March 20

Rescued owls at the Navajo Nation Zoo

Last week while studying birds, I pulled out a beautiful book about Owls and was quickly informed by several students: “We Navajos don’t look at owls.”  I wondered if it were even acceptable to show the book to the students, which it was.

Subsequent research explained this taboo.  Only a few wild animals or birds are considered friendly to the Navajos. Owls, crows, mice, and coyotes are considered helpers of witches and evil spirits (Bulows).

Owls are known as messengers, but usually if you hear an owl call, it is an omen of something bad, so one must not look at it (Alford).  They see the owl as connected with sudden death -- often with little or no warning-- and consider the sightings a bad portent (Richard Sutton). According to Navajo legend, the creator, Nayenezgani, told the Owl after creating it “…in days to come, men will listen to your voice to know what will be their future” (Deanane Lewis).

This question opened a door for a discussion with a Navajo Elder at our church. He explained that this fear of owls is prevalent, but he stated confidently that he has the Lord and doesn’t believe in the owl or coyote omens.

There were ten Hilltop students with most having attended here for three years, and only one sitting there before me crossed her arms and said, “Well, I don’t believe that.” (She is the daughter of missionaries.) Great and Mighty is the Lord our God to break down the walls of fear.

Team from Kansas

Painting backdrops for the Easter Program

We’re so blessed to have Work Teams coming back for the spring and summer. Our first group came from Kansas. Since school was on Spring Break, they worked on the construction of the dorm/conference building and painted backdrops for the Easter Program. This coming week we look forward to the wonderfully energetic group of teens from Redwood Christian School. They’ll connect with the students through Bible class, Chapel, tutoring, and play times. In addition, they’ll be setting up the Carnival/Open House so HCS can reach into the community. We hope to create publicity and increase our enrollment for the next school year.

A note of praise to our God who heals: The father of my student who has cancer underwent surgery (in Houston) during the break. He is home now, and things are going well.

Blessings!

Blog: everettnavajo.blogspot.com

Support: Western Indian Ministries: http://www.westernindian.org/donate2/

P.O. Box 9090, Window Rock, AZ 86515

February 29

Collage from the art classes.

Matthew 18:1-6: At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them.  And He said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

            While making the weekly trek to the market, I spied road kill: a cow. (My first time on that one.) It was difficult not to gag as I took the photo. So many children here are led off the safe pasture due to broken families and a stinky society.

Looks bad and smells bad too.

            Layne told me this week that his mom’s money had been stolen from her purse. I asked if they had called the police. He said no because they thought at first his dad might have taken it. I asked why he would take it, and he said, “Because he was drunk.” But Layne decided that the father couldn’t have taken it because some of his stuff was missing too.

            Alcoholism is rampant. That is a stereotype, but unfortunately, it is all too true. Two children asked for prayer one for a mom and one for a grandma who was going into rehab.

Wild horses in late winter.

            One of my students has an (young) uncle in a coma in the hospital and another’s father is fighting cancer.

            No matter how frustrated I get with their behavior, willfulness, and inability to focus, I cannot allow the precious ones in my class to become “road kill” because of hasty words or an exasperated look. Pray that we teachers have patience and we remember every minute that we are called to show them Jesus’ love.

This just might be the true Matthew 18 principle: Children are the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, and our job as adults is to love them and keep them from stumbling.

The third quarter ends this Friday. It seems that grades typically go down during the winter season, so we’d appreciate wisdom. We are preparing the Easter Program, which will be given at the end of the month. As of now, we don’t know where the program will be held because of the water damage to the church.  Pray that God smooths the way for a location and that the children can learn their parts.

May God bless you.

The Hilltop Christian Ark.

Support: Western Indian Ministries: http://www.westernindian.org/donate2/

P.O. Box 9090, Window Rock, AZ 86515