Over dinner tonight, Pastor Samm told the story of the old lady who was nearing the end of her life and was planning her funeral. She invited the preacher over and told him that she wanted to be buried with a fork in her hand. The pastor was a little confused by this request and asked her why. She explained that whenever she was at a family gathering or a church fellowship dinner and the meal was completed, the table would be cleared but everyone would be told "Keep your forks." She knew that this meant that something even better was coming. As she thought about the end of her life, she knew that something even better was coming. Not long after she died. When her friends went to the visitation they were amazed to see her laying in the coffin, dressed in her best outfit and holding a fork in her hand!
Tonight we had a wonderful dinner and when it was over we were told, "Keep your forks!" Dessert was cherry-flavored jello "poke" cake. It was definitely "something better" to look forward to. We thought that this was a great theme for us on our last evening all together. As great as this week has been, we know that God has even better blessings in store for us. We look forward to returning home and sharing the stories of all that has happened this week. We are looking forward to serving God on future mission trips. We know that this time in New Mexico has shaped us and helped us so we are better disciples of Jesus, better able to serve our neighbors.
Today was a series of blessings. We were blessed by Franklin going with us to the Four Corners Monument. On the way he took us to a Boarding School located near TeecNosPos, AZ where he had spent five years as a kid. He showed us two authentic Diné hogans that the school had built for the education of the students. They were earthen structures with some timbers exposed around the entrances. One hogan was a "male" hogan for men to use to gather and talk about matters affecting the people. The other was a "female" hogan for the women to use in caring for their family.
We then traveled a few miles north to the place where Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico meet at a single point. This monument is administered by the Navajo Parks Dept. and offered an abundance of picture opportunities. We also had a chance to do some more shopping with local artisans and merchants who had their wares on display.
From the Four Corners Monument we headed east and north to Cortez, Colorado and on to the Mesa Verde National Monument. We had a wonderful tour guide show us the Spruce Tree Cliff Dwellings. He was a virtual fountain of knowledge about the Anasazi who lived in these cliff dwellings for over 700 years before abandoning them about 1300 AD. He showed us many interesting features of this extremely well preserved site.
We returned to Shiprock for supper and started packing up the tools and supplies for the first group that is leaving for home in the morning. We concluded our evening with worship and communion. We sang "Take Me Home, Country Roads" and substituted words that fit our experience here at 4CNAM--
"Almost heaven, New Mexico, Shiprock Mountain, San Juan River.
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, growing like a breeze.
Refrain: Country roads, take me home, to the place I belong;
New Mexico, Mountain Mama, Take me home, country roads."
Please pray for us on Saturday as our group divides. Pray for Pastors Nora, Nancy, Samm and Phil as they help lead a Leadership Training Event at the freshly painted Fellowship Hall of Shiprock UMC. Pray for Roger and Darren as they drive the rest of the team on the first (and longest) leg of their journey home to Nebraska. We ask God to bless us with safe journeys!