We’ll be traveling to the Navajo Nation in New Mexico September 24 – October 1, to share the love of Christ by building new homes for Navajo families who are in great need. The home building project includes activities such as framing, drywall, insulation, painting, and flooring.

We will be working at the Southwest Indian Foundation (SWIF) warehouse in Gallup, New Mexico. We’ll be staying at the Sacred Heart Retreat Center, just a few miles from SWIF, for the duration of our trip.

The total cost of participation for this trip is $875 per person, which includes airfare, ground transportation, food, and lodging. Thanks to the incredible generosity of the congregation and the growth of our Missions program, the church will be able to fund part of the trip cost ($350) for each missionary.

Applications with deposit ($300) and background check forms are due May 22! To request an application or get more info, fill out the form in Sunday’s Weekly News, or contact Donna Hays via the church office.

We’ll be traveling to the Navajo Nation in New Mexico September 24 – October 1, to share the love of Christ by building new homes for Navajo families who are in great need. The home building project includes activities such as framing, drywall, insulation, painting, and flooring.

The total cost of participation for this trip is $875 per person, which includes airfare, ground transportation, food, and lodging. Thanks to the incredible generosity of the congregation and the growth of our Missions program, the church will be able to fund part of the trip cost ($350) for each missionary.

If you are interested in going on this trip, please plan to attend a short interest meeting on March 13 at 12:45 pm. Applications will be available at the meeting, or request an application by email.

We will be working at the Southwest Indian Foundation (SWIF) warehouse in Gallup New Mexico. We’ll be staying at the Sacred Heart Retreat Center, just a few miles from SWIF, for the duration of our trip.

Last Sunday (November 14) was our annual World Missions Day, and we reflected on our call to help those in greatest need around the world, and also celebrated the wonderful things that have been accomplished this year by our generous church family:

• We gave above and beyond to raise about $3000 toward the $13,000 well in southern Sudan.
• We provided food, clothing, shelter, and education in some of the poorest places on earth by supporting 37 children through Child Fund International.
• When disaster struck in Haiti, we responded by contributing $3,412.00 toward disaster relief.
• We were able to donate a portion of an offering to the Kiva Microloan Program in South America, after a visit by the cast of The Man from Magdalena.
• Through the annual pizza sales, we raised $2000 to support ongoing relationships with New Community Project in Sudan and the Southwest Indian Foundation in New Mexico.
• We donated clothes and food to various organizations like the Indianapolis Re-entry Education Facility and the Damien Center, who serve those in our own community.
• A group of 14 of us just got back from a week of service with our friends in the Navajo nation, and we are planning to send two members to Sudan in a few months.
• Finally, out of general fund giving we have sent $5,000 to the Girl Child Education Fund and to women’s business initiatives in Sudan, $2,500 to the Southwest Indian Foundation, $364 to the Adopt a Native Elder program and $409 to the Walk in Beauty program.

All of this adds up to a substantial monetary and personal investment in missions, both close to home and around the world. Together we are making a difference!

When our Missions Team visited Sudan in January of 2009, the woman of the Toposa tribe asked for our help to construct a well for their tribe. The women have to walk miles daily through dangerous territory to retrieve water. Constructing a well in southern Sudan is very expensive — $13,000!

Donna Hays (who is on the Missions Board and helped to plan that trip) and her father (before he passed away) felt a special burden to respond to the request of the Toposa woman. Together, they raised $10,000. Our challenge, as a congregation, was to come up with the balance. We have now done so in the following ways:

• 20% of last Sunday’s offering was designated for the well, adding $1,986 to the total.
• Donations made by our children during Vacation Bible School added another $200.
• Tuesday the Board of Directors voted to take $814 from church reserves to complete the project.

Drilling will begin soon in the Toposa tribal area. Thank you for your wonderful generosity!

Hello from all of us in picturesque Gallup, New Mexico. For those of us returning, arriving at Sacred Heart felt much like coming home. It’s also been exciting to see and hear the reactions of those who are experiencing the trip for the first time.

Although we’ve only been here a few days, we’ve settled in and hit the ground running — so here’s the latest from the southwest.

We arrived on Saturday and were invited back to the MCC of Albuquerque to share a meal and conversation. It was a fabulous time of fellowship and feasting, and they even sent us on our way with goodies!

When we started our week at the Southwest Indian Foundation (SWIF) warehouse, there were three houses under construction. We helped prepare one house to be transported, installed insulation throughout another, installed drywall, and there is always lots of painting to be done. In addition to continuing to work on the two houses that are in process, we are hoping to get a new house started this week.

Click to enlarge. More photos on our Facebook page.

As we continue building our relationship with SWIF, we are having our SWIF family over for dinner and fellowship on Thursday. We are hoping to have even more than the nearly 40 that joined us last year. We’ll find out soon.

Thank you to everyone back at Jesus MCC for all the prayers, support, well wishes, and goodies we’ve received. We want to extend a very special thank you to the Children’s Church for the wonderful cards and pictures prepared for us. We’ll be home soon with lots of pictures and stories!