Dear Friends,
All my news is from a month ago–sorry I’ve been so slow to write. The week of Easter was an exciting one. We have been going to homes for prayer meeting this spring. Eddie, one of our Navajo elders asks non-Christians if they would mind us coming to their home to share about Jesus and to pray for them. Several have said yes. We went to this elderly couple’s home. They have their two grandsons living with them because the father is in jail for killing the mother. The couple began asking many questions. The grandma said they were so glad we came, no one had ever come to their home to tell them about Jesus and they were really interested. They don’t speak English so I listened without understanding mostly but prayed and got the story later. Grandma also asked about Easter. She really only knew about eggs and bunnies. It was exciting to tell her, apparently for the first time, about the resurrection and why Christians celebrate Easter. After two hours we prayed and left. The Grandpa said he could listen all night but the boys were asleep and I was definitely drifting. Good thing I wasn’t sitting in a window sill. Lorena planned to go back, but I don’t know if she has.
Easter Sunday we had our annual sunrise service behind the mesa. All the women who have been coming regularly to our Wednesday knitting class were there. Most haven’t come to church yet, but they did come to this definitely “Christian” activity. We are so thrilled to see God working in their lives and using this casual get-together to promote interest in Christian things. This week we are having a cook out as kind of a finale, but Kathy Staley plans to continue over the summer.
Keep praying about needed staff. We have received word that Melissa Meinzinger (Ruth Bloom’s niece from Michigan) plans to come teach kindergarten. But we’ve also learned that Nancy Bingham Denny will not be back after all. She’s been sick since they got married and found the commute from the mission to his home to be too much. We are having a farewell dinner for the Douglases, the Niningers, the Ribbeys, and Michele and Nancy next Tuesday evening. We need an elementary teacher, a high school teacher (preferably science and coach but we could work with what the Lord sends), a maintenance person, and a bus driver at the minimum if you are interested or know someone. John Bloom has gotten interest from various ones, but no commitments except for Melissa.
I know many of you were praying for me in regards to the Academic Meet. The Lord answered your prayers and everything went well. The host school and their principal survived with none of their anticipated disasters.
My mind is already turning to Kansas and the work at KBC. Please pray for all the camps going on this summer. I will be at the high school camps and the upper-grade girls’ camps. I don’t know if I will get to visit another camp this summer or not. I am looking forward to graduations and weddings in the next two months as well.
Recently I read about Jesse sending David to check on his brothers. In the CEV Bible he tells David to bring something back so that he knows the boys are safe. I enjoyed picturing David coming home with Goliath’s head and sword. As I’ve continued reading, I know that he didn’t get to take them home but it is still a neat picture of how God provides. I don’t know what Jesse expected David to bring, but what he brought was “exceeding abundantly beyond all that {he} asked or thought.” Just like the Lord, huh?
Love, Anne Denny
Immanuel Mission 