Graduation & the Last Day of 2008-09 School Year!

The school kids began to finish subjects and books during this period. They were working hard, but also having a little more free time.

Monday, May 18th

The Hope in Transit teachers, Dave & Lisa Sprinkles came and brought Pizza for lunch. We all enjoyed the pizza and the fellowship. Afterward, they brought in a lot of instruments for the kids to try out during the afternoon session. I can not even tell you how many instruments the Sprinkles brought. There was a banjo, two violins, a flute, drums, acoustic guitars, bass guitars, a dulcimer, and a lot of exotic instruments for which I can not even remember the names. The school kids all had a great time trying them out. I think the favorite was the violin. Gracie from Murray Christian Fellowship played the violin while she was here and I think that inspired a lot of the ladies to try it out! At the end of the class session, the group gave away some instruments to the children so that they could continue to learn on their own throughout the summer. The Sprinkles also brought groceries for the kids to take home to their families. They provided a loaf of bread, peanut butter, jelly, pasta, spaghetti sauce, and fruit to each child. I'm probably forgetting something that was included in the food package. This was a wonderful gift to all the families, including ours!

The Sprinkles also plan to offer a new opportunity to the kids next fall. The Sprinkles will be providing the music classes that they now provide, which are already great. They also plan to provide individual lessons to any school student wishing to pursue a better knowledge of music and musical instruments! Dave & Lisa do an awesome job loving and teaching the children. The Navajo children are extremely drawn to the music. This ministry helps to provide the children with a source of pride in themselves and feelings of accomplishment that can combat the negative peer pressure, worthlessness and hopelessness that often pervades their environments. I can't say enough about how important this ministry is to the Navajo children. Thank you Dave & Lisa for your service to the Lord and Thank you to all the supporters of Hope in Transit that have brought this amazing opportunity to the children of the Navajo people.

The work group from Tyro Christian School in Tyro Kansas arrived late on Saturday, May 23rd. The Tyro group was our largest group since I've been here, at 25 people (I think). This group had amazing organization. They got their supplies, the ladies provided amazing home-cooked meals for the group almost every meal. I am told they had homemade biscuits and gravy one morning. I saw them making home made pizza crust for the pizza they served at lunch. The ladies were just awesome! We were invited to dine with the group at every meal! I got a chance to talk to some of the ladies and I really enjoyed getting to know them.

The Tyro group worked hard! They really achieved a lot of things in their time at the mission. They painted and painted everything that wasn't moving. They mudded walls and painted walls and painted the exterior of one entire house! The house was transformed from a rustic cabin look to a lovely sea-side villa look under their skilled labor.

They also managed to minister to the local children on top of all of their other duties! The group went out on Sunday afternoon and passed out fliers in Leupp about a Soccer camp that they were going to host the next two nights. On Monday night, Mr. Bill drove the bus out to the reservation and picked up fifteen kids for the camp! The weather was rather inclement (it was REALLY cold for the desert) that first night! The Tyro group opened with some Christian singing led by the Tyro youth! This group also has a wonderful God-given musical talent that they shared with us and with the Navajo children. Next, they allowed the kids to create a craft project. Next was the exercise and soccer part of the evening. I know that the Navajo kids really enjoyed the opportunity, many of them continuing to play soccer in sleeveless shirts in spite of the cold, cold wind. Tuesday evening the Tyro workers presented another Soccer Camp/VBS to the kids. They added basketball to the Tuesday night program instead of Soccer. The Navajo kids (and my kids) all had a great time and went home tired from all the fun and exercise!

Oh, many of you know that the mission was searching for a new vehicle. The Lord provided one to us! Miss Springer received an email from a local gentleman who had just purchased a 12 passenger van at an auction and wanted to know if any church group local to Winslow would be interested in purchasing it. Mr. Bill and I went to check it out and purchased the van. While it is not new by any means (1995) it is in great shape and has very low miles. We should get five or six years out of it and that will give us time to save in our van fund for a new van. The man from Winslow only asked us to pay him back what he had paid for it at auction, which had to be a fraction of the cost. Thank you, Lord!

Thursday, May 28th

Tonight is the Kindergarten and Eight Grade graduations, as well as the Schools 2008-09 closing program. We are so excited! The kids are ready! The school purchased Bibles for each of the graduates. Kindergarten graduates: Abby & Jessica. Eighth Grade graduate: Merritza. The kids all did great. Miss Springer started the program as we start each school day, with the pledges to the American Flag, the Christian Flag and the Bible. The parents and visitors were asked to join us. Next, we all joined in singing two Christian Worship songs: "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High" and "Here I am to Worship." Next the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades made a vacation pledge to remember all that they have learned while they are on summer break. Nate recited a Bible memory verse. We joined together and sang "God of Wonders". Merritza recited a Bible memory verse. The Kindergarten class read a story. We recognized the Hope in Transit and Dave & Lisa Sprinkles and brought them a rose bush for appreciation of all they have done this year and so that they remember us! Mr. Bill provided the devotional message. Next were the graduations! Miss Springer said a few words about each of her students and Jerry said some words about Merritza. He mentioned how "You've heard of the show "Smarter than a fifth grader? Well, I had to be smarter than an eighth grader this year and it wasn't easy!"

After the graduations Mr. Bill had a surprise. He and Mr. Larson presented Miss Springer with a Certificate recognizing her 17 years of service here at Red Sands! Yes, seventeen years! Isn't that wonderful! She does an amazing job at all that she does (and boy does she do A LOT!). Afterward, we all shared in refreshments and fellowship together! It was a wonderful night!

Friday morning, the group from Tyro Christian School took their leave. They said goodbye and were gone by early to the Grand Canyon, then headed back for Kansas. It was sad to see them go and we are so appreciative of all that they accomplished! Thank you all for your service for the mission and the Lord!

Friday was the LAST DAY of SCHOOL for 2008-09!

All the kids got to school excited. Today they cleaned out (and up) their desks! We are having a water fight and cook-out! Mr. Bill cooked the hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch, then the fight was on! I have to say that Odin surprised me the most. He soaked me to the bone and was still following me around with the squirt gun! I had a whole lot of fun! I got to squirt the kids and Jerry with the water guns I had purchased for just this occasion. (I'm afraid that Miss Springer did all of the cleaning up from lunch while I was playing. Sorry about that!) Of course, Jerry always won the fights because he had the water hose! He was in charge of refilling the water guns during the fight. Next, Jerry had filled up a bag of water balloons that we got to throw at each other! We were almost all soaked through. It was really sad to see the kids go that day!