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Journey

Becoming the bookkeeper was a very hard thing for me. Since I knew that the Lord wanted me to do it, I kept at it even though I did not like the job. I felt overwhelmed and not adequate for the task. Some days I would sit at my computer screen filled with dread wondering why everything disappeared when I hit that key and how can I make it come back?

One day in church Greg described his idea of the worst kind of job…one where you sat in a small room all by yourself for hours at a time looking at a small screen and typing in numbers. I almost raised my hand…that’s me!! I cried out to the Lord and He answered, but not quickly by my standards.
I recently realized that I liked my job….a lot, and was now happy doing it. I was amazed and told my husband about it. He said, “That’s great Ruth, that only took 4 years.” I am truly rejoicing to see that the Lord, only, can change the heart.
I am also rejoicing to see the Lord provide the needs of the Mission. I get to see it firsthand everyday as I open letters and see the Lord provide the funds we need to keep on ministering here in this place. The Lord apparently is not struggling with a recession. I am humbled and thankful to see His provision.
Ruth Bloom
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Summer

We are five weeks into the summer. We have had three work groups with four more coming. We have made great progress on the new apartment. This week we will lay the tile floor and finish painting. All that will be left will be carpet and kitchen cabinets. The carpet has already been donated. We still need to purchase the cabinets. We have also progressed nicely on a new house for Ranson and Lula Tom. The house is mostly framed but still needs a roof and interior walls as well as electrical and plumbing to finish the rough construction.

We are also remodeling a room for our music program as well a repainting the gym floor. We are so thankful for all the work that these groups do for the mission. The groups also do a ministry in the community and these are always well attended and effective. Many kids who don’t go to our school can be reached through the VBS ministry in the summer. Please pray for these groups and the gospel outreach.
John Bloom
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New Phone Number for Immanuel Mission

Immanuel Mission has a new phone number.  Effective immediately.  830-2000-351.   Please spread the word to everyone you know that has contact with us.  The old number will be disconnected shortly. Thanks for your help spreading the word.

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News in April

Hey all,

When last heard from, my students and I were planning the annual restaurant and my prayer was that God would bless it and do whatever He wanted to in it. God said OK and did. All of our ‘needs’ were provided and the restaurant brought in more money than ever before. We praised God for His answer to those prayers. It was an incredible evening, because of God’s blessing and the HELP from my family out here.

Less than a week later, we headed out on our class trip to Albuquerque, and my prayers were the same. God graciously granted us a wonderful trip. We were accompanied by Miss Denny, our bus driver and my ‘voice of reason’, Mrs. Kathy, who exhibits enthusiasm enough for a whole busload, and Willard, who supplied my ‘close eye on the boys when I can’t be with them’ need. My girls fulfilled their traditional role – putting the boys’ hair into tiny pigtails while the boys followed tradition and put up with it. All of them smiled and waved at pedestrians as we drove through ALBQ. We rode escalators and elevators at the mall, toured the Aquarium and Zoo, swam for 2 hours, finally played Laser Tag (!!!!), rode bumper boats, bumper cars, played mini golf on a flooded course, and did more at a ‘Family Fun’ place.

I am recovering from a fall. I was carrying supper to Hannah’s house, and tripped at the cement, landing on my face, and tossing nacho cheese, shredded cheese, and sour cream as I fell. The chili, Praise the Lord, had already been delivered on the previous “trip”. [I fall in slow-motion, and am wondering, Do you?] I began right away to thank my Lord Jesus for His timing, and to laugh with Hannah, who saw the whole thing and was concerned for my injuries. We couldn’t help but laugh – nacho cheese was EVERYWHERE, although the lid of the small pan landed right back on top of the pan (!) and somehow, an enormous blob of sour cream was on my nose! It still cracks me up! I don’t know how God arranged that, but it was a scream. [I’m so glad you didn’t see it, but I wish I could’ve] Nothing was broken, my bruises are fading, but my shin will remember this for a while yet.

The weather is still snowing once or twice a week, between days that get up to 70. The WINDS have arrived, of course, and we regularly retrieve bits of our belongings from each others’ yards. The upstairs apartment of the new building is coming along. It now has a beautiful deck on it, from which one can almost see Texas, or so it seems.

The Academic Meet is Thurs/Fri in Window Rock. Join me in praying for Anne to enjoy God’s peace – as she is again in charge of the entire event.

Hebrews 4: 14 – 16 has been especially delicious to me lately, as I fail so often, yet look to Christ.

I’ll be in Michigan this summer.

Looking to Jesus, and enjoying Him greatly, Becky Knopf

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Bloom Newletter – March 2009

Dear praying friends, March 2009
It’s time once again to share with you the blessings and challenges of ministry at Immanuel Mission. We are having a good school year and we are nearly 3/4 of the way through. Basketball season is winding down with the league tournament next week. We expect to do well. The juniors and seniors have been doing lots of fundraisers in preparation for their big trip to Florida this year. Last week we had our annual carnival night. The BIG attraction this year was a new climbing wall — 19 ft of hand and toe holds with different skill levels. Putting people in “jail” is also a big attraction. We have had a lot of sickness in the school but so far no teachers have missed a day. Mel Meinzinger our kindergarten teacher (Ruth’s niece) is scheduled for surgery later this month to remove some growths on her ovaries. Please pray for her. This may be done over spring break but she may have to miss the rest of the year.
Here’s a great story. Laverne went to school here through 8th grade. She was a student when we first came here 21 yrs ago. She went to Red Mesa to high school. Later she got “Navajo married” which means she lived with a man but was never legally married. This is a common practice out here. It usually ends up being common law marriage. She and Bernard had three children which are in our school. Not surprisingly they had marriage problems and eventually separated. Last fall Laverne was very depressed but fortunately got out the Bible we gave her for 8th grade graduation. She remembered many of the verses she memorized in school. Well, she gave her life to the Lord — then told Bernard and he trusted Christ as well. They are back together and planning a wedding. Sometimes the seed takes a while to grow but we are reminded to be faithful in sowing and leave the increase to God. Pray for Laverne and Bernard and kids.
Johnny graduates from Emmaus this year and we hope to attend. Then he will be married July 25th in North Carolina and we definitely will attend. He and Kara plan to live in Topeka, Ks where Johnny will work for his brother Rex.
Our daughter-in-law Katie continues to improve. She still is not back to work but is able to handle raising three active children.
Today I go to a planning meeting for a Navajo produced Passion Play. I am hoping many of our believers will participate. Our maintenance situation has improved with the addition of Willard Shannon to the staff. We still need an auto-shop teacher.
We have 9 youth groups scheduled this year. The first is a large group from Hutchinson that will be here in early March. There will be 8 more in the summer. Pray for blessing as the Word goes out into the community.
Thanks so much for your faithful prayers and support. Your partnership in the gospel is a great encouragement.
John & Ruth Bloom
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What is Teaching?

I think teaching is one of the hardest things you’ll ever do. It is often thankless and frustrating. Kids don’t usually appreciate our love and efforts in their lives. It can be lonely in a classroom when you are the adult and not part of the group. There are inside jokes you aren’t a part of, but often the brunt of. Immanuel Mission can be lonely as well. We are far from town and some need to go to town just to be in the midst of people. I have found now that I like waiting in line, being in a crowded place, and even going shopping on Black Friday is fun just to be in the jostle and mess. So those are some of the negatives but this is why I don’t quit or leave:

Teaching is one of the most valuable things you’ll ever do. It is so nice to have a job that has eternal consequences not just a paycheck as a reward, but crowns in Heaven. I know we are supposed to do everything we do to the glory of God but it is more obvious that it matters when you are dealing with a student than when you are dealing with a vacuum cleaner. Kids do learn stuff. It is kind of amazing at the end of each year when you realize that, in spite of themselves and the struggle, they know more than they did in September. They quote me; sometimes that is honoring and sometimes embarrassing. I make a difference and have significance. Selfishly, it is fun for me to be the center of attention. I like having a captive audience everyday. I bet these things are true of parenting too, but the Lord hasn’t given me that ministry. I love teaching at a Christian school where you can tell them the truth and not have to worry about being politically correct. You can call sin “sin” and you can tell people about God’s solution for it instead of using the world’s tools to mask or hide or explain away problems. I love kids and I love the Lord and I love that He lets me do what I love for Him. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Immanuel Mission is a great place to live. My neighbors love the Lord and love me. We are working for the same goals of godliness and love for each other. Obviously we have struggles and things to work out, but underneath everything we all want God’s best for each other. I walk to work, I walk to church, I walk to my friend’s house, to the gym, to meetings, etc. Even though groceries are 90 miles away, I know I spend less time in a car on a weekly basis than people who live in town. I don’t pay rent, I often get free clothes, I eat two meals a day that someone else pays for and cooks, my house is maintained by others that are eager to help me, and my neighbor always has a cup of coffee or sugar or whatever I forgot to get in town; or will pick it up for me when they go in the next day or two. I am safe in a gated community and surrounded by people who pray. I wish our phones worked better and I wish Kansas with my family was as close as Farmington, but I am content with the family God has given me here. As I love to say, “God is good, all the time.”

Anne Denny

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4th Year of Teaching

When I started working here as a teacher I thought I was going to teach for just one year. But, after a year went by I decided to teach again. I knew this would allow me to enjoy getting more acquainted with the Mission School and Community. I can’t believe it is my fourth year teaching here. This year I am teaching the 3rd grade only, which is great. I have a wonderful group of nine students eager to learn. There are seven boys and two cute little girls. The boys are very talkative and all my students have talents that show in class.

It’s great being around young scholars as they remind me of my self when I was young. When I was a little girl my parents taught me lots of things at home in our own language. Some of the things my parents taught me were: names of the month, days of the week, four seasons, four cardinal directions, and most importantly, my Diné clan and how I am related to others who have the same clan group as mine. My parents used to tell me about Diné history like the Diné Long Walk that occurred in the 1860’s. This year I thought about teaching some of the things I learned when I was young. So, at the beginning of the school year I asked my students if they were interested in learning about some of the things I had learned when I was their age, and they all said “yes.” They especially liked that we would learn about the different clan groups and how they are related to each other by clan. After school started we learned about clans and kinship, and found out that in some form of relationship by clan we have sisters, brothers, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. in one classroom! As a class we found joy and comfort in knowing that there are kin members we learn lessons with, eat and recreate with at school.

It’s a wonderful feeling to know my class and that wherever I go I will find a relative. It’s very unique. Now I know I have lots of relatives living in the Sweetwater Community. Now I really feel like I am at home. It makes me feel great and joyous to be here at the Mission School, and I can feel the Spirit of God.

Esther Yazzie

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School News

We currently have 86 students enrolled for the 08/09 school year. There are 6 seniors and 10 new kindergarteners. We have 54 elementary, 8 junior high, and 24 high school students. We have 17 school staff members with 3 new teachers (see their articles elsewhere in this newsletter). Gerald Harvey is the new school cook. Lula Tom has switched to full time bus driver. Our retention rate is 92% which is very high for mission schools. Students like to come to school here for a variety of reasons, but, of course, we believe that God has them here to hear about Him. Please pray for our new staff, for safety, and that souls will be saved. We see signs of good things in the upper grades with several of the seniors being bolder for Christ. We are fervently praying for revival in the school. Please pray with us.

John Bloom

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October Newsletter

I love the month of November for several reasons. One being that November means that December is almost here. November brings winter–I woke up this morning with snow on the ground. November also brings Christmas music. And November gives me the hope of going home for Christmas soon. Those are just a few of the numerous reasons that I love the month of November.

October proved to be a fun month as well. Around the middle of October, the first nine weeks of school ended. We rushed to get everything done and improve grades before the end. Open house was on the 21st. All in all I love open house time–it feels so festive. I met with a few of the parents of my kids and we were able to discuss grades and learning and all that teachery stuff.

After the nine weeks were over, we needed a crazy week–before we all went crazy. So last week we made Piñatas in geography in conjunction with the High School Spanish classes. We also made a movie of Peter’s escape from prison in Bible class. In English, we started Literature Circles–which is new to my kids. It was nice to do some things that were out of the ordinary. Now we are back to the same old, same old, tried and true learning, but every now and then we’ll switch it up again. This week we are writing a blog as if we are Paul at Lystra and Derbe.

In my last newsletter, I mentioned the need for prayer for a particular student. I very much appreciate your prayers. I wanted to let you know that in the last week and a half, I have seen a major difference. She is beginning to interact with her teachers, is smiling in class, and she is even trying a little in her homework. I praise the Lord entirely and am anxious to see her grow even more in the next few weeks.

Life here at the mission is going well otherwise. The weather the last couple days has been fun. The wind has been blowing the warm weather away. Last night I heard thunder and what I thought was rain, only to wake up to find snow. Of course it melted away by lunch time, but it is still quite cool. Right now I am sitting in front of the fire and am torn about the need o leave it. Tonight we have our cooking class. Gerald, our school cook, has been offering a cooking class on Wednesday nights as part of our craft class. It has been a fun change up. Tonight is freaky Wednesday where everyone brings their own recipe. Wednesdays are quite busy as we also have our Navajo class. Greg Staley, one of our seasoned missionaries is teaching a Navajo language/culture class for the newcomers. I am really enjoying it. It has only been a few weeks, but I already know more than I ever thought I could. Yet I still only know a handful of words and have troubles understanding what I am saying. But I am learning–and that is what it is all about.

November promises to be an equally fun month. The busyness of the season is about to hit full swing. I am also looking forward to Thanksgiving break even more so than the kids. I pray that all is well with you and I would love to hear from you. I do thank you so much for your prayers.

Much love, Kelli Wilson

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Message from the Office

There are no gas lines to the Mission (or phone lines, or mail delivery, or trash pickup). We all have tanks of propane outside our homes and huge ones for the school. I call and order a truck to come and refill them when they get low. When the prices for propane went up I was tempted to call the bills profane! Please pray with us for the Lord’s provision. We are not allowed to have a partial order without an even bigger per gallon price. So we must order the whole truck and put it in various tanks. We had to order for the school tanks in August. The bill came to over $6000. It has been exciting to watch God provide this need. Many have given more than usual to help cover this added expense. We are so thankful to God and to you.

Ruth Bloom