On the Road Again

Jeff Foster left today on a trip to Texas, Tennessee and Missouri to share the news about Manuelito Navajo Children's Home. He will be thanking many long-term supporters of the home and giving a report on our work in Gallup. He will also be seeking new supporters for our ministry.

Jeff will be attending the Sunset Workshop in Lubbock, Texas on January 21-24. He will present the MNCH advertising display. He will have lots of literature available and MNCH cookbooks for sale. If you are in Lubbock, come by our booth.

Jeff will be attending the annual Bible Lectureship at Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee on February 1-6. He will have our display booth set up there, as well.

On February 8, Jeff will be speaking to churches in Joplin, Missouri and Cassville, Missouri, reporting to these two churches about the work at MNCH and thanking these partners for their faithful and generous support.

Jeff is trying to line up other speaking engagements in the Lubbock area of January 25 and in Nashville, Tennessee on February 1. If you can help, please e-mail Jeff at jeffrfoster@gmail.com, or call him at (505) 488-3479. Thanks.

10 Questions

Can you answer these questions related to the cross of Christ?

1. I led the authorities to Jesus. Who am I?


2. One of his followers cut off my ear. Who am I?


3. I was the first to try Jesus. Who am I?


4. Pilate sent Jesus to me. Who am I?


5. I washed my hands of him. Who am I?


6. I gained my freedom, but he died. Who am I?


7. I denied him at the darkest hour. Who am I?


8. I carried his cross. Who am I?


9. I took his mother into my care. Who am I?


10. I gave my tomb, but he didn't need it for long. Who am I?

_______________

A photo from Ceremonial (August 2008)

One Solitary Life

One Solitary Life by Henry Drummond

He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in still another village, where he worked in a carpenter's shop until he was thirty. Then, for three years, he was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a house. He didn't go to college. He never visited a big city.

He never traveled more than 200 miles from the place where he was born. He did none of the things one usually associates with greatness. He had no credentials but himself. He was only 33 when the tide of public opinion turned against him. His friends ran away.

He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While he was dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing--the only property he had on earth. After he died, he was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen centuries have come gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race and the leader of man's progress. All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, all kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man on earth as much as that one solitary life.

Dolphins Beat Scorpions

Our girls' basketball team defeated the team from Jones Ranch School 37-10 on Tuesday evening, at our home gymnasium. We play again at Jones Ranch on Thursday.

Great job, girls!

A Pressing Need

Manuelito Navajo Children's Home had a very blessed 2008. We are growing, and were blessed with the addition of two children to our residential group care program in 2008. We also welcomed a new single mother and her two small boys. We have much room for continued growth. With the proper resources, we could ultimately house 24 children in our residential care program, and 2 or 3 single mothers with children.

Can you help us work toward this goal? There are many children on the Navajo reservation in need of a good home. Can you help us open our doors to them?

Our greatest need, at the moment, is a third couple to serve as house-parents.

We are presently operating two cottages, with the Roehrs (6 children) and Atchisons (2 children) as houseparents. State requirements mandate that each couple receive an off-duty week per month. This means we must place all 8 children in the care of one couple or the other at least two weeks a month. Each cottage is licensed to provide care to a maximum of 8 children at a time. So, you can see, we are technically at the maximum in terms of present staffing and the number of children who can live on campus. To extend beyond this, we need to hire a couple who can serve as relief house-parents for both cottages, allowing us to house up to 16 children, 8 per cottage.

Can you help secure the funding necessary to hire a relief house-parenting couple? If you can help, please send your contribution to Manuelito Navajo Children's Home; P.O. Box 58; Gallup, NM 87305. Thank you for your compassion for children in need.

Whispers

A child's love is like a whisper,
given in little ways we do not hear;
But if you listen closely
it will be very clear.
They often do not say it loud
but in how they come to you--
Daddy, will play with me?
Mommy, tie my shoe.
The many ways they tell you
change as they grow--
Dad, I made the team today!
Mom, I've got to go!
Pop, I need some money;
you see, there's . . . this girl at school.
Mama, I've met a boy today,
and, wow, I think he's so cool!
Dad, I've got something to tell you,
I think that she's the one.
Mom, he asked me to marry him,
would you love him as your son?
Dad, I've got some news for you:
it's gonna be a boy!
Mom, I'm kind of scared of this,
yet I'm filled with joy!
A child's love is like a whisper,
given in little ways we do not hear,
but if you listen closely
it will be very clear.
They often do not say it loud,
but in how they come to you--
Grandpa, will you play with me?
Grandma, tie my shoe.
It is never ending,
a blessing from above.
Listen to the whispers
of your child's love.

Author Unknown

Dolphins vs Cougars

Our basketball teams were in action last night against teams from Zuni Christian School. Our girls lost 20-43. Our boys won 39-37.

A Grand Christmas

Scenes from this past Christmas. Thank you to all those who made the holidays so very special for our children. May God bless you in this new year.

Dolphins Basketball

The basketball season for the Gallup Christian School Dolphins will resume on Thursday, January 8 with a home game against Zuni Christian at 4:00 p.m.

Come out and support the Dolphins.

Snowed Under

Happy New Year! May your 2009 be filled with many blessings.

Manuelito Navajo Children's Home has welcomed the new year with a fresh covering of snow. The forcast was for 2-4 inches, but there's nearly a foot on the ground on our campus. It is beautiful.