Dear sweet Res, I will miss you

    Winding roads, luscious and green grass, trees and crisp air surround us as we travel to Black Mountain where my body feel exhausted by the work we would accomplish, but then be relished by the overwhelming love and connections I made with the people! 

    As we pulled up to this glorious site around us we began to unload the piled high cars and van. Moving lumber and groceries all around, making sure it was in place but also observing because we were not in charge this time. More like onlookers, listening to the interns and doing the given task. A new challenge but at the same time, it was good for the team! As we greeted the 35 from North Dakota that night, we headed back to the hogan and rested for our project the next day. 

    

    Mud massage and facial are suppose to relax you and make your skin smooth, or something if that matter. Well the team and I got free ones! Haha. For the next two days we remudded a traditional Navajo Adobe that Pastor Daniel has built in the churches vicinity. Along with the adobe there are two ovens that are traditionally used to make bread in, and a patio area that has a fire place and surrounding walls. I never knew that packed down mud in brick form placed together then covered and smoothed in the inside and outside with mud would hold so well, but it does! The joy of squishing the mud in between your toes, feeling the cool water against your hot feet was definitely an unforgettable experience. An art piece was finished July 23rd, but also a piece of tradition was restored. 

    A smile goes a long ways in this community and when a sweet lady by the name of Johanna pulled up to the hogan on Wednesday I knew it was going to be a great day! As we traveled to her house we met her dad John and her niece and nephew. SO PRECIOUS! The jobs were to clean out the storage shed, that was crammed full and completely unorganized but also to cover the massive roots in the front yard. As the day started we began to progress at a great place. With their cute white boxer Sebastion running around the yard like a maniac, and the niece and nephew being oh so precious we had a grand time! Though the shed was super dusty and we had to wear mask to dust it out, we had a blast rocking it out! Along with the shed the people doing the roots were working hard! Running back and fort with wheelbarrows piled high with dirt! Their endurance withheld the whole day through. But the amazing part of the day was sipping on the cool ice water that Johanna kidly gave to us. And just talking to her about her AMAZING ministries! Reaching out to 100+ children every summer, plus all the other ministries she is apart of filled my heart eiyh copious amounts of happiness. To see her loving father, John help us by telling us where things were to go in the shed. These things are imprinted on my mind and I will keep them there forever. 

    The sweet aroma of sugar and blueberries intoxicates my soul. Filling the air with comfort. But it is accompanied by the laughter of an amazing hilarious woman, Sammy. Such a doll this lady! As Emily, Lindsey and I went over to her house to visit her again. Earlier in the week, she opened her house to the team to see her weaving! But this day Emily and I were there to teach her how to make jam. Joys, fun filled times, as we stand around the boiling blue syrup. Then she pulls a fast one on us and makes a traditional dish, blue mush. It was such an honor! It was such a special time that I will never forget! That sweet woman, her laughter and smile fills me up with joy. 

   

     'Dig dig dig dig dig' as they would sing in Pocahontas. 'Working hard for the...' Oh the songs you can sing for our journeys and adventures. The day started and some were on an outhouse hole and others on what we thought was just to repair a fence. Sweat, blood and tears were put in that fence as we ended up taking nails out of boards, moving the chicken cope, taking down the standing fence and moving it and reattaching it. We were given a challenge and we did it! The hole was finished, the fence still needed worked, but EM is going to send a lovely team out there next week. These precious ladies who lived in the house invited us in for tea and cupcakes/cookies. Talking to them while enjoying the treats was so pleasent and nice of them. And then as a gift these precious ladies gave us some of the wonderful tea we had been enjoying! 

    As the final day at black mountain came around I could feel the physical pain in my body, but I knew that there was something amazing out there to be done. As the team and I headed out that day we had in mind that we only had a few hours, because we were to head back to the mission house. Down a dusty dirt road we approach a sweet lady's house that simply needed her sheep caroul finished. Her daughter kindly showed us the sheep caroul as we got out the car we heard a loud "bleah" ring out. It was the HUGE sheep! And of course for the remainder of the time that we worked there he kept on saying "bleah" not "baa" like a normal sheep. Hahah. Anyways, once we got the fences up and the ground leveled we saw that it had only taken about an 11/2! We traveled back to the house and sat down for some cool Popsicles and sodas that the daughter and given to us. As the conversation began another daughter came and we learned of her adventures. These are the moments that I enjoy the most is getting to know the people! Loving on them. As we drove away I knew that it was only a small sheep caroul that we fixed but we had made an impact. 

    The past week we have done a VBS in Shiprock that was so much fun! Even though it was 2 days getting to know the kids, teaching them, playing with them and even having a water balloon fight with them was a blast!! Also helping out Herman, the pastor, with task around the church was nice. Some of the team did an AWESOME job painting poles for his tent! While me and a couple others taught the kids. Combined together in the 2 days I felt like we made connections and it was as it has been so far very hard to say goodbye to the kids and the pastor. 

    As the team gears up today for tomorrow's journey to AFRICA!!! I reminisce about all that I have encountered over the past month on the Res. The unexpected first times like taking a shower under a well that pumped out water that was 102•. Or the bonding experiences with the people like making jam with Sammy. Having great time with the team as we venture through the ruins in Chaco canyon, or sitting down with Elaine drinking tea after fixing her fence. I can go on and on. The Res will be something I will always remember and will be dear to my heart! Singing the lovely hyms in Navajo on Sunday in Bisti with Rhonda and the congregation will resonate in my heart. I shall return to the Res, for it has a special place now. 

    

Rhonda's love

    Dust blowing in my face, sweat rolling down my back as I look at what lies before me. A majestic masterpiece, one that has not been touched by any excavators. It still stands there in natural beauty for people to visit, not an amusement park. The Navajo Indian Ruins, so much history lies in those dusty orange rocks. As we explore the beauty that lies in front of us, broken pottery is apparent to all of us. The vibrant colors still on the pieces and the intricate designs displayed for observers to admire at.  

    As we began to climb the sun scorched rocks, we came across a cool and dense cave. As I crawled through the slim entrance into the dark hub, I could see and feel the craftsmanship. The fingerprints from the inhabitants who once lived in the cave. I wondered how long it took them to build it, and how many lived there. I was just truly amazed. As we continued onwards higher to the top of the ruins Rhonda, a wonderful amazing Godly woman who I can not even just describe in this blog I could write so many blogs about her, (which I will speak about her later)! Showed us another "cave". 

    When I looked down all I saw was a little hole in the rocks, I did not believe there was a cave down there. Little did I know, of course I would try to question someone who lives on the Res and who was showing us all around the ruins. But me being an adventurer. I slithered my body down the tiny long drop, definitely longer than what I thought it was going to be. But once I got to the bottom I looked up into God's glory and was amazed. I felt so small and as I reached up to grab my camera all I could see was the blue sky and clouds and I thought. Some people's view of Christ is like that, so small. Just like a peephole a sliver, and they are ok with that. They have no idea how glorious he is. As I crawled through the chilly and dusty cave, I thought about how hard the journey is I got scraped up some, and was quite uncomfortable at times but then... I was awestruck by the vast opening at the end. There was a window, maybe once a door, that overlooked the whole land! That is how the view of Christ needs to be!!! Fully immersed in his love! Knowing all his goodness, not just 1 part because that is when confusion and doubt seep in. To see the bright blue sky and the fluffy white clouds, and to think that surrounding us were flat plains. Wow!!! GOD IS AWESOME!!!! 

   To know that he bestowed the knowledge upon the Navajo's so long ago, and that the land has be preserved for so long and that it has not been touched and is still sacred. The interesting this is that the Navajos will not go out there though, the traditional ones though. Because they think it is the place of the dead and if they go out there then it will bring sickness and cursing on the family. 

    The traditions that still lie with the people, are an inhibiting factor to what Rhonda and her husband Leroy have been working on out there. 8 years ago God called them back to the Res. Rhonda's father was a missionary out there, and she thought she would never go back. And Leroy had lived there when he was younger, he is full blooded Navajo, but had moved away and was raised away from the Res. But God called them to start a church and bring Christ to the people and not only that but to reach out! Bringing in teams to help the locals, with building projects and other needs, but in the same time getting to know the people. 

    In our time out there with this sweet and wonderful lady she taught us about the culture, some of the language, songs, and showed us around the Res, and opened up her church for us to stay in. Going to church and sitting down with the people was an AMAZING experience! To sing with them, in Navajo was AWSOME! To see the joy and the difference in the people we saw every time we were at the church. Just made me filled with true joy. And made it even harder to say goodbye. 

    God is doing some great things out there. He is working in so many lives! And I will pray for the ministry and Rhonda and Leroy and for all the people on the Res!! I hope that y'all do too!!! 

Marbles, marbles, marbles

    Think back to childhood, the games you played and then think about.... Marbles. Oh you know we all had them! Well I know I for sure had some. My brother and I loved them, we would race them, name them, bounce them (well try to), count them, trade them, and more. They were so much fun!!! 

    Here during training we have been not only learning about each other, about ourselves, theology, the countries we are going to, how to react there, the people we will work with, how to work with them, how to immerse with the people, butttt we have been playing different games to gain marbles. Whattt? I never thought I would play with them again.

    But the point about the marbles is not the actually games but it is the thought behind it, throughout the games there are opportunities to give or keep. Share your marbles or others to another, then the question arises why did someone get awarded for being selfish? How is that fair? Well the truth is it is not but life happens like that. I know I am a SUPER competitive person! And at first I began with a lot of marbles, I still have an ok amount but I have the urge to give to those who don't have a lot. 

    Time will tell who will have the most by the end of training and who will come on top, but I know for me a lesson has been relearned from childhood about giving and being selfless.