Aug. 24

Dear Friends and Family,

Cedar Wood is the best for BBQ.

Wow! This afternoon as we walked home from church, I was thinking that God called me into missions when I was saved as a child. I’ve been in Christian education all my life, but now we are involved in a Mission organization with a broader vision than Christian schooling. At our business meeting, we heard the reports from many of the others: Indian Bible College; The Nehemiah Project (to rebuild this mission station which has deteriorating buildings); the Radio Station, which will host a Shar-a-thon soon and is opening a new station in Tuba City; Community Outreach (which connects with the community and with the Navajo pastors), Youth Ministries, which supports and encourages youth workers throughout the Navajo Nation, and Jail Ministries.

It was disheartening to hear that many of the Navajo churches are dying and the pastors either don’t know how to or don’t wish to deal with the problems that are still rampant in their communities: problems such as alcoholism and unemployment. Church is seen as something to do on Sunday, but it is not applicable to the rest of the week. There are approximately 600 Native churches on the Reservation. Statistically, fewer than 10% of Navajo are Christian. Even the President, who is supposedly a Christian, was reported to have said that the medicine men needed to be consulted before a decision could be made.

There's always room for play dough.

School seems to be going well. I just got another new student. Fortunately, he is in a group with another new student. Let’s just say, they have some catching up to do. The little girl I mentioned last week is doing very well. She always has a smile and is willing to try everything. She’s a bit shy, but seems very bright.

Third grade is fun.

It’s hard to tell where my little ones are spiritually, as some know the “God talk.” They did listen intently this week when I told the exciting account of the Resurrection of Jesus, but asking Jesus to be their Savior and Lord is a foreign concept at this time.

R* is having fun teaching his small class too. He has five, and they are all at a different place academically, so he asks for wisdom continually. They are responding to his warmth and enthusiasm.  We’re still finding that vocabulary is a challenge. We’ll ask a question and get blank looks; it’s not because they don’t know the answer, it’s because we’ve used a word that they don’t commonly hear.

On the playground.

We have a garden that was a school project for one of the former students who is now a university student. We’re trying to harvest the squash before the critters nibble on it. The corn and tomatoes will show up later. I’m not sure what else is out there.

Love and Prayers

First Grade Rainbow! 

See our garden grow.

A recess favorite -- the teetertotter.