Saturday, July 12th - Travel Day #2 aka Home Safely!

After a good night's sleep, we all gathered back at Elizabeth's Mom's place.  It took some doing to get the two cat lovers away from the kittens to join us for breakfast.  (Especially the last one, as she was locked in with the kittens.)  After some wonderful biscuits and gravy, eggs, homemade muffins, and juice, we had devotions on the patio.  It was a beautiful, sunny day with hints of the warmth to come. We kept stops to a minimum along the way home so that we could get home quickly.  It was a great week but everyone was ready for their own beds and to be with their families.

We will be having a shareholder's brunch in September (date to be determined) to share more of the stories and images from our week.  If you haven't purchased a share, it isn't to late.

Thank you for following our journey and for all of your prayers and support.  The prayers were felt all week long and helped make sure we returned safely.

Your Youth Mission Team

Devotions to start the day

Safely back where we started - and still in good spirits

Thank you for your prayers and support - we are home with stories to tell.

Friday, July 11th - Travel Day 1

Today was the first day of traveling home.  It was sad to leave Shiprock and the new relationships we made there but home calls us.  We got the dorm cleaned and headed to Mesa Verde to view the beautiful scenery and see the cliff dwellings.  It is amazing to see what they were able to build without the tools that we would think are necessary to do this.  We had devotions by the Cliff Palace.  An Army Vet listened in as Elizabeth read the Beatitudes to us.  It was wonderful to share our devotions with each other and those around us. Then, we went to the Sun Temple and had a lovely picnic.

We drove through some rain but arrived safely in Rocky Ford, CO.  We had a wonderful Taco Salad dinner prepared by Elizabeth's mother.  Our devotions were held outside and our host families and others from Rocky Ford joined us.  As we were reading our care cards, a cross appeared by the firepit.  It was there as a reminder of Christ's Grace to us.  It will be there for our morning devotions.

We had lots of fun around the fire - making smores, petting kittens, watching the turtle and chickens, and (unfortunately) watching a toad jump into the fire.  The good news is that he did escape the flames and appeared none the worse for wear. After we finished up the different groups dispersed to go with their host families.

It's time to go to bed.  Thank you for following our journey.  Your continued prayers for our final day of travel are greatly appreciated.

Blessings,

Susan and Barbara

From Mesa Verde - our last view of Shiprock.  It really is there - just the little bump on top of the mesa.

The youth in one of the cliff houses



Devotions near Cliff Palace

Devotions around the fire pit

Thursday, July 10th - Fourth and Final Work Day

Hello, today the blog is written by Danny and Jake; the guys minus Howard.

We woke up a little late today; the dudes. The gals plus Howard were up super early as usual.
At around 8 this morning we headed out to Roger's house and Danny mowed his lawn and Susan, Rachel and Jake replaced some of the roofing assisted by Frank Ellison; he is most excellent. We finished ahead of schedule and headed back to the dorm. Mr. H. always has more work, Danny, Susan, and Howard helped dig out and find a broken power line; it was hard work but they got it done in no time. We had burgers for lunch that were most excellent. We had about four hours of free time where we played cards and many took the opportunity to take a long luxurious nap. Then, around quarter to seven, we headed to the church to listen to a Navajo Code Talker tell his story. We got a good picture with him. Then we came back here and had devotions. Then it's now. We are writing this blog it's pretty excellent.


Now a short story from Danny and Jake.

It was a stormy night. A wild watermelon was rolling along. Then he was like wow. "I AM A PUMPKIN!!" he shouted. What now?
Six months later he became a jackalope.
Plot twist of the century.
THE END
Peace

Danny & Jake

PS - Just so you know, Elizabeth, Jenna, and Annie went to the day care center.  Howard, Sherri, Barb R, and Barb B cleaned up Roger's yard and started a trash pile.  Just wanted to let you know that the rest of us worked this morning, also.

Barbara B

Seems like I could have done this at home - but I would have missed so much.

We had the honor of meeting Sam Sandoval, a Navajo Codetalker

Bloggers most excellent

!

Jenna and her most luxurious nap

Up on the rooftop, workers nail.

Wednesday, July 9th - Third Workday

Today most of the group returned to Cheryl's house to work on the projects there.  Barb B and Annie went with Mr. H to run various errands and to pickup the ladders and other tools left at the Bistahi church work site and the Drop In Center.  We all met up at the dorm to have lunch and then went back to Cheryl's house to finish up - the shed is painted, the porch roof has been repaired, and the wood has been relocated and stacked.  We took the opportunity to bless Cheryl, the house, and the shed before we left her home.

Frank, our work foreman, joined us for dinner tonight.  (Thank you, Mr. Diemer and the Legacy BBQ, for the pulled pork!)  This evening, we heard from Eugene Joe, a historian/songwriter/sand artist.  He told us about his life, shared some of his songs, and shared his art.  We then had an opportunity to try our hands at sand art.  We weren't quite as good as he was but we gave it our group best.

Free time has been filled with fun, games, laughs, some brownie baking, a trip out for postcards, and getting closer to each other.  It has been another wonderful day in God's beautiful world.  We look forward to work at a new site tomorrow and a return to the day care center.  Thank you all for your support - the prayers are definitely being felt.

Blessings,

Barbara

Bistahi Church

The shed is getting a new look

And the roof  went up

Sand art - is it his or ours?



Sand art - is it ours or his?

Tuesday, July 8th - Second Work Day

It was another early morning in Shiprock, New Mexico for the youth mission team. We started off the morning with devotions and ate breakfast. Next, we all packed into the vans and drove off to our different work sites. Some of the youth had a change of plans and changed work sites for the day, but we all worked hard at our various sites. Annie, Jenna, Elizabeth, Barb B, Barb R, and Sherri continued to move pallets and loose wood. They also started to paint part of the shed. In the process, Jenna and Annie found and captured a lizard! The lizard had a mind of it's own and decided to crawl onto Jenna's back. The lizard was not happy when Elizabeth grabbed onto it so it decided to bite her finger. No worries, all fingers are still intact. Susan, Rachel, Jake, Danny, and Howard finished insulating the inside of the exterior walls of Bistahi UMC and started insulating part of the ceiling. Today was the last day of working at Bistahi due to the need of an electrician. No one was needed at the daycare because of the demand for workers at Bistahi, but youth will be going there on Thursday morning.

After the work day, the youth played many card games including ERS, BS (Bible Study), Speed and Gin Rummy. Howard joined us to play Apples to Apples and many laughs were shared. Then, we went to Shiprock UMC and feasted upon fry bread tacos for Taco Tuesdsay. We learned "Jesus Loves Me"  in the Navajo language and sang the English version too. Also, many members of the team bought jewelry of assorted types including earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and anklets. We closed the night with group devotions and popsicles. It was a great day and we're glad to share these memories with you. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

-Jenna and Annie

Hard at work



Or hardly working?

Power tools are fun!

Shiprock in the dust storm - we can usually see all of it from our back yard.

Bloggers hard at work!



Jesus Loves You

Monday, July 7th - First Work Day

The youth mission team woke up bright and early this morning at 6 am to kick off the first day of our mission work. After eating breakfast and packing our lunches, we scattered around different work sites around New Mexico. Danny, Jake and Howard took an hour drive up to Bistaih UMC Facility where they installed an attic ladder and stapled up insulation. They worked hard without the help of running water or electricity. Barb B, Susan and Rachel had the pleasure of working with some kids at a daycare facility where they helped the kids learn shapes, letters, numbers and colors. They also got to drink "Green Monster Smoothies"so that's always a plus! Barb R, Elizabeth, Sherri, Annie and I helped move and organize over a hundred pallets next to a shed which we will be painting in the near future. Then all of the ladies gathered to travel to the Drop In Center.The Center is open for  residents to come and rest and take any necesities they may need. We worked together to buid and re-build a large shelf. The first couple of times we did not build the shelf to the correct standards, so it was fun to take down all of the parts and re-assemble them! But never-the-less, we finished the project once and for all.

After we gathered back to our home base to have an italian dinner, we drove down to see the area around "The Shiprock." We had the privilage to climb and explore some rock formations nearby the a Shiprock Pinnacle. Lots of laughs and memories were created and of course, we had to capture them on camera. Then after climbing, Frank Ellison took us to another part of the surrounding area to collect some quartz. It was very interesting to see them in mounds on the ground. They ranged in different colors and sizes and we also found some lizards and a horned toad scurrying through the shrubs and rocks. Next we headed off to see Shiprock first hand. We arrived and had the chance to climb and explore the huge rock for about 20 minutes. All of the youth took off running and then quickly realized that running is quite difficult when running on rocks, sand and at an elevation of  5,700 feet in the air. But we kept trekking up and up until a couple of us reached the base. Susan, Jake and I climbed past the base and into a small and very steep area hidden in the rock. By the time we stopped and looked around, the sun was setting and we had an absolutly breathtaking view of the land below. It was a moment that I will never forget and I am glad that I got spend it with my youth group. I never wanted to leave that spot, but, of course, we had to make the journey back down Shiprock. At the bottom of Shiprock we had our devotion about the beauty of God's creation. We took a look around us and noted how beautiful and large everything around us is, but yet how we are still a major part of God's plan. It was a great way to end a tremendous day.

Thank you all for your support and prayers.

Jenna W.

Shiprock Pinnacle

Another view of Shiprock as the sun starts to set

Ready, set, go!...(Insert panting)

Moving pallets

Jumpuing for joy on a rock formation
 

Sunday, July 6th

For a "non-work" day, we sure were busy.  With the sun up, we were able to get our first view of Shiprock.  It is a pretty impressive piece of rock.  After breakfast, we headed off to church at First United Methodist Church, also known as Shiprock United Methodist Church.  It is a small congregation but very welcoming.  Although Pastor Mull promised us a 3 hour sermon, he didn't deliver.  This worked out well for us as we had a team meeting with Frank Hanagarne (Mr. H) and Frank Ellison.  We received an overview of the work we will be doing and then went out to see 3 of the 4 worksites.  One site is 60 miles away, so the first visit there will be to work.  Tasks on the schedule are electrical work and installing insulation, prepping and painting a shed, replacing a porch roof, working with day care kids, and moving shelving at a drop in center.

We took the opportunity to visit a few states this afternoon - so here is the group in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah.  We can give the weather report that it was equally hot in all four states.

After a great dinner prepared by Howard, Barb R, Jake, and Jenna, Mr. H came to give us a talk about the ministry of Four Corners Native American Mission, including a brief overview of Navajo history.  Evening devotions are now over and we have free time before we to go to bed.  It will be an early morning tomorrow.

View of Shiprock from one of the worksites.

Clouds promising rain - but not over us.

Not much shade for the workers - but a shade has been promised for tomorrow.

Thanks for all of your support.  Good night.

Your Youth Mission Team