The Navajos are a matriarchal people. When a man and woman marry, he comes to live with the family of the bride. The home and material possessions belong to the woman and all children born to the couple are born into the mother's clan. Respect for the elderly is a significant part of Navajo society. Elders are nurtured and considered the leaders of the community.
Native America is not static in its make up. Through more than 300 years of forced settlement and resettlement and various levels of assimilation, Native American culture has experienced drastic changes. However, Native Americans are a proud people that strongly identify with those factors that make them a unique and valuable portion of the social make-up of North America.
A team from Emmanuel faith Community Church in Escondido (San Diego) California will go to the Navajo Nation in New Mexico in April 2011. The team of 11 women and 3 men will travel to Broken Arrow Bible Ranch in VanderWagen, New Mexico where the team women will prepare and present a retreat for Navajo women. The men will do repairs at the camp and help in the kitchen to prepare meals.
The hard job of training has begun for the team. While this project will stretch us in many ways, we are confident that God has called us to serve Him in this manner and He will enable us to do this work.
We are excitedly anticipating what God will accomplish in us and in the lives of our Navajo sisters. Please support us by joining us in praying that our Lord and Savior will:
- Prepare our hearts to serve Him and the wonderful Navajo women
- Guide all preparations and planning
- Keep us physically and spiritually strong
- Equip us to be a blessing to the Navajo women and to each other
- Help the team bond and unify as we train and pray together
- Remind us to put God first and glorify Him in everything we do
