Navajo Mission Team 2017

Beauty abounds in Navajo, NM!!! I was struck by the beauty I encountered at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church.  It manifested itself in three ways. One, the backdrop for the church is stunning ... the soaring rock faces were ablaze with light, as they reflected the summer sun.  Two, the Navajo people are a beautiful people ... full of love, laughter, stories and creativity as well as a deep sense of family and a genuine desire to honor the Lord Jesus Christ.  Three, the Nortons - Tim, Heidi, Philip and Leslie.  Wow, what a beautiful family!  Individually and collectively, they are offering themselves as living sacrifices to the Lord Jesus Christ for the sake of the Navajo people.  It was such a joy to see firsthand the love they have for the members of the church and wider community! It was a privilege to serve alongside of the other team members from Our Savior and my Mom, but of course.  It was a great shared experience for the two of us....

Hello to all of you from Window Rock, Arizona. We have been busy with outdoor work around the church and houses on the property. We finished up today all that we were charged to accomplish. It has been very rewarding to help out Tim and Heidi Norton.   It has been a blessing to me to spend time with the Navajo people, talking and doing crafts. Looking forward to seeing the Grand Canyon and Sedona. I hope all is well with everyone back home. Yours in Christ, Scott Deffer

Greetings from Navajo Nation!   This has been an amazing trip spreading the joy of Christ and working together.  The Lord is at work here and we are blessed to share in His kingdom, with our Navajo sisters and brothers in Christ and the Norton family.  Thank you for all of your prayers. Michael Goolkasian

Hi Senders! Thank you all so very much for making this trip possible. It has been a joy to serve in this beautiful country of the Navajo people. Although the temperature was 100 + when we were in Phoenix, the weather up in Window Rock and surrounding area is about 75-80. Great weather to be working in. We have been working hard doing landscape work trimming trees, cutting down dead ones, and chipping all the brush, and branches we have piled up and doing other odd jobs. Devotions have been great on a daily basis and we have had many of the local people join us in this regard. We pray that the Holy Spirit work in the hearts and minds of those people that send children to church and VBS here but don’t come themselves. The people are a very proud and wonderful group. I went down the highway to pick up a file to sharpen the chainsaw and when I walked into the store I was greeted with a very sincere hello how are you attitude. As a whole the people in service jobs are very friendly. Las...

It is such an honor to serve once more with Tim and Heidi and Philip and Leslie Norton.  They are role models to me as servants of Jesus.  They put the Navajo people before themselves in sacrificial love.  They love generously, listen patiently, serve kindly and pray confidently in Jesus' Name. They have been kind and gracious hosts to our team of 15 in so many ways!  Please remember this precious family in your prayers.

Greetings from Navajo Nation! It is GOOD to be back, visiting in fellowship with our brothers &  sisters in the faith. We see this community being built up with the continued efforts of the  Holy Spirit. Challenges and hardship persist in this beautiful land, among these  children of God, but His work is being done, in His time. Seeds sown,  and watered, are growing. Other seeds germinate months to years thence,  but we wait on the Lord for the harvest. We continue pray for those that  have fallen away or into dependencies in their daily struggles. It is so encouraging seeing how the Lord is using the Norton's  (sometimes know as the Horton's ;) in partnership with the local Dine  strong in the faith. Please continue to pray for this treasured family,  front-line workers in this field. We rejoice in those children coming to VBS, especial the strong  relationship building among the teens. I am so proud of Philip, Leslie,  Adam, J...

Greetings from Navajoland where we are experiencing a time of fellowship with our dear brothers and sisters.  Most of my time is spent with the youngest ones who are loving, very active, and inquisitive.  Simple Bible stories of God’s love in Jesus are being told, and the children are remembering them and able to relate them back to us.  These are reinforced by the crafts and games we are able to play. The seed is being sown and our prayer is that they will grow into faith.  The time spent engaging both the children and the adults has been a time of encouragement to all of us.  Thank you for your prayers and support. Blessings, Sandra Sudak

Hi everyone! I just wanted to say thank you all so much for praying for us. I have not been able to go to sleep because I was too excited to see Leslie Norton again and of course other friends. But as soon as we were driving to the church I jumped out of that van and gave her the biggest hug I could give. A few days ago Leslie, Philip, Ellie, Adam, and I went swimming in this huge pool in the hotel and it also with a hot tub. Well Adam was the life guard reading his book. We had the best time. I have been seeing all these little kids who are not so little anymore but some now are my age. I am too excited for the days to come and see God working through the kids and everyone else. I cannot not thank you all enough. We all miss you so much :) Love, Jennie Sienkiewicz

Being able to come back and connect with the same people is an amazing experience. Yet with every new year there are new faces. Starting the week we started slow, but as our week progressed the attendance was getting better. As I work in the teen section of V.B.S, I see God working in amazing ways as he continues to bring back the same and new kids. Our stars and smores night was a success. While the night began Rafael brought group of us on a hike up the mountains to see the beautiful scenery of what Navajo Nation had to offer. I hope we are all in your prayers and hope to see you al soon. God bless, Adam Sienkiewicz