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Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission
Proclaiming and Practicing the Love of Jesus
The Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission (NELM) Inc. humbly serves the Navajo community of Rock Point, AZ. Every day, our 100% Navajo staff feed the hungry, prioritize Christian and cultural learning, focus on community engagement, and work towards fulfilling basic community needs. In our spiritual and social work, we strive to embody and teach the grace of Jesus and listen to the call of the gospel to serve one another in love.
2,000
Population
Roughly 2,000 Navajos live in Rock Point
50
Miles
It is roughly 50 miles to the nearest grocery store
60%
Houses with no Internet
Internet connectivity is not abundant in Rock Point
40%
Houses without running water
Less than 40% of the homes in Rock point do not have running water.
Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission
Humbly Serving Since 1955
For 65 years, Navajo Lutheran Mission (better known locally as Rock Point Mission) has partnered with the Navajo people to be an outpost of love and hope. Every day, the 100% Navajo staff feed the hungry, prioritize learning for grades K-6, and focus on fulfilling basic community needs.
Spiritual Leadership
House of Prayer is the heartbeat of the Mission, serving the Rock Point community as a center for spiritual learning and cultural dialogue.
Health & Wellness
Health and wellness is a central focus of the Mission. At the Mission School, all students receive vaccinations and flu shots. Students also participate in annual eye and dental exams.
Christian Education
The Mission School provides local children with faith-based learning that complements the classroom curriculum.
Mission Clinic
The Mission clinic offers basic healthcare to those who cannot travel the distance to get medical care at the nearest IHS location.
A Watered Garden
“A Watered Garden”
Indigenous people in United States continue to experience lack of basic infrastructure in their communities. In Rock Point, Arizona, about 40-60% of our Diné (Navajo) neighbors live in homes that do not have drinking water or electricity. They visit local windmills for their source of drinking water. Windmills provide water from the artesian wells that are about 90-120 feet deep. These shallow water sources cause concern for the quality of water as there are abandoned uranium mines within 50-60 miles. Rock Point is located downstream of these hazardous sites.
During this Lenten season, we are asking our Mission friends across the region to ask themselves, “when was the last time I had to worry if my drinking water was safe to drink?” Help us reach a time when we have a glass of water without concern for the safety of our children, families, and the elderly.
Five Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Synods are working together on a 2025 Lenten Challenge called “A Watered Garden.” Funds that are raised will benefit a water project at the Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission (NELM) that will help increase the availability of potable water to the Rock Point community. Find out more about this Lenten Challenge and SIGN UP to participate by going to this website: www.LentenChallenge.org and scroll down to “Sign up now!”.
Thank you for continuing to support Navajo Lutheran Mission and the people of Rock Point.
Patterson Yazzie
Executive Director
The Mission Appreciates Your Generosity
Here's How You Can Help
Visit The Mission
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There is much work to be
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Fulfill Our Wish List
Our standing needs
list is available online
Embracing tradition and forging a new path
Seeking a Future of Hózhó
What is “hózhó”? Hozho defines the essence of Navajo (or Diné) philosophy. It encompasses beauty, order, and harmony, and expresses the idea of striving for balance. A future with Hozho is the vision for our work in Rock Point and we invite all visitors, donors, congregants, and more to join us on this journey.