Intertribal Life Newspaper -

When I was young, I spent many years volunteering at a Navajo Indian Mission in New Mexico. It was one of the happiest and most rewarding times of my life.

At times it was also frustrating and heart breaking.

The missionaries were good people but after 20 years they still struggled with the Navajo language and culture. They were becoming tired and burned out.

Everyone is familiar with the "mission barrels." Well-meaning people all over the world send used clothing and supplies to missionaries to be used or given out to those in need.

People spent a lot money mailing and shipping boxes of it...