The Lee family, Susan Price and Lorena Herbert were unable to make it to the staff picture, but the newest Skillen made it!
2024-2025 Staff
God has been with us for 100 years!
Then: Immanuel Mission is located on the Navajo Nation in the northeast corner of Arizona. It began in 1924 when Clara Holcomb and her parents came to bring the Gospel to the Navajo people. After unhappy experiences with government boarding schools, parents asked the missionaries to teach their children. So in the late 40’s they began a small boarding school for primary students. In the 70’s the dorms burned down and the mission staff decided to purchase buses instead of boarding. In the 80’s a high school was added and there were times with up to 125 students. Due to a reduction in students and teachers, in 2018 we dropped the high school to once again focus on K-8th grade and a year later added a pre-K.
Now: I love to say that the school is a tool for evangelism. Our primary goal is to reach our neighbors with the message of salvation and new life in Christ. In addition to the school, we have other ministries such as a vibrant church, open shop, sewing class, Mom’s group, and home Bible studies. In the summer, church groups from all over the US come to do work projects and VBS in the community.
Needs: We have a pressing need for a bus mechanic/maintenance person. We will need a 5th/6th grade teacher and a Kindergarten teacher. Pray with us that the Lord who has provided for 100 years will continue to provide.
To paraphrase the Macedonian, “Come over to Arizona and help us!”
Anne Denny, Principal
dennyanne@gmail.com
God with the Kindergarten
Recently the mission invited a videographer to visit. As she questioned me about my experience as a teacher, my mind and heart were flooded with 11 years of memories—some which made me grin and others that brought me tears. Since the interview I have given more thought to the privilege of reaching children with the Gospel. The Lord has brought so many children into my life, I’ve lost count, although we were childless. Each child has reached my heart, and I loved them as if they were my own. Watching them grow up gave me such joy as a grandparent would enjoy.
Now into my 12th year in Kindergarten, the Lord continues to give me great joy in joining Him in His work among these young children. I also have been sensing the Lord’s nudging to prepare the way for a younger godly teacher who will carry on teaching with the same passion to reach children for Jesus Christ – to receive Him as their Savior and learn to walk in His ways. Truly the Word of God is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.
Pray with us for the Lord to send such a servant to Immanuel Mission. And soon! This will be my last year teaching Kindergarten. I am thrilled with the opportunities the Lord has already given to spend time in ladies Bible study here at IM and continuing outreach with the precious message of the Gospel to the Navajo.
In His service, Susan Price
Hello from the Van Essen family
We moved from Greenwood, Nebraska to Immanuel Mission in mid-July. I, Matt, am teaching grades 3 & 4 at Immanuel Mission School. My wife, Sarah, also spends considerable time in the classroom teaching 4th grade math and helping with reading groups. Our eight youngest children are also here with us and keep us quite busy. Our high school students, Linia (18), Nehemiah (16), and Miriam (15) are all homeschooling with Sarah as their main teacher. They are seldom bored as they participate in bus and van cleaning, work projects of all kinds, basketball, guitar, piano, bicycle repair, babysitting, and Navajo language learning. Jeremiah (13), Sammy (12), Joel (10), Micah (8), and Cassia (5) are all in classrooms at the school. Thank you for praying for us as we settle into life here at the mission and as we begin to meet people through Immanuel Navajo Chapel and the ministry of the school. It is a joy to be a part of what the Lord is doing here at Immanuel Mission.
Immanuel Mission Staff Family
Farewell from Ruth Bloom:
I am moving to Kansas the first weekend of November. My son Rex and his wife bought a home 15 miles south of Topeka. One of the selling points of the property was a small home for me. I am excited to go and live closer to my children and grandchildren. My new address is
Ruth Bloom
11473 S. Jordan Rd.
Wakarusa, KS 66546
I have turned my jobs over to others here at the Mission and I guess I am now retired. It is a nice feeling. I am packing and downsizing my things. Three of my sons and maybe a grandson will come and move me back to Kansas. Losing my husband and Mother in little more than a year is hard, but the Lord is so good and is meeting my needs and carrying me along. He uses my family and friends to comfort and support. Ruth Bloom
From the editor:
If you would like to continue to support Ruth financially and want a tax deductible receipt, you may send donations designated for Ruth Bloom to
Christian Worker’s Fellowship Fund
PO Box 12347
Kansas City, KS 66112
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
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
Time to Come Back
I said I wanted to come back! Three and a half years ago I left the Mission with mixed emotions. I was happy because I was heading back to school to earn my degree in Elementary Education, but sad because it meant leaving people I had grown to love. When I left the Mission it was my hope to return after earning my degree. For the three years that I was in school I focused on doing my best in my classes and prayed that I would be able to return to the Mission. In January I began student teaching and continued to pray about Immanuel Mission. As my weeks of student teaching ticked by, my hope of returning to the Mission began to look like a distant dream. Although I still wished to return to the Mission, the reality of repaying student loans and other issue began to discourage me. In April, on my birthday no less, I received an e-mail from John Bloom asking me if I would return to the Mission and teach first grade. I spent the next two weeks praying and finally concluded that my God is a great God and He wants to give me the desires of my heart. All I have to do is let Him worry about the small stuff. I am now back at the Mission teaching first grade and am so grateful that the Lord is faithful. I cannot even begin to imagine what He has in store for me!
Michele Lawman
Can You Help?
We are anticipating needing a significant number of new staff for the next school year beginning in August. Please pray that God will supply the workers for this important ministry among the Navajo people of Sweetwater Community.
Anticipated needs include:
- Kindergarten teacher (degree not required)
- Middle School and High School Science teacher (degree preferred)
- Bus mechanic or mechanics helper
- Maintenance man
- Bookkeeper – knowledge of bookkeeping procedures and programs
- Bus drivers – must get AZ CDL and school bus endorsement.
Contact John Bloom for more information.
Immanuel Mission 