Where to begin...
My first mission trip without my family was a new and exciting adventure - one I hope to take with them next time.
My friend, Halee, had been wanting to take a trip to Waterflow, New Mexico to visit Open Bible Baptist Church where Bro. Don Chitty pastors. When she mentioned it to me, I was excited. When Bro. Chitty visited our church in November 2022, I was dying to take a trip out west. I am so thankful that God had allowed me to save up some money to be able to take the trip. If it was a year and a half ago, I would not have been able to go.
It did not work out for last fall, but we were able to go at the beginning of this month. I enjoyed our trip so much. I learned a lot, and I was stretched in ways I did not know I would be stretched in.
When my dad mentioned to Bro. Chitty that Halee and I had been wanting to see the ministry at OBBC, Bro. Chitty was glad that we wanted to come. He said that the church had been praying for teachers since his wife would be retiring after this school year. Dad told him that there was a young lady in our church who is a teacher. Of course, it would be sad to lose Halee, but his heart was broken by the need at Open Bible Baptist Academy. My friend is praying about it, but she at least has to finish out the school year at the Florida Sherriff Youth Ranch where she teaches. It is a big decision, for the youth ranch needs a godly testimony in Halee, too.
We set the date and purchased our tickets. We were even prepared to scoop manure at the ranch if need be. (Bro. Chitty lives on a ranch with horses and cows. Every year they host Cowboy Camp Week in May.) I had gone in with my dad to get the buy one, get two free deal at Boot Barn, so I was ready with my work boots, just in case ;).
We flew out Saturday, March 30, and got to Durango around noon where Bro. Chitty picked us up. We had a layover in Denver. The flight from Denver to Durango was very turbulent. I had fun though. It reminded me a little of a roller coaster. One little girl giggled when the plane bounced along with the turbulence. Halee used her neck pillow and closed her eyes, but I was dying to look out the window since we were passing over snow-capped mountains. Halee had picked our seats so she had the aisle seat, and I had the middle. The kid I was sitting next to took a couple pictures out the window for me.
The drive from Durango, Colorado, to Waterflow, New Mexico was beautiful. Once you start to get into New Mexico, the terrain becomes a little more rocky, but it is pretty. I took a bunch of pictures. I was so excited to be out west, for the farthest west I had been was Texas.
Bro. Chitty took us for burgers, but he wouldn't let us pay for any meals. In fact, on Monday, when we needed to get gas before going onto the reservation, Halee offered to gas up his truck, but he would have none of it. When he finally did take her card, he got out of the truck and put it underneath his windshield wiper. Halee had to jump out and get it when he went inside to pay!😂
I had just gotten over Flu B, so I was still trying to get my appetite back. Bro. Chitty wondered why I wasn't eating very much those first few days.
I am glad we arrived in the afternoon, that way we could get our bearings and the lay of the land. He took us to the blue guest house at the ranch. It was really nice with a kitchen, two baths, two bedrooms. The house even had a washer and dryer which was such a blessing.
Our view from the front door
After we were settled and another family who was from Locust Grove, Georgia arrived, Bro. Chitty, gave us a tour of the church and school, as well as the ranch and tabernacle they use during their Cowboy Camp Meeting. Like any building, there is always work to be done. He showed us the Navajo chapel where they have a service in Navajo. They even have their own hymnal which is really cool. The chapel needed new flooring, but a team from Hanes City, Florida was supposed to come to put flooring in. Other areas needed work as well - the bathrooms in the dining hall at the ranch were in the middle of being refinished, half of the double-wide trailer needed to be renovated (a couple who stay in half of it were fixing it up), a few upstairs rooms at the church need to be fixed up, and the prophet's chamber needed new carpeting. I think the only perfect buildings are the mansions Jesus is preparing for us in Heaven.
On Sunday, we were able to go to Open Bible Baptist Church's Easter service. We went around shaking hands to show the people that we love them and not don't look down on them because they are Navajo Indians. They were very nice. A few of them came up to us and asked if we were the teachers. I had to tell them, "Well, she is," and pointed at Halee.😊
We were able to hear Bro. Chitty preach. Afterward, they had an Easter egg hunt and an egg toss competition. It was so windy and cold, but it was fun. After the egg hunt and egg toss, Mrs. Regina Chitty made us a good old southern lunch with ham, ham rice, two kinds of greens, mac n' cheese, two kinds of cornbread, and corn she put up in the freezer like my Mam-maw used to. It was a lot of good food. We had leftovers after church that night, but I am a leftovers kind of girl. The assistant pastor from Heritage Baptist Church in Locust Grove preached the night service. I really liked his wife, Amanda, and their family.
On Monday, Bro. Chitty picked me and Halee up, showed us the school, and then took us to the Navajo Indian reservation. When you see green signs lining the median, you know you are driving onto federally owned land. When you first drive onto the reservation, you see the houses that have running water and electricity. They call it the red apple. On the outside, they have the red skin of the Indian, but on the inside, they live like white people. (It is sad to think that there are some people who are still prejudiced simply because of the color of one's skin.) When you drive deeper onto the reservation you see the poor state they live in and your heart is burdened. It is so true that the eye affects the heart.
This one is called Snoopy Rock. Bro. Chitty had us close our eyes and
imagine Snoopy lying on top of his doghouse with his nose in the air.
When we opened our eyes, it really did look like Snoopy.
I took so many pictures and a lot of notes. It is so sad that in 1850, we dropped them off in the desert to die. Though many did, they had to learn to survive. When you hear that they were dog eaters, it's because they had to find what they could to eat - prairie dog, cactus, rabbits, whatever they could find. Water and game were unavailable in the desert. Still to this day, 62% of the Navajo nation living on the reservation have no electricity or running water. They have to pay to live in one half of a duplex, but the catch is, they have to have six people in their family. The way their house is set up, is they sleep in the same room with the beds lining the walls. We so often take for granted the blessings we have. We could have been in their shoes. Though African Americans may talk of racism and black lives matter, Native American Indians are often more hated. Even to this day, it is sad that many hate them. They are living souls just like all of us. We all need Jesus. I am so thankful that Bro. Chitty and his family were willing to go about 40 years ago or so. You can tell they love their people.
After we got back from the reservation, we drove through Farmington, one of the largest cities in New Mexico nearby though it seems to be the size of Gainesville. Then, after lunch, we went back to the school and helped Mrs. Chitty's class. She taught the kindergarteners, and the first through third graders did ACE paces which will change to all Abeka next school year. I got to help grade papers and let the students read to me. Though I was out of my element helping at school, I enjoyed it.
When we came back, I put on my boots and we took a walk outside. To see the horses at the ranch was a good walk from the guest house, so when we were done walking in one direction, I continued in the other direction to see the horses by myself. I wish I knew what their names were. Sadly, I still haven't worn my boots in yet, so I got a good blister afterward.
That evening, a young lady named Bunny who was around our age took us out to eat at a Mexican restaurant called Si Senor. I really liked Bunny; she was very sweet. After dinner, she took us to Walmart so we could get some things for a fruit salad we were going to make for their Wednesday night soup dinner after church.
A few of the nights, Halee and I stayed up late talking and laughing. We were friends before, but we really connected on this trip.
On Tuesday I was glad to help Mrs. Renee Chitty's class upstairs where the middle and high schoolers went, but I think I enjoyed helping the younger kids downstairs more. I felt like I could be more of a help to them. Halee was in her element upstairs since she teaches high school math and science at the Florida Sherriff's Youth Ranch. She loved seeing the school. This is a hard decision for her. She is needed in both places, so we are praying that the Lord will show her where He wants her to be.
When we got back that afternoon, we worked outside to clean up some trash around the area Bro. Chitty and the two boys from Locust Grove were clearing out. After that, I was able to pull out my notebook and sit outside. I did something I did when my family took our camping trip back in October of last year. I used my five sentences to write short one-line descriptions like wind blowing through the trees, the crunch of gravel, etc. I had wanted to jot down descriptions from the West for one of my future novels. I am glad I was able to do it.
Tuesday night we joined their church wide visitation. They have an extra emphasis on soul-winning during April. On Wednesday, Halee helped upstairs, I helped below, and then we worked with the older students to clean the gym from top to bottom for their Champions of the Lord Volleyball and Basketball competition. Halee and I made a fruit salad to bring to their soup dinner after church. They had at least four different schools in for the competition. One was even from California. That night after church, they had their first games. It was fun watching them. I had not seen a volleyball game since watching my cousins play. It made me want to play volleyball so bad. I wish I was good at it.
Thursday, we helped Mrs. Regina Chitty's class downstairs since the older students were playing for the OBBA volleyball and basketball teams. I did get to watch the girls' volleyball team play during part of it while Halee stayed to help Mrs. Chitty, and then I went back to help when their set was over. After school, we went to watch the afternoon and early evening games. Halee and I each got some nachos to eat during the game. It was so good. I love going to concession stands.:) Halee even helped Mrs. Renee Chitty keep score for some of the basketball games. During one of the basketball games, I stepped outside to video call Brenna and Asa since I was missing them. Little Asa got to get out of his bed to say hi to his Aunt Bethy. Around 7:30-8:00, Bro. and Mrs. Chitty took us out to Chilis. I am glad we got to have some two-on-two time with them.
On Friday, before we left, we cleaned the guest house and then got to take pics of the horses and tabernacle.
After that, Mrs. Regina Chitty picked us up to take us back to the school so we could watch one more game, and take pictures with some of the people. The students said they liked having us as "teachers" and wanted us to seriously pray about coming back and working at their school.
Though I enjoyed seeing the ministry, working in the school, and being west, I know High Springs and Fort White are where God has me. This is my home until the Lord comes back, I get married, or He gives me a clear answer that He wants me somewhere else. Just like Open Bible Baptist Church and Academy need people, my church needs me. And in the words of Pauline Harris from the Anne of Avonlea movie, "It's nice being needed."
