The last few days

I have not sent a blog message in almost a week due to poor reception at Wildcat and a busy schedule, so here is a quick outline:

- thanks for praying for our "group dynamics"--more on this when we return but we had several meetings and between those, our "one-on-ones" and the fact that we just spent a day @ Grand Canyon and now at Slide Rock, we have all put it behind us
- students did a great job with the kids at Wildcat (near Gallup) in VBS teaching them about love, peace, kindness, hope led by Dara, Katie, Kate, and Libby.
- the Wednesday service at Wildcat went well with prayers by Bryan, offertory piano solo by Nicole, scripture reading (1 Cor 13)by Travis a testimony by Beth Anne, a message on love (thanks for your prayers--it went better this time because it was from the heart), and the centerpiece of the service was the skit put on by Libby, Coleman, Peter, Alena, Valerie, Nicole, and Dara which brought tears to many eyes and made the message easier to give
- by Thursday everyone was tired but finished our time at Wildcat with some new games from the youth group from Magnolia Baptist Church from Anaheim which joined our group and Wildcat's youth group
- Friday found us making a temporary home out of the Lutheran church across from McNary's new church.
- Saturday Dara taught the love lesson to the Apache (People of the White Mountains) and the sports team had the older kids playing basketball and after dinner we all participated in a water balloon toss, egg/spoon relay
- Sunday we had to be out of the Lutheran Church by 0800--the previous day we had helped Pastor Jack Townsend move 2 refrigerators, a large double sink, a washing machine, desk, computers and an organ all which he had added while using the building the last 14 years until the Lutherans kicked them out--
- the extra time before we taught the 1000 Sunday school allowed us to have some much-needed comic relief: Jamie starred in an all-star cast including Peter and Travis doing a "special" dramatized version of our Lifehouse "Everything" skit. The mock skit had us all in stitches. We hope tp re-enact both versions for our potluck at the Bond's house on 7 or 8 August.
- Sunday school at McNary Apache Baptist went well with Tammy, Libby, and Coleman teaching forgiveness to the younger kids and Kate, Katie, and Lobby teaching the older kids about other fruits of the spirit (peace and kindness)
- the Sunday service was the same as Wednesday without the testimonies. After Andy's message on Love using the skit as an illustration of God's love
- after the altar call no one came forward. However, as I was cleaning up, a family came forward that was so touched by the skit they asked me to pray for them. This couple had 2 girls and have been married 3 years and believers for 3 1/2. Reservation life is tough and the "party" culture is rampant making it difficult to just walk away from alcohol when your neighbors keep dropping by with the booze. The result is neglected children due to so much family income going to alcohol.
- monday at Grand Canyon was beautiful for all. We have lots of deaf climbers on our group, especially Travis "Mountain Goat" Briggs and "Fearless" Nicole May- today we went to "Slide Rock