Happy Thanksgiving!

This is Martha. Her face still haunts me and at the same time encourages me. You can see in the background the starkness and desolation of the landscape on which she has lived her life on the Navajo reservation in northwest New Mexico. Most of her life has been in hopelessness, living in the same house for 41 years with no electricity or running water, she has raised twelve children and has 23 grandchildren. I was blessed to be a part of a group that built a house for Martha. As the weather gets cooler I think about her new life with electricity and indoor bathroom. For the first day and a half we worked outside her home, she did not come out. But our kids prayed that her heart would be opened and she would come speak with us. Over the course of a week she did come and speak to us on a couple of occasions and even baked Navajo flat bread for us. In this photo she is standing in front of one of her windows - looking to the mountains of the south - a symbol of purity and hope. The Navajo believe that one must be able to see out of all four directions from the home in order that prayers may get out. She was greatly distressed that we did not provide for a window to the north - where her prayers against evil could leave her house and be banned to the dark mountains of the north. When we found this out, the kids took up a collection to buy another window and we put in the window she so desired.

On Wednesday evening, we worshipped with the Fellowship of Brothers of the Navajo nation and listened to the word from an Apache preacher (which in itself was a miracle). Brother George told us that we were like the friends of the man in John 5 beside the pool of Bethseda who for years lay beside the pool, frustrated that he had no friends to pick him up and place him into the healing waters of the pool. Brother George told us that's who we were to Martha. She had prayed for 29 years that GOD would send someone to build her a house, because she had no friends or resources. What a beautiful concept!

Martha and her daughter made Navajo bread and ate with us one day. I felt I was in communion - a holy Eucharist. Martha is only two years older than me. Now when I look into those eyes - I see a friend looking at me in true thanksgiving... a friend who is tired ... but so full of joy that her eyes exude praise! Praise for a GOD that answers prayers to bring friends to help her into the healing waters!

I look forward to seeing my friend Martha again ... probably not in this world! Until then ... I can enjoy this photo with two of her grandchildren.

Happy Thanksgiving Martha!