For those that think Navajo is only about fun and snaps, they are sorely mistaken . . .

        For those that think Navajo is only about teaching and hard, manual labor, they are sorely mistaken . .

        For those that think Navajo is only about worshiping and devotions, they are sorely mistaken . . .

        It’s about all of those reasons.

My name is Matthew Aussprung.  Many people may not recognize the name; I am that “saxophone kid” in the instrumental ensemble at LOC.  Hopefully there is now a face to the name.

        This year was my third year going up to Rock Point, AZ and teaching VBS to the Navajos.  I am now a so-called “veteran,” because after three years I’ve learned that the only thing constant is change.  The past years have been diverse and intriguing in ways of their own.  I believe this year though, was the best by far.

All About Fun
Without the fun afternoon events, Navajo would be down-right boring.  There has to be something “cool” to do (despite the heat).  On Sunday, we took our annually hike of Rock Point (the rock formation behind the mission).  When we finally reached the top we discovered that the metal cross (that last year’s senior high class constructed) was still standing. 

       On Monday we hiked down and up Canyon de Chelly.  It was a very awesome hike but also a little exhausting.  The real treat was going to A&W on the way back.  Everyone got root beer floats along with burgers, fries, and chicken strips.

       On Tuesday we all went to the San Juan River in Utah.  This was on of the best years because we found the thickest, richest, blackest, and most disgusting mud.  Once six of us covered ourselves with this gunk, we started an awesome mud fight with the rest of the group.  What looked like a wimpy retreat by the less-muddy people turned into an all out free-for-all.  I guess everyone learned that once you got muddy, you might as well join in because the towels and vans were a lo-o-ong way down the river.

       The rest of the week we watched a movie, saw a sheep slaughtering (which is not as disgusting as one might think), went to Clara’s house for fry bread, and played mind tricks on each other.  I mean, are a few games of snaps that confusing?

All About Work
How else would the week have been a success if everyone had not pitched in all the time?  You had to give 110% all of the time.

        This year I taught Jr. High with Diann Barnes.  We averaged ten kids a day.  That’s perfect considering the 5^th and 6^th graders had 32 kids one day.  The week of VBS was all about brave believers: Samuel, Rahab, Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego, Miriam, and Elisha & Elijha.  The days were fairly simple in structure:  read the Bible, teach the lesson, pray, make the craft(s), sing, and play at recreation.  The kids’ favorite activity was the crafts.  Navajo adults are terrific artists and so are their children.  A 30 minute craft would easily turn into an hour or two; and the final product was always amazing.  We made collages about ourselves, plaques that had the word ‘Pray’ covered in aluminum foil, torches made out of tissue paper, ceramic tiles, and candy dishes—just to name a few.  We also played water volleyball by working as a team and tossing water balloons back and forth.  This reminded us of the gift of water and the story of Moses and Miriam.  We also made tie-dye shirts with the 5^th and 6^th graders.  The kids always love that!

        Then there’s music.  Ohh the music!!  I have to congratulate Mike and Steph on doing an awesome job with music and entertaining all the kids and adults.  “You guys did an awesome and excellent job!!”  Music is supposed to start at about 8:45 in the chapel.  Mike and Steph learned that wasn’t necessarily the case.  Kids would arrive as early as 8:15 and as late as 9:15.  Suddenly a 15-minute session of music would turn into an hour, and they would always fill it up with joyful music and get the kids going.  And if they ran out of songs, Mike would just make something up, like “The Animal Song.”  They did a great job!

        Then there’s “classroom clean-up time.”  After VBS, we all had to turn into mad little cleaning machines and make the mission spotless (or close to it).  The guys also had to move their cots everyday because a class was taught in the room where we slept.  But everyone gave it their all and “flushed a few toilets.”  The teamwork and effort was amazing.

        You just have to remember the saying “God made dirt and dirt don’t hurt.”

All About God
Isn’t that what it’s always about?  We went up to Rock Point to teach VBS and show the Love of Christ.  We went up there to get closer to God and deeper in our faith.

        God touched me that week.  Plain and simple, He always seems to when I go up.  For me, just watching the kids shows me God’s love.  These kids are so awesome.  They live in the middle of nowhere in little houses without running water and electricity but they still come everyday to VBS.  Maybe they come for the music, the food, or the restrooms.  Whatever the reason, I believe that God is working through them to come and He touches each and every one of their hearts in some mystical way.  And thus He touches my life.  These kids love life.  That’s something many people don’t understand.  These kids squeeze every ounce of fun and joy out of life as possible and make the best of it.  And that’s truly a gift from God to be able to do that.  So when I see the smiles on the kids’ faces, it makes me smile too because I know God is present and working, and that’s an awesome thing to feel.

        We also have devotions for a night.  Within our groups, a different person leads the devotion for a night.  Every night God touched me, but it really struck me hard one night.  On Monday, N8 lead the devotions.  Yet this wasn’t a normal devotion.  My group went outside and climbed on top of the Ryder truck.  Once on top, N8 gave each of us a little tub of Play-Doh and explained the night’s theme of listening.  The objective was to do whatever we felt like with the Play-Doh and just listen to God.  Whoa!  That’s a concept.  We were supposed to just listen to God.  Not exactly explain to Him our problems, since He already knows those problems, just listen to His reply.  To be frank, I don’t do that very often.  I am a very time oriented person, especially coming from nine months of bell-scheduled days of school.  I am always caught up in school work, reading, writing, playing the sax, trying to have fun, and sleeping, that I always find myself saying that I wish I could just find time to talk and listen to God.  Well that night on top of the Ryder truck the time was laid out for me.  The Play-Doh kept my mind and hands busy by just mashing it around, and being on top of a thirty foot high truck kept me from just walking away.  I finally had time for God.  It’s scary to think that’s what it takes sometimes, but I found it a blessing.  Under the oddest of circumstances, God talked to me, I talked to God, and from there the two of us tried to work out the problems in my life.

        It’s about time – time with God.

        To sum the week up, God came to all of us in the form of mud fights, root beet floats, Navajo children, guitars, church services in Navajo, devotion groups, the B-I-B-L-E, and the wind.  The wind.  That’s something I didn’t think much about, but now I do.

        Sitting on top of that Ryder truck, I felt and heard the rush of the breeze.  I could sense the movement of the wind.  And then I realized that God was there.  That He is always there.  And here now as well.  And where ever I may go in life.  No matter what occurs, God will always be with me.  And that’s something to be thankful for.  Amen.

Romans 8:28-39