April 27

Dear Friends,

Because of a persistent cough and larynx infection, I’m on voice rest this weekend, and you wouldn’t believe how difficult this is. Oh, sure, it’s easy not to say the loving words, but out fly the rebukes and remarks that are best left unsaid. It’s rather amusing (?) to hear Roger carry on both sides of the conversation. What does dear James say about the tongue? It’s such a little thing, but it gets us in big trouble when it reveals what is really inside. Ouch.

President-elect Russell Begaye

I have lots of random thoughts this week, some of which will spill over into the sequel. Monday we celebrate Navajo Nation Sovereignty Day. Some people would be surprised to know that there are several sovereign nations within the borders of the United States. Last week, Russell Begaye easily beat a former two-term Navajo Nation President to win the Presidential election. Russell Begaye, is a Christian. We will keep praying that through his leadership, the Dine (the People) will know that Jesus is the answer to their social woes. The Inauguration will be May 12^th.

With the warmer weather, the critters and stink bugs are starting to appear. These are the big, black desert stink bugs (Pinacate Beetles, darkling or clown beetles). When they are bothered, they stop and do a headstand as a warning. Further harassment brings a stink bomb emitted from the insect’s rear end. Yes, you can smell it. One girl told me that the stink bugs make medicine. I was incredulous, so I checked the source of all truth -- the Internet. And sure enough: “A teaspoon of stinkbug urine is used to cure thrush or prevent bedwetting. And it can also be used to heal measles and chickenpox. Since snakes fear stink bugs, stink bugs can also be used as snake repellent.” And here’s another warning for you: “Don’t throw stinkbugs into the fire or you will get a rash or sores.”

The Mission Organization Teen Mission finds the most out-of-way, rural, hard-places-to-live for their boot camps. They are looking for a location to train Navajo teens and others. Apparently the worst is the best. We had to laugh because they chose our site in Tse Bonito. So Western Indian Ministries will be making a proposal to work with the Teen Mission Organization.  As you might know, the original Teen Mission training facility is in Florida. It is a primitive camp with realistic conditions that campers might find on the mission field. Young missionaries learn teamwork and unity on the obstacle course and take classes in things such as Bible, music, construction, evangelism, and survival skills. This year at least 45 teams will be going to 30 countries to share Christ through disaster relief, sports, drama, and construction projects.

T* keeps me on my toes with the most interesting questions. Here’s one of his latest: Why are girls so bouncy?” When he asked, I looked around, and there they were, a group of young ladies bouncing. What would you have said?

Thank you for your gifts and prayers.

Until Soon...

May 3

Dear Friends,

I just finished Lila: a Novel by Marilynn Robinson. It was a good read. In one long, roaming chapter, Lila explores the present and her past while musing on theological questions. One of the characters wrote, “So things happen for reasons that are hidden from us, utterly hidden for as long as we think they must proceed from what has come before, our guilt or our deserving, rather than coming to us from a future that God in his freedom offers to us.” Such a grand thought: we are where we are because of the future God has planned for us, not our past failures or our ‘deserved’ blessings.

Leon, our WIM bookkeeper, just returned from the Philippines.  He had been on a mission trip for two weeks. Apparently the people of the Philippines are open to the Gospel at this time.  We’ll be hearing more about his opportunities and the trip. We at WIM are excited about sending out a Navajo missionary as the dine’ have usually been the mission field rather than the sent ones.

Another ministry here at WIM is the jail ministry. Lauretta and June hold a service there every week. June was having little luck in getting the half-dozen ladies to sing along with her. No wanted to participate. (Basically, they were just there to get out of their cells.) Lauretta sensed a spirit of heaviness. Boldly, Lauretta told the ladies that something was going on, and there was a feeling of heaviness on the place. The hardened ladies scorned Lauretta's words. Finally after the short teaching time, one of the ladies approached Lauretta and asked for prayer. After Lauretta prayed for her, the young lady’s name was called -- she was getting released right then! What a testament to the other women of God's care and power!

And in our area with these delightful children, our hearts hurt as we pray for them and their families. We’re holding them up when one says, “The hardest thing God wants me to do is about my mom. I have to not cry and I have to be brave.” Two others have been abandoned by the mom and several bluntly report, “I don’t have a dad.” In 90% of the families, one parent or grandparent does the parenting.

Traditional Hogan

Missionaries who have served on the Rez for almost 50 years say emphatically that witchcraft and casting curses on people prevails. The medicine men hold power over the people using fear. They sing a ceremony and command the petitioner to do certain things such as remain isolated and/or not use scissors for two days, or he might get hurt. One child who was taken to a ceremony has been crying, taking offense, misunderstanding kindness, and not paying attention. His academics are not up to the usual level. Are we facing a physical problem or a spiritual problem? I don’t have an answer for this one. It boggles the mind that a people who drive trucks and use the Internet have a religion steeped in demonic activity.

We finish this school year at the end of May. It’s been good, and we’re excited about adding two grades next year – going up to 6^th grade.

We’ll let you know if we plan to be in your area this summer.

We appreciate your gifts and prayers.

Navajo Nation - election results

Watching the Ballot Counting

May 11

Dear Friends,

We’ve never lived in a place where it snowed the day before Mothers’ Day. Of course, the ground’s warmth prevented it from staying, but we delighted in the swirling flakes three or four times throughout the day. Mothers’ Day was a treat also for me as I shared memories of my mom with my brother and chatted with the little brothers.

Cool Fish. It's going on a tee-shirt.

The Mothers’ Day sermon was from I Thessalonians 2:7-8: “But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having a fond affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.”

When making Navajo Fry Bread, the grandmas advise us to be very gentle with the kneading. They teach, “Treat it like a baby.” The Navajo way is gentleness and quietness, yet showing great manual skill such as in their weaving, jewelry making, and drawings. Even the Navajo handshake is gentle. In following Paul’s example, Roger and I want to exhibit the gentleness and nurturing of our Savior rather than the irritation and busyness of the disciples, who tried to turn the children away.

The boys like doing crafts.

Why do we feel we have to knead the life out of the dough, guaranteeing a tough loaf? Lighten up, and the bread will be good.

Prayer Requests:

1) We have two weeks left to teach this particular group of kids. Pray for His wisdom to grasp every opportunity for their spiritual and academic instruction.

2) Hilltop Christian School plans to go up to the 6^th grade next year. We’ve got the staff in place, so pray for our new staff as they prepare this summer to come on board.

The girls sing more than do the crafts.

Honking the horn of the Sheriff's car was super.

Fry Bread

Fry bread is quite a process, but so worth it.

3) Concerning our summer, we are praying for travel plans – where to visit to share our ministry and raise support. We’re also hoping to visit family. Pray that God will open doors for a fruitful, yet restful summer.

April 12, 2015

Easter Sunday dawned beautifully over Mary’s Hill here in Tse Bonito. The sun rose into a cloudless, blue sky.  It first lit the distant, forested hills. Then the hills on the far side of town glowed before the town of Window Rock completely brightened.  Behind us, backlit by the rising sun, stood a cross. Musical praises ascended to the Lord in Navajo and English.  The words, the beauty of the place, and the town below us reminded us of what God has done and what God still wants us to do.  Pastor Dave preached on the applicability and power of Christ’s resurrection in our lives today --a glorious beginning to a weird week.

Arizona 

We weren’t quite ready to get back into the classroom. And I wouldn’t wish a water main break on anyone, but it was a nice relief to be able to send the children home on Monday after a half-day due to water issues…then trudge the muddy road home for a needed time of rest and reorganization. Well, actually, R helped with repairing the water pipe, which entailed an 8 PM trip into Gallup.

Siblings

                   

The week’s schedule was already irregular due to the TerraNova Testing. Testing creates an extra tension in the classroom as the students face questions they don’t know or can’t remember. They probably did just fine.

This week we watched “Ragamuffin,” the Rich Mullins story. This prompted us to do more research about Rich and his connection to the Navajo Nation. He lived for a short time in a trailer just across the wash from Hilltop Christian School while ministering to Navajo children. He had dreams and plans for even greater ministry with the Navajo, which were never realized because of his death. Rich, who had many struggles in life, understood the basic truth right – Jesus loves me.  How I respond to His love is my responsibility. The nugget of our message to these precious children is: Jesus loves you.

Friday was another irregular day. Because of an “active shooter” incident, several areas of town were road-blocked in or out and many government buildings were under lock-down (including schools). The school and the children were never in real danger, but we took precautions.  So, parents gathered up kids throughout the afternoon; and other children, who always get picked up on time, had to remain with us until their parents were able to come.  The older ones were nervous. I didn’t tell my young ones what was happening, but they sensed the differentness.

Reading Buddies

When you teach, no week is just a regular week; there is always something different going on. I don’t like surprises – good or bad. I wish for that smooth week with no interruptions or surprises, but no learning occurs without tension.  So, what should we pray for… a smooth week or growing through the tensions?

And some heartbreaking news, another young man known to several of the staff families has taken his own life. Please continue to pray for the family and friends and the Nation that is drowning in hopelessness.

Sonrise

On Mary’s Hill still deep in shadow gray

We gather. Clumps arrive with heavy eyes.

Hot campfire beckons; expectation builds

As sun explodes above a lonely cross.

He lives! Our Lord is risen, risen indeed!

With voices raised we sing the victory tune,

And pine, dry shrub, and rock resound the praise:

He lives. New Day. He lives. New Hope. New Life.

April 6

Last week we had a junior-senior Bible class from Redwood Christian School here on their “missions trip.” What an awesome group of young gentlemen and ladies!  Nineteen exuberant teens spilled out each morning willing to serve in any and every capacity. They made excellent construction progress at the Hilltop House, which will serve as a dorm for work teams and as a Retreat Center for small groups. In addition, we had several of them attached to us at Hilltop helping in the classroom, making bulletin boards, and bonding with the children at recess.  They had difficulty teaching the children that there are actually rules to the game our kids call “soccer,” which is played during recess here with three balls and no rules.

The kids loved the face painting.

New friends.

The group was totally responsible for the Carnival//Open House this week. They built and manned the booths such as face painting, obstacle course, donut challenge, beanbag vs. Goliath, and string the cereal. The most popular, by far, was the cakewalk. Everyone wanted to win something sweet. Over a hundred turned out for this event, and at least one new family enrolled for school. We hope many others will become interested in Hilltop Christian for their children. We plan to offer grades  pre-school through sixth in the fall.

Look at the cake he just won!

He takes aim at Goliath's head.

We're making a cereal necklace.

This week sped by because we had so many practices for our Easter Program, Easter Praise Parade. As always, though the practices went miserably, the program was packed-out and proceeded quite smoothly -- except when the sound man got confused about when to do the earthquake, which confused “Jesus,” so He didn’t come out of the tomb. The director yelled, “Jesus, are you alive?” Another little guy read his first and third lines, then said, “Oh, I didn’t do it right.” After the chuckles died down, he flawlessly read his three lines. The story of our Savior was clearly told and an opportunity to respond to the call for Salvation was given.

We hope and pray that you all had a blessed Easter/Resurrection Sunday! Christ is Risen Indeed, and that gives me purpose and peace.

Come and Join the Celebration!

  

Three citizens share stories of Jesus' miracles.

Singing Purple Robe.

Jesus and a soldier.

Narrators tell the story of Jesus' arrest.