1. A journey through the Navajo reservation By Haley Henderson

2. A few years ago my youth group traveled to New Mexico… …by BUS.

3. We were going to serve on a Navajo Indian Reservation, to spread God’s LOVE to the people that live there.

4. The 40 hour bus ride was filled with many things… like sight seeing, national parks, friends…

5. …crying children, … and MOLDY bread.

6. Once there we hosted a week long VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL for the children of the surrounding Navajo communities. We led the kids in Bible lessons, SINGING, crafts, games, puppet shows and more.

7. They loved to be HUGGED, to hold your hand, and most of all to receive piggy back rides. We were made aware that drug and alcohol addiction riddle many homes, leaving the kids desperately seeking AFFECTION.

8. And to think I was excited for the time AWAY from my parents that this trip was allowing.

9. Everyday we would SERVE the children lunch. I learned that for some, it would be the ONLY meal of the day.

10. That moldy bread didn’t seem so bad anymore.

11. One day I rode with the bus driver on the 2 hour bus route to drop off the kids at their homes. What I saw SHOCKED me.

12. My bedroom ALONE would be bigger than some of the houses.

13. This trip opened my eyes to the REALITY of a harsher world. SHEILDED by the comfortable confines of my middle class American lifestyle I was living in naivety. Unable to grasp how truly fortunate I was. But my VISION was cleared. I learned that I am blessed, but that those blessings are a GIFT that I must use to help others. The Navajo are a shy but BEAUTIFUL people, with a rich history and old traditions. Yet despite the differences, at the CORE we all are the same. We all need food, shelter, and clothes. We all long to be LOVED. To be accepted. And maybe sometimes, just to be HUGGED.

14. I was told before we went on the mission that it would make an impact. That LIVES would be changed and HEARTS would be transformed.

15. I just didn’t realize they were talking about MINE.

16. Some images courtesy of: -publicdomainimages.net - Lydia Rittenhouse -freedigitalphotos.net