At last year’s Annual Conference our Bishop with the support of the Sessions Committee identified the Navajo Nation and Water Relief as our Conference Mission Project. As we know from news reports then, and now, the need was and is great on the Navajo Nation. With the highest rates of infection per capita in the country and the weak infrastructure, it was a crisis. Even now, the struggle continues. There have been 26,448 positive cases on the reservation and sadly, 922 deaths as of January 18th. Many of the deaths are elders, who are revered in their culture. Our prayers must continue. But there is good news. The Nation has received the vaccine, and people are being vaccinated as I write this. Currently, their focus is on the elderly vulnerable population. They chose to offer it to elders 75 years and older so they could control the number of vaccines given, as they have a limited amount. (https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-health/2021/01/16/covid-19-vaccine-rolls-out-on-navajo-nation-for-older-population/4144889001)But hope has arrived!
Our Conference churches took this project to heart. That heartfelt commitment carried throughout the entire year, with churches donating $119,086.31 as of December 31, 2020. Praise God for the Desert Southwest Conference and her churches!
