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This IssueIt has been over a year since I last communicated directly with you in this fashion. A lot has happened since then and I want to bring you into the current picture October 15 several staff had their morning showers abruptly interrupted by sputtering pipes spewing black water—and then there was no water Pathfinders learn and grow spiritually High on the mesa, across Chaco Wash, La Vida Mission Pathfinders and Adventurers found proof of Noah’s flood In Memory of & Honorarium Positions to fill, La Vida needs, and special thanks A letter from the President
Dear Fellow Prayer Partners and Supporters of La Vida Mission, It has been over a year since I last communicated directly with you in this fashion. A lot has happened since then and I want to bring you into the current picture. We had our annual constituency meeting September 17, during which we elected board members and added to our constituents. The struggle continues to expand our board and constituents to include a broader range of knowledge and contacts. You will recall that in the summer of ’05 we had a Maranatha Volunteers International work bee, during which we renovated the school. We had a fantastic two weeks of work and fellowship. The spectrum of skills represented was one of the broadest that I have ever seen in all my years of working with Maranatha Volunteers. We even had a sheet-metal worker who showed up unannounced for the last two to three days of the project. He provided the exact skill and amount of time needed to redo the HVAC duct work! If you have been keeping up with each issue of Navajo News you know that the school building was ready for classes in the fall but still had some unfinished details. Several mission groups completed most of those details in the course of the school year. The bottom line is that you responded with your donations and now we have a more functional classroom complex, allowing us to again have a kindergarten program. Another miracle has just happened. You may recall that a decision was made to move the Mission offices. That could not happen until our phone system was renovated. We originally budgeted $25,000 to do this. After much investigation into and toning of (electronically tracing) the existing wiring and system, three different companies advised us to keep the system we had and just reprogram it. This was finally completed. Total cost? Less than $2500! The medical program at the Mission is still in limbo due to lack of medical staff. Your prayers are needed. We received a grant of $35,000 from ASI to upgrade the water system. This money will go a long way toward doing SOME of the items on our list but much more is need to accomplish our long-range goals. Pray about how much you can donate toward these projects.
Our longtime office manager/secretary/receptionist, Jami Carlson, resigned due to family issues back home. Our thanks and prayers go with her. It was with much regret that we saw Barbara Starrett leave after nearly 40 years of service to La Vida Mission and its community. Several years ago Barbara took the responsibility of raising two of her grandchildren. The time came when that responsibility had to become full time. Barbara now lives in Farmington. Gratitude for her years of service cannot be adequately expressed. Our prayers go with her. Now for an item of extreme importance: The board and administration of La Vida feel strongly that the Lord has led this mission to be a light to the local community. Often when struggling against seemingly insurmountable odds, it is natural to discuss “what if”. However, unless the Lord makes it clear that we should do otherwise, the Mission will go on. Whenever we are discouraged over the future of the Mission, the Lord sends signals that this is HIS work and HE will provide EVERY NEED! This mission survives and continues operating on FAITH! Speaking of needs, what do you think is our greatest need right now? Money? No! Frankly, I am to the point where I don’t even worry about finances. Whenever we step out in faith the Lord impresses faithful donors like you and the money needed is there. Or, He blesses in other ways and we end up spending less than anticipated. Remember the telephone system? While money is a constant issue, we are in better shape than in the recent past when we had to hold paychecks for days or weeks until funds came in. That has not happened in over a year but we typically run with less than $3000 in the operations account. We do have reserves which would keep the Mission going for several months without any income, but we attempt to never touch that. Did you realize that we are currently operating on less than $20,000 per month? That amount must pay for food, utilities, transportation, salaries and more, for approximately ten mission/school staff and twenty plus students. Do the math and you will realize that your dollars are spent very frugally. Imagine what we could do with more! Now for the answer to our greatest need. STAFF! We currently are lacking girls’ house parent(s), boys’ house parent(s), cook, assistant cook and office secretary/receptionist! Administrator, Warren Bredenkamp, and his wife, Barbara, are temporarily filling the roles of house parents, cook, and Pathfinder/Adventurer Club leaders. Cindy Boatwright barely had her feet on the ground doing newsletter and promotion when she also took on the role of secretary/receptionist. Please think of whom you know that might be willing to serve on our staff, even if only for a few months. The Mission program will greatly benefit from even temporary help! We were short staffed last year, which was one of the main reasons we went to a five-day schedule and did not have the children here for Sabbath. We were not satisfied with that and, based on letters, neither were many of you. We went to a modified schedule this year, which has the children on campus every third weekend, but we are even more short staffed than last year. This schedule is very wearing. With enough staff we could return to our two-week schedule. Please pray that we soon find additional staff and remember that we need the funds to pay for that staff. My wife constantly reminds me that I personally can do nothing to alter the course of La Vida Mission. We will be successful only as long as we follow HIS will. We must also remember that while here on this earth the Lord uses human instruments to do his will. Please pray for the continued success of the mission and YOUR part in that success as you give of your prayers, time and resources. Prayerfully, Karl Schwinn, President, La Vida Mission And then no water
October 15 several staff had their morning showers abruptly interrupted by sputtering pipes spewing black water—and then there was no water. The problem turned out to be a broken well pump and the entire campus was out of water. With no way to flush toilets, wash dishes or take showers, parents were notified that there would be no school until water problems were resolved. Two days later a new pump solved the problem. Over the last two months we have been blessed with two majorly helpful groups visiting and serving the Mission and surrounding community. You can see photos of their experiences in the Gallery on our web site at www.lavidamission.org. October 11 Rocky Mountain Conference Pathfinder leaders Chris and Don Hill, Executive Coordinators of Pathfinders and Adventurers; Billy and Paula Nelson, area coordinators, and Pastor Pete Braman, Rocky Mountain Conference Youth Director, sponsored a group of teen Pathfinders to La Vida. Teens joining in were Marissa Montgomery, 8th grade,of Denver First Mountaineers; Amanda Wakefield,14, of Casper Mountaineers; Jessie MacDonald, 14, of the Cheyenne Pathfinder Club and teen representative to Pathfinder Council; Seth Coursen, 13, and Ty Coursen, 15, of Casper Mountaineers; Ethan Pendley of Casper Mountaineers; and Kenneth Fagan, 15, of Fort Collins Pathfinders. September 27–30 elementary education majors from Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska, joined Dr. Joe Allison, Professor of Educatin, and Kathy Bollinger, Associate Professor of Education, to work tirelessly in the elementary school and on campus cleaning, interracting with LVM students and assisting teachers. Students were Mikaela Miller, Brittany Wall, Lacey Lehmann, Starla Sly, Jennifer Evers, Amy Knutson, Jordan Highley, Chris Webb, Angela Acosta, Alissa Dupper, Amanda Archer, Israel Cilie, Audrey Toews, Carolyn Lowry, Katie King, Janelle Anderson, Kaitlyn Rannaw, Pamela Torres, Amber Mills, Sarah Gould, , and Katie King. Some projects completed were cataloging arts and crafts in the Hogan, entertaining and befriending students, scrubbing the cafe, cleaning the barn, cleaning the gym, helping with meals and helping in Sabbath School and church services. Union College students worked in the Hogan, the classroom and on various cleaning projects throughout campus.
Pathfinders learn and grow spiritually
High on the mesa, across Chaco Wash, La Vida Mission Pathfinders and Adventurers found proof of Noah’s flood. Bob Blair led the children, ranging in age from four to 13, up the nearly vertical side of the mesa, and on top showed them a spot where shark teeth have been found. Everyone began looking for the fossilized teeth but it seems previous expeditions had already collected most of the big ones. Then Bob showed how the ants brought up tiny sharks teeth while digging their nest and, sure enough, in the ant hills the little teeth were found. Water bottles were emptied so the bits of treasure could be kept safe. Each child found some teeth. Warren Bredenkamp (Mr. B) asked where the sharks were. His nature lesson led them to realize that some time ago the dry, barren desert had been covered with water. For some hikers the layers of color in the rocks and on the mesa face was the wonder of the afternoon. Our club thanks you for your support of Pathfinders and the Mission that allows us to share our beliefs with the children. As the upper grades study their progressive class work they learn that Jesus gave up all His riches to come and help us and that His mission was to save the sinner and help the needy. Charity Garcia’s class have decided to be servants in November and December and again at Easter. In November they will take food baskets, clothing and blankets to two chapter houses. In December they will take personal care items to a shelter. To earn money needed for these projects students will ride in a ten-mile bike-a-thon and are looking for sponsors. If you want to help with this project mark donations Pathfinder Bike-a-Thon. In Memory of
Bulletin BoardPositions to Fill:
La Vida Needs:
Special Thanks to:
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La Vida Missions, Inc. is an independent Seventh-day Adventist Mission to the Navajo. It operates a boarding school for Navajo children, first through eight grade, a clinic and evangelism outreach for the Navajo community. The mission is located on Hwy 371, 55 miles north of I-40 New Mexico Exit #53, or 50 miles south of Farmington, New Mexico. Mission Administrator Federal Tax Exemption 85-0168123 © 2006 La Vida Missions, Inc. |
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