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!

Cross Cultural Cooking

Last night I had invited friends over for dinner, J.C. from the Congo and Nancy, from India. I had originally planned to have beef stew, but Les reminded me that Nancy was raised Hindu, and although she doesn’t actually practice that religion now, she still does not eat beef, “just in case”. So, I decided to cook some Chicken Cordon Bleu I had in the freezer. I peeled potatoes and started them cooking. Then, I went to see our next door neighbors. They moved in a few months ago, and, although I promise I have tried to get to know them, I have only been able to meet the wife and visit with her a couple of times. I knew she was having her first baby last week, and I had wanted to take dinner to them, but had not been able to contact them. This time, when I knocked, Amanda answered the door. She invited me in,showed me her brand new daughter, and introduced me to her husband, Mohammed, who is from Egypt. I was glad to meet Amanda’s family, and offered to bring dinner over. She said that I did not need to do that, but I insisted, telling her that I was cooking anyway, and it was simple to cook for two more people.
I went home and took out the Chicken Cordon Bleu (rolled chicken breast with ham and Swiss cheese inside) to cook for everyone. Then I began to reconsider. I don’t want to stereotype, but it occurred to me that Mohammed from Egypt might possibly be Muslim and, if so,I knew he would not eat ham, and he might be offended if I took him ham for supper. Since I did not really know him, I decided I did not want to take that chance.
I quickly found a chicken casserole that I had in the freezer, ready for just this kind of situation, and put it in the oven. It was frozen solid. It was going to take a little longer to cook than I had planned on. I finished the dinner for J.C. and Nancy, including a nice salad that would work for our neighbor’s dinner also. The casserole finally seemed done, and I took it out of the oven. Uh-oh. The aluminum pan it was in collapsed and spilled the casserole on the floor. Not all of it spilt. I dumped what was left into another dish, smoothed it out, sprinkled some extra cheese on top and stuck it back into the oven. It did not look too bad. By the time I had the dinner ready for Amanda and Mohammed, it was 6:30, and our guests had arrived. I ran the dinner next door and apologized for being so late. Of course they were gracious and said it was fine. I am wondering about it, tough, thinking about it from their point of view. A neighbor they barely know insists on bringing dinner. They wait until 6:30 and get a messy chicken casserole and salad…I am not sure what I would think. Maybe I will get another chance to be neighborly to them.

God's Grace Lived Out

I had a conversation on facebook with a good friend today. Some reading know her. My friend Kim is under 40 years old, and suffers from a degenerative nerve disease. As the disease has progressed, she is not able to use her left hand or arm, and cannot walk or stand. She has severe pain in her arm, and her left foot and leg. I was very moved by what she wrote to me today and I asked if I could share a part of her letter, which she gave me permission to do. Here are my friends words.

It has been hard and the more it spreads the harder it gets. I have not lost my faith, I have not lost my intimate relationship with my Father and I have not lost my spirit. We all know that God heals, we talk about it daily, in Church and amongst our church friends and even just our friends outside the church. And I have said that God has healed me. and He has. Maybe not where I am walking, or with all my pain. But, the Lord has healed. He healed me just long enough for me to go to China and love on the Bishops (missionaries there) and for me to leave there with an even more compassionate heart. Which very well can be utilized here instead of there. I am not even going to try and figure where God plans to put me....that is way bigger than any thought I can imagine. I can say, that through prayer and the Word . as of right now God is not going to heal me, I don't know if this means I will never walk or if it means It will even go into my right hand and then it really will be full blown body RSD. I do think that this disease with me and the things with (her daughter)Amanda are so much very connected. I also know that I am not a prophet nor do I have this gift, but I do know that the Lord will be glorified through ALL of this.
And, yes... I am walking through this disease with God right beside me and I am pressing into Him! I am very scared at times and pray that I won't have to move in with someone. If I have to, that will be because I will need to obey God on something. I hurt more than I can ever imagine and this pain is so so super bad and no not all the meds stop this pain. The swelling has become so bad that I don't even quite understand it and I have been counting the days down from the beginning of my left foot hurting and then it taking that leg, to my right leg becoming useless and and just seeing when it gets closer to that time,if my right hand gets it.
I just want the chance to hold baby Peighton (her first grandchild due in February) one time before that happens.

I speak to Kim every few days, and try to see her every week. She is in constant pain, and unable to walk or do simple things for herself. She is honest about her condition, but does not complain. She is not able to get out of her house often, but she uses emails and facebook to encourage and uplift other people. Her faith and hope amaze me. I just wanted to share a little of her story with whoever may read this.