Heart for Navajo

Cottonwood has been involved in Ministry to the Navajo people on the reservation in Arizona for 12 years. For the last eight years, that ministry has been led by Charlee and Jeannine Hambrick, retired teachers who have raised the banner and kept the fire burning for the Navajo ministry. During these eight years, they both have had serious operations and other health problems, and Charlee has been diagnosed with a serious nerve disease. These health issues, while making travel difficult, have not kept the Hambricks from giving themselves to lead us to love these Navajo neighbors. Here is a little of the story in Jeannine’s words.

It was eight years ago that Charlee and I went on our first trip. It was our intent to teach the teenagers, but there were no teenagers there, but there were all these women who had come on the van with their children. We were asked to take them. Fortunately, I had just completed a study on the fruits of the spirit, so we used that with them. After sharing the plan of salvation with the 30 ladies who attended, 15 of them chose to accept the LORD! We were completely humbled and blown away; I had never led anyone except my son to the LORD. Eight of the ladies who lived at Burnt Corn began corresponding with me regularly and doing Bible studies. They asked us to come back at Christmas time, which was the first time that we asked the body of Cottonwood to prepare boxes for them.
From this humble beginning, God began to do a mighty work in the Burnt Corn area. Since 2002, Charlee and I have made approximately thirty trips to the reservation, and 100+ people from Cottonwood have joined us on short-term mission trips. Now there are approximately 40 believers there and the beginnings of a home church. We have also made a connect with another family group that lives up the road, and we see great possibilities there!
The Navajo of this area have truly become family to us! When we go in small groups, we stay with them on the place in their homes. Several have made the trip to Texas to see us and to worship at Cottonwood. Deon Yazzie, our Navajo son, spent a year with us while completing high school at Paradigm in Dublin.
Thanks to all of you who helped to make this Christmas trip a reality! We were able to deliver 65 shoebox gifts, 16 baskets for the ladies, 8 buckets for the men, and goody bags for all the children. For many of them, those were the only Christmas gifts that they received this year, and they were most grateful. We were also able to have worship services each evening when we were there using Worship CDs and Rick Warren's CD, "The Purpose of Christmas." The last day we had a longer service, and our son, Doug, delivered a message about accepting the yoke of Christ. This was followed by a big turkey dinner to celebrate New Year's Day.
Our big news is that our son, Doug, has recently felt the LORD leading him to teach Special Education on the REZ. Last week Shiprock Associated Schools conducted a phone interview with him, and they have offered him a position subject to school board approval February 1! He is very excited, and we can see that this may be an opportunity for expanded Navajo ministry. We believe that God is up to something.
Who could know that God would use a retired couple who could barely get around at times for a purpose and a time such as this? When Mike Stroope spoke to us so many years ago about putting our "yes" on the altar, Charlee and I both did that never dreaming what God would call us to. We have been blessed beyond measure since then! The next official trip will be a VBS/Bible Study trip the end of June. We usually need 12+ people for that particular trip, and we would love to have some newcomers join some of us who have gone several times! Please continue to pray that Jesus would become known throughout the Navajo Nation!