What a Year
Immanuel Mission is feeling the joys of making it through another spring and the completion of another school year. The prayer support and gifts believers send shows the resources of God in action and how faith in the truth equals much success. Thank you for all that you provide through your generosity and hearts for others. Christ and His kingdom rejoice to see the changed hearts of Immanuel Mission kids as they come to know Him more fully. Your involvement is all part of God’s plan.
Students have completed all their final tests and graduation was held for 3 seniors leaving Immanuel. We all pray for the best of blessings to them in their future endeavors.
It was very special to give out awards to my class on the last day of school. The thirteen students in my class all were given an award that best represented them and their hard work. I look forward to the new third graders, welcome the fourth grade class, and say “see ya” to the new fifth graders. I care about them all and love the time spent together. As for the basketball team, I plan to see most of the boy’s back again this coming season. Our March tournament was hard fought. The team took 4th place this tournament and the winners of the Christian Character Award. Although no matter what a first place finish is what we want to end the season with. So we look forward to going for 1st next season. Our boys are incredibly capable and disciplined to play hard and are ready to start again in the fall. There are no graduating seniors to leave the team and we all have next year’s tournament in the back of our minds. Both groups of kids, my classroom and basketball team have me very busy and blessed. I am thankful for having competitive kids in both the classroom and court. I enjoy seeing the Navajo families getting involved in their kid’s school work and basketball. Academics and sports have always been a great way to reach out and bring Navajo families together.
God’s strength is immeasurable and is part of our lives every second. Please continue to pray for the success of my students in the classroom and basketball players on and off the court. Pray for what they are learning. Help them to find true love in all the right things. Help us to show the truth of spiritual things to them in the way Jesus would.
Thank you for providing for the work. The harvest is plentiful. There are many examples of God’s answer to prayer and need. When people come from all over the country to visit and teach that is amazing. Thank you for giving and demonstrating Christ’s love for all His children.
Solomon Sun
3rd/4th teacher and Basketball Coach
Immanuel Mission Jr/Sr Trip Update
Kia Ora!
Praise the Lord for all of you who prayed for us and helped pay for our trip to New Zealand. Like the Israelites who were led through the wilderness by a cloud, we felt the Lord’s sunshine on our whole trip.
John and Ruth Bloom, two boys, six girls, and I were hosted in California and then in Rotorua, New Zealand by kind Christians who opened their homes and welcomed us like family. They had many meals for us inviting all our host families to attend as well. When we first arrived in New Zealand we were greeted with a traditional welcome by about 30 Maoris that was solemn and honoring to us. There was an affinity between the Navajo and the Maori people that was so special and familiar. This ceremony then happened again when we visited a college (elementary school) and at a tourist evening where some of our host families worked.
Other highlights were the raft trip that included going over a 20 foot waterfall and swimming in the South Pacific Ocean.
Although they spoke English, we almost needed a thesaurus to understand them. Rubbish, boot sale, toilet, togs, are just a few examples of words we don’t regularly use here in America. When we first arrived, I kept getting nervous that John wasn’t paying attention when he was driving but he was just the passenger on the left side. Brandale and Terence and I risked our lives jaywalking when we all looked the wrong way to cross a street. Shania sent a graduation announcement to her fake mom (hostess) there. The 12 hour plane ride wasn’t nearly as scary as our students thought and not as long as I thought it would be. Parents here were so thankful when we brought their children home safely and had a nice dinner to thank us. So again, I pass that thankfulness to all of you who helped make it possible. God is good all the time.
Anne Denny
PS…You can still purchase a dirt shirt made by our students. They use local dirt to dye them. They are for sale for $15 plus postage. If you prefer we could send a pristine white one. They all have Immanuel Mission and the mountain east of the Mission embroidered on the left.
Mission neighbor’s trailer burns to the ground!!
In mid April Lorraine Yazzie’s small trailer caught on fire. Probably an electrical short caused the fire. By the time we at the mission found out about it, it was too far gone to be saved even though she lives only ¼ mile from the mission. Lorraine was saved as a child through the ministry of Immanuel Mission and has been coming to the mission chapel for the last six years. In the last few years three of her grandchildren have come to Christ through the school ministry. Last year her daughter also trusted Christ (Tonya’s testimony was in last fall’s newsletter.)
Lorraine had been praying for a bigger place and that God would help her be able to put her past behind her. Little did she know that God would answer both of those prayers by allowing her trailer to burn. She was able to save only a few things from the trailer. The mission and church were immediately able to help with money, clothes and a used trailer that is twice as big as the one that burned down. Despite her loss, she has been able to see God’s hand in this and is so thankful for the help of her Christian family.
This is just one example of how God uses the school and Mission church to minister to our community. Thank you for partnering with us in reaching Navajo people for Christ.
John Bloom
Buzz into the Library for a Good Book!
This summer I am running a Summer Reading Program to encourage Immanuel Mission’s students and neighbors to read. I am opening the school library two days a week. So far 16 people have turned in reading logs (some have turned in two, five hour logs!). Please pray that this program would be an encouragement to our students and neighbors, and that I would be able to develop more relationships within the community throughout the summer! The possibilities are limitless!
Michele Lawman
Here is a wish list of staff for the 2014/2015 school year
*Computer specialist/ IT person
*High School science teacher
*Auto shop teacher
You do not have to have a teaching license to teach at Immanuel Mission. However, a bachelors degree is preferred.
If you know of anyone with these interests and skills please have them contact John Bloom at bloomjr@gmail.com or call 917-254-4023 ex 14
Immanuel Mission 