Fostering Update for March and April ...

Nothing happened in March. Half way through April we got the call that a licenser was ready to start our home study. She was from Everett because the case load in Bellingham is back logged.

On April 24th we had our first of a 3 part home study.  She drove up from Everett and stayed 6 hours.  She walked through our home, checking in cupboards, making sure we had medicine locked up and cleaning supplies out of reach.    She also spent 15 minutes with each of my sons interviewing them. She spent a good 3 hours interviewing me.

She left with the intent to come back in one week to finish with Josh's interview.

The following Monday we got a call that she couldn't drive up again because her back was in too bad of shape. The drive irritated a back injury and she was in a lot of pain.

So now our case, half way done will be transferred back to Bellingham to be assigned once again to an over loaded licenser.   Or at least that is my understanding.

I am frustrated.  My kids are impatient and want the process done. They are eager to take in a little one in need.

But we must wait and be patient and trust in perfect timing.

Inscription Rock and Zuni . . .

With our week of activities nearly complete I feel we were true to the words on the shirts we wore.  In order to have an - impact - i must act. Galatians 5:13 - ...but through love serve one another.

After serving lunch we could have gone back to the dorms and started packing up for our departure the next day.  Thankfully, that was not on the schedule.  Our instructions were to load up on the bus right away.  We were headed south to the Zuni pueblo.

Our week of activities was planned and orchestrated by Mr. Polinder.  His connections to Rehoboth go back 30 plus years.  He has a heart for teaching through fun experiences and serving those in need.

It was nice to have everyone together on one bus instead of strung together in a five vehicle caravan. On the bus we could sit next to our spouses and relax.  The kids were having a grand time in the back singing Frozen songs.

Our first stop would be at El Morro National Monument.  This amazing rock of sandstone rises from the ground and was a precious source of water and shade for travelers heading from one side of our country to the other.

 Nestled in one of the corners of this great rock formation is a pool of water.  We all know the importance of water in the desert. 

This place was named El Morro (headland) by the Spanish and Inscription Rock by the English.  Over the centuries travelers carved their names, dates and stories into the rock.  They are still clearly visible today.

The trail took us around the base and side of the rock where we could see dozens and dozens of inscriptions from travelers from the 1600 - 1800's.  Further inscriptions were banned in the early 1900's.

Back on the bus, we headed to Zuni.  After this trip to New Mexico I can now clearly list 3 major differences between the Zuni and Navajo people.  

Number 1 - Navajo prefer to live spread out from each other.  Zuni want to live together in a small, tight community.  

Number 2 - Zuni have a religion of ceremonies.  Do the ceremony correctly and you should be OK.  Being so close together in a tight community also makes it difficult to leave the religion.  Zuni is considered a "dark" place spiritually with a fear of the unknown.

Navajo are more accepting of Christianity because they are isolated from each other and peer pressure.  Their traditional religion is one that incorporates a medicine man.  They choose to fix problems or ailments with a medicine man rather than prevent unknown badness with ceremonies.

Number 3 - Navajo are decedents from the Athabascan Indians of Alaska.  They are adapters of their environment.  Their wide open spaces of land allow for shepherding and ranching.  Zuni have always been sustainability farmers.  They grow corn, beans, squash, etc. 

Zuni are well know for the traditional and daily bread they make in these outdoor clay ovens. Nearly every home or cluster of homes has one or more.

Our destination in Zuni was to the first school ever established there.  A Christian Reformed Mission School.  I didn't get any pictures but they just finished a brand new school last year and no longer have to meet in portable buildings.  This school is a safe haven for the students who attend.  I don't know how they make the daily adjustment of life on the pueblo and life inside the new school walls.  When you walk inside the school it's as if poverty has melted away.  Take a step outside and you're reminded of where you really are.   I chose not to take pictures of the poverty.

 Our last stop of the day would be at Chu Chu's pizza restaurant in Zuni. Awesome pizza!

Our youngest, the Scientist,  was happy to sit next to the big boy teens in our group.  These boys were able to attend this spring break mission trip without their families.  It was a great, safe and educational experience for them.  And of course, all of us moms looked out for them.  Calling out concern when they got too close to a cliff edge.  Making sure they had sack lunches when we were out for the day volunteering.  And occasionally waking them up in the morning.  They were a blessing to the group just like every family and person on the trip. 

Serving the hungry and homeless...

Thursday - Our last day of service. 

We awoke on April 2nd to a significant dusting of snow.  We knew snow was a possibility for this area but it was still surprising.  On the schedule for this day was a morning of volunteering with the ministry "Answer God's Call."  These wonderful people work with the Navajo homeless in Gallup.  Once a week they make lunch and serve it at a local church. They glean from the grocery stores and make what they are able.  Egg and sausage burritos, boiled potatoes, applesauce and cookies would be today's meal.

Our group of 15 arrived at 9:30 am to a little home in downtown Gallup.  With no idea of what we would be doing - I was amazed that we walked in, received instructions, made friends and easily cooked eggs, sausage and boiled diced potatoes in large quantities.  To God be the Glory for orchestrating us and using us so efficiently.

After we were finished, there was enough time for our group to have a devotional before we loaded up and took the food to a small Nazarene church building nearby.

At the end of the day the kids would say that this was one of their favorite volunteer activities.  I think this activity allowed them to be all hands on.  Making food and then serving that food to the people who really needed it, helped them feel (helped us all feel) like we made an impact. (Remember that word for later.)

Like I said before, it snowed that night.  Homeless who are on the streets will often have to stay awake during a cold night to stay warm.  When they get inside to a warm building it's easy to fall asleep.  Our first job was to serve them coffee.  After a short biblical message it was time to serve lunch.

With so many hands, the task was completed quickly so, we sat down to eat lunch and fellowship.

As many of my friends know, my youngest son doesn't go anywhere without his chess set.  This day was no different.  As soon as his lunch was finished the Scientist has whispering in my ear, "Can I ask someone to play chess?"  His ability to engage and communicate with new people, regardless of age,  never ceases to amaze me.

This son of mine is going to take me for quite a ride as he grows up.

With the day only half over we headed back to our dorms to get ready for another activity.   
Our trip to the Zuni Pueblo - next up on A Few of My Favorite Things!