August 28

Last spring our church suffered major water damage. The insurance company finally gave the go-ahead to clean and repair what we could; and on church workday, it became our job to find a home for a cart of volleyballs. As we discussed where to stash them, a retired Navajo man asked for two volleyballs. Why? He uses them when herding his sheep. If the sheep strays off, he’ll lob the ball in that direction to turn the skittish creature.

Shepherding has been an integral part of Navajo culture since the Spanish introduced sheep around 1600.  Before that, Navajos were farmers and hunter/gatherers. By the 1800s, shepherding had assumed parity with farming in Navajo lives. Two appalling times in their history the sheep population was severely diminished: first in 1863 when Kit Carson was given the order to subjugate the Indians by any means and secondly in the 1930s when the Indian Bureau and the Soil Conservation Bureau exterminated sheep because of  “overgrazing.” (The owners were not compensated, and wool was left on the slaughtered sheep.)

Sheep are the most important livestock because they supply wool for rug weaving and meat for food. But it is becoming increasingly difficult to find Navajo-grown mutton. These days, though most Navajos own a few sheep, there are relatively few shepherds on the Reservation. The entire sheep population is estimated to be around 6000. The shepherds’ children and grandchildren will be seeking employment involving a computer.

We stopped our car to chat with the shepherds.

The herds must be moved continually to keep them from overgrazing the land. The grazing land on the Rez abuts the road. We frequently see cows and horses nibbling at the roadside. Usually someone accompanies them on foot, horseback, or a four-wheeler. Dogs trot alongside, some more useful than others. If sheep stray, the guardian tosses a stick in front of them and shouts to turn them away from danger.

The children at Hilltop understand Biblical references to sheep and shepherds because it is imbedded in their culture. They think it’s great that Jesus ate mutton. They can understand the comparison of a good shepherd and a mediocre one. They’ve heard about the helplessness of the sheep and the love of the shepherd, thereby making this a valuable bridge in teaching about Jesus.

The pastors here on the Rez are also seeking wisdom in feeding their flocks and winning others to the Lord. I know many are interested in some results from the Pastors’ Summit last weekend. Our director, Chuck Harper, posted a letter on the Internet that summarizes the event. Here is the link for the Newsletter:

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Western-Indian-Ministries-Update.html?soid=1101080614619&aid=yczy4tGhAaQ

We love our "sheep" at HCS too!

Prayer Requests for the week:

·      Please remember Mr. Naas who has just recently come aboard as part of the Hilltop Christian School Administrative team – that he would get up-to-speed quickly.

·      Pray for the entire Naas family to adjust to living here in Arizona.

·      Pray for Mrs. H.  She has a challenging group, and this is her first year as a classroom teacher.

Roger and Sara

Blog: https://everettnavajo.blogspot.com

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

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

February 2

Snow Day!!

The flakes stopped swirling, giving way to crisp air and bright sun. Every teacher joins us in rejoicing!

Dear Friends,

We had a tremendous time at the SRS (Support Raising Solutions) Seminar on Thursday and Friday. We met dozens of missionaries involved in many ministries-- both stateside and foreign-- who are seeing God’s hand moving powerfully in individuals, families, and cultures. We came home blessed and encouraged. Thank you for your prayers that this would be a good conference for us.

This is the third Sunday that our church, Community Bible Church in Tse Bonito, has worshipped in Hilltop’s cafeteria rather than in its own building.

In mid-January, water began seeping from one of the upstairs pipes. It eventually burst and flowed through the entire south side of the building, dampening walls and ceilings and inundating the carpet in the sanctuary. The stench warned of potential mold.

The church has been inspected for structural and mold problems, but the results are not in. In fact, the initial set of mold tests was “lost,” and has to be repeated. The Insurance company will not make any steps towards settling, thus hanging up progress towards replacements and repairs. Some problems remain invisible. Meanwhile, volunteers and professionals are cleaning out and dehumidifying the building.

The situation is sad, distressing, and overwhelming. We are praying that God continues to work all things together for the good of His people.

Our church situation is an indication of the Spiritual Warfare that assails God’s work on the Rez. In addition, Western Indian Ministries is lending its Lucero building to another area church that was ruined by arson a few months ago. Navajo Bible Church will have to totally rebuild.

The Lucero Building, where they worship now, normally provides the housing for the work teams that come to WIM in the spring and summer. Plan A was to have Navajo Bible meet at Community Bible Church for an afternoon service in the spring, but without a plan B, Navajo Bible could become a “homeless” church starting mid-March. Only our Father can see the answer to that situation right now.

Churches across the Reservations are plagued by physical problems. But even more troubling are some of the other concerns:

Pastors are discouraged because there are few workers.

People hear the Bible messages, but continue to do their own thing (such as participate in traditional ceremonies, use peyote, and disregard Jesus’s teachings.)

People see the church as a social occasion, enjoying the food and fellowship, but maintaining a shallow relationship with the Lord Jesus.

Churches are regularly vandalized.

We appreciate you and your prayers. We are strengthened to know that the impossible is possible with God (Luke 18:27).

Love,

Roger and Sara

Blog: everettnavajo.blogspot.com

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

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

August 14

Dear Friends,

Today I want to share Wade’s story.

What I Did this Summer

Wade (a college junior who attends our church when he’s home) had an amazing summer. He joined On Eagle’s Wings (Ron Hutchcraft Ministries https://www.hutchcraft.com/on-eagles-wings/oew-news/).

First he attended a Warrior Leadership Summit in MO, which brought together Christian young people from numerous tribes who had historically fought each other. 

Then they fanned out in groups to various reservations to mingle and communicate with other Native people.

His group was assigned to go to Mass., New York, Maine, Canada, and some other Eastern areas where the First Nations people originally had contact with the colonists. Wade shared that over the last 500 years, these people have lost their culture and their language. There is no community of Christians on the Rez because they generally associate Christianity with the political agenda of the colonists. In fact, if one becomes a Christian, he is rejected because his family says, “You gave up to the white man.”

Wade continued, “They are religious/spiritual people who generally subscribe to some form of religion. Four hundred years ago, a man introduced the “Longhouse Religion” with its three main admonitions: Don’t drink, don’t gamble, and don’t read the Bible. Ironically, they have a Jesus, but he is not the Jesus of the Bible.”

Wade said, “So, we talked to these people and told them our Hope stories. Our Hope stories are our way of telling our testimony in a way that our people will understand.  Amazing things started happening. The people were shocked that God had sent their own people to them. They started understanding that they could have a deeper identity in Christ. Stony hearts were turned to flesh before our eyes. Men stopped complaining about their loss of land. They realized that the Creator gave them their land and the people in their lives. Because Jesus took the responsibility for their sins, they started seeing that they needed to take responsibility for their lives and their families.

“We have to have a vision larger than regaining our language and our land. We have a big God and a Gospel that has answers for us personally and answers for the painful problems on our Reservations. There is a growing hostility against religious freedom that affects us all – not just white Americans. God can take a broken people and give them a torch to help the whole nation find their way.”

---------------- 

What a powerful, encouraging testimony for us this Sunday morning!  We know there are only two kinds of children in the world: those who are on their way to heaven and those who aren’t. The parents of the children at Hilltop Christian School have given us permission to train their children spiritually as well as academically. As Wade commented, white missionaries can’t say some of the things that need to be said to the Navajo Nation. But the Children of the Light can reach their own families and their own people.

Please pray for the Navajo Nation Christian Leadership Summit this coming Friday and Saturday.  Christian leaders from all parts of the Navajo nation (HCS is planning to serve lunch for 300) will be gathering together on the WIM/Hilltop campus to pray and strategize for more effective ministry to the Navajo Nation.  Pray for all the details to be worked out.  Pray for unity and that the Christian leaders can effectively rally the church to catch the vision of the Navajo Nation becoming a torch for the country.

Blessings and love

Blog: https://everettnavajo.blogspot.com

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

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

August 1

President and VP join with Teen Mission Representatives at a Planning Meeting.

Exciting things are happening; and it isn’t even that Teacher Orientation is upon us, or we are anticipating a great staff retreat, or that Teen Mission reported a successful boot camp for the Navajo Youth, or that I found evidence of mice in my classroom. These are exciting times for the Navajo Christians, and I’ll let these notes from WIM’s director, Chuck Harper, tell you about the Navajo Pastors’ Summit.

“The Navajo Christian Leadership Summit will be a remarkable event. The Navajo President’s office has called for a Christian Leadership Summit, which will take place on August 19 and 20, and will be held on the Western Indian Ministries campus.

“Over 75 Navajo Pastors and Christian Leaders have been meeting for several months to plan this event! This comes as our new Navajo Nation President and Vice President have called the Christian Pastors together to stimulate an environment for collaboration and challenge the Navajo Church to be more engaged in serving each other. As the pastors and leaders have met, they have expanded on this challenge and identified some of the key issues that the Native Christian Church faces. These will be addressed at this summit.

“Words can’t explain the kind of unity and eager spiritual expectancy that has been exhibited at our [planning] meetings. In all my years of ministry here, I have never been part of such a broad spectrum of Christian Leadership who are so willing to work together and pray together with such fervency. This is a remarkable first in my years of ministry experience.

“Part of the program includes a session with the Navajo President and Vice President. (They have both openly stated that God has put them in office to help bring the Gospel to the Navajo People). Another session will address legal issues that are specific to Navajo Churches and Navajo Law.

“We will have break-out sessions on leadership, suicide prevention, marriage and family issues, Native masculinity, and a youth track.

Work teams have helped this summer.

“I [Chuck Harper, WIM Director] think this is significant for several reasons:

1. I believe that the coming of the Lord is soon! This event will help us accelerate our efforts in sharing the Gospel with the Navajo Nation!

2. This will help us return to our roots of serving and equipping the Navajo / Native Christian Church.

3. This will help us get to know many others and build relationships with those serving in God’s kingdom!

4. This helps us optimize the resources God has given us… It is no coincidence that God has placed us here in Window Rock/Tse Bonito and given us a 78+-year history.

“I hope you can see all that God is doing, and that our ministry is relevant to the needs and people we are here to serve. I count it a true joy to serve along with you.

Another school year around the corner.

“This is truly a remarkable time on God’s calendar! I am convinced that we are on the threshold of seeing God work in new and mighty ways. We must hold fast to the Word of God, be constant in our faith, and trust in HIM alone.”

Thank you for praying for us and for Western Indian Ministries.

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

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