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Show Guest Bunkhouse. During the seasons when the roads are passable we have a constant stream of adventurous souls stopping by to visit the Mission which has become something of a landmark in this inaccessible county. These are interested churchmen, anthropologists, ethnologists, geologists, mmmg engineers, writers, artists, and just curious people. All are invited to share what we have in the way of food and shelter. Until now we have not had much to share in the way of shelter. Those with sleeping bags make a camp on the grounds, for others we put blankets on the floor of the school. Many of these would stay for long periods and contribute to our always inadequate labor pool if we had housing. A log western type bunkhouse with sleeping accommodations in one end and a common room in the other would be ideal for men. We need now $2500.00 for guest house; we need yearly $1000.00 to maintain it. Power Plant. Weare at present using a small power plant that is barely sufficient to provide light from after supper until ten thirty at night. This plant has been in operation for five years here and was second hand when we got it. It has been patched and repaired until there is little left to repair. We must have a new plant immediately and when the h ospital and school are in complete operation electricity will be needed on a 24 hour basis. We will then need a Diesel plant. We need now $2000.00 to provide this service; we need yearly $1000.00 thereafter to maintain it. -5- Staff and Staff Leaves. The staff of the Mission works on an entirely voluntary basis. No one has ever been paid and with few exceptions the staff members have financed their trips out here. We all do this gladly and willingly and would not have it otherwise but funds should be available to pay, at least, the transportation of each staff member to and from a chosen vacation point. We work here on a 24 hour day, seven days a week, and it should be a must that every member of the staff be away for rest and change for at least 30 days a year. Staff is our most precious possession. Things we can replace with oth ers, but a good staff member once lost can never be enti.rely replaced. When considering your share in this appeal ask yourself if God wants you to give yourself to this hard but rewar ding job of ministering to our Navajo brothers, living as they live and working as they work. We need now $1000.00 for staff vacations; we need yearly $2000.00 thereafter. SUMMARY We need therefore about $40,000 to put the Mission buildings in shape and equip them, and another $12,500 yearly to keep them up. In the ten years of our existence this is the first general appeal we have made. We have asked our friends to help us in the past and they have responded generously but never have we appealed to the public or to the church generally. This we felt should wait until we had demonstrated our worth. We feel we have done this now. We await your orders for the future. Are we to go forward and meet the challenge of the Navajo? The answer is in your hands. The money we need is yours to give. Prayerfully and with great humility we ask that we may have a share of it for the Navajo and Saint Christophers. - - 6 -- |