A Hopi Indian Humanitarian Experience

December 5th, we left for Tuba City, Arizona, with Lane and LaVona Lewis to help them fulfill a humanitarian project among the Hopi Indians.  We volunteered to take our fifth wheel and truck and haul water barrels, hams, blankets and some clothes to the Hopi Clans.  LaVona had spent the month of November collecting money and items from members of our ward and many neighbors.  We were along to the drive and ride and experience.

This is all of us heading out.

However, we didn't anticipate the frozen north air that rolled across the state of Utah and Arizona.  Usually, Hurricane, Utah, is fairly warm - not this first night.  The water in our outside hose froze even though we left water running through it all night.  My McGyver simply brought it into the trailer and put it in the microwave to thaw it.  That was only the first of the frozen conditions we would find ourselves.

We picked up  about 90 hams, pre-cooked variety, and 100 5-gallon water containers at the Walmart in Hurricane and packed them nicely in the trailer.  We met up with about 30 other people who travel down each year to perform acts of kindness and service to these special people.  We delivered toys, clothes, blankets and furniture to several clans and schools.

The majority of the homes do not have running water, so the jugs help immensely.

 A highlight was to go to the "mesas" and see 1000 year old homes and hear stories of the Hopi.  One story that is told is that their ancestors buried their weapons of war and since then the Hopi have been a peaceful people.  They migrated to this area from the south.

The oldest clan dwellings are to be found on the 1st Mesa in a village called "Walpi".  These are pictures at the very point of the mesa and this kiva is one of the oldest there and is still used for the most sacred of the ceremonies.

Looking from the road to the top of Mesa 1

Walking out to the mesa tip

The oldest keva

The home on the tip of the mesa

On Sunday, we attended church in Tuba City and then traveled to St. George.  Now, there is never snow in St. George, but the night before they received about 4 inches and the roads were fairly snow packed the entire way.  I do look forward to spending a warm time sometime in our trailer - the most used item is the electric fireplace that doubles as a heater.  The temperature in St. George was 1 that night and there was no way we could drain the water pipes before we left and stored the trailer at the trailer park; so we hope all is well when we return to stay over New Year's.

We are so blessed to be able to have the time and means to help with projects like this.  It was a wonderful experience and we again met some wonderful people of different cultures.  We truly do live a blessed life.  What a way to kick off the Christmas season.