. But every few weeks, it is our turn to accompany the children on a Saturday outing, which gives the dorm parents a break for the afternoon. They go swimming or to a show. Once we took them for a long hike in Walnut Canyon where they could have looked at cliff dwellings if they had had the inclination to.

5. What is your apartment like?

We live in a two-bedroom apartment attached to a dorm. The dorm is unoccupied except for another dorm parent at this time.  (She lives in a different dorm apartment.) If we get one more girl enrolled, the older girls will be moving over here from the dorm where they are now housed. Our kitchen, dining area, and living area are all one open space, but it is comfortable enough. We have the coolest rocks in our front yard.

6. What do you do officially?

Roger is the third grade teacher. He has 8 students, mostly boys. Sara is the 6^th grade teacher. She has 6 students, mostly girls.

7. What is the best thing about your new position?

This is a great question, but it’s hard to answer. We like that we are working together in the same ministry. Even though they are so needy and difficult, we love our students. We also like being here and working with people of all age groups and from all over the nation who have the same heart to serve Jesus in whatever He has chosen for them at this time.. We come from Maryland, New York, West VA, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, CA, AZ, NM, Wyoming, VA, WA, etc. But we’re all here because God brought this particular group of people with their gifts and talents and personalities together for this ministry this year.

8. Is the school open all year round?

No, we have a traditional school year. We’ll be finishing the first quarter on Oct. 10^th, and the school year will be over in May.

9. Do you have support needs?

We do not officially raise support. If people would like to help out, they are certainly welcome to do so.  Some of our friends have joined the ranks of sponsors for a student. Others have sent things to fill a specific need, such as books for our students, calculators, and cases for their recorders. We have our food and housing needs met, and our small stipend can take care of our other needs. Our school also collects Campbells’ Soup labels and Boxtops.

10. Will you go someplace for Thanksgiving and Christmas?

We won’t go any place for Thanksgiving, but our son will probably pass by here on his way to California during that time. I can hardly wait. As far as Christmas, we’ll probably be in California with relatives.

11.  What subjects do the children take?

Our first through eighth graders take all the classes you would expect school children to take, but they also have sheep/wool and chickens. We teach our own music and art, but our principal is an athlete, so we gladly let him take our PE classes. In addition, we play five schools in sports. We just finished the Cross Country season. We’ll have volleyball and basketball next.

12. Do the children speak English?

Yes, they all speak English, though their grandparents might not. But though they are fluent in spoken English, their vocabulary, comprehension, writing, and grammar skills tend to be two or more years below grade level. That is a challenge to every teacher.

13. Are you on a reservation?

No, we are an ACSI Christian boarding school not in the Navajo Nation. But our children mostly come from the Reservation. Some of them do not have running water or electricity.  We send busses out to pick them up from a couple of locations so the parents don’t have to drive all the way in. Some live several hours away.

14. Have you done any sightseeing in Arizona yet?

We wish we could say yes, but we just haven’t had the time. This state is beautiful, and we are eager to visit some of the sites and some of our friends who live here.

15. What is the nearest town?

The nearest town is Holbrook.  We will attend church there. It has the nearest library, post office, and restaurants. If we want to do shopping, we can go to Winslow or Snow Flake, and if we want to do REAL shopping, we’d have to go to Show Low or Flagstaff.

16. Are the classes difficult to teach?

Yes, that is one of our weekly prayer requests. The children are here because they have difficult home situations and many have been asked to leave their former schools. They are all needy in some way. Their biggest need is to know Jesus Christ as their Savior. We also are trying to catch them up academically because they have not been consistently educated or parented. The classroom is a challenge due to constant behavior problems also.

17. What is the school website?

www.indianschool.org

18. Do you have a blog?
It is more general than our newsletters, though the information will be the same. If you know people who would like to hear from us on a regular basis, we’d be happy to add them to the mailing list.  We send out specific prayer requests almost every week.

19. Does the school have computers?

Absolutely. We have a good computer lab – donated computers, smart boards, and internet. Our library is still getting put together, but we hope to have that up and running soon.

20. What is your enrollment?

It varies from year to year, but this right now we have around 37 children. That includes our preschoolers, who are staff children.

Thank you for the questions. Hopefully this has sparked more questions in your mind….

We sincerely appreciate your partnership with us and your prayers.

Love,

The Everetts

September 22

Dear Friends and Family,

Fortunately Roger’s Monday wasn’t as bad as it could have been (see last week’s letter) because he was aided in his classroom by two (top-notch) retired teachers from Missouri who were here with a Work and Witness Team.

Unfortunately his Tuesday was difficult because his aides (Mary and Carolyn) were gone.

Fortunately, they were subbing for Sara in her class because she (unfortunately) suddenly had an attack of the dizzies with various accompanying symptoms. (Fortunately that only lasted a few hours.)

Fortunately the sixth grade girls, who are very mature physically, but are children inside, gave them a good day.

Unfortunately, one of my girls had a long talk with the principal and head of the dorms, about something that could have led to a suspension.

Fortunately, the thing was straightened out. (I’m not even sure of the details.) But, it was wonderful to have her ask me to pray for the situation because her faith is mixed with Traditional Navajo beliefs and is not pure and strong.  God is gracious to children when they truly come to a place of seeking and trusting. I’m praying for her to come to saving faith soon.

Unfortunately, another of my girls was having a bad day because she had quit the Cross Country team in a fit of anger, and the coach would not let her back on right away.

Fortunately, her behavior got better through the day instead of getting worse as I feared it would.

Fortunately there are fewer things to do on my daily list, but unfortunately it takes just as long, and there is little free time to do things that are not school related.

Unfortunately, it has been raining and our yard is full of tumbleweeds.

Fortunately, our yard is also full of beautiful rocks, geodes, and petrified wood.

Fortunately, Roger has lost some weight because of the regulated meals and exercise. Unfortunately, Sara hasn’t lost much even though she is trying. J But the girls in her class have, which is good because they came a little on the heavy side, and their tribe has diabetes in epidemic proportions. Hopefully, they are learning healthy habits and are getting plenty of sunshine and exercise.

We were so blessed this week to have the huge Work and Witness team from Joplin, MO, here. They helped in the classrooms, the nurse’s office, the cafeteria, and on the grounds. There is always a lot of work to do around here, and these folks were the consummate volunteer group. They graciously gathered around us to pray for us before they left on Saturday. The group this coming week will be from Delaware. We have groups here about half of the year, and we could not exist without their labor. Others send gifts or sponsor children. It is such a treat for us to see how God is working through His people.

Fortunately you all are praying for us, and we think of you fondly.

Love,

Sara and Roger

Lest you write back chiding me about my theology, I know God is sovereign. 

Ephesians 1:11b “In Him we were chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ might be for the praise of His glory.”

September 15, 2013

Dear Friends and Family,

Many of you would choose Monday as the worst day of the week. Here at Sun Valley, it is almost always true.

Every other Monday, the children come back to us from being at their “homes” for the weekend. But their home lives are anything but stable. One boy told Roger that he was left alone in the motor home to play video games all day.  A second grade girl stayed alone a great deal and ate cereal all weekend. Another girl told me that they had spent the entire weekend in hotel rooms in Albuquerque instead of enjoying the comforts of the familiar. Two girls came back to us covered with flea bites, and lice is always a problem when they come back to us on Sunday night – keeping two people busy for hours every week.

Other homes try to integrate Christianity into their Native religion, which includes ceremonies, chants, and witch doctors, further confusing the children and opening them up to demonic activity in their lives.

The young ones are torn; they yearn to go home and even “act out” a few days before they go, but when they return, it has always been a disappointment in some way. They carry this hurt and disappointment into the classrooms on Monday.

On those weekends, many watch movies and listen to music that would make me blush. One of my girls, influenced by older siblings, came back with the lyrics of a very filthy song spinning around in her head. She felt compelled to write it down. Another boy told his teacher that he had terrible nightmares and wanted to know how to combat them. His teacher talked to him about the power of calling on Jesus to dispel the fears in the night. He then told her that he feels like voices tell him to do things – one voice insisting that he do something naughty, and the other voice warning him against it. Pray especially for one student to listen to God’s Spirit drawing him.

So, on Monday, when you think of it, please pray for us here at Sun Valley. The teachers’ names are Erica, Caitlin, Roger, Sharon, Sara, Aaron, and Natalie.  Our principal is Kris. We will be eternally grateful.

Thank you for your prayers and gifts for the students.

Sara and Roger

www.indianschool.org

September 8

Dear Friends and Family,

Today finds me in Psalm 51. “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love, according to your great compassion, blot out my transgression.”

It seems that the student Roger talked to had been giving his teacher and his dorm dad problems all week, and he felt the need to be forgiven and to restore a relationship. In his third grade scrawl, he wrote a note to his teacher saying: “I’m sorry for giving you a hard time today.”  He went further and fashioned a cross with toothpicks and mounted it on lined paper as a symbol of his repentance.

“Aw, how sweet,” you say.

And now, the rest of the story. The student composed this note during an art lesson, in which he refused to participate, on paper that is kept behind the teacher’s desk (where he is not allowed to go) with toothpicks (plural) of which he had been instructed to take only one for the art project, and stuck it together with sticky tack, from the back of who knows which poster on the classroom wall.  :)

 Sigh. But look at verse 17. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

We will trust that this little boy is taking his first, faltering steps toward recognizing he is a sinner and longing to be restored to fellowship. Pray that he takes many more steps toward home as Jesus comes running to meet Him.

Roger

And this from Sara:

I like to feel secure, to have all my ducks in a row, so I don’t have to rely on the daily manna. Today I discovered that my computer back-up disk did not survive the move. So, all the photos and music and lesson plans that I had so carefully saved are in data heaven.  And Jesus is saying to me, “Don’t create your own back-up plan. Don’t collect manna for tomorrow. Trust me for each day.”

Thank you for your prayers for us and our boys and girls.

September 1

Dear Faithful Friends and Family,

We just got back from a little walk up to “the crosses,” which are up on a hill overlooking our campus. Each corner of the sky portrayed a different picture. To the east glowed an awesome Arizona sunset and behind us – an amazing display of lightning. It parallels so well with what I have been reading in Job: “See how He scatters His lightning about him bathing the depths of the sea. This is the way He governs the nations and provides food in abundance. He fills His hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark” (Job 36:30-31). I don’t want to miss the little phrase in the middle of those strong words about the Lord’s gentle provision. Our God is not just Great, He is Good.

This week we had a visit from a Mission Team from the Thundersley Congregational Church in Essex, England (www.thebeacon.org). They have a burden for the Native American People and have sent mission teams to the Gallop, NM, area before. The children listened in chapel, (That’s always a praise.) and enjoyed asking them questions and showing them our animals and wool room.  The team gave a clear gospel message and gifts for the school. We don’t know about heart responses from the children, but the whole afternoon was a fun blessing.

Roger and I have decided to do Buddy reading with our classes and to seat them together in assemblies/chapel to help with some of the boys’ behavior. I also think this is very good for the girls in my class, who are at a typically self-centered time in their lives. Pray that this will help in many areas.

We’ve had some emotional “drama” in the 6^th grade. (You don’t want to know.) But I think I’m making progress with them when two of them gave me hugs and called me “grandma” in Navajo.  I asked if that were an insult, and one assured me that if they wanted to insult me, they would call me “old.”

Thank you for your continued interest and prayers. Pray for Roger as he continues to work with his class. They were especially homesick last week and were “acting out.”

We love and appreciate you all,

Sara and Roger

August 25, 2013

Dear Friends and Family,
Last week I was in Nehemiah; this week I’m reading in Job.  Don’t you just love where Job busts forth in Job 19 with the assurance that our Redeemer lives and he will see Him!

Let me tell you about some of our precious children:

Roger had an extended conversation with one of his little boys .  He just can’t behave; and it extends from defiance and disobedience to fighting and running out of the room.  He expressed frustration at not being able to be good. Roger agreed with him; we can’t be good because we really don’t have the power. He explained that when we ask Jesus to be part of our lives, He will help us. The student was listening, but he wasn’t ready to make a commitment. Pray that he is on the road to becoming a Christian. He already admits he is a sinner…..

One girl in my class, who clings to her traditional religion and charms, is asking me how I know that the Bible is true.  I don’t know if that question comes from trying to disrupt others’ faith or if she is really interested. When I asked the class to write down on an unsigned (oh yes, I know their penmanship) index card who they thought Jesus was, her response was that Jesus was a good man.  Jesus was so much more than a good man! This girl is new to the school and fitting in well, and I pray that she softens to the truth of the Bible.

When the children are here with us every other weekend, it is a splendid opportunity to talk to them in a setting where we can show them that we really care about them. I learned that one student lives in a motorhome filled with junk. No wonder he likes to be here where he has a room with a bathroom and a dorm dad who cares about him. Pray for him and other children who go home to those types of home situations. And I learned that one 7^th grader has never been to a dentist. Fortunately the health truck comes by here and certain grades of the children are screened and given what they need.

We are so appreciative of your thoughts and prayers and little notes.

I have attached a couple of photos – one of Roger’s boys at the Observatory and one of some of our little girls at the fish hatchery. www.indianschool.org

Love,
Sara

August 18

 The children had their first weekend at home this weekend and have been arriving back here since 4 PM. I don’t know if Monday will be worse or better because of their having been at home. Their home situations are generally fractured. That is one of the reasons so many of them are here – a grandparent has to care for them, and just can’t do it. One set of grandparents has four to raise, three are enrolled already, and the fourth will probably be joining my class tomorrow. If he does, that would be a good thing since I only have one boy so far.

I’ve been reading about Nehemiah and the wall building this week. The workers repaired the gates right away so they would be able to keep things out that were detrimental to the people. That’s what we want to do – keep out some of the “traditional” superstitions that clash and confuse. One of my girls wears her sacred stones, and one in Roger’s class told him that the medicine man went to her house when she was sick. A boy in 7^th grade threw a Bible across the room because something inside him could not handle the light of Christ.

The enemies tried to foil the building of the wall, but Nehemiah reminded the people that God was great and glorious. We fight together on this battlefield – fighting the enemies of these children’s souls. They do not know nor appreciate that they are loved and someone (many people) want the best for them. Please pray that the boys in Roger’s class will settle down, so he will be able to teach them something. Pray that he finds the key to open their minds and hearts. Right now he feels like he is playing “Whack-a-Mole.”

Continue praying so that no gaps remain for the enemy to get in. One of my girls was very offended when we discussed how everyone after the Flood knew the truth about God, but as the nations migrated away from Babel, they forgot the truth. She recognized immediately that we were saying her beliefs had only partial truth.

I like the part in Nehemiah when the wall was completed and the praise singers walked on the wall that the enemy said couldn’t be built. Pray that we will stand firm this year on God’s Word and will look back to see the many blessings God has brought.

Pray for me as I work with one of my other girls who gives a quick negative retort to everything. Pray that I can be like Jesus in my responses to her.

Thank you for your prayers and gifts. If you know anyone else who wants to be on our mailing list, just have them e-mail us.

Roger and Sara Everett
www.Indianschool.org

August 10, 2013

 What a week it has been!

Sunday started with a visit to a Navajo Nazarene Church about two hours away in Nazlini (see Wikipedia article) on the Reservation. On the way, we witnessed three car accidents within about 1.5 miles. The Pastor predicted that it might have been because of too much celebrating on a Navajo traditional religious holiday.  (Remember, the Navajo traditional religion is based on the medicine man and chants and charms.) The service was in both English and Navajo, so it was difficult to maintain focus, but the people were very friendly and afterward fed us Navajo tacos. Yum. It was there we received an orientation from a social worker who explained some of the prevalent problems among these people: Very helpful information as all of our students come to us because of difficult family situations.

The first day of school went fairly well for Roger and me. He has a bunch of lively little boys who desperately need a Christian male role model in their lives. My class is mostly giggly 6^th grade girls. Students are still arriving and registering, so the school takes two one day field trips at the beginning of the year, so we can have a good start on Monday with everyone here.

One cool thing this week was that on Monday before the students arrived, the dorm parents went to each dorm and prayed over each room, and the teachers went to every classroom and prayed over each class. Such a precious time to ask God to keep the evil influences out of our classroom and to bring each child to salvation.

My worst trauma on the first day was being locked in the restroom. Fortunately I had my cell phone with me and a call to the office was relayed to my rescuer.  Needless to say, I was slightly harassed and claustrophobic, but managed to laugh about it later.

Our field trips were to Flagstaff (1.5 hours) to the Lowell Observatory and to Show Low (1hour) for a Fish Hatchery tour and some bowling and swimming. The children were basically behaving. We took these as opportunities to teach some social manners. We see certain ones that will be a challenge in the classroom.

Thank you again for your prayers.  This week please pray as we really start school. The students are generally two years behind when they come to us but are all capable of learning. They have lacked consistent education due to family difficulties. Pray that the children learn to love and accept each other. Most of them are new as there is a large turn-over each year here. And pray for us teachers to have love and wisdom for these ones who are so precious to our Lord.

www.Indianschool.org

August 4, 2013

Dear Friends,

As you know, our lives have been a veritable whirlwind (or as they say in Arizona: dirt devil) for the past three weeks. Amazingly, we were able to pack up the house and lighten it by 2500 pounds from the original moving company estimate. Thanks to all of you who helped in so many ways.

The trip across the country went uneventfully. We traveled over 500 miles per day, making stops in Knoxville, Memphis, and Amarillo, and finally arriving here in Sun Valley, Arizona, eight days ago. Our GPS didn’t even believe there was a Sun Valley, AZ.

The campus is very spread out. Because we are a boarding school, we have school buildings, dorms, utility buildings, offices, a cafeteria, and housing for the staff. We also have sheep, horses, and chickens. What fun! Part of the curriculum is learning to care for the animals and learn some basic things with the wool such as washing, dying, carding, spinning, and weaving.

The staff here has been in orientation for a week, and there is a real family feeling. We come from all over the United States: New York, West VA, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, CA, AZ, NM, Wyoming, etc. But we’re all here because God brought this particular group of people with their gifts and talents and personalities together for this ministry this year.

Sun Valley Indian School (www.indianschool.org) is a Christian school – not on a reservation. We are part of ACSI, and teach 1^st through 8^th graders. Almost all of the children who attend here are here because they are needy in some way. The family situations they come out of are very difficult. Culturally, we have a lot to learn about the Navajo people. Please pray for us because it is “go” time, and we just don’t feel ready.

We never know what the enrollment will be until the kids all get here. But, it looks like Roger will be teaching 3^rd and I will be teaching 6^th. We have one last day of meetings and room prep, and then the children will be here!

Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers during our transition and for our ministry here with the Navajo children.

Roger and Sara Everett