NAVAJO NATION BLACK MESA, ARIZONA INFORMATION PACKET JUNE 24- JULY 1

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1 NAVAJO NATION BLACK MESA, ARIZONA JUNE 24- JULY 1 INFORMATION PACKET

2 Dear Mission Participant, Student Ministry is excited to partner with Experience Missions to reach and serve the people of the Navajo Nation this summer. The Navajo Nation is the largest land area retained by a U.S. Native American tribe. It covers more than 27,000 square miles, which is bigger than West Virginia. The land stretches through Utah, New Mexico and Arizona. The Navajo Nation has a tribal government, which means that the Navajo people governance over their own land to a certain extent and it has agreements with the U.S. Congress. We will be serving the people of Black Mesa, AZ. Black Mesa is home to a group of the Navajo Indians and it has been their home for more than 7,000 years! Our mission work is organized by Experience Missions (EM). EM was founded in 2003 by Executive Director Chris Clum. They specialize in short-term missions and have numerous mission sites throughout the world. You can learn more about EM by visiting Specific details on our trip can be found by clicking on the mission trip tab and then the Western Navajo Nation icon. Enclosed in this packet you will find the following: Mission Itinerary/ Training Overview of the Navajo Nation and Black Mesa Activities and opportunities to serve the Navajo people Sample Daily Itinerary Fundraising & Payment Sample Fundraising Letter The preliminary cost of this mission is $ This price includes the fee Mission Experience charges as well as transportation/lodging/food that we will arrange to and from the mission site. Payment schedule and fundraising ideas can be found at the end of this packet. To register for this mission trip, please fill out our registration form as well as Experience Mission online registration form at experiencemission.org/teammemberapp. Our Team # is We are very excited to partner with you on our second annual mission trip to the Navajo Nation. If you have any questions feel free to contact us at students@mtararat.org. In Him, Student Ministry Assistant, MABC

3 MANDATORY TRAINING SESSIONS Saturday, April 8: 8:00-9:30 am Saturday, April 29: 8:00-9:30 am Saturday, June 3: 8:00-9:30 am PRELIMINARY MISSION ITINERARY Date Time Description June 24, 2017 TBD Depart MABC Depart DCA Airport Arrive Phoenix, AZ Pick up rental vans Drive to Flagstaff, AZ for lodging June 25, am Depart Flagstaff for team building activity Depart for Black Mesa 3 pm Arrive at Black Mesa June Black Mesa Mission (See page 5 for sample work day) June 30 9am Depart Black Mesa and drive to Phoenix, AZ 3pm Spend afternoon and evening in Phoenix 11pm Depart Phoenix for Washington DC July 1 TBD Arrive in Washington DC in early am Arrive MABC As detailed itinerary will be sent out as travel arrangements are made. 2 P a g e

4 THE COMMUNITY The Navajo are a very spiritual people who traditionally looked to medicine men as their leaders, and while most retain their traditional religion there are also many Navajo churches today. Though they have been tremendously affected by westernization, they still retain much of their unique culture. THE NEED Because of a lack of economic development, unemployment among that Navajo is very high. For some it is a struggle to keep adequate food and nutrition, and proper home maintenance is at times unattainable. Many Navajo live in trailers that were poorly constructed and have been used far beyond their adequate functionality. Some Navajo, especially the youth, feel isolated from the rest of world, and alcoholism and drubs are severe issues. THE OPPORTUNITY On a mission trip to the Navajo Reservation, you have the unique opportunity to come and live and work among the Navajo. You will partner with the local churches and practically serve the people around you by meeting real needs in tangible ways. You will build meaningful relationships, and if you come with a genuine heart to serve and connect with people, you will be an encouragement and a living picture of God s love. NAVAJO NATION AND BLACK MESA Black Mesa is home to a group of the Navajo Indians and it has been their home for more than 7,000 years! The Navajo also refer to Black Mesa as Big Mountain because of its geographical location. It is located on the Colorado Plateau near Kayenta, Arizona, and it rises to over 8,000 feet. Springs surfacing at many different locations make Black Mesa more suitable for tribes to settle than much of the surrounding desert. In the 1960 s, a coal mining company called Peabody Energy, set up a coal mining strip in Black Mesa. There was a contract with the Navajo tribe and the neighboring tribe of the Hopi Indians, however, the natural resources attorney that was supposed to be helping both tribes, was corrupt and didn t fairly negotiate the terms of the contract. Peabody Energy tapped into the water reserves for the Navajo tribes and the Black Mesa community, and on average pumped nearly 3 million gallons of water a day from their water supply. Springs were running out of water, crops were dying, and the tribes had to cut back on water when it was already hard to find due to their geographical location. The last day of operation for the coal mine was December 31 st, 2005, but just because the mine is no longer running, doesn t mean that devastating effects still aren t being felt in the Navajo community. 3 P a g e

5 ACTIVITIES & OPPORTUNITIES By serving on the Navajo Reservation, you can genuinely impact the lives of others. You have the unique opportunity to live and work among the Navajo. You will partner with the local churches and practically serve the people around you by meeting real needs in tangible ways. If you come with a genuine heart to connect with people, you will build meaningful relationships and encourage those around you as you become a picture of God's love. Projects Your team will participate in practical work projects in support of the local church that is hosting your team. This primarily consists of construction projects such as tiling, dry-walling, roofing, and various kinds of repairs/remodeling. Depending on the needs of a given week, our teams focus on helping local families in need and/or the local church. Specific construction skills are helpful but not required. We simply ask that you come with a willing heart that is prepared to work to the best of your ability. Outreach Ministry Due to the unique nature of this community, the opportunity for relational ministry may take place directly at your team's worksite as you come alongside and encourage those you have come to serve. There may be additional opportunities to serve in various types of people ministry if the need arises. These types of ministry could include things like visiting the elderly, gardening, cleaning etc. Children's Ministry In this community, your team will have the option to invest in the local children through leading a 4-day Kids Club. If your team chooses to participate in Kids Club, Experience Mission will provide the curriculum for your teams use. This Kids Club curriculum will be sent out to Team Leaders in the spring via . Teams will be responsible to bring the craft supplies needed for their specific crafts and should budget appropriately. While we do our best to make sure the craft materials are cost effective, teams may feel free to augment any materials to make them more suitable to their budget. Experience Mission will supply scissors, staplers, paper hole punches and rulers. There are plenty of opportunities to connect with the local children through games like soccer or Frisbee. Tuck in a hacky sack, football or jump rope as they are sure to come in handy. 4 P a g e

6 SAMPLE DAILY SCHEDULE Each morning, there is time set aside for devotions and quiet time. Experience Mission has devotionals/journals that are available for purchase or teams can supply their own. This is a valuable time and we strongly encourage everyone to spend it with God journaling their thoughts and experiences as the days unfold. Our staff will lead a time of debriefing and a short devotional in the evening (what we call "Evening Gathering") and it is always a great addition to have musical worship. Our programming does not include musical worship as we can t guarantee that our staff will have this ability. Please let us know if you have anyone who sings or plays guitar on your trip so that we can help to coordinate the musical aspect of worship when able. If teams aren t able to help in the area of music, it may not be a part of the trip. Typical daily schedule : Day 1 3:00-6:00 pm Groups Arrive 5:00 - Leader's Meeting 6:00 - Dinner 7:00 - Orientation Meeting 8:30 - Team Time (a time for your group alone) 11:30 - Lights Out Day 2-5 7:15 - Breakfast 7:45 - Devotions and Quiet Time 8:15 - Group Prayer 8:30 - Teams leave for Sites 12:00 - Lunch 3:30 - Finish Work for the day 4:00 - Break and Clean-up 5:00 - Leaders meeting 6:00 - Dinner 7:00 - Evening gathering (as a whole group) 8:30 - Team time Day 6 * Experience Mission works closely with local leaders to identify work projects and ministry opportunities that address authentic needs within the community. We ask that you come with a servant's heart and willingness to adapt to the unique qualities represented in each location. Opportunities can vary significantly from one week to the next. Your team may work at one location or serve at multiple locations each day. Due to the changing needs of our community partners, we cannot confirm your specific activities until your team arrives. 7:00 - Breakfast 7:30 - Cleanup/Packing 8:30 - Commissioning 9:00 - Pictures and Good-Byes 5 P a g e

7 LODGING & FOOD Lodging Description You will be staying at Black Mesa Church in Black Mesa, AZ. Sleeping Your team will be sleeping on hard floors, so mats/air mattresses are essential. Bring your own bedding. It can be cool at night, so a warm sleeping bag is recommended. Showers There will be no showers at the church. You will be using rustic, outdoor shower stalls. During spring trips it may be too cold to shower, so wet wipes are recommended. Bathrooms The only toilets available will be outhouses. Water There is no running water; however fresh drinking water will be made available at all times in coolers. Electricity There is electricity at the church. Food Experience Mission staff will prepare your meals each day. The menu includes an ample selection of tasty food! Team members should plan to bring their own plate, bowl, cup and silverware for meals. 6 P a g e

8 WESTERN NAVAJO MISSION TRIPS HEALTH & SAFETY (FROM EXPERIENCE MISSIONS) EM's Health & Safety plan provides the following: Staff certification: All Summer Staff are certified in First Aid and CPR. Medical kits: Medical kits that include first-aid supplies for general accidents and ailments are provided for each site. In international locations, we will also carry a Trauma Kit or First Responder Kit. In these remote locations we will have medications like Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Benadryl and Imodium on hand. We make these available to adult team leaders for their sole discretionary use with their team members. EM Staff will not dispense any medications. In our domestic and international locations, we ask that teams supply their own medications like Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Benadryl and Imodium as they deem necessary. Emergency response plan: Based on the severity of each emergency, EM has a plan for appropriate response. - If a team member becomes seriously ill, they will be taken to a local doctor to receive appropriate medical attention and medications. If they are a minor, their Team Leader along with our staff will accompany them to the clinic. If needed, their parents will be contacted. Their recovery will be carefully monitored by our staff. - If there is an accident that requires a doctor, but is not life threatening and does not have the potential to cause permanent damage, Experience Mission staff will locate the Team Leader, contact parents or guardians (providing the injured is a minor) and provide safe but quick transportation to a local clinic. - In the event that an accident occurs which is life threatening or has the potential for permanent damage, emergency medical care will be secured and arraignments will be made if necessary, to transport the injured person to the United States as quickly as possible providing they are serving in one of our International locations. In our domestic locations, local 911 services will be contacted immediately. The family will be contacted immediately to assist in guidance for appropriate response. All medical care is the sole responsibility of the team member. Experience Mission requires every team member to be covered by domestic medical insurance and recommends that team members traveling abroad carry additional international travel insurance to cover any medical needs their domestic medical insurance may not cover. 7 P a g e

9 FUNDRAISING & PAYMENT Each missionary participant is responsible for his/her fundraising. We ask that you make payments ontime and prefer payments are made online through our push pay app (select Navajo Mission in drop down menu). Checks can be made payable to Mount Ararat Baptist Church and dropped off at connect hubs or office. Once you have made your first payment we will send you a link where you can track your payments as well as a payment link you can send to donors. We will handle the logistics of the mission trip. You will find a tutorial on how to write a fundraising letter as well as a sample letter at the end of this packet. Be creative; bake sales, car washes, online fundraising have been successful ways to raise money. For your convenience, we have put together the following payment schedule: $100 deposit due upon registration $225 due March 1 st $225 due April 1 st $225 due May 1 st Final Payment of $125 due: June 1, P a g e

10 HOW TO WRITE A SUPPORT LETTER 1. Pray: Talk to God about who He wants you to send the support letters to, and what He wants you to include in the letter. 2. Write: Write the letter, using the model support letter. It is ok to add or subtract things from the model support letter. Write what is on your heart why is God calling you to be a part of this mission trip? Express passion, excitement, etc. It is always best to keep a support letter to one page. (Most people don t like to read more than a page.) Remember to include the cut-off portion at the bottom of your letter - this is critical, as those who support you will send this portion back! Remember to include the addressed envelope! (It wouldn t hurt to go the extra mile by putting a stamp on the enclosed envelope!) On the next page is a copy of the model support letter for you to use or borrow from. 3. Brainstorm: Think of as many people you can send this support letter to (you should send letters to at least 15 people). Family members / relatives Family friends Parents of your friends People from church Teachers 4. Proofread: Be sure to proofread your letter multiple times. Check spelling, etc. Have your mom, dad, or friend proofread the letter! Remember, we re going for excellence here! 5. Send: Send the letter a.s.a.p.! Remember to keep track of all the address and names of those you send a support letter to. 6. Say Thanks: ALWAYS, and I mean ALWAYS, say: Thank you! and write thank-you notes! 1st Thank-You Note should be mailed when you receive notice of family/friend support. This is a letter that will express your thankfulness and excitement about the mission trip! The Field Letter will be mailed during the week of the mission trip! This will be either a short note or postcard about how God is working in your heart! The Returned Home Letter MUST be mailed no later than 2 weeks after your return home from trip. This will be your final thank you letter, which talks about what God did in your heart and life during the mission trip and thanking your supporters once more! 7. Remember, ALL support MUST be raised by June 1 st, 2017! 8. Please contact Ann Butterfield at abutterfield@mtararart.org if you or your parents have any questions! 9 P a g e

11 SAMPLE LETTER: Dear Friends and Family: I hope that God is doing as many wonderful things in your life as He is in mine. I am having a wonderful year at Christ Chapel Academy and feeling God's will to do more for the world around me. I want to share with you a challenging ministry opportunity that God has presented to me. Our student mission ministry has offered me the chance to go to Albania. We will be partnering with Cru s (Campus Crusade for Christ) high school ministry doing outreach that will give me and my classmates an opportunity to develop friendships with Albania high school students ultimately sharing the gospel message of Jesus Christ. While God has opened up a door for me to develop a greater heart of compassion for His people, the exciting part is that you will be able to share in this compassion in a couple of ways. First, you can help pray for me and my fellow students. Prayer is the fuel that will allow us to be successful as we follow God's leading. Without prayer, nothing will happen. We will need prayers that God will prepare us for the trip and bless our efforts as we minister to the Albanian students. We will also need prayers that our financial needs will be met. Another way you can be involved is to help provide the financial support. My trip is March 18 to April 2 and I need to raise $ ; I will need to raise all my funds as soon as possible in order to ensure my place on this team. Would you consider supporting me with a small donation? Whether you feel led to contribute financially, through prayer, or both, all of your support is appreciated. I look forward to doing God's work and letting you know all about how God has worked through this team when I return. God Bless, [Your Name] Please Cut Here Name of student I am supporting: [put your name here] Yes! I believe God is leading me to commit to praying for you and your mission trip, and I will do so faithfully, by His grace! Yes! I believe God is leading me to support you and your mission trip team financially, by His grace! Please write your tax-deductible check out to Christ Chapel Academy. On the memo line, please write Albania Mission Trip, along with the name of the student you are supporting. Please mail your check along with this form, in the enclosed envelope, by March 6, P a g e