Streams in the Desert by LaCinda Hardy

Navajo Area Mission, the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd Mission in Navajo Land

Yah’teeh – Welcome and Greetings!
“Streams in the Desert 2012”
By LaCinda Hardy
Customary among the Navajo is the introduction of one’s self as Dine’ which means I belong to the Navajo Tribe born for four clans. I represent my identity with great honor my mother clan is my first clan which is Ta’chii’nii meaning “Red Running into the Water People” clan, it represents “Spiritual Leader”. My second clan is my father clan which is “Kin’yaa’ aanii meaning “Towering House” which represents “Builder and Planner” this is what I am born for. My maternal grandfather is “Tot’sohnii” which means the “Big Water People” and paternal grandfather is Ta’baahi “The Water Edge People”.
My name is LaCinda Hardy I am a born baptize and confirm cradle Protestant Episcopalian. I am one of the twelve Navajo aspirants’ in Navajo land that is very excited about moving in the directions of the Native American Ministries within the Episcopal ministries. The past few years we have been participating and traveling to various native ministries workshops, trainings made available under the office of Native American ministries of the Episcopal Church and under the office of Indigenous Theology Training Institute, and other recommendation by our Bishop Dave Bailey. We also are very grateful to have individuals of the wider Episcopal churches provide training for ECN. Examples of trainings include; Anti-Racism by Donald Whipple Fox, and Jayne Oasin, among others. Retreat Aspirants to Holy Orders by Bishop Carol Gallagher, Retreat and Visioning on “Discerning our Future” by Keith Stroud from Grace Church in Virginia, Alter Guild Training by Connie Castillo of National Board of Altar Guilds, Episcopal Diocese of Arizona, Vancouver School of Theology Liturgy studies and Stewardship at the St. John Cathedral Episcopal Church of the Rio Grande N.M. Diocese, in Albuquerque, NM with Dr. Paula Sampson, Dr. Gary Kush, and Dr. Cecil Corbett.

We were very fortunate to have the White Bison Well-briety Training Institute concepts by Don Coyhis founder, come to our Episcopal Church of Navajo land and community. This was an eye opener to start healing the community and to move forward in ministry with ECN… I believe we need to be able to help ourselves with (self-help) trainings so that we experience a sense of TOGETHERNESS! Especially with the work WE CARE ABOUT, I see that we are coming so close and are able to feel the devotion, the love, our gifts, and our treasure chest to open for our DINE’/Nation/People/the World. With this workshop it will start to form a formation within our work, our steps to understanding where we stand in the house of WORSHIP.

ABCD 2011-12. Assets Based Community Development, by Mike Green founder. We have developed community asset concepts in our church at the Good Shepherd Mission, and San Juan Mission in Farmington, NM. We have been establishing Action Groups within the community and church members. We have successfully gathered once a month building relationships with our congregation and the community. We started a Neighborhood Watch/Gang Task Force group and are moving on to the newest Action group FARMING. Our groups has been sharing gifts and researching on their own, showing commitment what we care about in our community and church.

We are DOING SOMETHING in Navajo Land we are slowly making a difference, and change, taking the leadership in walking into Holy Orders to become Navajo Clergy and Deacon’s. We are thinking ahead for our Navajo Be’Keyah and for our youth and young adults. We Navajo’s are very fortunate to have dual cultures the DINE culture/traditions, and the Anglican/Episcopal family.

As Bonnie Anderson mentions in the Episcopal Life weekly news service, title: Celebrating the ‘circle’ of ministries she quotes “Each gift brought to the service of Christ is important, and God’s call to each person is equally worthy to be affirmed, used and supported by GOD’s Church.”

I as a leader and volunteer of the Navajo Be’Kayah (Navajo land) I commit most of my time at church and within the community and I also found a Passion for Navajo ministry work for my community and for our Parish at Good Shepherd Mission. This includes two Regions St. Christopher in Bluff, UT, and All Saints in Farmington, NM, and other small churches within the Navajo Regions.