Dorie Panganiban – Farmington, New Mexico … The outreach team at La Vida Mission (LVM) in Farmington, New Mexico, had a great opportunity to serve the young people of the White Rock Chapter of the Navajo Nation with a Total Wellness and Healthy Lifestyle program in July of this year. The team started the month-long series with building the youth’s confidence in their own worth, a key element to having positive mental health.
“It’s been our privilege to serve the Navajo youth who spent part of their summer vacation working and learning, not only various skills and trades, but also gaining as much knowledge as they can, especially in relation to their health and well-being,” commented Dorie Panganiban, LVM office manager.
“They’re happy to know that they each have worth that is based on their relationship to God, with their worth rooted in a covenant made before they were even born,” she continued. “Even with all their sins and weaknesses, they are not cast aside as worthless. They are precious and beloved children of God, loved with an everlasting love, created in His image, redeemed by His own blood, and are thus worth more than silver and gold. It’s so inspiring to see how this truth and knowledge has impacted the youth’s response and interaction during our meetings with them.”
While most staff at the Mission were on break for the summer, several staff members joined in to assist with the program including Kim Ellis, LVM mission director, and Cielo Domino, LVM school principal, in the first week. During the second week, Natavia Harrison, a former Navajo youth worker, assisted Panganiban.
The youth attendees asked for some exercise tips and activities, so during the third and fourth week, VJ Panganiban, LVM Health Ministry director, and his wife, Beth, led the enthusiastic youth with some High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) exercise programs.
Afterwards they did some healthy vegetarian cooking, which had been requested as well. They enjoyed making two kinds of vegetarian burgers: one using carrots and cabbage and the other using carrots and zucchini. They also asked to learn how to make Asian fried rice, which was paired with baked squash rounds. Finally, they learned to prepare green smoothies for diabetics, fruit smoothies for energy building, and no-bake fruity graham cake.
“We would like to thank the leaders of the Chapter and all their staff for their wholehearted support for our program,” praised Dorie. “We are grateful for this ministry partnership on behalf of the younger members of our community. Please join us in praying for the youth of the Navajo Nation and how we can reach them and help them to live a more successful and fruitful life now and in the future.”
* La Vida Mission is a supporting ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church but are not affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
—Dorie Panganiban is the La Vida Mission office manager. Photos supplied.
