Wow, What a long time since we have posted anything.  Life gets busy and I didn't realize it had been so long.  A quick update on things that have been going on.

This last year (starting Aug. 2015) we had a student in our school.  We had one student for the entire year, then about February we got 3 more.  So we ended with four students!  They all really liked it and are hoping to come back next year!  We just praise the Lord for this.  We are praying for more students next year. 

We are planning on having a VBS in July, then having evangelistic meetings in August.

Visit from Katrina

In march we welcomed our daughter Katrina, and son-in-law Robert for a short visit. It was a blessing to see them and we had fun. Here are a few pictures of their visit (photo credit goes to Katrina unless otherwise noted, all editing mine).

PC: Robert

PC: Lydia

P.S. If you'd like to see some pictures from their wedding, click here.

An Answer to Prayer

Note: This was supposed to be written the end of August, but the nature of life has delayed it till now.

"If it's your will for us to keep investing in this school, please send some students by the end of the week," dad prayed. "That's not possible," I thought. "We've been trying for so long. We've put a lot into it these last few days. There's been no response. Maybe God hasn't sent them because there's still too many things that need to be worked out. Whatever the case, maybe He'll send some next week. But not by the end of this week."

Oh me of little faith. The next day I prepared to work in my garden (though a little garden only takes a little time), not for school. But nearly as soon as my head popped off the pillow in the morning, the phone began ringing off the hook (wait, cell phones don't have hooks) with people calling about the school. And by that evening we had two children enrolled.

Playing with the kids

- - - -

I'm still in awe just writing about it. Our God is good. Unfortunately, about two months later they went to stay with another relative and haven't been able to come to school. But let's continue to pray for them, and for the others God will send in the future.

Impossible Possibilities

We said it was impossible; that it would take a series of miracles. 

But after years of seeing the need, God said, "Now is the time." So, we cautiously stepped forward in faith. And Kayenta Christian School is opening this year. 

God has worked countless miracles to already to make this school a reality, but now we are up against what could be the biggest challenge in opening this school: getting the children. 

It's always hard to start something new here, and due to scheduling difficulties, we missed the best time to advertise and so many of the children that were probable are enrolled in the public school. But it's not too late. 

Please join us in praying that God will send the children. 

Another long time between posts.  We just get busy and forget to update.  Here are some pictures from this years VBS.  We are so thankful for Patsi Beaven and Katheleen Collins from the Prescott AZ area for heading this up.

A Quick Update

WOW! It's been almost a year since anyone wrote on here.  This will be a brief update on what's been happening here.  Judi has been continuing the cooking class.  We have had a few people do a '30 day challenge'.  This means that they eat 'vegan' for 30 days to see how their health changes.  They all say they feel so much better, blood pressure goes down, and glucose levels become normal (or closer to normal).  They also get more exercise.  We also had a Vacation bible School this summer, put on by some people from Prescott, AZ. They always do a good job and we are very thankful that they come and do it.  We will try to do another update in a few days.
Here are some pictures from VBS.

Teaching

I felt crazy enough to belong in a mental asylum. I had carefully thought and prayed the matter over, and I was sure it was what God wanted me to do this year. Still as soon as I said yes, I began wondering if that really was the right choice. Is this really God's will? Or was I misinterpreting the 'signs'? Was it my idea? Was I deceived? These and many other questions filled my mind.

I had just agreed to teach at the Mission School.  I can't say that it's been easy. But it has been worth it. The things I'm learning from these kids (and this experience) far surpass anything I can give them. It as taught me to depend on God more. And though it is discouraging at times, I know it is all for my good. 

Of Freedom and Blindness

A friend shared this story with me and question with me, and I would like to get your thoughts on it. 

   I leaned over the horse trough as i threw in some hay. And with horror began to untangle my horse’s mane, while my mind flooded back to a moment long ago when I heard a story.........but this time it was different. I was there. 

   I stood on a grassy slope as I watched two gorgeous creatures race through the meadow. But something was different about these two horses. 

They were one.... somehow attached. Strange I thought as I followed the story further - Blindness? But no, this could not be....it was to beautiful for this. It had a gorgeous mane that left a trail of glory in the wind. Its coat glistened as if it marched on silver clouds. What a beauty I thought to myself.  But again my mind drifted off. Why the attachment.... the blindness? But alas the story I may never know, for they were wild and their life kept secret by freedom. But wait, can blindness be freedom?

  I turned to go but another sight held me to behold yet a little longer.  It was a group of cowboys. They were out to round up wild horses. I watched with bated breath as I thought of the fate of these two beautiful creatures.  Headed for captivity..........or were they? The silence and beauty of the moment was broken by a whinny and then a whistle.  The race was on.  Cowboys or horses?  A cloud of dust left me wondering. But I would not be satisfied. I rushed on to where I could see, nay rather talk to the cowboys upon their triumphant arrival.

   Soon I saw the procession coming to where I was. Yes they were caught. So sad I thought to myself, it is blindness indeed. One horse guided by the other keeping its head tucked gently over the withers of the leading horse.

"What do you think he is blind from?" I asked the nearest cowboy.

"Not sure he muttered.......he won't let me see his eye.  You know he might not be blind." He said with a wink as he threw a rope around his neck. I knew he would hope that this gorgeous creature wasn't blind after all that work of catching him, although to me it was pretty obvious he couldn't see.

He promised to let me know once he could tame him a little, at least enough to see his eye.

As I reflected on this while pulling out the tangles on my horse I thought of blindness. What is it I thought that keeps us so blind? How could we be leaning on other horses trying to have them guide us through this life. Freedom? Really?  Was that horse really free? Is it possible to be blind and call it freedom? 

  

   Thankfully the story does not end there. It has a brighter side. Soon after the round-up it was discovered that this horse was not blind. It could see but the tangles in its beautiful mane had covered its eye so throughly with such a bunch of knots that it had made vision impossible.  I stop to take in a few lessons this story brings home to my heart. The beautiful mane, the most stunning outward attraction of the horse was the very thing that caused it the most intense captivity and suffering. 

   Here I pause to ask. You, dear reader may want to pause and ponder this as well.  In which case did he experience freedom? While he roamed the wild hills and valleys blind? Or that of being captive to man with vision clear?

   

   Once the tangles were kindly removed by his captors. He had many lessons to learn. Because to bask in his new found freedom......(that of being able to see) he must put away the inner blindness as well. He had lived to long for this to easily take place. The lessons of trust and surrender, joy and a willing heart. 

(Written by Joanna Meyer, The Brave Hearted)

So now I repeat her question, "In which case did he experience freedom?"

Keep Your Eyes on the Goal

Much as been happening here this year. In Feburay mom (Judi) did a cooking school, prior to an evangelistic seris in March-April. The evangelistic seris went well, ending with about 5 people still coming regularly. Many of the people wanted another cooking school, so when the meetings were over she did another one. Traveling, seminars, VBS, mission groups, the list goes on and on.

"New" Church and More

Many things have been happening around here these last few weeks. My apologies for not giving you more frequent updates. But anyways...heres the update, with lots of pictures.

A group of the guys from around here aalong with a visiting contracter, Jim, did a bunch of much-needed repair work. It looks so much better!

They redid that whole wall and several other things.

They retiled part of a bathroom, too.

Our new sign! And yes, it is up. 

We got some gravel even (even if it was mixed with a good measure of dirt!)

And even more exciting: we are about halfway done with an evangelistic series! The devil has been attacking these meetings since before they begin, but God's been blessing, and we've been having remarkable attendance. But please continue to pray for these meetings. This weekend we are going to be presenting the Sabbath and other sensitive topics. Here are a few pics:

God will use all if they will be used.

"In this closing work of the gospel there is a vast field to be occupied; and, more than ever before, the work is to enlist helpers from the common people. Both the youth and those older in years will be called from the field, from the vineyard, and from the workshop, and sent forth by the Master to give His message. Many of these have had little opportunity for education; but Christ sees in them qualifications that will enable them to fulfill His purpose. If they put their hearts into the work, and continue to be learners, He will fit them to labor for Him.      
     He who knows the depths of the world's misery and despair, knows by what means to bring relief. He sees on every hand souls in darkness, bowed down with sin and sorrow and pain. But He sees also their possibilities; He sees the height to which they may attain. Although human beings have abused their mercies, wasted their talents, and lost the dignity of godlike manhood, the Creator is to be glorified in their redemption.   
     The burden of labor for these needy ones in the rough places of the earth Christ lays upon those who can feel for the ignorant and for such as are out of the way. He will be present to help those whose hearts are susceptible to pity, though their hands may be rough and unskilled. He will work through those who can see mercy in misery, and gain in loss. When the Light of the world passes by, privilege will be discerned in hardship, order in confusion, success in apparent failure. Calamities will be seen as disguised blessings; woes, as mercies. Laborers from the common people, sharing the sorrows of their fellow men as their Master shared the sorrows of the whole human race, will by faith see Him working with them.  
     "The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly." Zephaniah 1:14. And a world is to be warned."

 

Education 269, 270

Camp 2011

This year camp seemed to turn into "conquering fears" camp. It started off, as planned....but then, oh my...major change of plans.(For those of you who don't know: I am deathly afraid of last-minute changes of plans...okay, I may have exaggerated a bit, but you get the point). We had planned to ride horses all day Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from location to location. Camping at two different places before finally reaching our destination for the weekend. Well.....the horses were acting strange. Riders were getting scared. One by one, each kid decided they didn't want to ride. Okay...so what to do. We have 8 children depending on us to provide them with camp.
Enter brainstorming session.
After approximately 15 minutes we came up with an alternative plan. Four of us would ride the horses that were behaving to our first campsite and the rest of the kids would stay with Pastor Charlie and help him get water and set up the camp. The two days we would conduct horse lessons, hiking, etc. and then on Sabbath and Sunday we would go ahead with our original plans.
So that's what we did. Or at least attempted to do. (Oh, and I'm obviously still alive....)
Thursday went well. We had some work time, horse time, hiking time, game time. And then came Friday. Bright and early we were informed that there had been a change in Pastor's plans. We needed to move camp. A flurry of activity followed. We broke camp and then left the kids (again) while the four of us rode the horses to the new location-our property up on Anvil Mesa. After we got there, we had to set up camp and get ready for Sabbath. When all work was done, we let the kids indulge in a water fight, which turned into a bucket fight, which turned into a mud fight. It was great fun! And of course, after everyone got muddy they all got to get clean again!
Sabbath, our families and friends joined us for church. We had a potluck lunch (where those who were camping didn't bring anything) of Navajo tacos (sort-of like haystacks). Then in the afternoon, we went for a walk and had fun throwing juniper berries at each other.  After everyone left, we managed to collect our kids and close the Sabbath with some games and a campfire.
Sunday we broke camp and everyone went home.
Camp was a great blessing this year. Watching lives change for the better brings joy unspeakable. It may have been challenging. It may have removed our comfort zones from us for that time, but it was worth it. To see Christ working in the lives of young people, to watch them begin to realize how much they are loved, to be able to love them.....That makes all the pain, stress, agony, leaping-off-the-edge kind of faith, worth it.

Thank you for your prayers!

Camp. Is. Over.

Camp is over and it's time to give you all some pictures. :) So....here goes!

Hadassah

Song Service for church

Hermus Poorthunder, speaker for church

Ulrica

Denny, our most capable helper

Musical Chairs

Serena

Tamara

Nefe

Talia

Mark

Chanlynn

Talia

Denny

Nefe

Joanna

Water tank

Tamara

Sorry guys, no pictures of me....I was taking them.