[from: Megan Thurston]
Hello!
Happy New Year to you all! I hope that God makes Himself known to you and encourages you in the coming year.
We at Immanuel Mission have had a good year and a growing year. At the beginning of 2007, we didn't have enough teachers, my back hurt so much that I couldn't drive the bus at all (which meant that John Bloom and Anne Denny drove twice a day…after teaching all day), we didn't have a maintenance man, and our bus mechanic's back also hurt all the time…he continued (and continues) to work in the bus barn. At the beginning of this year, we had enough teachers (provided none of us drop dead or get seriously hurt) and enough bus drivers (although we are all teachers, as well) to be comfortable in our main jobs. However, we still don't have a maintenance man. Our bus mechanic, Ranson, has a helper, someone that seems to be doing well, Running Feather Hosteen. Just when Ranson really couldn't finish the year, Running Feather came and told John that God had laid it on his heart to come here and work in the bus barn. He is a former student who has lived in Idaho for several years and moved home in the fall. I think he was working in town when he came out here to work. He is a missionary without a sending church. This means that he is relying totally on support. He isn't paid a salary.
This is so encouraging. We see a lot of students make a profession in grade school (usually girls) then fall away in their teenage years. Some people even say that their profession of faith wasn't sincere because they were trying to please loved ones. Feather is a young man who has followed the Lord and has a good testimony. He's not a fair weather Christian. I wish all my students were like that.
Now we have five and a half more months of school. I look forward to seeing what is going to happen between now and May 16. I don't know what I"ll be doing at the end of this year. That's all I'm going to say about this.
I hope you all have a good year as well.
Love, Megan