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Navajo Newsletter No.2
- 1. No. 2 Navajo Missions Internship Michael Hogan Kayenta, AZ (501) 242-1888 PO Box 1040 mhogan2@harding.edu Kayenta, AZ 86033 SO many things have happened since coming to Kayenta and I wish you were here to wit- ness how God is working through the church and the members here! First of all, I would like to clarify if I havent already that my main purpose and mission here is not evangelism or youth ministry (although those are close behind), but strengthening and upholding the leadership here so that one day soon they may be able to be self-sufficient and no longer need the constant aid of missionaries. Within this mission we have seen that the leaders have had limited guidance and with just instruction from previous missionaries, they have become burned out. Because the Kayenta Church is relatively below average in size, there is only one constant children/teens teacher for two classes. Soon after the second week I was thrusted into teach- ing the teen class so the current burnt out teacher could rest, and a week later I found my grounds. I can now gladly say that the teens are hard at work on a NT-based curriculum cov- ering the life and teachings of Jesus (which they started with the previous teacher a month before I arrived). But more importantly I want to bring to your attention two souls from the class: Titus and Darian. We have found out that these two students are very close to accepting Christ on in baptism. They both know some basics, believe in God, and roughly understand salvation; but they just need a little extra encouraging push to make the decision for themselves. Please pray for these two and their journeys as I am in a bible study with Titus, and Darians uncle is in a study with her. Also on the topic of baptism, I would like to welcome a new brother into the fold of church. After multiple 2.5 hour bible studies late into the night with Evan (a brother on break from Bear Valley School of Preaching), Tracy (pictured) has firmly decided to put on Christ in baptism at midnight a few weeks ago. But please keep him in your prayers as well. Satan is using his ex-wife to really mess with him and lead him from the church, and he is having a difficult time understanding eternal rest, staying with the church, and being a constant positive and strong role model to his son.
- 2. Navajo Missions Internship Michael Hogan Page 2 Aside from evangelism, I really want to share with you two great events we were a part of re- cently. The first is a laundry outreach. One of my responsibilities I was given this summer was to organize a community outreach activity. So I thought about it and offered the idea that I witnessed a church do in North Little Rock; that is to show up at a laundromat for a number of hours and offer to pay for everyones laundry as a kind gesture in the name of Christ. So many members came to volunteer! I would just like to show you an excerpt of a report I did on the event. The way we did the logistics was that everyone was given strips of encouraging scripture, a church business card, and a roll of quarters. We started with $260 worth and ended with around $40. Each member present was expected to greet people coming in and of- fer to pay for their laundry as well as tell them why we were there when giving scripture and a card. Only a handful of people were adamant about us not paying for them, but most were glad that we were there, including the employees. We ended up being there from 6:30am-12:00pm or so and throughout that time we made some good contacts, shared prayers, stories, tears, and lots of laughs with those that came that day unintentionally. A number of people I remember talking to was a JW goer; a Baptist goer; and Gloria who sells snacks, goes to the fitness center every morning, and wanted to get plugged into community work next time we do something; and two Uni- versity of Texas students (out of a 24-student biker gang) that stopped in Kayenta that day on their 70-day bike journey from Austin to Anchorage to ride for cancer research. It was also interesting that while we helped them with their 24-person laundry, Cory overheard them mentioning that they were having trouble getting bottled water donated for their trip and decided to take care of that with his own money. The Navajo man in the right picture is Al, one of the leaders of the Kayenta church and a volunteer at the laundry outreach
- 3. Navajo Missions Internship Michael Hogan Page 3 The second event was actually more of a surprise to me because no one told me about it un- til two weeks prior; and that was an adult bible camp which I was supposed to deliver a les- son at. We just got back from the camp a few days ago and I dont think I can fully say how uplifting it was. The theme for our four-day camp was the book of Joshua, and boy was it thick in text. This was mostly a bible camp for all the churches on the reservation here (around six or so), but it also drew in volunteers from Texas and friends and relatives from other states who were interested in the work totaling at 80-120 people (including a large amount of children and teens). As we went through Joshua, it was my turn on the third day, and I gave a 30-min lesson on Joshua 5:13-15. Each verse we focused on something different: our human habit of putting our own concerns over Gods, the reverence due to God and his will, and the readiness we are to have to follow it. We ended that passage with an overarching message to think before we act: to remember to bend to Gods Will, and not to try to bend God to our will; and added supporting scripture reminding us how we are to treat different people and situations. Overall, I thank God for such a spiritually focused experience this summer, and have been re- ally rejuvenated to go out and stand more for Gods word and not be as lazy about his com- mission. I also cant wait to see how I can apply the principles learned to my last year at Har- ding and a business career in the future. So as always, Shalom Michael Hogan