Good Evening, Friends!
We are well here in Window Rock! The weather has been ridiculous, from snow in early October, to picnicking in the backyard and back again (over and over and over…) Living at such a high altitude definitely has it’s weather disadvantages, but it sure is pretty! The photo here shows from our deck looking over the campus toward the left down the road and Window Rock and St. Michaels off to the right beyond the haze of falling snow.
We have continued on much the same as the rest of you, finding out new normal in the craziness of the world we live in. For the most part we have been able to continue our ministry work-although abbreviated and under the stay at home orders in effect both in New Mexico and on the Reservation. Very little has changed in our restrictions since May, but a few notable changes has brought some semblance of life back to the local community- with restaurants now able to operate if they pass special classes and participate in a steady contact tracing information gathering. Tribal residents have been given the go ahead to function on the weekends so long as they stay local to their communities and restrict activities to those essential to life (gathering wood, grocery purchases, laundry and such). School is still restricted to online only throughout the Reservation and New Mexico. Our school, Hilltop Christian, is opened and functioning! Pray no illness interferes with our students and teachers as they progress through the year! Sharon is still hoping to be able to work with the students as a school volunteer with special events and activities-but so far none are permitted. The students appreciated the gifts we gave and that will have to suffice for the time being.
Celebrate Recovery attendance has fluctuated with the weather and restrictions, but they are steadily expanding in reach. Steve is meeting with one attendee regularly outside of the meeting times to study Bible, recovery issues and general encouragement. Radio recordings continue with live Saturday CR sessions every few weeks, Celebrate Recovery guests from elsewhere in the region have been present on air and Steve involves whoever is available in this arm of the CR ministry. Pray that gathering and occupancy restrictions ease as the ministry grows.
ABQ Wood Delivery! 
ABQ Navajo Tacos 
MK Night
We don’t have a ton of recent pictures in the absence of proper events and youth group, but here are a few highlights from this last month.
Across Nations has a supporting ministry in Albuquerque who provides firewood regularly to a local church here. We have recently taken over that ministry (Steve and another missionary on site are tasked with organizing and delivering wood to those in the community unable to do so themselves). In early October, 8 truck-fulls were delivered and Sharon along with other staff on campus helped to unload the truck and host the guys from Albuquerque with a round of Navajo Tacos. Some of the ladies here make the absolute best fry bread and beans. In a regular year easily 20 of these events take place to help our visiting teams connect with the community and culture, but this is only the third this calendar year due to restrictions and safety considerations. Millie Anne also got involved and was sure to eat her fair share of tomatoes!
The immediate neighbor to us on campus (Brent and Dawn Moyer) hosted a Mission Kid night to help encourage and connect with the kids on campus, especially in these times. They had an ice cream social, played games and built a timeline of their lives bringing them to Western Indian/Across Nations. Brent spent time explaining to the kids on their different levels what it means to be a third culture kid living neither in their native culture nor quite in the one they’ve moved to. The kids had a good time, and though ours are young, the focus, encouragement and spiritual connections to those around them was enriching for our whole family. The Moyer’s hope to have a feature mini event for the mission kids each month for the foreseeable future. We are blessed to know this great family who work so hard in the community and still pour into the kids right here.
We have had a high rotation of contractors and volunteers through early and mid October. So, Sharon was able to work extensively on the guest house in a form of hospitality ministry. Everyone was comfortable, warm and caffeinated, her minimum goals!
We also took a quick break in October and visited with cousins in California, took an impromptu jump into the Pacific and ate out (like for real!)
March was the last time we were in church (with the exception of a July weekend at Mesa Baptist Church). It’s been frustrating at best to be so disconnected from the community and when we are with any of them, there is a decided lack of fellowship and worship with the pandemic threat still ahead, and precious little room for real solid fellowship. Our state mandates say even if we do gather there isn’t to be congregational singing etc. and so we are reaching a worn out point that not as much of the country is seeing.
We press on. We have held Bible Study gatherings on some Sundays, but generally, no one wants to risk gathering, and no one wants to risk church services. There are some churches holding a variety of drive in services, but these tend to be at a time we cannot attend (Thursdays due to Celebrate Recovery is one example).
Many churches in the area also fall away from doctrine (like any area) so it makes visiting one just for the sake of being in the building difficult or interesting. So, we continue on, but are pushing (yes) our church leadership to allow Wednesday services assuming we are able to follow state mandates for distancing, masks and sanitizing. We are ready and prepared to do this (along with another couple on campus willing to help kick services back off), please pray God softens the hearts and gives peace to the elders and church leadership regarding decisions with services.
Road Trip
We are headed out on Wednesday in a thought through and prayed over trip east. We have no real idea how Covid restrictions will impact our travels, but after a year and a half on the field, and in some cases 3 years of support from churches and individuals, we thought this might be worth an attempt. We would love to connect with some of you as we come through. We will be in Delaware on November 21 & 22, and in Pennsylvania through the 30th. We expect many of you have concerns about where we are coming from and our exposure level.
First, we spend much of our time in the same circle on campus here and within Celebrate Recovery. The news describes our region as absolutely terrible per capita, but we aren’t any worse off for cases than most of the country. Our local health advisors have declared the build of our cases to certain areas and events that we are nowhere near. We carry on as normal as far as shopping, gas, errands, etc. Our state is strict, we wear masks, use sanitizer at all the stores and so on. There has been no illness among any of our staff in recent weeks, and nothing substantial since spring.
Second, we are traveling via Oklahoma City and Indianapolis through to Delaware and finally to Pennsylvania. We will be staying in hotels and stopping at gas stations and assorted McDonald’s drive thrus.
Finally, only you can decide if you want to see us and catch up/visit. We can’t decide your risk factor and cannot allay those concerns. We are more than happy to wear masks and meet you somewhere if you just want to say hi. Please reach out and let us know. (As a personal note, Millie Anne, though five, cannot be expected to wear a mask. we have difficulties getting her to understand why, behavioral problems when we try, and we won’t force it on her. If this makes anyone uncomfortable-specifically in the churches we visit, please let us know before we see you).
Officially we will be connecting with Pastor Joel Miller from LifeHouse on November 21st, attending Summit Bridge EFC on the 22nd, and Blooming Grove Baptist Church on the 29th. We are looking forward to seeing some family, connecting with old friends and seeing everyone we can.
Blessings and Love in Christ
Steve and Sharon
Steve and Sharon Maus 