On of two car loads of boxes of children’s books were delivered November 17 to Chinle, Ariz. by members of White Rock Presbyterian Church. Courtesy photo
WRPC NEWS RELEASE
On Friday, November 17, Pastor Deb Beloved Church, Pastor of White Rock Presbyterian Church, and WRPC member Joyce Haven had the privilege and honor of representing WRPC to their new friends and partners at Chinle Planting Hope, in Chinle, AZ, on the Navajo Nation.
Joyce and Deb made the trip to Chinle to deliver a not-so-small mountain of children’s books that had been donated over the last several months by a multitude of Los Alamos/White Rock/ community members (including the people of WRPC).
They also delivered a check for $1,000–half of the total proceeds of the “parking lot sale” that WRPC hosted in September [the other half is going to Nihitaa’ Binaanish, another Navajo organization with whom WRPC has partnered for many years].
Deb Church (WRPC), Kathy Mitchell (CPH Leadership Team), Janice Dunn (CPH Executive Director), Joyce Haven (WRPC) Courtesy photo
Both the funds raised and the books collected went specifically to CPH’s Bookmobile project, a concrete effort to expand the reading and learning opportunities for the children and families of Chinle and surrounding communities. There is no public library in Chinle; the closest one is ~60 miles away. CPH’s Bookmobile is currently serving schools and communities up to 40 miles away in all directions, and hopes to continue to expand its reach. Since it officially “opened for business” last February, the staff of the Bookmobile have issued over 1800 library cards, and when Deb and Joyce were there, over 4,000 books were checked out!
The message on the book mobile is clear – Reading Empowers Adventures and Dreams. Courtesy photo
Pastor Deb learned about Chinle Planting Hope (chinleplantinghope.com)–a community organization through which Navajos empower Navajos and work together to bring hope to the Navajo Nation–through her participation last Spring in the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program’s Travel Study Seminar, “Native Lands of the Southwest: The Doctrine of Discovery and Its Legacy Today.” Kathy, who is a member of the CPH Leadership Team, was one of the leaders of that trip.
As a result of Deb and Kathy’s acquaintance and WRPC’s long-standing partnership with the House of Fellowship in Bread Springs, NM, also on the Navajo Nation, WRPC was eager to partner with CPH and is honored to support the good and important work that they do.
Ahéhee’! Thank you! to all who participated in this effort! And thanks be to God!