Nov. 4, 1997

Dear Family in Christ:

Hello! We are members at the Kinlichee Church of Christ, also your brothers and sisters in Christ. Our mission site and location is in Northeastern Arizona, on the Navajo Indian Reservation (6 miles east of Ganado, Arizona off Highway 264). Our message to the Navajos is that only salvation comes through our Lord Jesus Christ. We tell who Christ is, why He is, what He is, and for whom He is.

Our plea and purpose for writing to you is to help us replace the minister's house. We are asking for your assistance to help us acquire better housing. At the present time, there is a mobile home trailer house on the mission site. This trailer has been on the mission field for over 15 years. At the time of its purchase, someone had lived in it, so was bought used. After it was purchased, numerous repairs were made, but the roof still leaks, windows are broken, water lines and floors of the trailer are corroded, and the ceiling is chipping away. The exterior is like sheet metal, and tears apart each time the wind blows. The exterior walls are only six inches, and it gets a lot colder in the winter, and the heat escapes back outside. This is only a small description of the present housing condition that the missionaries are living in. Please help us replace it. We need your help!

Plans for constructing a better minister's house should take effect when the funds start flowing in. We have spoken with the members of the WE CARE, and they suggested that the Sojourners help us build. Another possibility suggested is of another sister Church work group coming to help us. With the better housing, there would be less repair work, and more time will be available to go and make contacts for Bible studies and more time to have people over for studies. The Bible studies benefit both the teacher(s) and student(s).

We are asking for your help. We are a small congregation, with a minimum of 8 members and 5 children. This is the first major improvement on this mission field. We are still in need and looking for a permanent minister to work at Kinlichee. With better housing conditions, we will be able to keep a missionary in the field all the time. Our address and the contact people for the church are, Larry Johnson, who can be reached after 4:00 P.M. at (520) 871-5021 (he can also be reached via E-mail at ljohnson@navajo.ihs.gov) or William Marsh, at (520) 755-3528, the church phone number. - P.O. Box 1153, Ganado, AZ 86505. Or check out our Kinlichee web page at: "http://MissionsWeb.net/ACU/page.asp?ID=542". Thanks to Bruce Terry at ACU for putting us on their web server.

The proposed and estimated cost of housing is around $40,000. We are looking at a three bedroom housing unit. Our church financial situation is as follows:

At the present we receive $500.00 monthly support from 1 congregation, $50.00 from 2 other congregations, one of these from the ladies class, and $30.00 and $15.00 monthly support from 2 individuals. Out of this total, plus what is contributed by the members, $1,000.00 is paid as monthly salary to the missionary who helps with the work on a voluntary basis from fall through early spring. The rest of the monies are used on utilities, phone usage, heating, and maintenance of mission site.

Please help us brothers and sisters. Some of you know of the work here at Kinlichee Church. Even though we are a small congregation, we try to do the best we can to continue the Lord's work. We also ask that you pass this letter on to others that you know who would like or want to help, and brethren in the Lord. We pray and hope everyone who receives this letter will help us in any way they can. We will accept all amounts, big or small.

Sincerely in Christ,             
Kinlichee Church of Christ