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Show / \ \@ '-..... ..o..oon...P\..,.oI.,~ 'PtI.OPO ... r:> cloIunc l-I !>'T c.~,"1. 'IIoTOP" &!l' ''' "", ""to .. "' ...... ,,' . UT ..... 1l.O ~l.rtT 0:. V.t..wc.. AI't CioI , -r"(.T T he flames that vainly sought To wreck the work The Lord here wrought burned only wood. From dying embers here shall spring Fresh strength and faith engendering a new Elijahood. -w. Vest Who has known the aftermath of a fire? ... now we pass and gaze at that place while remembering. A community cannot worship daily at this same altar, obtain strength to go out from this place and meet the many crises of each hour, without knowing this place as strength, vigor, solace, love, holiness .. . " The above quote from last summer's tragic news of the church is such a contrast to the great hope which is contained within this letter! The dear old log church was your church. This will be your church because it is for you, the People of God and will be built by you. It will be built from contributions in response to these letters. If each reader would send five dollars this design could be finished and new work started. Of course, not all can spare this amount. Each can help. Some can send more and some can send coupons and trading stamps. All can pray for us. A building materials list is available to those who could send a shipment. We will begin building immediately, hoping that the church will be ready by cold weather this year. We can do this because so many of you have been so generousthank you all! However, we are prepared to stop construction at any time that money runs out. We pray that this will not happen. The work here must not stop with the building of the new church. Needs are great and our help so small, it seems. The time has come for the expansion of the work. The Navajo population continues to grow rapidly and the present generation of young people are being given greater educational opportunities. New roads are being established and projects on the Reservation make travel easier and faster to remote areas. All this means an increasing responsibility for the Mission and calls for the Mission to assume a greater burden. The most urgent need at this time is the placing of trained personnel in the field. If this work is to be truly effective in the lives of the People, more and longer visita-tions to each area must be made. It is essential that those persons charged with the responsibility of teaching and caring for the People be thoroughly grounded in an understanding of the People, that they have a grasp of the present Society and how the Navajo sees his future in this society into which he will be moving in future years. Too, they must have a knowledge in depth of the Christian Religion and its relation to the whole Person, including his intellectual and physical needs. Where government and private agencies do a good work, we cooperate and act as a referral agency. In the development of the whole Person in an emerging people into the 20th Century, it is essential that the virtues of Christianity be lived and taught so that the people in this area develop all the qualities of respon~i. ble citizenship while maintaining their own noble virtues and good ways. In the Church today there are many individuals and families who would "forsake all and follow their Lord." We want to provide the opportunity for such people to offer their lives. |