Month: November 2012

We currently have 86 students enrolled for the 2012/2013 school year. We have only one senior but currently have 9 Kindergarteners. We have many new students that have transferred in from the local public school. Their parents have heard of the quality education offered at Immanuel Mission School. Some are driving 10 – 15 miles to get their kids here. We rejoice that more kids and their families are hearing the gospel. Some of these are contacts made through our summer outreach programs into the community. We have three new staff members.  See their introductory  articles  elsewhere  in  this  newsletter. God has graciously  provided  what  we  need  to   give the students a quality Christ centered education.

John Bloom

We had a great summer with the various youth groups. Our main project was to build a duplex on the Mission campus. It consists of two one bedroom apartments. It has gone up so fast that one side is 100% done and occupied and the other side about 90% done. We are waiting on electricity to be turned on and gas hooked up in the second apartment.
Pray for needed funds to complete this project. We are about $1,000 short of what is needed to finish. God has provided much of the materials through donations and some through timely auctions. This  housing is for some of our single staff who are crowded into various apartments. You can see pictures of the duplex on our Facebook
page.

We  baptized six Navajo believers this summer. This is a huge step for us and for them. It was prompted by a young man named Lenny who had professed Christ last summer. When I asked him if he was still following the Lord he responded by saying “yes, and I want to get baptized this year”. Well, it kind of snowballed from there and five others also asked for baptism. So we filled up one of our trash dumpsters with water (cleaned it first) and immersed them in front of many family and friends. Some Navajo Christian leaders are reluctant to baptize believers right away after salvation as they have seen so many profess, then fall away. Pray for wisdom as we need to see more take this important step.

John Bloom

The buzz in 3rd and 4th grade is the continued addition of more students to our classroom. God has blessed our school with amazing news kids this year. Since the beginning of the year, I have received three more returning students to go with three completely new students. My roster is up to seventeen students now! This is the class size that I have dreamed about for Immanuel School. I like using the word roster like a team roster. Even though we are one of the larger classes, we are still a very tight knit team. We work very hard at believing in each other and relying on each other’s roles to accomplish tasks. God is our captain and He knows how to manage all of our different personalities. It is wonderful to see how God works in His way, which makes our teambuilding fun to be a part of. Each of my seventeen students is special to have. I am especially grateful for the return of 4th grade sisters that I have asked my supporters to pray for in the past. These girls are a very sweet, brave duo to have as students. They have experienced real hurt in their family lives. They have come back to us safe, yet continue to go through turmoil at home. Their return to our school was delayed due to being released from a children’s home that they were placed in over the summer, as well as other decisions needing to be made regarding custody. I prayed to see them when I returned in the fall and having to wait for them the first three weeks was difficult. God answers prayer, He protects, and He has a plan for their lives. I definitely believe in their self-worth. God cherishes these little girls. Obviously, I had concerns as their teacher to what affects the most recent trauma at home and being in child-protective services may have had. What I see to this point is the Holy Spirit filling these girls with the strength and resiliency that only God can give. They returned to my class with such open hearts, smiles, to learn more and seemed almost better equipped to handle my teaching. They have come to school everyday so far, as believers, more appreciative, more eager and confidant, happier. This is a happiness from Jesus in the face of evil. These girls are teaching me more than they know. God is in control, which means that He knows what and who is to best carry out the plans for all of us. For these girls, I just know that the intervention and efforts of those who took care of them in the past and during the summer were directed by God, whether they knew it or not. Thank God for the work of many others, who I don’t know, but who certainly took an interest in these girls and helped to protect them. Please continue to say a prayer for all the children of this school. Help to build a prayer barrier around their homes so that the evil one can’t get through. Please pray for our homes and pressures of the devil all around us. Nothing is more powerful than your prayer. Thank you.

Solomon Sun

I am the new bus driver here at the Mission. The following is an attempt at relating the events that led up to my employment here at Immanuel Mission: While visiting my brother Willard, John discovered I was old enough to drive bus and was not at the time engaged in regular employment. He then offered me a job and after some consideration I accepted. And so begins a harrowing tale fraught with driving tests, drug test, more drug tests, first aid and CPR tests, fingerprinting tests (calling this a test goes under the heading of creative license), you name it, if it can be tested they did it! By the Lord’s grace I succeeded in passing all the above.

One new experience for me was the chance to teach archery as part of PE here at the school. While a lot of the students here are more into the modern culture than I am, it still seems funny for a white fellow to be teaching Indians how to shoot a bow.
Since coming here I have been able to spend much more time studying the Holy Scriptures due to the slower pace of life. While there are other things that I enjoy about living here this has had the most significant impact on my outlook on life and the future.
In him who bore our sin,
Isaiah Shannon

Proverbs 3:1-7 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Isaiah Shannon

I am the new Kindergarten teacher here at Immanuel Mission for the 2012-13 school year.  I’m from Livermore, California.  I come from a family of teachers.  My father is a P.E. Teacher and coach, my brother teaches Social Science, and my sister is a Special Education Aide as she pursues becoming a Speech Pathologist.  After my second Mission trip to Immanuel Mission this last summer, I realized I loved the people and Mission here. I mentioned this to a dear mentor of mine and she told me that Immanuel Mission is looking for a Kindergarten teacher. My first thought was I’m not qualified. She said I didn’t need a degree. Then I thought, I couldn’t do this. But my mind kept going and I prayed without ceasing about this opportunity.I came home and mentioned this to my parents and they supported me from the start. With my parents back up, I emailed John Bloom to get some of the logistics and ask what the qualifications are for this job. He told me that they would prefer that their teachers have at least a bachelor’s degree and that a woman with one was interested in this job. Since it is kindergarten they have some leeway, and they still could use some help. Later I emailed him back asking if I could come and help wherever they need me. His response was that now they needed a kindergarten teacher because the other person was being called elsewhere and… how soon could I come? So within the next two weeks, I made all the arrangements and boarded a plane to Durango on August 9. Until school started on the 20th, I participated in training and tried to make a home out of a trailer. I did not know exactly what I needed or what my new little home would look like but I knew God was in the details. People at home were shocked by my sudden decision.  But I believe God does not call the enabled, He enables the call. In Matthew 4, Jesus asked plain old fishermen to “Come, follow me” and Simon Peter and Andrew left their nets and followed Jesus. And so did I.

I am the new second grade teacher here at Immanuel Mission School. I am from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. I used to think I lived in a small town, but then I moved here and realized I was wrong. I graduated from Liberty University in May 2012 with a dual endorsement in both elementary and special education. I have a love for children and I really want to do something to help them and to make a difference in their lives. In the winter of 2012, I had the opportunity to complete the elementary portion of my student teaching here at Immanuel Mission. During that time, I saw the great need that exists in this community and I realized what a wonderful ministry opportunity exists here. Shortly after leaving, John contacted me about returning to teach second grade the following year. This was a big decision for me because I felt like I left a piece of my heart at Immanuel Mission; and yet the fear of the unknown complicated things. I spent about a month prayerfully considering the opportunity and God gave me peace and assurance that this is where I was to go and serve.Now I have been teaching here for a whole marking period and I’m having the experience of a lifetime. I have eight precious students in my class and I couldn’t be enjoying them more! I am not only a teacher to these kids, but also a guidance counselor, a nurse, and a mom. It’s a large role to fill, but I love it! My favorite times of the day are Bible class and journal time. I love reading my students’ writing and it’s a great way for me to learn more about them. During Bible class, I really enjoy seeing the students’ reactions as I tell them Bible stories. For some of my students, these are stories they have never heard before. It is incredible to see the way God has put a desire in each child to want to learn more about Him and get to know Him better. Throughout this whole journey, I have seen the faithfulness of God. He has reassured me that this is where He has called me to go. One of my favorite quotes is, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” A verse that has been a real encouragement to me lately is Acts 20:24, “I don’t care about my own life. The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me—to tell people the Good News about God’s grace.”

Julie Snyder

“With man this would be impossible but with God all things are possible.”   Matthew 19:26.

This verse inspired the name of our youth group that started 3 years ago this fall.  EPIC (Endless Possibilities In Christ) started with 3 students from our school coming and sitting and listening to the speakers share about the Lord.  Now we are in our 3^rd year and we have an average of 20 young people coming every Tuesday playing games together, singing praise songs, listening closely to the message being preached, and even wanting to share their own testimonies.  What a difference!  3 years ago when we started this ministry I had no idea how the Lord would use it.  This year we have had a student, and even one week a parent that comes, share their testimony and how they are seeing the Lord work in their lives and what they are learning about Him, EVERY week!  We also have a great singing time. 3 years ago none of the students wanted to sing, now they are requesting songs to sing!  We even have young men that are asking if they could speak and wanting to learn how to teach others about Jesus.  If you would have told me 3 years ago that this was even a possibility I might have just smiled a little at your optimism but the Lord has been so faithful!  At the beginning I had no idea what the Lord would do and He continues to show me that with Him all things truly are possible.  We would greatly appreciate continued prayer for our young people and that we would be able to keep reaching other young people with the gospel and that the ministry would continue to grow and glorify the Lord.  Thank you for your prayers and support.

I recently updated a blog (ImmanueLights.wordpress.com) where I get to brag about my students.  One day when I graded a writing assignment, I was really pleased with one of my eighth grader’s response.  So I formatted it for my blog, but didn’t post it yet because I wanted her approval.  When I called her back to my desk at the end of the day to show her what I was wanting, I was expecting her to be shy and say that she’d be embarrassed if I posted it, but then finally agree.  Instead when I expressed that I was impressed with her work, I received the biggest smile I’ve ever seen from her.  She was so pleased that I was pleased and so proud to have her work displayed on the internet.  When I first started the blog, my intention was for it to be a place to share prayer requests.  I had no idea the Lord had other plans for it.  His plan involved making this one girl feel valued and respected.  God is good.

Kelli Wilson

It is another great and rewarding year helping here at the Mission doing what the Lord wants me to do.  It is my second year of teaching Navajo language and culture.  As a Navajo, I recognize and observe that we appreciate our unique language and culture that the Lord has given us and that we have to pass it down to younger generations so that they know who they are, know their relatives, and honor their people.  Teaching language and culture can bring a society forward without losing identity and I am happy to be a part of this with the Lord’s guidance.  With our language we can rejoice unto the Lord with song and prayer.  Under His care and love we move forward.

Esther Yazzie