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
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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 DEDICATION OF BIG TENT AND REVIVAL HOUSE OF FELLOWSHIP JULY 27-30, 2022
Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. Isaiah 54:2 God is calling us to enlarge, stretch, lengthen, and strengthen our ministry. The Big Tent we have envisioned, prayed about, worked and planned for is finally here, Praise the Lord! Fred, Lorraine, Leonard and Eva from House of Fellowship drove three days to Eastern Oklahoma from Bread Springs to pick up the 48x70 foot oval tent that our non-profit organization, Nihitaa’ Binaanish and local Navajo families jointly funded. This Big Tent can seat around 200 people. The team transported the tent in the new Manny’s Tool Share cargo trailer that was recently purchased by Nihitaa’ Binaanish. The dedication and blessing of the Big Tent was Wednesday evening, July 27 m at House of Fellowship at Bread Springs. Pastor Fred Thomas, Evangelist Carla Dubois and Rev. Deb Church were those who contributed reflections and scripture. There was four days of preaching, praying, music, listening to one another, food, fellowship, testimonies, service work and benevolence WRPC and Sandia Presbyterian Church Vacation Bible School have funded backpacks that were given out to school-age children and youth. The backpack ministry will continue through the late summer and early Fall. Please join our Navajo partners in prayer and thanksgiving for helping to stretch, lengthen and strengthen our ministry with a Big Tent. Watch for more pictures and reflections about our Big Tent Ministry coming soon.  Let God's Big Tent Draw Many to Share in Christ's love
Nihitaa' Binaanish has helped coordinate and support the Julie's Helpers Memorial Scholarship since 2011, awarding more than $40,000 to 25 Navajo women who desire to return to Dinétah and serve their people. You can read about the 2022 scholarships here.
losalamosreporter.com/2022/07/17/go-to-school-in-beauty-julies-helpers-memorial-scholarship-for-navajo-women-names-2022-winners/
This month we celebrate and highlight Diné advancements in the education of all, from pre-school to senior citizens. Stay tuned for updates. Spread the word, the Julie's Helpers Memorial Scholarship is now taking applications for a $2500 scholarship to a Diné woman enrolled in a New Mexico university. See your college scholarship website or the JHMS website for details and application. Deadline is June 1, 2022. http://julieshelpers.com/ Last year's winners were: Alys Allen-$1,200 Engineering, San Juan College Kailani Charlie-$1,200 Mechanical Engineering, New Mexico Tech Kristen Etsitty-$1,200 Business, University of New Mexico NB recently distributed books along with food at Tohajiilee Chapter House. We care for the body, mind and soul.  Volunteers with Nihittaa' Binaanish have been working throughout the winter and early spring to help our neighbors stay safe and warm. We have mentored and paid interns to harvest and deliver firewood to shut-ins and also we provided monthly food distribution in partnership with Road Runner Food Bank and Sandia Presbyterian Church. We have helped with home improvement and repair, including bringing electrical wiring up to code. In addition, thanks to our many donors, we have made plans to purchase a Big Tent, and replace our tool trailer, Manny's Tool Share. The Board of Directors met in November and set a new budget as well as elected a new board member, Leonard Platero. The Board has directed us to continue serving in small and big ways, always with compassion for our neighbors as we navigate the roads our Creator has put us on. 
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AuthorJennifer Holmes, Archives
March 2023
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