Category: Uncategorized

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Old Fashioned Navajo Christmas Update

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for praying for us and being a part of our celebration through gifts that you sent.  God gave us a wonderful day with beautiful weather (though we did appreciate the outdoor fires that we put in the shade).  We gave out 300 gift bags to adults and 75 gift bags to children and I think there might have been 50 who didn’t take a gift bag but did eat beans and hot dogs and visit with us.

Some highlights of the program were the school kids singing Go Tell it on the Mountain and Away in a Manger in Navajo, our two preachers both giving the Good News of salvation, and Danae Olson Schonberg (a direct descendant of the original Holcombs who began the work here in 1922) sharing a testimony of God’s faithfulness through the generations that was translated for the crowd.

A highlight of the day for me was visiting with so many former students and staff (Ruth Bloom even came back for the day!) who travelled to be here.  I also met several who went to school here in the 1940s. One grandma said she was raised as a Christian but drifted away after she married a non-believer.  She now wants to put her grandchild in our school so he will learn to sing about Jesus.

Another bonus story; Raefer said one man was so excited about the rollup he got that he wasn’t going to open it for a while, just enjoy it.

And a bonus picture; today our youngest teacher, Tamara, organized a crazy Christmas sweater day for all the teachers.  Here are many of us at breakfast.

We get so much joy out of giving, especially when it is well received.  I pray that all of us will receive well the gift of eternal life that God offers us through the death, burial and resurrection of His Son Jesus.  Praise Him!

Anne Denny

for Immanuel Mission

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Old-Fashioned Navajo Christmas

Many of our elderly tell of coming to Immanuel Mission for a Christmas celebration on wagons, some even getting here the night before and sleeping by a fire under the stars. There was a Navajo preacher telling the Good News of God coming to earth as a baby, living as a man, then going to the cross for our sins before rising again the 3rd day and giving us the right to become children of God. The missionaries would serve beans and hotdogs and coffee.  Then there was a gift bag with sewing kits, toiletries, roll ups (candy stuffed in an empty TP roll and wrapped in paper) hats or mittens or scarves and other goodies.  It was fun for the kids to play with friends and it was good for the adults to visit with relatives. 

We plan to replicate that this year on December 16th to celebrate 100 years of God’s faithfulness to the Sweetwater community. Join us in praying for good weather, a clear Gospel message, and heart felt worship and submission to our Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ.

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From the Principal’s Office

We are blessed to have all of our teachers return this year and currently have 53 students.  Pray for the Kindergarten, our largest grade with 12 students, who all crave a lot of attention.  Mrs. Susan is doing a wonderful job with the help of Serena Benallie in the mornings and Tamara Clyde continues to help in the afternoons. We love to sing each day and I love to hear God’s Word being taught and memorized in each classroom daily.   

Anne Denny

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Christmas Donations Update

You’d think that after 100 years of God’s faithfulness to Immanuel Mission, I would cease to be surprised when He goes over and beyond.  It is a joy to receive all the donations you have sent for our Old-Fashioned Navajo Christmas. I am constantly delighted by the support from people all over the US. I have a school bus bursting full of donations you’ve already sent!  Even before I have a chance to ask, the Lord uses people like you to provide!  Thank you so much!  I love the way you’ve come alongside us in this outreach to our community. 

This is the latest update as of October 28:  The Blue Bird Flour Mill in Cortez, CO gave us an amazing per bag price and all 300 bags have been paid for by donations from you.  We have over 200 of the 300 Spam we need. Roll ups are now coming in. We have two large tubs of toiletries. Our Navajo sewing class under Susan Price has sewn 152 drawstring bags to complete our supply of bags. 

We could still use socks for the elderly, wash cloths and dish towels, fruit cups, laundry soaps and small cans of Crisco. Additional toothpaste, deodorant, and nail clippers are needed. Some recently requested items are a small sewing kit and new or gently-used puzzles. 

Don’t hesitate to email any questions and I’ll do my best to answer you.  kelli.is.his@gmail.com

Once again, thank you all for your support and prayers!        

Kelli Wilson

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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

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Thrift Store News

Hello! It’s me Dedra Lee. I run the thrift store on campus with my family. I am also a Sunday School teacher, an EPIC youth leader, art teacher for preK-8th grade, mom of four plus a new-born, and a wife…and I will add one of Ruth’s many jobs to the list—receiving donations for Immanuel Mission.

I feel fortunate to be given this job.  Ruth has done so much here at IM and as much as we love her being here, God has other plans for her and we’ll continue to pray for her as she begins another chapter and is with family that love her dearly. I’m sure she will be missed here by staff, students and the Sweetwater community. 

You can now contact me for donations information, to know what we can use. I hope to do my best to communicate with all who send donations. I look to the Lord as I am given this job (Colossians 3:23) to do it well.  Thank you all who support Immanuel Mission through donations, financially and through prayers.

You can reach me at dedralee3@gmail.com or text (928) 814-5224

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However God chooses to use us

Over the past year I have had the privilege of learning the bookkeeping role from Ruth Bloom.  I am amazed at the work the Lord has had her doing here over about 20 years in this position.  I am going to miss serving alongside Ruth and yet know that in the body of Christ we are still striving together for the kingdom of heaven just at a greater distance.  I am thankful for her wisdom and training over this past year and pray that I can follow her footsteps in glorifying God through the position of bookkeeping for the mission.  If you have any questions regarding financial gifts or support for the mission or staff here please feel free to contact me directly: imissionbookkeeper@gmail.com

Greetings, I am going to tag along my husband’s writing.  What a joy and privilege it is to serve the Lord!  This year has been full of change and we praise the Lord no matter what.  I was asked to take over the position of guest house administrator for the mission and have loved every second of learning from Ruth a position she has served in for years.  We are always happy to have guests and fellow believers who want to see the mission and work here.  If you have questions about guest housing feel free to reach out:     elizabethmskillen@gmail.com

We are excited to see how the Lord is using many changes for His plan and to glorify Himself.  Thank you for your prayers, love, and support over the years.  Please continue praying for the mission and our dear sister Ruth as she follows the Lords leading into this next chapter of her life.   

With love,     

Ryan and Elizabeth Skillen

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Old Fashioned Navajo Christmas 2023

Hello,

We are celebrating our 100th year of God’s faithfulness to Immanuel Mission this year.  We welcome former staff and students to visit if you can and we can try to coordinate visitors that remember each other.  We are also planning to have an old-fashioned Navajo Christmas on December 16, 2023.  Many in our community remember travelling by wagon to the mission to hear the Gospel and receive a meal and a gift.  We plan to serve beans and hotdogs, have a Navajo preacher, listen to groups sing about our Lord Jesus Christ, and give out small gift bags to our community. 

We would love for you to be a part of this through prayer, coming to help that day, or giving items to go in the gift bags. Some of you may remember making rollups (a wrapped toilet paper tube with candy, toys, and a Gospel tract) or knitting hats or gathering items to send to Immanuel Mission back in the day.  We hope by giving enough notice, you can deliver items with youth groups that are coming in the summer or with current staff who may be visiting in your area during the year, rather than spend the exorbitant shipping prices.  If you do wish to ship, boxes should be here by December 1st and labelled for Kelli Wilson.  If you have any other questions you can email Anne Denny at dennyanne@gmail.com.

Below is a list of items that we hope to put in reusable grocery bags (we could use those too):

For Adults

·         Flour

·         Spam

·         Washcloth/soap

·         Toothbrush/toothpaste

·         Calendar

·         Hat/gloves/scarf

·         Rollups

·         Tract written by Navajo believers

For Children

·         Small toys

·         Stuffed animal

·         Washcloth/soap

·         Toothbrush/toothpaste

·         Fruit cup or fresh fruit

·         Hat/gloves/scarf

·         Rollups

·         Christian coloring book

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As I am sure you all know, John Bloom passed away August 15 after a lifetime of serving the Lord. This is an update from his wife Ruth.

Dear Friends,

I am so grateful for your support of me. As I adjust to my new single life I am having to do many things that I was happy to let John do. I want to be careful to let you know how much I value your support in prayer and gifts for my living expenses.

I have resumed my work as bookkeeper. I have always felt that God gave me this job even though I did not seek it…at all. I have learned so much about the Lord during my time handling the funds for the Mission. Some of the lessons were very exhausting emotionally. But God is faithful and I am much more in love with Him thru the things I have suffered.

So thankful,

Ruth