Year: 2010

Dear praying friends,

We have experienced a bit of winter here the past week or so. (The temperature was down to single digits several mornings this week). Also, we have had two light snows and the mountains to the east are snow covered and beautiful. Consequently, it is also time for the huge propane truck to come and fill the tanks. For some reason the price is high right now, so please pray for needed funds. We will probably need another truck in late January, especially if the cold continues. We have used youth groups in the summer to super insulate most of our buildings so that helps.

We are having a great school year. God has confirmed in many ways that we are to have a high school. Not only do we have the needed staff but the students are such a delight this year. They are friendly and responsive to us authority types that it is a joy to teach them. Several of the younger staff have started a youth night once a week and it is well attended. It is called EPIC – Endless Possibilities In Christ. We have six great seniors that really set the example for the others. This is the year for our biannual Jr/Sr trip. They are planning to go to Washington D.C. and New York City. So lots of fundraisers at ball games. We also have a large Jr High with students that are more of a challenge so please pray for wisdom and patience for us.

The Navajo Chapel is growing with a few more Navajo believers coming as well as several anglos from the nearby hospital. Ruth Denny (niece of Anne Denny) who grew up here as a little girl has returned to work at the hospital as a nurse so we see quite a bit of her.

December is busy and fun as we get ready for Community Christmas on Dec 18th and school Christmas on Dec 21. Community Christmas is a day for the community to gather for a Christmas program (put on by the school kids), a message and meal for around 200 people. Pray for open hearts to the gospel message on this day. School Christmas is the last day of school for this calendar year. We have a special chapel and then the students get to open a nice bag of gifts that we have collected for them. Many of you help with nice gifts – making this a special day for our 80 students. Also, this year we are having a big New Years Eve Singspiration. This is being put on by some alumni of the school that want to see the Navajo community and alumni more involved in supporting the school. This is a huge step forward. Pray that many will come and catch a vision for making this a more indigenous work supported by the Navajo community.

I personally have the easiest schedule I’ve had in 16 years. I am only teaching one class – HS Bible, and not coaching at all. Liz McNeal is coaching the girls and Solomon Sun is coaching the boys. We had our first games last night and both teams won! I am still driving the bus and overseeing the food program as well as being the administrator. So glad to see the younger staff bearing more of the load.

Thank you again for your faithful prayers and practical support for us and the mission. God is greatly blessing and we rejoice to be in His service. As we remember His first coming we anticipate His second!!

John & Ruth Bloom

79 total students, 6 seniors, 9 kindergarteners, 19 junior high (biggest class), 25 staff. So far 98% attendance rate. It takes about $4,000 per year in gifts to educate one student (this is about ½ of public school rate)

We are still in need of a third grade teacher. Our current third grade teacher would like to teach Navajo reading and culture to our students. We also need a librarian for this year. We are looking for a high school English teacher for next year. If you know of anyone who might be interested please pass the information along. Thanks for praying. God is faithful to meet our staff needs each year.

John Bloom

Greetings from the H.S. Science/Jr. High Computer Teacher,

My name is Elrond Wedel, and this is my first year here at Immanuel Mission. I’ve been closely associated with the Gospel Chapel and Kansas Bible Camp my whole life, so I’ve been well aware of Immanuel Mission for some years. I had been out here at the Mission 3 times before the idea of being a teacher struck me. John Bloom, our principal and administrator, had expressed to our group on our last trip, the immediate need for teachers. So this whole last summer was spent hoping and preparing for the move out here. As things are often not as easy as we would like them to be, the preparations were not easy. My wife Sheree and I had our first baby, Luthien Elizabeth, in July. We also were trying to raise support and sell our house. Things worked out at the last minute and we were able to move out here. God provides…
We’ve been here for several weeks now, and things are going swimmingly as far as I can tell. I’ve never really been inside an inner city school, but I believe that this is somewhat a taste of it. We don’t really have a problem with violence (probably because we’re so small), but the majority of the kids come from poverty level incomes at home. Many come from single parent homes, where the father may be in jail or simply absent. Many others are living with their uncles, aunts, or grandparents. Discipline seems to be mostly absent in their homes and those responsible for the kids may or may not care if their kids get good grades or even show up to school. Most kids ride our buses to school, which helps keep absenteeism low.

Our Jr. High Boys are an especially rambunctious group. I routinely get called names and today even got a ball thrown at me while my back was turned. However, they’re going to eventually learn that their words and actions have consequences. I’m handing out lunches with me (they have to sit by me at lunch instead of their friends) as well as sitting with me through the lunch recess. They really don’t seem to like this at all. =) At this point they are still in a “speak and act first:, realize that there are consequences later” type of mindset. Hopefully, they’ll reach a mindset soon that will have them at least thinking about their words and actions before setting them loose. We’ll see.

On another note, I’ve really enjoyed the quiet out here. I’ve done lots of reading, Sudoku playing, running, climbing, bike riding, playing guitar, nunchucking, and lifting weights. There is plenty of time for whatever your particular hobbies are out here. All in all, I haven’t regretted the move one bit. I love it out here. Hopefully, we’ll be a shining light to these kids and be instruments in God’s hands out here.

Elrond Wedel

Dear praying friends,

Since Christmas, we have had about 18 inches of snow in Sweetwater. And much of it is still on the ground. This is very unusual. They did grade the roads so the busses have had little trouble. It has been bitter cold as well so the furnaces have been gobbling up the propane. We ordered propane again last week, much sooner than hoped. But God has wonderfully supplied. We’ve had some water lines break in several of the residences but have not missed any school days. There is more snow expected this week. Even Ruth who really loves snow is beginning to look forward to spring. Pray for God’s continued supply of needed resources.

There continues to be relationship problems in the High School and the community in general – mainly between two large families. The problems resulted in some vandalism to a vehicle at a BB game and the subsequent expulsion of one student. Needless to say these are difficult times and we covet your prayers for wisdom and God’s victory.

We enjoyed the ministry of a group of college students from Cedarville University just before Christmas break. They did special chapel times for both the older and younger students. At least two students trusted Christ at these meetings. Pray that these students will be bold in there faith and grow daily.

We had a great Community Christmas day on Dec 12, 2009 with about 250 in attendance. A group from Woodland Park Community Church came to help. The school students put on a nice program celebrating Jesus’ birth. The church also brought some gifts for our students which we gave out the next week at Kid’s Christmas. A church in Iowa also sent gifts. Ruth thinks the kid’s bags were the best we’ve ever given out.

Kelli Wilson’s cousin Abigail Wilson has come to help as a teacher’s aid. She has already been a big help in grading papers, watching the playground and helping students with math. We rejoice that God has kept the staff basically healthy and encouraged.

Ruth and I enjoyed time over the break with all of our kids and grandchildren. On January 11, James and Eryn welcomed Elanor Noel into the world. Eryn is having some issues related to the birth and will have to stay in bed for several weeks. Pray for her speedy recovery. Thanks so much for your continued prayer and support of our labors here. A reminder also that we have a new phone number. 800-2000-351.

John Bloom