Navajo Summer update 2019
Dear Friends in Christ,
Although the hot weather has not yet abated, for us here in Navajo, the summer is over. The children have gone back to school and the last of our summer volunteers left yesterday. It was a full summer. At the beginning we had our third annual men’s campout with staff member Rick McCafferty, leading “Sacred Ground” a program that helps our men to deal with patterns of abuse, domestic violence, and other destructive attitudes and behaviors. Vicar Rick led the group in Bible studies and sharing their stories, so that the Holy Spirit brings healing in lives impacted by trauma.
The week following the campout, we had a volunteer group from Risen Savior Lutheran in Wichita, KS come to re-roof the fellowship hall. This turned out to be a bigger job than anticipated, because much of the underlayer of plywood was damaged and had to be replaced. But God provided, with extra volunteer help from our congregation, we were able to complete the project in two days!
In July, we hosted Our Savior Lutheran from Tospfield, MA. This is their 5th summer coming to Navajo. Each time they have led V.B.S. and done various other relationship building activities in the evenings (family crafts, s’mores, games, etc.). This year was no different, and the week was a great blessing to our community as 57 children attended, and many adults came in the evenings. The team also worked on a second roof--our guest house where the interns stay--and completed it!
Later in the month we had our Day Camp led by our summer interns Owen Duncan and Josh Ianucelli. The Wagner family from Dixon, NM also helped with the Day Camp. We were further blessed with volunteer help from Rob Meier, a recent college graduate from Omaha, NE who came and stayed a month and helped with various projects around the church. Pictured below are (from left) Josh, Owen, and Rob after they completed the new floor in our large parsonage.
The interns also helped with our new jail ministry. On Fridays we went to the local jail and preached to the inmates. It has been both challenging and rewarding as some prisoners reject the Gospel out of hand, and others are thirsting for it and thank us profusely for coming.
In Christ,
the Norton Family
Please thank God with us for:
The Men’s Campout and the Holy Spirit’s work of healing trauma
The 57 children who came to V.B.S. and heard the Gospel
The volunteers from Wichita, Massachusetts, Omaha, and New Mexico and their dilligent labor
The summer interns, that God will continue to shape them as they prepare for public ministry as Pastors in the LCMS.