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Nithitaa' Binaanish has been busy with many spring and summer projects. We continue our construction work with interns working side by side with NB mentors. A recent college graduate partnered with NB to set up a photo shoot for the community. Our neighbors gathered for a cake decorating workshop which we sponsored. We honored the Julie's Helpers Memorial Scholarship for Navajo women winner, Erin Moore of Twin Lakes. We partnered with White Rock Presbyterian Church and House of Fellowship to paint a neighbor's home and do weeding in the yard. We attended and supported traditional seasonal activities such as clan reunions and gardening. As the seasons go round, we thank God for his faithfulness.
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The March 17, 2024 Annual Meeting of Nihitaa' Binaanish, Our Father's Business drew a record number of attendees and two new officers were elected. Our year ahead will include continued family and youth activities, mentoring neighbors in job skills and promoting local entrepreneurs. We also are planning a health fair with nutrition and wellness opportunities for community members. In the meantime, we are still harvesting and delivering firewood and overseeing court-referred individuals who need to do community service. We work side by side with our interns and neighbors as we laugh, learn and pray together. We thank God for guiding us these past nine years and look forward to serving our community following the Light of Christ.
The Board of Directors of Nihitaa' Binaanish have called for the Annual Meeting to be held on Sunday March 17 at 1 pm at House of Fellowship Church. All welcome! Come and hear of our journey in 2023 and help make plans for 2024. As we journey through our 8th year as a non-profit serving the Navajo Nation in self-help and neighbor-help, we pause to give thanks to God for our many blessings. We have wonderful donors who have faith in our work and support us through the seasons. We have dedicated volunteers who serve with joy and compassion as they visit, support, and teach neighbors, family and new friends. We are thankful for the mentors and interns who learn from and and teach each other as we do home repair and maintenance, deliver firewood, host family activities and pray with neighbors. Thank you, ahéhee' to all this season. God's work continues in this cold season in Dinétah
We've been busy this summer with hosting family activities and revivals, building projects, scholarship promotion and now a back to school campaign. We are seeking donations during the month of August for back-to-school supplies for area youth.
We've been busy this winter with vehicle repair, road maintenance and firewood delivery. We will review and assess our winter operations as well as consider plans for a Diné centered financial management class. We will also hold election of officers. Meeting is at 1 pm at House of Fellowship Church on Skeets Road off of Highway 602 south of Gallup. All welcome! Notice of Annual Meeting Nihitaa’ Binaanish Our Father’s Business A registered 501(c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated to serving the Navajo Nation by improving the lives of low-income Diné people through mentoring and support with home building, home repairs, construction-skills training, life-skills coaching, educational opportunities and spiritual growth. The Quarterly Meeting of Nihitaa’ Binaanish will be held at House of Fellowship, 41 Skeets Road, Bread Springs NM Sunday, March 12, 2023 1:00 pm Social distancing, masks and hand hygiene suggested during meeting Agenda items to include: 1. Reports:
The current President, Fred Thomas will serve his three year term through November, 2023 The following offices need to be filled:
● Winter projects (firewood ministry, road maintenance, vehicle maintenance, HOF worship and activities: Fred and Lorraine ● Navajo Nation Inauguration: Fred and Lorraine ● Julie’s Helpers Memorial Scholarship: Jennifer ● Update on Quickbooks: Lorraine 4. New Business: ● Financial Management Program in collaboration with Sandia Presbyterian Church ● recommended purchases and expenditures for 2023 Recommended budget priorities:
● Fall mission trip by WRPC: Jennifer The Board of Directors of Nihitaa' Binaanish met on December 11 for their annual meeting. Members reviewed and approved the minutes from the 2/28/21 Annual Meeting, reviewed and approved the treasurer's report and postponed election of officers until March 12, 2023, when the office of vice president, secretary and treasurer will need to be filled. In addition we have one member-at-large position open. The board heard reports on 2022's construction projects, home maintenance projects, collaborations with churches and other non-profits, the Big Tent events and plans, the firewood ministry, the flatbed trailer purchase and use, the backpacks for children promotion, NB's participation in the Navajo Nation Parade and hosting visitors who came to see our work. New business included 2023 possible construction projects, collaborations and purchases, including a new computer and QuickBooks for the officers to use. In addition, joyful recognition was given regarding the Ken Holmes memorial log splitter fund, which raised over $10,000 in memory of long-time supporter Ken Holmes, who passed away in October, 2022. The new splitter has arrived, has been assembled by volunteers and is ready for service to the community. Interns will be trained and offered stipends to use the splitter and deliver firewood to neighbors in need. Plans for Christmas gifts to elders and children in the community were discussed as well as funding allocations for 2023. We give thanks to God for his faithfulness in sustaining Our Father' Business, Nihitaa' Binaanish for its 8th year. See the minutes of the meeting below _12.11.22_nb_minutes_annual_meeting__1_.pdf
Thanks to donations given to honor the life of one of NB's founders, Ken Holmes, we are able to give the gift of warmth to our neighbors this winter. Thank You to all the many, many caring folks who have contributed to our wood splitter fund in memory of Ken Holmes. You gave enough for us to buy a brand new splitter and also to pay interns to harvest, haul, split and deliver firewood to our neighbors who need it. Many will stay warm this winter due to your generosity. Ahéé héé. God is Good.
Nihitaa' Binaanish needs a new log splitter. After 15 seasons of providing cut wood for our neighbors, our current splitter is running out of steam. It's been repaired so many times. To honor the life of Ken Holmes, who loved running the splitter in all seasons, we are raising funds to buy a new one. You can go to our website https://www.binaanish.org/about-us.html to donate or send a check to Nihitaa' Binaanish, P.O. Box 846, Gallup, NM 87305. Contact Jennifer Holmes for more information. Thank you and God bless the life and legacy of Ken Holmes, Man of God.   Blessing the Tent Reflections by Rev. Deb Beloved Church Pastor, White Rock Presbyterian Church July 27, 2022 “Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the ‘tent of meeting.’ [emphasis mine] Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp.” (Exodus 33:7, NRSV)
 The tent you see above is not the “tent of meeting” from Biblical days, but it is most definitely a “tent of meeting” from these days! The tent pictured above is the new tent purchased, owned, and erected by our Navajo sisters and brothers at the House of Fellowship, and is, without a doubt, “a place where the people of [Bread Springs!] can plead their needs before the Lord.” And that is, in fact, what happened on the evening that picture, and those that follow, were taken, the very evening of its dedication, July 27, 2022. What a privilege it was for me to be able to be there, representing all of you, praising and thanking God as one of the 40-50 gathered, witnessing the profound faith of these our Native brothers and sisters, sharing a very small piece of my own faith journey with them, and having the honor of participating in the service of dedication. I’ll share bits of the evening, through the pictures (and their captions), and would love to share more with anyone who is interested. All you have to do is ask! :)  1. The “stage”/chancel This is pretty self-explanatory! This is where all who spoke and shared and prayed and sang, did their speaking and sharing and praying and singing! It’s also where the band played--you can perhaps see a guitar just to the left of the pulpit and a drum set in the far right corner  2. This is Carla (and Fred, behind her, wearing a red stole--and his cowboy hat!), co-pastor with Fred. She led the service, with great enthusiasm and profound faith. It was she who said, “We have prayed for so long for this tent! We have prayed for five years! …We didn’t know it was going to come so soon!” I was inspired by her faith, her knowledge of the scriptures, and her passion!  3. A sampling of those gathered. I was the only bilagáana (Anglo) present.  4. Pastor/Brother Fred preaching. What a beautiful faith he has! What a powerful testimony he gives!  5. And our sister Lorraine, Pastor Fred’s partner in life and ministry. What a beautiful spirit she has! What depth of faith she shows! Notice in the lower left corner of the picture above, a bottle of oil. This was oil for anointing, and many of us were blessed to be anointed with that oil by Fred. We were anointed, and blessed, and then invited to bless and anoint the tent and everything in it with our touch and our prayers. 5. And our sister Lorraine, Pastor Fred’s partner in life and ministry. What a beautiful spirit she has! What depth of faith she shows!  6. For ~15 minutes people walked all around the tent, touching everything--the tent walls, the tent stakes, the tent poles, the chairs, the instruments, the pulpit, the sound board… everything!--and praying. Praying that God would use those things to bless people. Praying that God would be present in that place and in those “tools.” Praying that each person who sat in those chairs would feel God’s Spirit. Praying as they felt led to pray. It was a very powerful experience; I felt like one small voice in that great cloud of witnesses! And I remember thinking, How can God NOT be present here, with all these prayers? All these people of faith praying? All this calling down of God’s Spirit?  7. And one last one, just for fun. I don’t think this one needs any explanation.
I hope you can see in our faces the joy that was experienced and shared by both of us, in those moments, in that place. And for me there was not only joy, but there was also a healing in my spirit, as I was surrounded by all these brothers and sisters and their deep faith and powerful testimony. What a gift it was to be able to be present that night, praising and thanking God as one of the many voices gathered, and sharing in the dedication of this particular “tent of meeting.” It is indeed a “location of divine interaction,” a place that offers “a visual representation of the availability [and presence and strength and faithfulness and love!] of God.” And I was so blessed to be there. Looking forward to going back with more of you in September! Peace, and God’s Power, be with us all. Deb |
AuthorJennifer Holmes, Archives
April 2024
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