Some recent happenings

It's hard to believe school will be out in 2 weeks for the kids here. I guess I need to gear up for the summer, i.e. having kids in the yard and knocking on the door a good portion of the day. God will give me grace, I'm sure.

I was recently reminded to think about my attitude in response to these interruptions...or is it rather opportunities. Could it be Jesus? Am I giving a drink, spending time, listening etc.? Or am I impatient and in a hurry to get back to my "to do" list? How much different would I treat Jesus? I could apply these questions to any number of situations, even within our own home.

My heart aches tonight for many different people here.

• I mentioned in my last post of a family that is expecting a baby in December. The ultra sound showed that something is wrong. Tomorrow they will get results. They are going through a lot of emotions right now- fear, sadness, questions...and many more. Their hearts are heavy. Note added 5-8-08 - We just got word that they lost this precious little one.
  
• An 8 year old girl who was taken from her mother to live with her Grandma. Then just a few days ago was taken from the Grandma and put in a foster home. She had shown interest in God that last week before she was taken. She was so sad and scared when she left.
• A 17 yr. old girl has been in foster care since she was 11, shuffled from home to home because nobody wants her, not even her own family. (aunts, Grandma, etc) She has been placed in yet another home until she turns 18 in September. What will happen then?

I am encouraged by the relationship that is developing with a mother I have been checking in on regularly. She seems more open all the time and excited to see me. I praise God for His work in her heart, for softening it.

The Toews' are currently off to see some family in Wyoming, Michigan and Kansas. They will be back by May 20th.

Last Monday we took our monthly trip to town for groceries. But, we made arrangements to have lunch with a home school family there in Flagstaff. We spent about 2 hours at their house. It was a blessing to spend some time in fellowship there. Our kids really enjoyed our time there, especially since they each had a child their age. We hope to have more opportunities to fellowship with them in the future as well.


I need to get to bed, so until next time God bless and thanks so much for your prayers.

As usual I'll leave you with some pics.

A birthday dinner at Chili's. Sharayah's face when eating ribs.

Seth enjoying his ride at Goodwill.

We're actually feeding honeybees here. Now if we could only find their honey.

Sharyah jumping rope.

We 're hanging out Sunday afternoon before the Toews' left.


Sharayah with the old Dinebito dam in the background.

The Carsey Family we had lunch with in Flagstaff.

Some Bacavi News

I thought I'll try to give at least a brief update of some of the happenings here.

Jim returned last Sunday from Indiana. He spent just over a week there at some meetings part of the time and working some. It is so good to have him back, that seemed pretty long to me.

The last couple of days we have been so blessed to have the Wilson family here from our church family in Indiana. I was sad to see them go Tuesday morning, but having them here, even for a short visit was priceless. Thank you guys for braving the mesas in the RV to get here.

It seems like there has been a lot going on in the lives of those here in the community.

A mother, who seemed to be doing better, fell into drinking heavily again as the time for her baby's father to get out of prison got closer. Praise God he was given 60 more days then. This mother has been glad for our frequent visits to her place, in an effort to keep the bootleggers at bay.

Another mother has had her 8 year old daughter taken after several days of being intoxicated when her daughter got off the bus. In the last couple months we have watched the light and smile fade from this girl's face as her mother slipped back into her old ways.

A lady who was coming regularly here sort of slipped away. She called last night desperate to talk to someone and pray. Cyndi and I were able to spend several hours listening to her and praying with her. When we took her home she seemed to be at peace about her resolve to serve God. We arrived at her house to find her drunk boyfriend in there. She didn't want to come back with us but rather stay and tell him to leave. We spent about an hour driving around near her house to see that she was safe. We will be checking on her first thing this morning.

A family here continues to struggle as they deal with a lot of pain from past hurts. Their desire is to serve God and we pray that they will keep their focus on Him through this difficult time. The mother's emotions are a little unsettled now too as they are expecting a little one in December.

We have been keeping busy too as a family, as we focus on getting school finished up. The kids are looking forward to summer although we will probably do some light school work throughout the summer. Bryce is looking forward to bing able to spend more time on all of his ideas for creating various projects. Even now he is spending extra time in electronics since he finished his Math early.

We have really been blessed with some extra funds for homeschool curriculum. We were able to get all that we need for next years school with enough for an extensive engineering/computing kit as well. (Fischertechnik) The boys especially are really looking forward to this coming.


The days are getting warmer and even hot sometimes now. The spring winds are here as well, bringing lots of sand into our house and ears and any other nook and cranny. I even had a chance to get a little landscaping done with Melissa's help one afternoon. Now I just need a way to get rid of the moles so I can grow something.

Here are some pics from the past several weeks. (I may post more of the Wilson visit later too.)
Until next time...God bless.

Last Friday we spent some time just relaxing here. Here's some of us really into Settlers of Catan.

Melissa and I laying rock.

The Wilson family minus the sleeping baby.3 Wilson boys with Seth.

Todd was just a little nervous about the RV going over the cliff. Note the rocks added for a little more security.

Here's the girls in front of our house.

Rejoicing in the warm days!

Here it is again...over a month since I last posted anything. There has been a lot of things happening here it seems, with ministry and visitors we've had.

Here is a nutshell version of some of the ministry happening around here.

• We spent an afternoon praying and talking with a family in the middle of a crisis concerning their daughter. The battle is not over but we have seen some good things from it and we continue to pray.
• I was encouraged to see a mother who is struggling a lot, make a right choice in the midst of temptation in her home. Praise God!
• We had an opportunity to sing and pray outside a home, while others were able to share and minister inside, to a man who has fallen.
• A lady who has fallen away stopped in. She was sober and we were able to have a good talk with her. We are praying she will continue to be drawn to God.
• A lady shared with a broken heart, her sin and desire to serve God wholly. She repented sincerely in brokenness and cried out to God for mercy. We are praying that she will continue to seek Him amidst a difficult environment in her home.

These are some of the things happening ministry-wise. God is certainly at work in our hearts too. He has shown me so many things lately it seems. Things I need to change in my heart, things I need to do differently and a new desire to serve Him with everything I've got, every minute. Not just when we meet with other believers, but in the day to day mundane tasks of life.
These verses have been my prayer...
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalm 139:23,24

Here are some pics from the last month.

Tony and Tiki getting ready to go rock climbing. A 3-5 minute walk from our place.

Seth climbing.
Bryce, almost to the top.

Tara

Men's choir from Moody sang at the Hopi Mission School. We so enjoyed them, especially the fact that we got to see Chris from our church in IN. He is playing the banjo below.
Chris and his room-mate got to spend the night at our house. So the 3 played together.

We were in Phoenix the same time as my brother-in-law was in town for a seminar and he brought my sister with him. That was a treat for us.
Tara playing with Bryn in the Hotel room.
I spent 5 days in IN visiting with friends and family. A big thank you to my friends who made this possible for me to do that. I was able to see my niece Jodi at Bethel College while I was there.
And fellowship with the ladies at Women's Group. What a blessing. Thanks for the surprise birthday party...was that for this year or last year?
We were able to spend the last couple days with Jim's brother and his wife from OR. Nate and Deb. It was so good to see them again...it has been 2 years.

What do you get....

...when you combine snow, rain, sand, clay and warm weather?

MUD!

What a welcome home. It's worse than when we left.


We just got back from Denver, CO. last night - as some of you already know. We spent the week there, in order for me to see a Dr. for my TMJ. (Many thanks to all of you who were involved in giving and praying in order to make that possible. It was so unexpected and such a blessing!)
It is a process to correct it, so I'm not seeing big changes yet, but Lord willing we will come back in April for some more treatments. God has provided in so many ways for this to happen. Last summer a family that none of us knew, wanted to stop in at Bacavi Church and stay overnight. So we got to know this family with 2 children from Denver. I contacted them to see about inexpensive lodging, and they offered their house. What a blessing! Then we found out they lived just 15 minutes from the doctors office. It is so amazing to me how God orchestrated all of that.

Here we are with the Hannah family that we stayed with in Denver.

This weekend Bacavi had their Bean Dance. It is sort of the 1st dance of the ceremonial season here. The dances/ceremonies will continue on various weekends, through August.

We have a busy month coming up. With various visitors coming and some of us traveling too.

In just a couple of hours we will be getting visitors. My sister and brother-in-law will be stopping in for a couple of days with their 2 youngest children. Bob and Laura Kulp from WI. I am looking forward to that. And then a day after they leave another one of my sisters will be stopping in with her husband for a couple days. Keith and Deloris Clugston from PA.

And now I need to go clean up the disaster of suitcases on the living room floor.

Below is a paragraph that Tara wrote for school.

On Monday, we were all doing school inside the house, when all of the sudden, we heard a loud whirling noise outside. All at once, everybody ran outside, shoes or no shoes, to see what it was. We were able to find out very soon that it was a helicopter. At first it just circled around once and was gone. So, we all went back inside. But then, we heard it come around again, so we ran outside once more. It kept circling around, and then we saw it go towards Hotevilla, so we ran behind our house (which was in that direction), to see it better. Everybody else had been there awhile when I finally came, because I had stopped awhile to play with Choco. But when I did get there, Mom was just saying, “Maybe it’s time to get the mail!” I didn’t know what she was talking about at first. But later when she asked, “Who wants to go get the mail with me?” I understood a little bit better what she was talking about. Later, she told us to all get in the van (minus Dad, plus Melissa, because she had just happened to be at our house that morning), because we were going to get the mail and see the see the helicopter, which I forgot to say landed right beside the Youth and Elderly Center in Hotevilla. When we arrived, sure enough, there it was! Nathan and Mr. Toews had come in a different vehicle, so Nathan and Bryce were taking pictures. We figured out from Melissa (who found out from some body else), that somebody was missing and the helicopter had been sent out to look for him.

By Tara

Amidst the hardened soil...God is working

And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland.The parched ground will become a pool, and springs of water water will satisfy the thirsty land. Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish where desert jackals once lived

Isaiah 35:5-7




It seems there has been an epidemic of the flu here on the rez. We have heard of so many sick recently. The Health Care Center has been swamped with people coming in and lots of businesses are short of help because of all those out sick.

I know satan is hard at work during this ceremonial time here. But we know that God is more powerful than any of satan's schemes. We spend lots of time praying as we go through this season here. There are those who blindly continue to carry out their rituals. Then there are some that we see, even at this time, who are reaching out for the truth, knowing that what they have been doing is not the truth that will set them free.

Tonight we are all anticipating Jim's arrival after having been gone for 1 week. He and Russ spent a week in PA at a leadership conference. I'm glad they were able to go, and I think they both really enjoyed it....but I am ready to have him back home.

The days here have been getting above freezing and with all the snow melting it is getting quite muddy. It's always a question whether or not we'll get up our driveway or not...so far we've made it - we just spin most of the way. The other night when I went to pick up in Hotevilla for Women's Group I thought I was going to be stuck there in one of those deep ruts going back in the village.

Well, I have a few things to do yet before Jim gets here in 1 1/2 hours so I will leave you with some random pics from around here.

Tara sitting at the edge of the mesa on a recent hike.

Hopi sunset

Burning dead weeds and brush. Seth by the fire.

Sharayah

Tara with some friends.

A pic of us from last fall.

I am trying to sleep, but I keep hearing this noise that won't stop. I finally pull myself out of my subconscious...it is the sound of the drums and chanting...it is 12 something am. The ceremonies have begun and we sense the spiritual battle that rages.

Our family has been sick with the flu for about a week. It seems life has come to a screeching halt. Thankfully Jim has remained mostly healthy and able to care for us sick ones. I think we are near the end of it now though and I am thankful for that.

I keep thinking of several things that need prayer so I guess I will mention them here so you can pray with us.

• A family walking through some hard things relationally. That they will continue to turn to God and be willing to follow His leading.
• Two children (4 yrs and 1 month) that are living in an unsafe environment. For their protection and opportunity for us to check in on them.
• A girl starting a dating relationship. That she would not be distracted from her relationship with God and remain pure.
• The young girl we were helping to school that now went back to the High School. That she would not forget all that she has learned about God. And that she would apply His truth in the situations she faces.
• For the church body here, that we would be unified and continue to grow together in the Lord.
• During this ceremonial time that Satan's activities will be bound and eyes will be opened to the truth of God's word.

Thanks for your faithfulness in prayers. They are so needed.

Blogger isn't letting me post pictures right now so maybe next time.

times at Bacavi

Well, we are back at school again here. It seems like the kids are glad to get back into a routine again. I am enjoying it too. Melissa is teaching a writing class to Bryce and Tara 3 times a week. That is really helpful since writing is not my strong point. She has also offered her assistance 4 hours a week for whatever needs doing around the house here. I feel very blessed to have that commitment from her.

It seems that in the last few months, that the local people that come consistently to church here has dwindled...yet it seems the few core people here, are very committed to following God even through the difficulties they face. That is a real encouragement to us.

At the moment I am operating on little sleep as we have spent several hours walking beside a couple that is dealing with some very painful things right now. God is so good in the middle of this. She was ready to give up on their marriage and as we prayed, cried and laughed together, God has done a mighty work in both of their hearts. Although their hearts are broken and painful they want to focus on God and do things His way. What a praise! He can work in ways that seem impossible to our human minds. Please help us in praying for this family; the next days, weeks and months will not be easy for them.

Also, if you think of it please pray for protection over a small baby boy (about 1 month old) who is living in an unsafe environment . In one such situation there recently, the baby's Aunt happened to stop in and was able to protect him, but what goes on when he's alone with his mother and/or her friends?

Thank you so much for all you do.

Here are some recent pics.

The guys using teamwork to get the driveway shoveled.

Tara tubing.
Seth coming up after a toboggan run.
The Toews' came out to enjoy the sledding/skiing.Nathan and Russ have also found used skis, so we have had some times to ski out back. It's quite a workout when there is no lift. But we are enjoying it...even Jim I think.

This is one of the projects I finished recently. The wall hanging and painting the dining room with a gallon of mis-tint paint from Home Depot. This pic does not show quite the true color. but you get the idea. It really warms up the room.