Yaa-te a-ben-eh. Alice yen-ish-yeh. A-héeh-hé na-ha nee-ya-nee-ge. T’ah-a quo-de-go de-né bé-zad ba-a-sin.
Which means: Hello, good morning. My name is Alice. Thank you, I’m glad to be here. This is all I know in the Navajo language.
As you can see I don’t know very much Navajo, but what I do know is at 19 years old I felt God asking me to go. I didn’t know where, but to go. I had just started attending a new church and there was a missions team that was going to a small island off of Australia where a family was translating the Bible. I remember a conversation I had with my then boyfriend about how it’s great and all it is to go half way around the world, but what about the people right here in America? Shouldn’t we help our close neighbors first? Of course we prayed for the team and supported them in their fundraising, but we weren’t going to go.
One would think if we weren’t going to go half way around the world we would start spreading the Good News to our local neighbors, but convinced my boyfriend at the time was leading me in the right direction I followed his lead in not doing anything. For the next six years we focused on making money and planning our future of a lavish, comfortable lifestyle. We had opportunities to feed the homeless, but we didn’t take the opportunity. We had the opportunity to help kids in a rough neighborhood, but we didn’t take the opportunity. We had the opportunity to spread the Good News to our neighbors right here in America, but we didn’t take the opportunity.
Six years later God to call me again and this time the opportunity to go didn’t involve my boyfriend.I went to Japan and God called and tugged at my heart to go... go share His word and make disciples. I called my boyfriend from Japan and told him what God told me. He said we’d listen to God and go, but we’d talk more about it when I got back. When I returned to America the concluding conversation was my boyfriend, and the man I was going to marry, wasn’t going to go, but I could if I wanted. I was confused - how could I be a missionary half way around the world, but my husband would be here in America? God was asking for an answer and I felt I had to tell God, “No, I wouldn’t go.”
Life seemed to go back to normal and we were on our track to our lavish, comfortable lifestyle.
What I didn’t expect was my boyfriend to break up with me and eventually marry his other girlfriend. Our plans were shattered. Wait a minute... MY plans were shattered. I didn’t know what to do. All my plans were wrapped up around my now ex-boyfriend. I didn’t know what to do or where to go. God asked me if I trusted him. Knowing I had other options, but they weren’t good options, I knew all I could do was trust in God. I heard Him ask me to go and this time there was nothing to stop me. I’m going to go where God leads and - at that point - all the doors were wide open and I was in contact with a school in Japan to teach English! My plan was to go back to Japan. I had interviews and all was on track. I was following God and I was headed to Japan.
While finishing my Sociology degree - which oddly enough included a class in Native American history - I found out I didn’t get the job in Japan. I was crushed and wondered if it was something I said during my last interview. I couldn’t pin-point anything in particular, but I must have said something wrong. My mentor told me I could have gone in there and clucked like a chicken and if that is where God wanted me I’d get that job.
I prayed and asked God what was going on and where did He want me to go? I was confused and hurt. After all, I was following Him and trusting God with everything. God just said to wait. The thing was I had no other plan and I still needed to live, and not doing anything wouldn’t help me to eat. God said wait and provided a secretary position in the meantime. I accepted it and recognized God has a plan and although I may not know what that plan is His plan is far greater than any lavish, comfortable plan I can create myself.
I asked God what I should do to get ready for His plan and he said, “Wait.” So I waited, but I didn’t just sit around doing nothing. I worked as the secretary and did little things God would ask me to do. I asked God multiple times a day what I should do and He’d show me. In conversations I’d ask God if I should say something and He’d tell me to stay quiet or to speak. God was training me to listen to Him and I was being trained to follow in every step, thought and word I spoke. For three years I did this without knowing God’s plan.
Then one day my sister showed me a job opening at an Indian school as a dorm parent. I was cautious about the job because I didn’t want to get my hopes up again. I read through the job description and asked God to show me why I wouldn’t get this job - what was the thing I wouldn't be able to do or something I couldn’t do for a long time and find joy and fulfillment. I read through the job description and couldn’t find anything. I filled out the application and a month later I was in Sun Valley, Arizona getting ready for my girls to arrive at the boarding school where the kids only go home every other weekend.
I am now a dorm parent to Navajo girls from 1st grade to 5th grade. I wake them up in the mornings and lead them through our daily devotion of learning about God and trusting Him for all our needs. I help them to understand the donations of clothes, toiletries and toys we receive is a way God provides for our needs. I help the girls with their long, long hair by making many braids and ponytails. After breakfast I send the girls off to school and then start two loads of laundry. After school I give the girls snack and help with homework. We then have free time to play in the dorm, play on the playground or just let my girls be creative. After dinner we have an activity. Then it’s time for showers and bedtime, but not before prayers with Miss Alice - my favorite part of the day because I get to spend one on one time with the girls while we pray and talk with God.
Every day is filled with activities which keeps us busy, but there are always opportunities to share God’s love with the girls. Sometimes it’s as simple as a hug or the rare occurrence of spending one on one time. Other times the opportunity comes in an unexpected way like in the story of Megumi. Megumi came to the school with a history any adult would struggle to cope with, but at nine years old she’s doing the best she can to cope with life altering experiences. Unfortunately her behavior is unacceptable and is causing problems in the dorm. I continually give her grace - getting what you don’t deserve - to show her true love and ask God to give me ways to show her His love through me. I ask God for the one on one time she seeks - even though at the time I had nine other girls to look after.
This particular week had been especially difficult because of Megumi’s attitude and behavior. In addition to her bad attitude she had been refusing to eat for a few days and I couldn’t figure out why. I figured she’d eventually get hungry enough and eat when she’s ready. When she was struggling with her homework one night, and on the verge of giving up, her roommate was cleaning their room and left maybe a half dozen of Megumi’s things to put away after cleaning everything else up without being asked. When Megumi finished her homework I told her she needed to finish cleaning her room and then take a shower. Megumi looked me squarely in the face and said, “I’d rather sit on my bed and cry.” Then proceeded to go into her room and cry on her bed.
I left her to cry on her bed while the other girls finished a movie. At this point I wasn’t concerned about her crying herself to sleep because she could shower in the morning and she obviously needed the extra sleep. What I didn’t expect was for Megumi to start crying louder. When I tried to talk with her she just cried louder. I stood down the hall to keep an eye on the other girls watching a movie while keeping an ear out for Megumi crying on her bed. Megumi then went into a tantrum and started to kick the wall. I stood at her door, just out of sight, to make sure she wasn’t going to harm herself or the wall. She then got out of her bed and cried and threw a tantrum in her closet. She tried to be as disruptive as possible to get the attention of the other girls. She got louder and started tearing her closet apart by throwing her clothes and hangers. I let her know that her behavior was not okay and if she continued she’d have a consequence. She didn’t say anything, but the look on her face showed me she didn’t care.
When the girls movie was coming to an end I quickly realized if Megumi knew she had an audience this would be a lot longer of a tantrum than it needed to be - as if it wasn't already long enough. I went into her room and told her to get on her bed and she needed to be quiet. She again gave me a look of "I don't care!" and threw in a look of "I'm not moving!" I picked her up and put her on her bed - thank you Jesus for the strength! By the time the girls were finished with their movie and were sent to bed Megumi's tantrum had stopped and she had fallen asleep. At this point I wasn't going to push the shower and figured she can shower and clean her room tomorrow morning when I wake her up before the other girls.
The following morning I went into her room and told her she needed to shower and clean her room. She got up and got moving. I left her to get myself ready before the other girls needed to get up. When I went back into the hall to wake the other girls up Megumi was dressed and selectively picking up her room. I wasn't going to force another tantrum and just let her be, but I realized she hadn't taken a shower. I let her know I appreciated her getting up, dressed and cleaning her room, but she forgot to shower. She just huffed at me and crawled on her bed. I wasn't going to play her game and left her room to get the other girls on task of getting ready.
A little while later I was thinking how great it was to have all the girls ready for school and we were going to be early for breakfast - we tend to be a little late in the mornings - but then I realized I hadn't seen Megumi in awhile. Another child peeks into her room and tells me Megumi is asleep on her bed. So much for going to breakfast early! I went in and tried to wake her, but she wouldn’t move. I called the other dorm mom for help in taking my other girls to breakfast while I dealt with Megumi (who was now awake, but not moving).
With the other girls off to breakfast I sat on the edge of Megumi's bed and remind her how I can't help her if she doesn't talk to me. She still refused to talk to me. I told her I'm going to my apartment and she can come talk to me when she's ready, but if she's not ready in the next 10 minutes it will be too late for breakfast. As I'm walking out of the room she told me she needed to return something to me. Not having a clue what she was talking about I told her that was fine - I'd be in my apartment. As I walked down the hall I hear her getting up and moving around. I got to my apartment and tried to look busy, but still tried to figure out what she needed to return to me.
She came into my apartment and I stopped what I was "doing" to see her place an ace wrap bandage on my desk. She then says, "I stole this from you." Not sure what to say, and bewildered as to when she took the wrap and even why, I just looked at her. Her eyes welled up with tears and she began to quietly cry. I knew in this moment her odd behavior in the previous week was associated with this ace wrap she had stolen from my apartment. I knew I had every right to chew her up and spit her out. After all it had been two weeks since the girls had been under a ban of not having access to my apartment for taking things that didn’t belong to them. I started to think of all the things I could punish her with... no special activities, extra chores, 100 sentences... no make that 100 paragraphs!I then realized the guilt this child had been carrying and all she's done to shake it away only to have it weigh heavier and heavier upon her tiny nine year old shoulders. I then thought of God's mercy - not giving us what we do deserve - and opened my mouth to hear the still calm words flow from my mouth, "I'm sad you stole from me, but I forgive you. I love you, Megumi."
Through her tears I can tell she doesn't believe me. She's waiting for her consequence of a punishment. But, today, there is no punishment for she has been given mercy.
My attention is then drawn away by the office calling and needing my attention. When I return to Megumi I find her in the bathroom scrubbing the sink as if she's punishing herself and needing penitence for her action. I repeat myself, "I forgive you. I love you, Megumi." Her tears well up again. I repeat myself, "I love you.” Her tears flow down her cheeks.
We begin to walk to breakfast and I put my arm around her slumped shoulders and repeat to her, "I love you, Megumi." I can feel her shoulders lift and she looks at me with an expression I'll never forget. An expression of understanding that although I had every right to punish her until I couldn't think of anything else to punish her with, I forgive her and it's time to move on.
A few nights later we're at our mid-week kid's program and the topic of the night was mercy. When given the definition and asked what it's called I see Megumi's little hand raise up ready to share what this very personal life lesson she's just learned she says, "When we don't get what we deserve it's called MERCY!"
I thank God I was able to be used as a personal lesson for this little girl, but in addition to her lesson I learned what it's like to extend mercy.
By the way, for those who do not know Megumi is the Japanese name for the American name Grace or blessing. What a blessing it was to have Megumi in my care this past school year... even through the rough times she was still a blessing I got to extend grace upon!
Living in the desert in a community dependent on donations of consumable items, as well as being dependent on those who participate in our Faithful 5,000 program (which pays the bills like keeping the electricity on) and the support of short term missions groups, which we call Work and Witness teams, to help maintain the campus can seem as though we’re in a place more decollate than we already are. Our water is unsafe to drink and we have to daily get drinking water from the filtered faucet about a football field away from the dorms. When showering the water may suddenly stop running and you pray this doesn’t happen while washing your hair! The dorm has bugs and critters and using traps becomes useless because you spend your day catching bugs and critters. You give up the fight and learn to live with the bugs and critters - although my rule is if it doesn’t touch me it can live, but if it touches me it must be killed!
Even with the unsafe water and the bugs and critters - Sun Valley Indian School is a much better environment than where these kids come from - we covet prayers for these children. When the kids go home every other weekend some are unsure of where they are staying and if they will get to see their parents or if they will be left to the care of others - which may or may not include meals and an unshared bed. While away from school some kids attend traditional ceremonies which expose them to spiritual warfare.
For many families education is of little cultural importance. Students in reservation public schools routinely drop out before finishing their basic education. Sun Valley provides a safe, structured Christian foundation. Some families see the value of Sun Valley Indian School, but are unable to provide tuition for their children to attend. The Child Sponsorship program assists these families to send their children to our school. Fifty dollars a month provides the students a quality education, a safe environment: emotionally, physically and spiritually.
I couldn’t imagine being any other place than right where I am right now. I’ve learned when God says, “Go” and I don’t obey I miss out. There are some days more rough than others and it can make having fun difficult, but I know I’m here to love on these girls just like God loves me.
Thank you for your time.
