Finding Joy
Today, was joyful! We started by taking an Uber to visit the only Urban Native American church in the city of Phoenix. Enroute, we struck up a conversation with the young Native American driver who was especially curious after we told her that our destination was a native church. Why was this group of old white ladies was going there? It sparked something in her and she opened up to us- revealing that she had just found her birth brother earlier this month and discovered that she was Navajo. Her mother put her up for adoption and no one knew about her. She had found her cousin living in his car in Wyoming and has brought him to live with her. Her name- pronounced "Hey-hey" means "woman rising" in Navajo. We celebrated with her that things were looking up and she is living into her name!
The church service was all that we could have asked for. I was thrilled to see the pastor, Martha Sadongei, whom I have known for a couple of decades at least. She has been having health challenges for over a year and is on the mend. The church numbers are down since COVID,- our group of 14 numbered more than the members present, but they had just had a successful fry bread sale the day before and raised a goodly sum. They are offering a family Halloween event for members and will host the annual Native Choral Festival again, followed by a Turkey dinner for the entire Phoenix area native churches. This is a tiny church literally surrounded by big commercial buildings- is holding their place and reaching out to their community, offering everything they have.
And what was the topic of her sermon? Finding joy. She spoke honestly about recent challenges in their community- those mentioned above and others. We were reminded of the misery and violence all over the world. But after her litany of trials, she referred to Paul's letter to the Philippians "rejoice in the Lord always..." And then she broke into song- "Jeremiah was a bullfrog..." The congregation titters. She keeps singing "Was a good friend of mine...". The congregation starts to sing along and we finish the first verse with smiles on our faces.
Finding joy.
And at the conclusion of the service, the members scrambled to bring out a full meal of Native "popovers" (fry bread) made by Gina Enos, with all the trimmings! Hospitality in its purist form.
Sharing joy.
In reviewing our day later, we all agreed it was a message we all needed. The journey that awaits us will be filled with hardships we can't even imagine at this point. But the joy found in the fellowship of friends and welcoming strangers will see us through.
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