Tara Holley, Director of Development for the Episcopal Church Office in New York, and Kim Moore the executive assistant visited with us for a week last summer.

It was a great honor to create a pilgrimage experience for Tara, and Kim, a long time devoted friend of Navajoland.

Rev. Chan and I, Rev. Cathlena Plummer explored the many facets of the Navajo culture and traditions as we visited ancient sites with sacred significance. We toured the river valley of Canyon de Chelly with accomplished guides telling us stories of petroglyphs, pictographs, and warring worlds.

We spent time in the stillness and silent presence of the towering Spider Rock. We sat on piles of priceless rugs as we learned about the rich heritage of Navajo weaving from an expert at Hubbell Trading Post, in Ganado, Arizona, the oldest in the country. Each region greeted us with scrumptious meals from local traditional fare as we were entertained and informed by dances, pre-dawn pollen prayer practices and talks with medicine men.

As we met in the various churches, we heard stories of joy filled accomplishments and deeply felt needs. The four of us on the journey created bonds of affection that will last a lifetime and inform our work together.