My name is Suzanne Lang and currently I am a missionary to the Navajo Indians in Window Rock, Arizona. Originally I am from Pennsylvania, but now am living on the Navajo Reservation, which consists of 27,000 square miles of wind-swept, high desert and mountain regions, and low, hot desert areas. It is roughly the size of New Jersey. The Navajo Reservation is the largest reservation in the United States and is steeped in witchcraft, hopelessness and suicide. This forgotten nation is thirsty for the true, good, glad, glorious news of Jesus Christ.
Even before my salvation and baptism in the Holy Spirit 40 years ago, I was drawn to the Navajo Indians. I have a degree in psychology and a background of working with behaviorally troubled youths, along with experience with horses. On frequent mission trip to Texas, New Mexico and Juarez, Mexico, I met two Navajo preachers who asked me to come to the Nation to help troubled children and those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through equine therapy.
I’m living on a 5 acre school compound that houses autistic and disabled Indian youths from all over the Navajo Nation and trying to set up an equine therapy program to help keep these Indian children build emotional and physical confidence. Through this they also can learn about the love of Jesus.
I also am involved in teaching the Church about the spread of Islam into the Navajo Nation by holding Q & A meetings, trying to wake the Church to the spread of soft jihad. I’m teaching them how to witness to Muslims as we visit the local mosque in Gallup, New Mexico to distribute tracts and DVDs about Jesus.
In addition, I have been working with directors from David Wilkerson’s Teen Challenge program and local pastors, coordinating efforts to establish a crisis center near the Reservation. Land has been donated and we are praying for the funds to build this center which will be the first of its kind so close to a Reservation. Suicide and alcoholism are over 20% higher than the national average, and a Teen Challenge Center would be a shining light in this darkness.
My vision is to go into the vast interior of the Nation where there is no electricity, taking with me gospel CDs in the Navajo language, and hand-cranked CD players to provide to the people there. In that way I could reach those who never would step foot into a church or otherwise hear the good news of Christ in their own language. For this reason I will remain with these warm, kind people, for God’s heart is that everyone before the end will hear – every tribe, every nation, every tongue!
Navajo Reservation Pictures
