Erin's Navajo Missions Trip - Aug.'08

I don’t even know how to put my feelings of this trip into words. It was amazing and totally not what I had expected. Our team was very young compared to previous missions, plus it was almost everybody’s first. We were expecting some crazy Indian kids coming in on horses and holding bows and arrows not speaking English and all that jazz, but we were very far off.

After driving nine hours, we finally arrived at the Le Chee Chapter Church around ten o’ clock at night. We unloaded and slept pretty early. So the next morning, we got up prepared for our very first day! YAY! The kids started filling in around four in the afternoon. They weren’t carrying bows and arrows, they weren’t riding horses and they spoke English….wow not what we had expected! They were mainly elementary school ages with some teens and preschoolers. The theme for our VBS was “Power Lab” and how Jesus gives us the power to do so many things, like be thankful, live forever, be helpful, be brave, and tell others about God.

The first day had about fifteen kids all not knowing what to expect, just like us. We started our program with a very active worship and skit. As we began, the children gave us weird looks, but stood up and half way did the hand motions. Then they had a bible lesson which they listened to, but were a little hesitant about the praying part, and lastly went to the arts and crafts room where afterward they would be fed dinner. They finished their crafts, ate their dinner, and then had us play tag and run around with them outside. Afterward we were exhausted…..yet had the best time!

The second day came around and we knew now what to expect. We had our devotions in the morning and then they started piling in. They had school this time so we also helped them with their homework. They did their worship, skits, bible study and crafts once again, but we sensed a little more enthusiasm this time and participation. Just after one day, God was really working through those kids and our team.

By the third day, we got up and were told that the pastor of the church was going to take us to his grandparents’ abandoned home from the 1940’s and we were to do our devo’s there. When we hiked over to the giant sandstone we were going to meditate on, I felt so overwhelmed with the beauty of the landscape and how God made this on the third day and it was GOOD. Afterward, the pastor and his wife took us to the only Chinese restaurant in Page, Arizona. It was like Panda Express with some sort of Indian stuff in there. [= When we got back to the church, we did our usual VBS with more encouraging growth and fed them once more.

The fourth day was a very nice day. Our devos were done back at church, but right afterward, we went swimming in the reservoir behind the Glenn Dam. It was our only “shower” during the whole trip, so we attempted to scrub ourselves down as much as possible. After about an hour or so, we went back and the kids began to come in. During worship, I stood next to this one girl named Talia and encouraged her to do the hand motions during worship. She looked at me at first and hesitated, but after seeing me do it and everyone around her do it also, she lifted her hands a little and began swaying to the music. It made me so happy to see that I was helping others get excited about God and Jesus’ power!!! What really opened up my eyes during this whole trip, was that one time, this little girl named Eleanor began crying and holding her stomach. We were worried that she was sick or she ate something bad, but no it was the opposite; she was hungry and she hadn’t eaten that whole day. How fortunate are we to be able to have so much food at home, and have caring parents. But here are these young kids who don’t have much to eat, live in trailers, and stay with their grandparents all the time because their parents are out somewhere.

Our last day of VBS was so happy and sad at the same time. I was so proud that our team with the power of God’s will and grace, were able to excite and open the minds of the kids to Jesus. As much as we didn’t want to leave, we had to finish our program, so when we were done, we all went outside and ran around. Several children came to us and asked us, “When are you guys coming back?” We promised them next year we’ll be back and they said, “Next year?” I was about to cry. It was so sad leaving them, so we made them promise that they would keep coming to church.

The morning of our leave, we woke to find some kids poking their heads in the room. They were here to see us off. We were so touched that we just had to play with them one last time. As we piled into the van, I reflected on how much the kids had grown, how much our team had bonded, and how much I’ve changed. I felt so much more mature and more alive in some ways. This new spark in my life might be my calling who knows, but I just know that what we accomplished so much at the church and I’m looking forward to going back next year.

So thank you all for spending a few minutes of your time to read this and that you so much for your donations, prayers, and support. Also for those who came to the funeral, thank you again. On Wednesday night, the church had a prayer meeting and I had a prayer request not knowing it was a little late, but one of the grandmothers gave me a necklace to give to my grandma and it was so amazing of how they didn’t know her at all or know me, but yet they had so much compassion. Half of the necklace is the casket, and the other half I keep in rememberence of her. Well, anyway thank you so much for everything. Till next year! =)

Yours truly,
Erin Ting