Day 4--The Meaning of Service 🫶

Today was the final day of service–tomorrow our team will be traveling home to California. Please pray for safe travels as well as a continued reflection in each of our hearts on the purpose of service and living in community with one another.

Enjoy these reflections by students Reagan and Benjamin!

Reagan:

Today was the last day of work on the Navajo service trip. Well actually Diné (pronounced di-nay) service trip because that is their preferred name. The name Navajo was actually put on them by the Spaniards that took over this area, and they are all trying to change their name back to their ancestral name.

The people of this area are some of the kindest most open people groups I have ever met. They welcomed my group with open arms, happy to teach us about their lives as well as hear about ours.

I learned so much from this trip. From odd job type stuff, like how to drill-up drywall and how to mud and tape ceilings, to important principles of our faith. Today my team of dry-wallers surpassed our expectations of how much we could get done and we were able to paint! We did all out finishing touches and were able to finish a whole room and a hallway.

Go team!

Benjamin:

Today my group continued the work on digging the foundations for a warehouse outside.

I was thankful that the sun was shining today. This is because earlier in the week, I was digging when it was snowing. It was extremely cold then, the wind was blowing snow in my face. Luckily, today was warm and comfortable.

A few minutes later, I noticed how everyone was working on different parts of the project. I thought about how everyone was doing their part even though they might not ever see the project completed. They each were giving all they could, no matter how insignificant it might seem to them. This reminded me that, although we are here for a short time, we are here to serve. We do this not for ourselves, but to help the people living here.

Everyone doing their part (photos from throughout the week):

Many hands make light work!

Reagan:

Later in the day the congregation of the church we were staying at came up to the top of the hill to share a meal with us. They taught us how to make fry bread (a local delicacy) and brought us an opportunity to buy some of their hand made goods. After that, a small group of us and some kids in the church went out to play a heart filling game of tag. Who knew how much we could miss the flare of childhood shenanigans!

In summary, this week has been so fulfilling in a multitude of ways. I enjoyed learning about the history and strength of the people here. Their food was delicious and the knowledge of the vegetation around here was astonishing. Being able to complete a task that you knew would keep on helping people was by far the best part. The Diné people of this church truly loved the Lord and expanded all of our faiths in one way or the other.

Thank you to Pastor JR and the Diné people, the EM missions team, and all the awesome parents and teachers that were on this trip. You truly made an impact on us!