Dine Bikeyah calling...

I was 16 years old the first time I heard the words, "I hear Dine Bikeyah calling..."  I was sitting on a chair in Wichita, KS watching Rich Mullin's musical, Canticle of the Plains.  Then I learned, "Dine Bikeyah is a real place, its the land of the people, the land of the Navajo."  Right there at the edge of my seat, I felt God whisper in my heart, "You've been asking were I am calling you, now you know."  Tears were running down my face.  I had gone just because I loved studying the life of St. Francis and enjoyed Rich's music, but never expected God to use it like He did.

Now I am 29, and I have been living in Dine Bikeyah for nearly 2 years.  I am still just a beginner in the beautiful Navajo language, and I live just off the rez in the town of Thoreau.  Yet my heart is pulled there deeply, especially when I have been gone for a while.  I get homesick when I leave Dine Bikeyah.  I have found my home among a people not my own.  I have found a place to stop wandering, in a land not my own, and I am home, at last.

~ Traveller Gal, out!

29 years and counting...

 Thinking Back....

Twenty-nine years, that is a long time to walk the earth.  There have been alot of ups and alot of downs on this journey, both of the heart and of the soul.  In my first six months, I had 3 mothers: birth, foster, adopted.  In my first 3 years of life I had at least 4 homes.  At four I surrendered my life to God.  At seven I was called to missions... and the rest is history!

At 15 I went on my first mission trip, Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico.  At 16 I was called to the Navajo.  Just after that, still in my 16th year, I became very ill and was bedridden most of the time till late in my 17th year.  At 18 I went on my second missions trip, New Orleans, LA, USA.  At 19 I began doing online ministry to the subcultures and at-risk teens.  At 23, I went on my third mission trip, to Charlotte, NC, USA.  At 24, I sought to start a safe house for at risk youth, but never totally got it up off the ground.  Later that year, at almost 25, I married my beloved Rob Nickles.

At  25, I went for the first time on a mission trip to Navajo Nation, as Rob had done off and on since 1995.  Then that same year we moved to Chicago, and remained for 14 months.  Then it was off to Kentucky, Kansas, and Arizona, before moving to Thoreau NM.  What joys, what trials, and what blessings lie between!  Such a life I have lead, out here on the open road... God has been good even in the hard times.  I am blessed.


~ Traveller Gal, out!

In Kansas...

Five weeks on the plains. 

I love my family, both birth and adopted.  I love our friends.  I love getting to see everyone and catching up on what has been happening for them and for us.  LOL, what I dont love is the "big city"  and the Kansas prairie.... I hate alergies.

It has been good to be off the field for so long, it let me know just how much Dine Bikeyah is really home.  I knew my health does not like Kansas in the summer, but I did not know that my body is just not built for the prairies.  Thank the Lord for creating green tea, it helps me SOO much!

But in all honesty, I have been learning alot about my faith and my calling while out here.  I have come to see myself not just as a teenager (even though I haven't been one for 9 years), but as a woman of 29 years.  I have realized my heart is in serving on the rez, and that in that my heart is for mentoring youth and children.  I have also realized my passion is for raising the awareness for the needs out on the missions field, especially on the reservations and reserves.  Even though I have been called for a long time, even though I have been ministering on the reservation for nearly 2 years, alot of things are becoming much clearer now than ever before.  Praise the Lord for that!

~ Traveller Gal, out!

Casa Rosa

Rob and I live in a little checkerboard community called Thoreau in northeastern New Mexico.  Surrounding us on most sides is the Navajo Reservation.  Thoreau is a typical rez community: small, not much to do, and alot of people to meet.

For us, we did not expect to move to Thoreau.  We were just looking for a place close to the rez where we could live near the missions field and maybe rent to own some land.  Little did we expect to find an older mobel home with an acre of land on a street called Rose.  The place is a fixer upper, but what missionary home isn't?

We have a nice living room/dining room, a kitchen, a den, Rob's office/man cave, my office, the guest bedroom, guest bathroom, and our master bed and bath.  We will have a pantry, after the leaky roof is fixed. ^_^

For me, Casa Rosa, while really to large for just us, is perfect for the work we do.  With mentoring, discipleship, and relational missions as our focuses, a large place like ours means plenty of room to have people over. 

Now we just have to get that leaky roof fixed!!! LOL!

~ Traveller Gal, out!

Indiana

Here I am sitting in a soft bed, snow falling heavy outside my window, on the third floor of a hotel in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.  A beloved aunt, Nelda (Houser) McNery, has gone home to be with the Lord.  Tis a time of great sadness, and joy was well for her 14 year fight with cancer is over and she is well now in heaven.  Why and how did I get to Indiana from Thoreau, NM?  First by train to visit my adopted and birth families, then when word of Nel's death came, Dad and I drove the 14 hours to get here taking turns driving and sleeping.

Once here, while we were unloading the car, I got a call from Rob.  One of the beloved pups, the girl called Nizhonii, is dead.  How we have no clue, though I had my worries for she seemed to have stopped growing.  He  barried her in the backyard.  I shall put a good marker on her grave upon my return to New Mexico.

After changing here at the hotel, Dad and I went driving acrossed Ft. Wayne.  What an adventure that turned out to be.  Between going and coming to the church, we went passed the same gas station 4 times.  Yes we got lost a few times.  LOL.  But then if it was not snowing so hard it would not have been an issue.  The gathering at the church was good.  Twas the first time I realized no one sees me as a kid anymore.  Last time I was out here most still did.  Wow.  Being 29 sure changes many things.

Tonight, I drowned my sadness in a pool of salt water.  Twas good to at last be swimming again.  If I can I shall again come morrning.  The laps felt good, and refeshed my soul.  So did the cold mt. dew, my treat to myself...a guilty pleasure with all the stress and sadness of the day.

The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the NAME of the Lord.

~ Traveller Gal, out!

Thanksgiving

 Twas an intresting day, this first Thanksgiving in New Mexico...  Work today was very calm and peaceful, a few people needing table cloth covers but that was all.  At least, having to work I dont have be there for the Black Friday maddness.  As I was there so early, I bought myself a beautiful train pocket watch, as my eagle one has died... Needed it to keep track of time for lunch and brakes.  They had a feast for us at work, the whole works, but I did not pig out, as Robby promised a feast at home too...


I got home from my 60 plus mile journey to work and back, and delightful smells greeted me at the door.  Robby had me take a long hot bath, as the eve is cold, and put on fresh clothing.  In the mean time, he put finishing touches on our feast...  I am so proud of him.  He really out did himself!

I am so thankful for being here in Dine Bikeyah,  our warm home,  Robby, our friends, and most of all my Savior, Iosa (Jesus)!  Thanksgiving blessings to all!

~ Traveller Gal, out!

Journey to Thoreau...

We did not expect the turn of events that has lead us to Thoreau, NM.  We had planned to live in Flagstaff for 4 years, finish up training at IBC.  Funding did not permit that, nor did lack of jobs or housing.  Then after our summer at BABR, a friend invited us to visit their church in Thoreua, NM.  After years of traveling, we found a home church, a place we fit in... and that is not an easy feet.

After a few weeks attending church, we found a place to live.  We call it Casa Rosa or Desert Kildare, depending on the day.  LOL.  We are at rest at last.  Thoreau is a wonderful little town.  4 schools: three public ones, and one catholic.  One mom and pop grocery story.  2 gas stations.  A community center with computer lab and trying to start a library.  Until then there is a book mobile.  We also have a Family Dollar, senior center, and chapter house.  Oh, yes, and a skate park...

We can see the Red Rock mountains and our church from our back yard.  It is so much, and I am still in shock.  A family, a home, and we have not been here that long... I hope we dont have to leave... or if we do... that we can come back.  ^_^

~ Traveller Gal, out!