By Dorie Panganiban — Farmington, New Mexico … Beautiful things are happening at La Vida Mission amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. While our daily services and various ministries and work duties continue and Sabbath worship for our missionaries takes place outdoors every week at our Tree House Park, God has enabled us to reach out to our native brothers and sisters through our Food Distributions and Free Propane Disbursement. Connections through Facebook, texts and phone calls, Bible studies, and corporate prayer in members’ homes have continued and through the Holy Spirit’s working, hearts have been changed and decisions made to surrender lives and follow the Lord all the way.
On Sabbath, June 27, two Navajo young men, Brothers Zachariah and Xavier George, sealed their decisions to give their hearts to God and become members of the church through baptism. This was officiated by Pastor Steve Gillham, director of the La Vida Mission. Because the Tribe’s Health order does not yet allow us to meet in the church, their baptisms were conducted in a tank by the dried pond at our Tree House Park.
Both of these young people have been coming to our church for quite some time with their youngest brother, Yngwie, and their parents, Jason and Bertha, who were baptized several years ago during our Native Camp Meeting in 2016. Both boys gave testimonies, telling how their parents’ baptism and their membership in the Church have made a huge change in their family where drugs and alcohol, physical and verbal abuse are part of the norm. They expressed their gratitude for the love and warm acceptance that their family received from the members of the La Vida Mission Church, which to them serves as an inspiration, encouragement and a guiding light shining in their paths. Please join us in prayer as we continue to minister to this special group of God’s people, our Navajo Native Community.
–Dorie Panganiban is community outreach director, La Vida Mission; photos supplied
