Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Update From Ft Wingate

Sorry for the lack of updates. We have been very busy since arriving and it seems that there is always something going on (kids are here at the church a lot and there is always stuff going on). We are up every day between 6 and 7:30am (depending on the person) and hit the ground running. We start setting up VBS as soon as we wake up, send some of our team out to the Reservation to pick up some children, the construction crew leaves for the Reservation and our day is off and running. We wrap up VBS at 1pm, but then taking kids home to the Res takes about an hour. Then our team usually divides. The adults either go get supplies for VBS the next day, dinner that night or go see some sights. The teens either go see some sights, prep for Epicenter (the nightly teen ministry) or rest a few hours before beginning to set up for the night ministry (we begin setting it up around 4:00 or 4:30pm. We eat at 5:00pm together as a team, then Pastor Phil leaves with Jack to meet with some local people about the creation of a Recovery ministry here in Ft Wingate and Epicenter begins at 6:30 (though some of the kids and teens never leave the church). Our work day wraps up about 11:00pm every night.


We’ve had a great time, but are very tired. There is much depravity here. It honestly feels like another world, in a lot of ways. Just today a girl in the 5th grade VBS class was hurt accidentally by one of the boys and she began crying. Stephanie pulled her aside to check on her and she told Stephanie that the boy hit her where her uncle hit her with wood. She also told Stephanie about being beaten by cousins and other family members (black eye, bruises, etc.). Abuse is rampant on the Res; students (teens especially) are very guarded and trust very little. It’s as if there is a very thick wall (Kevin says it’s like steel) around them. We have had several positive developments, but see that the work with the Navajo is in desperate need of more dedicated, caring people who are full of grace, patience and mercy.


VBS is averaging about 27 kids, the teen ministry has had 11-18 students a night (which is a very large turnout for this area).

Because of time this is all I can update for now, but enjoy the handful of pics. We will try to post more later, but time is very limited here.

PLEASE PRAY FOR US and the hearts of the Navajo. Tomorrow night we are hoping to host a show for the family and friends of the kids and teens that have been coming (though Jill says the turnout will likely be low because of little family support). Pray that God move MAGNIFICENTLY and parents come to hear the story of Hope as told by their own kids. We are calling it “Show of Hope.”






Amanda teaching teens the drama






VBS






Matt teaching Leadership






Epicenter






Music Track






Praying over the Land













Children's Church





Children's Church

Thursday, June 11, 2009

FYI

Here are some sites you might want to checkout about the Navajo people, their culture and their religious practices/beliefs.

World Culture Encyclopedia - "Religion and Expressive Culture"
History.com - "History, Customs and Religion, Contemporary Life"
Mukuntuweep - "Navajo Religion: A Sacred Way of Life"
Navajo Nation - "History and General Information"

I will post more as I find it. Until then... remember to be praying for the Team, those already serving with the people, and the Navajo people.