Category: School

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Defining Wonderful

“Teaching is hard work all day, everyday.  You will fall in love with the children here.  The devil knows the individual and personal ways that he can discourage you and he will use them.”

These emphatic words spoken by John Bloom during the first days at Immanuel Mission proved to be right on every count.  Looking back after almost three years of teaching both first and second grade, I consider this experience to be a gift from my Heavenly Father.  So much was new and somewhat strange at first.  How would I make my involvement with these people come to fruition?  And what eventually made my time here so good?

God taught me so much…how He delights in meeting physical, emotional and spiritual needs in remote settings.  Magnificent sunsets and sunrises…a lovely little apartment, multitudes of various footprints in the thick Mission dust…the ins and outs of relating to others.  Comprehending more of the Navajo culture has been a challenge.  But struggling to make lesson plans clear enough for young hearers to grasp, hearing, “Oh, I get it!”, and becoming aware of the children sensing some of the greatness of God, I have felt a deep satisfaction in being here at the Mission.  A love has indeed developed for the people here.

Growing and Worshiping with the saints through Sunday morning meetings, small groups in Mission homes and prayer and singing times on Tuesday nights has brought great joy.  Even when a rubbing of each other the wrong way occurs, God in His great grace has a way of making all things right.  I have seen personal and group application of Christ’s  death and resurrection in lives here as well.  “Christ in us, the hope of glory.” Without His life working through us we have nothing at all. Easy?Absolutely not! Worthwhile? You bet!

Growing and Worshiping with the saints through Sunday morning meetings, small groups in Mission homes and prayer and singing times on Tuesday nights has brought great joy.  Even when a rubbing of each other the wrong way occurs, God in His great grace has a way of making all things right.  I have seen personal and group application of Christ’s  death and resurrection in lives here as well.  “Christ in us, the hope of glory.” Without His life working through us we have nothing at all. Easy?Absolutely not! Worthwhile? You bet!

“Wonderful – cause of  astonishment  or surprise,  aroused  by  something      extraordinary, feeling curiosity or doubt.” Yes! All of this and more have taken place in my heart and life as I have had the  privilege   of   serving  Jesus   here   at  Immanuel Mission.  Humility encountered… joys  accepted…loving fellowship imparted. 

I believe  that  the  Lord is  calling me elsewhere now.  But in many ways, I will miss Immanuel Mission.  This place and the people here will always hold a special place in my heart. Come visit.  See this setting for yourself.  Consider lending a year of so of your life to this or another Mission/work of the Lord.  Get to know God  even  more  in  this  wonderful kind of way.

Ginny Brown

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We, Susan and Jim Price, left our family and church family in St. Louis, Missouri and arrived here at Immanuel Mission on August 1 st , 2013. Our chapel’s youth group had just returned that June from spending a week ministering here, and during the follow-up announcement to our church it was mentioned that a kindergarten teacher and a maintenance man were needed for the next school year. Just as soon as we heard that, we both knew that was exactly what the Lord wanted us to do, but we didn’t know the Lord had spoken to each of us until after the meeting. Imagine our joy when we compared notes and discovered that the Lord was clearly telling both of us to go serve Him at Immanuel Mission!

Although our main responsibilities at this time are teaching kindergarten and handling building maintenance, we have both actively sought the Lord’s direction in pursuing other ways of serving the Lord and His people. We enjoy ministering in areas such as leading Bible studies, teaching at the mission church, distributing and grading Emmaus correspondence Bible courses, and mentoring young people. Through the use of puppets and other visual aids Susan gets to daily enjoy the privilege of presenting the gospel of our loving God to her kindergartners. We can only imagine how the Lord will use His Word in their lives, maybe even being the one the Lord uses to reach their families with the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Sometimes we are asked how we were able to adjust to living out here in the middle of the high desert of Arizona, so far from stores, doctors, post office, etc. That adjustment came easier than we expected, because the Lord gives us all the grace we need to serve Him. This is just as true for those living elsewhere as it is for us here at the mission. It encourages us when we hear how other saints are serving the Lord where they live and work. Please pray for us, that the Lord would be pleased to keep using us here, and that we would be faithful to Him in our lives and service for Him.

Jim & Susan Price

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All Things for Good

Playground

God works all things for good to those who love him. I’ve been thinking about this in regard to our playground. For years the health inspector had recommended that we replace our homemade playground fort with a commercial apparatus. I strongly resisted tearing down a perfectly good fort and spending the money for an updated playground. Finally, the inspector insisted. So about this time last year I bought a used apparatus on Ebay and went to NJ to get it. We have had to purchase some slides that were missing but the manufacturer also donated about $3,000 worth of equipment. In all we’ve spent over $10,000.  We gave it a fresh coat of paint, installed it and it looks great. But the wonderful thing is how much the children enjoy it. I love sitting outside and watching 20 or so kids climbing, sliding and enjoying the new playground. They use the new one much more than the old fort I tried to hold onto. So, even though the inspection was a trial, it has in many ways made us make improvements that have benefited the school children.

John Bloom

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Pencil-vania

During first grade math class, the students were looking at shapes. One of them looked at a five sided shape and said,

“Miss Jen! This is your shape, it looks like a pencil!”

We looked at each other, both confused, and when I asked her if I look like a pencil, she said, “No, it’s because you are from Pennsylvania.” I laughed, because I never noticed that my state seemingly has the word pencil in it, and she didn’t understand what was so funny. I suppose nothing will show you what a strange concoction the English language is like teaching kids to read and spell!

Jen Mullen

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Bloom Newsletter

Dear praying friends,                                                                                              April, 2013

 Spring has come to northern Arizona although we have had some very cold nights recently. We are playing softball outside most days. Spring on the Rez usually means WIND which means SAND in the eyes and mouth and hair. However, the tulips and daffodils are blooming and the chickens are laying. (in December I bought 9 hens at an auction. For about a month they didn’t lay any eggs but since about Feb we get 6 or 7 a day. I sell them to the staff here.) Just one more month until graduation. We only have one senior and three eighth grade graduates this year so it will be a shorter ceremony. If I’ve counted correctly, Thomuel will be the 100th graduate of Carrizo Christian Academy.

I want to give you an update on Raven – the 7th grade girl I wrote about in the last newsletter. Further tests have revealed that now there is now nothing wrong with her heart even though earlier tests indicated a major problem. PTL. The mother gives full credit to God that He answered our prayers. She gave another testimony in church recently and said she is now a believer and that prayer and Bible reading are now a part of their daily family life. This all has been a real encouragement to us here.

We have had the accreditation visit I mentioned in the last newsletter. Four ACSI team members spent three days here looking at what we are doing and gave us high marks – especially for our emphasis on Biblical training and discipleship. They recommended that we retain our accreditation. This is a great answer to prayer.

We are still in need of a kindergarten teacher for next year. We also need a maintenance man as well as a computer type person. God has provided an art teacher and a cook for next year already.

Recently the mission staff voted to NOT participate in the National School Lunch Program next year. New regulations have made it increasingly difficult to comply with all they want us to do. So, this will be a major increase in our expenses for the school year. If you would like to help feed the school children gifts can be designated for the school food fund. We estimate that it costs about $150 per day to feed our students and teachers. We serve both breakfast and lunch – about 150 meals a day. We are also suggesting that if someone is coming to visit that they organize a food drive and bring some food with them. Contact me for a list of needed items.

Be sure to address anything to us or the mission as BOX 1080, Teec Nos Pos, Az 86514. The post office is returning anything that does not have our new address. Ruth and I want to thank you for your prayers and faithful support of the work here.

John & Ruth Bloom

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Video

In September and October of 2012, Jim and Lynn Adams of CreativeImpactMinistries.org came to create a video for Immanuel Mission.  Here is a link to the videos.

Tour of Immanuel Mission (6 minute tour)

Trailer for Immanuel Mission: God With Us (2 minute trailer to the short documentary)

Immanuel Mission: God With Us (30 minute short documentary)

Immanuel Mission: Esther Yazzie (5 minute interview of Esther Yazzie Navajo Language and Culture teacher)

All of the above

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School Startup

The school currently has 79 students enrolled for this school year. We have three senior boys who are anxious to graduate. Several families moved off the reservation for work so our numbers are down a little from last year. We have adequate staff although we can always use more help. We are happy to have Michele Lawman back on staff. She left three years ago to finish her schooling and now has returned a fully certified teacher. We also welcome Elizabeth McNeal from MO. as a teacher’s aide and coach. She also teaches Jr. High science and substitutes for sick teachers. We have had some sickness among the students but thankfully no H1N1 as of yet. All the teachers are staying healthy so far. Our new auto shop program is operational this year. Six upper class boys are learning about small engines, body work and car repair. Greg Staley agreed to teach the class for one year so still be spreading the word that we need a long term teacher for this program. We also need another high school teacher and/or coach.
John Bloom
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Immanuel Mission et. al.

Dear friends,

Praise the Lord for your prayers for me and Immanuel Mission.  Please talk to the Lord about us right now if you would.  School starts Monday and we’re acutely seeing our need for the Lord’s help.  One student came by yesterday with his mother to enroll.  He didn’t want to work last year and John questioned him about that.  He wasn’t sure if he would work this year either.  He questioned why he needed to have a Bible class.  He left in a rage and the mother returned later seeking help as he was throwing things and destroying things at home.  Her desire was for John Bloom to go to the home and apologize and tell the boy how much we wanted him.  When John wasn’t willing to do that, she also was angry.  It was a reminder that we are in a battle for people’s souls and often it feels like we are on the front line.  Ephesians 6:18 says, “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.”
The Lord is always good to refresh me in between battles.  The summer at Kansas Bible Camp was great.  We saw kids trusting Christ and growing in grace each week.  One example of God’s goodness:  My jr. high girls’ camp was stuck at the big camp for 24 hours due to the road being flooded between the two locations.  I was very frustrated as the program director since so many of my great plans were thwarted.  The counselors, however, were ecstatic.  They had all this free time with the girls and got to have meaningful conversations with each girl.  They perceived that only 4 of the girls were not yet believers and 3 of those trusted Christ that day.  The Lord loves to turn what seems like a disaster into eternal good.  It is a good reminder for me right now as I’m anxious about things here at Immanuel Mission.
A fun refreshment was my trip to Johnny Bloom’s wedding in North Carolina in July.  It was a good road trip with favorite nieces and nephews and we visited other favorite nieces and nephews along the way to and from the wedding.  Highlights of that trip were: attacking the rapids of the James river in Richmond, being attacked by the waves of the Atlantic Ocean in Virginia Beach and a state park in Delaware, fishing with my great niece and nephew in the Potomac river less than a mile from Mount Vernon, playing hide and seek with dear friends in the National Cathedral, cheering for the Royals at Camden Yards in Baltimore, and climbing through a fuselage and many other crazy things at City Museum in St. Louis.  Oh, yeah, the wedding was nice too.
My roommate this year is Elizabeth McNeal, (Tim’s daughter) from the St. Louis area.  She is 18 and will help in many areas around the school I’m sure.  She has already proved herself invaluable (shouldn’t that be valuable?) doing dishes and helping me with bulletin boards.  She plays games too, which is a bonus.  We’ve played Agricola, Nertz and volleyball so far.  I think she is eager to get to know the students and will be really used by the Lord when school starts.  The kids respond to younger people in ways that they don’t respond to me anymore.  Along that lines, my great nephew called me “Grandma” within hours of my being at his home.  I loved it but kind of wondered, “How did he know?”  I’m closer in age to his dad than my sister (I had to put that sentence in).  I’m delusional about my age and most of my nieces and nephews reinforce that delusion (thanks).
I’ll be teaching exclusively in the upper grades this year.  I’m teaching HS English, world history, and Algebra I and will also teach music to the 7-12 grade as an elective.  The English and history are new subjects for me, but Megan Thurston is coming to visit starting today, so I’m hoping she will help me plan curriculum and map out the year.  She taught both of those subjects multiple times when she taught here.  (Just between you, me and the Lord, I’m praying that she might extend her visit from a week to a year.  We’ll see.)
Thanks again for your prayers.  I was glad to see many of you over the summer and would love to have you here for a visit.  My guest room is occupied, but we have a whole house that is available for guests and I’ve been known to squish up to 20 in my house for meals and games.
Anne Denny