We are anticipating needing a significant number of new staff for the next school year beginning in August. Please pray that God will supply the workers for this important ministry among the Navajo people of Sweetwater Community.

Anticipated needs include:

• Kindergarten teacher (degree not required)
• Middle School and High School Science teacher (degree preferred)
• Bus mechanic or mechanics helper
• Maintenance man
• Bookkeeper - knowledge of bookkeeping procedures and programs
• Bus drivers - must get AZ CDL and school bus endorsement.

Contact John Bloom at 928-674-3616 (ext.14) for more information.

The passing of years can seem to be a long time or only a few days -- it's all in perspective. Looking at the rocks and mesas surrounding Immanuel Mission evidence of many years of God's use of His creation is seen in the scouring and shifting sands. Yet -

It seems only a few days ago that there were worry lines on the face of a wife who never knew the delight of being submissive to her husband. She has been brought up in the tradition of the matriarch -- the woman makes the decisions and leads. God is doing His work and is using the truth of His Word to scour away the worry lines and replace them with wrinkles of joy as she looks with respect to her husband and he returns to her his look of love. Thank you God for the sands of time that you allow to trickle through Your fingers for the benefit of Your chosen ones.

And then there was the shy and quiet Navajo man whose eyes reflected the gleam of fear each time he was to speak aloud. Just as we experience new vision after the cloud of dirt, debris, and sand of this earth settle following a violent storm, now he too has the new vision of the Lord. With the confidence of Christ as his Savior, his eyes not on his shyness, but instead on the glory of the risen Savior, he can speak openly and without hesitation of what God is doing in His life. Thank you God that Your sand of time is doing it's work.

These are some of the changes that we, Dave and Leona Douglas, have been privileged to witness in 16 years as staff at Immanuel Mission. And now the sands of time are causing changes for us personally. God has shown us that it is time to leave Immanuel Mission and He desires to shift us to a new area and move us on to the next thing He has for us. At the end of this school term we will be going from full time support work -- bus mechanic/maintenance worker and bookkeeper -- to full time retirement work. -- discipleship and nurturing of those He puts in our lives and our grandchildren as well. As our grandchildren are located in the Pacific Northwest that is where we will be heading.

Verses He has given us come from Deuteronomy 33:18-19 NASV -- "...Rejoice, Zebulun, (Dave) in your going forth, (from Immanuel Mission into the unknown of My choosing) and, Issachar, (Leona) in your tents, (our 12' slide-in camper parked just wherever He leads). They shall call peoples to the mountain; (to Christ as their personal Savior) there they shall offer righteous sacrifices ; (worship of God and God alone) for they shall draw out the abundance of the seas, (those we encounter in the seas of the Pacific NW) and the hidden treasures of the sand." (as already shared above).

It is with trust and trepidation that we embark upon this new "Sierra" in our lives. We are trusting God for His leading, yet somewhat like Moses -- "What if they will not believe me, or listen to what I say..." and His answer is still the same -- "I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say." Thank You, God, that even though we see the shifting of the sands of earth and the resulting changes, You are changeless. You are the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Dave & Leona Douglas

The home of the Falcons is a wonderful place to be.  There are beautiful rocks all around it.  The rocks are showing off their bright red colors.  On the east side there is the Carrizo Mountains standing proudly.  It is a nice, peaceful and quiet place God has made.  God picked this place for His special worship, work, and to teach the young people by opening the richness of the Bible to them.  They can learn that it will make a difference in their hearts and it helps them to realize that they are a part of God's special people.  We pray that they could go on to higher education with the guide of God and someday they could return to the home of the Falcons to help continue school for the young people by teaching them.

I am always amazed to see a student learn a new lesson, undertake an imaginative journey, and suddenly discover a world of ideas and thoughts. The most exciting thing in a teacher's life is to see the proverbial light bulb go on in a students head as they suddenly grasp the meaning of a word, the logic of an equation , or the relationship of history to their lives.

After initially receiving counsel from the leading men in our commending assembly, that we should prayerfully consider other options for next year, I found myself wrestling with the question, "What was the point of the time we've spent here at Immanuel Mission?" Why would God bring us out here for four years, and then have us leave?

I have had a month or two to ponder the question, and the only response I can firmly come up with is, "Sanctification." Through the working of the Spirit, and by God's grace we have grown. Perhaps this growth has been quite obvious to onlookers in some areas, and perhaps not so obvious in others. In some small measure though, I feel that our loving Heavenly Father brought us here to further transform us into the image of his Son.

He knew it would take a remote place like Immanuel Mission to take us out of our comfort zones, to begin to teach us dependence on Him alone. It took stripping us of a regular salary, insurance, etc., to begin to teach us to seek first His Kingdom, resting on Him to add all other things to us. It took the removing of the illusion that we have control over our lives, to begin to teach us that obedience to, and an active seeking of His will, resting in His goodness and sovereignty, are where true security, joy, and blessing are found. Can I say that our tenure in Sweetwater, Arizona, has been a smashing missionary success, with scores being won to the Lord through our service here? No, I cannot. I can however attest, that God has given us the opportunity to sow and water, especially amongst the young people in the community, and that fruitfulness lies with him. We felt the Lord's hand leading us here, and likewise we feel Him leading us away. We trust that He does not, and will not lead us into pointless ventures.

All that being said, my family and I would like to thank all of you for your prayer and support over the last four years. We have prayed much about it, and are taking the counsel we have received as from the Lord. The future is a bit murky at present, but we trust the Lord will bring His desire for us into further clarity as the school year begins to draw to a close.

With gratefulness and much affection in Christ,

Nathan, Hope, and Hannah Rose Ribbey

After 35-1/2 years one would think it would begin to get old but each day is a new day and each child comes with their own thoughts and ideas to make the day different, sometimes merrier and sometimes sadder. We are just finishing up a study on Canada. It was new to them and a great reminder to me of all the things I had forgotten or never knew. What an interesting and beautiful country. Maybe I need to take a vacation there someday.

I am losing a student this week, she is moving to Mancos, CO so that her mom won't have to commute so far to work. She was just beginning to hit her stride from moving here in the fall and now she is saying good-bye once again to another school.

We will begin a study on mammals in science and it is always interesting. The kids really enjoy learning about new and different animals than just those we have around here. We, the 4th, 5th, & 6th graders, are struggling with pronouns and adjectives but are endeavoring to persevere. They will be taking a test over all 50 states in March. We have already taken the states' test in geographic divisions so this won't be quite as difficult. How many of you can still recite by position and capital all 50 states. The gauntlet has been thrown, see what you remember. Have a beautiful spring.

Nancy Bingham
4th & 5th Grade Teacher

The time has come for me to leave the Mission.  I have enjoyed teaching Kindergarten for the last two years.  My students have taught me as much, if not more, than I have taught them.  I will be returning to Minnesota at the end of May to pursue a degree in Elementary Education and Special Education.  It is my hope to return to the Mission after completing my degree.  The Lord works in mysterious ways and I will go where He sends me.

Back Row: Kayla Growler, Katy Nininger, Anna Nininger, Candace Bitsuie, Pamela Smith. Front Row: Tiffany Taylor, Shondean Begay, Fayette Hardy, Missy Hardy, Terri Hanley, Yvette Hardy

The Carrizo Christian Academy/Immanuel Mission Lady Falcons have won their 3rd Consecutive State Championship of the NMCAA . Eleven girls played in the New Mexico Christian Athletic Association State Basketball Championship this last week in Santa Fe, New Mexico against other Christian schools of the area. The CCA Girls were undefeated in this year's BB play. The athletic program at CCA is designed to be an evangelistic outreach and Christian discipling effort, believing that basketball is given by God to help develop the character of the Lord Jesus Christ in each student and athlete. The Most Valuable Player award was received by Anna Nininger, a team member of CCA. The coaches of other teams evaluated players for MVP along the following criteria: ball handling, shooting, effort as a team player, ability to stimulate other team members to play well, and sportsmanship.

Jerry Nininger
Basketball Coach

Recently in the high school Bible class the teacher asked the students to write a brief testimony. Here are a few samples of the many wonderful things the students wrote. Even the few unbelievers had some good things to say.

"At age 5 is when I first prayed to God to take away my sin and said I wanted to be a Christian. In 8th grade I started struggling in school and somewhat at home. I realized that I either had to choose God and follow Him with all my heart or choose my own way. I was tired of living in the middle. For about a week I remember really struggling with this decision until finally I decided I couldn't live without God and it was Him I wanted. Now He has my life and I want to live for Him."

"Well, I accepted Jesus into my life and asked Him to save me when I was in the 5th grade. Ever since then my life hasn't been the same. It feels like I don't have to worry about anything. I just give everything to God. He helps me through hard times just like He promised. I thank God for saving my life."

"I accepted Christ when I was at SWBC (Southwest Bible Camp). Before, I just said I was a Christian but really I was just lying to myself."

"I became a Christian when a classmate was praying for lunch. He prayed 'God, I pray for those who are not yet Christians to come to you before it is to late.' It made me think for awhile through his prayer and I told the teacher to stay behind with me and she prayed for me while I asked Jesus to come into my heart"

"I believe all that is written in the Bible but it still feels like I'm not yet a Christian. ...I don't know what holds me back."

"......thank you very much for this class and this school"

Thanks again for all you do to make this school possible. Together we are producing fruit for the kingdom of God.

John Bloom
School Principal