In my opinion, the joy of seeing homework assigned and completed has made my first two months of teaching a smashing success. I believe in counting my blessings from all angles. Fourth grade seems to be a great time in a nine or ten years life to test exactly how much work and effort are they really going to have to put in for a new teacher. Early on in the year, the "my dog ate my homework" excuse came across my desk, yet was challenged when they were given plenty of fresh paper and the recess time to use it. Being a new teacher has made me realize how valuable each minute in the day really is when giving my students the attention and instruction they deserve. I have to admit that it has been a pleasure seeing them adjust to routine and workload demands. My class consists of 10 students each willing to learn at their own pace, still holding on stubbornly to their old ways of thinking what school should be. The idea of individual involvement and a community atmosphere has begun to flourish as it is being taught in Social Studies and everyday classroom behavior. They are smart beyond my wildest dreams and I know that no challenge that I set before them really has gone unanswered. Pray for their safety and strength as the rest of the school-year continues to march on. Pray that they are lead to trust God for what home and society is not providing them. Pray most of all that God is lifted up and glorified for all the successes that take place in and around Immanuel Mission in 2007. Everyone back home in Dubuque and around our great country, you guys are great!

xie xie (Thank you in Chinese)

Solomon Sun

This is the first of my letters from my new home in Arizona!!! The month of August has been very busy for me. I started off the month at Kansas Bible Camp. This summer, I spent a total of four weeks there working as a counselor. That is always the highlight of my summer and it was this year too. Every year, the Lord teaches me more and more about who He is. This year He allowed me to see a glimpse of His mighty power. I don't know how I continue to underestimate Him when I see His workings so vividly. Yet I am always ready for Him to teach me again. At camp this summer it was so neat to see the Lord working in so many people—those we see every year, those whom we just met this year, and those of us who are called to work there every summer. 

Shortly after camp, I headed to Tulsa, OK to my grandparents' home. I spent a day there, (met my new cousin—Isaiah Gene) and left the next morning for Arizona. I was very blessed to have my friend and roommate, Elaine, from Iowa fly down to Tulsa and help me drive the 16+ hours to Arizona. She was able to help me settle into my apartment and classroom. It was so nice to have her with me. 

Now I have safely arrived in Arizona to teach first grade at Immanuel Mission. I began the year with 5 students, but recently gained another (2 boys and 4 girls). We just finished our second week of school and now we have a three day weekend for Labor Day. It is hard to summarize my first two weeks as a first grade teacher. They were a lot of fun and pretty crazy too. I am still getting used to the schedule and routine just as my students are too. I was surprised at how natural it feels to be teaching my own classroom. The first day was pretty awkward and weird—my students were amazingly shy and I didn't have a clue what was going on and when. But ever since then it has been great. The kids have really warmed up and we are working together well. Right now we are reviewing the phonograms that they learned in Kindergarten. They are doing really well with the sounds the letter makes even if we don't always know the name of the letter. They love to color during Bible. I gave them a test over Noah's Ark on Friday and they all scored 100%. I was so proud that we had a little celebration with popsicles. I am still very nervous about teaching them how to read, but the Lord has been so gracious about bringing to mind everything that I learned in college. I am so thankful that I took the reading endorsement classes—they are really helping out. But please pray for me and my students in regards to learning to read this year. It has been so neat to introduce them to the love of books—they are always asking to go to the reading nook whenever they have a free moment. 

For the time being, my classroom is occupying the majority of my attention. I am slowly getting settled in my apartment. I have almost emptied all of my boxes and bags, but it is taking me a while to get everything put away. Even when I am home, I am exhausted to the point that all I want to do is read a book and go to bed! But I am really enjoying everything about being here. Thank you all so much for your prayers. I now have a computer in my apartment, so I hopefully will be more faithful about keeping in contact through email. I have canceled my cell phone, so the best way to get in contact with me is through email or snail mail. I will include me address below. Please let me know what's going on in your lives, and how I can be praying.

In Christ Alone,
Kelli Wilson

Dear praying friends,
 
Here it is already late August and we have started another school year. We have 80 students enrolled for the new year. We have two new teachers (Kelli Wilson in 1st grade and Solomon Sun in 4th grade). Please pray that they will get off to a good start and impact their students for Christ. So far they are doing well. Our bus driving situation has improved as we have four certified drivers this year. We run two routes morning and evening so we each just have to drive once a day. Pray for safety on the bus routes. We are thankful for Ranson Tom who keeps the busses running smoothly. Pray we will have a good year and that students will come to Christ through the hearing of the Word each day.

We had a great summer here at the mission with 7 work groups coming. Our major focus was to get our new shop building up which was accomplished. See picture.

There is still much work to be done but at least the frame, sides and roof are done. This will house our auto shop program slated to start fall 2008. We still need a teacher for that program.  The youth groups also painted several houses in the community and did many other fix up projects. They ministered to about 25 families in the community with Bible clubs for the kids –  the adults always listen in. Several adults expressed interest in the gospel – we plan follow-up contact with them.

We still do not have a maintenance man and that is such a big need. Would you pray that God would supply that need soon. It's been over two years now and things do deteriorate. The youth groups really help but it seems to us that we need someone full time. Do you know someone who could serve the Lord in that way? We also could use another high school teacher – especially someone who could coach BB.

On a personal note – we now have two new grandchildren. Rex and Shawna had a boy on July 4th – Miles Alexander. James and Eryn had a girl on Aug 13 – Autumn Sophia. We are excited to see them in the coming months. We travel to Kansas over Labor Day and to Seattle WA area Sept 13-15. I enjoyed sharing the work of Immanuel Mission in Asheville NC this summer. I had to attend a conference in Columbia SC for ACSI certification, so took the opportunity to visit friends and the assembly in Asheville.  Johnny is back at Emmaus Bible College for a second year. He worked at Kansas Bible Camp most of the summer.

We appreciate your partnership in the work of the gospel among the Navajo people. We are very much in need of your prayer support. Thanks also to those who support us financially. We praise God for His faithful provision. We are starting our 20th year here at Immanuel Mission and are encouraged that God is working both in us and through us.

Dear Friends and Family,

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!  It has been so exciting to see God provide for all my needs this summer and I have every confidence in His continued provision. 

I got to work at Kansas Bible Camp again this summer for six weeks; jr. high, high school and girls jr. high and high school.  It was encouraging to be working with young people who love the Lord and are using their gifts to serve Him.  I'm referring to the counselors and staff in particular but many campers were an encouragement as well.  Probably the greatest excitement was girls' high school camp.  The Lord wanted to do a different thing and worked all kinds of hindrances to get His will done.  When my co-director and morning speaker had to cancel two days before, my sister, Alice Page stepped up and we got to see God direct the camp instead of us.  There was such a confidence in Him that week as I was forced to trust Him fully and yet found Him fully trustworthy.  I really need to do that more often, but it is pretty scary to only be able to see one step ahead instead of the path down the road.

Now I am back at Immanuel Mission and am enjoying teaching music and math once again.  I drive the bus only once each day but we've managed to have an adventure a week so far.  The first day of school we broke down and waited about 40 minutes for help but we were right next to a wind mill so had fun playing in the water while we waited.  Then the next week we had heavy rains and couldn't get through the wash as it was flowing with waves.  The ten kids who live on the other side of the wash went back with Lorena Herbert and me in her 4-wheel drive truck at 6:00 but it was still rushing.  We waited around for about an hour.  The two oldest kids waded across when none of us adults was watching (their grandma was on the other side waiting with us).  Then another high school boy came by with his Artic Cat 4-wheeler.  He went across easily but water was up to the top of the tires.  Grandma ok'd it so we sent the remaining kids across with him 3 at a time starting with the oldest.  There were no mishaps but as he was coming back after the final two, his mom drove up in the truck and was a little upset that he was driving across.  I assured her what a hero he was, then skedaddled with Lorena.

Oh, one other thing.  The Wednesday night before school started, I drove into a ditch where the road had washed away in front of me.  I didn't see it as it was 11:00 at night.  Almost immediately a truck came along and gave me a ride to the Mission, then John Bloom and Andrew Nelson (flash) took me back and we worked for three hours getting my car out.  It is still at the shop but even before the deductible is due, the Lord sent me a check for double that amount.  I'm reminded again how nice it is here.  I walk to work, to church, to friends' homes, etc.  I went to town with Becky Knopf this weekend in her car and we both enjoyed the company.  The only real negative is that I haven't been able to say, "Take my car!" to neighbors who've also been having car difficulties.

You've probably heard from others that Kelli Wilson is here teaching first grade and Solomon Sun is teaching fourth grade.  Solomon has a wife Sarah, who loves to sing and has been a great addition to our Sunday morning worship team.  They have an almost three year old daughter, Eden, who is a delight for all of us aunties and grandmas who are missing our own desperately.  Keep praying for a maintenance man and consider if you might want to come for a week or a month to help out in that capacity.

I need to write more often so I can give you more instances of God's faithfulness.  I would love to hear from any of you.  I know we all have great testimonies of God's goodness in our lives.  I've been so appreciating how God has a plan for each of us and nothing happens by chance.  Disappointments are just as much a part of His will as successes.  "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him"

Anne Denny
Immanuel Mission