“It was awesome!” responds a participant on Saturday, September 23, 2023, while participating at Good Medicine Way’s (GMW) ministry outreach event called, “Sewing 101— Learn How to Sew a Ribbon Skirt.” Under the guidance by Lora Church (Navajo), GMW volunteer seamstress, along with five past participants who now served as peer mentors, taught 12 participants the technical skills to operate a sewing machine and to sew a ribbon skirt, a traditional Native garment. The outreach event attracted participants from Albuquerque, Laguna and Belen. Overall, each of them beamed with joy, happiness, resiliency, and self-confidence!

A special recognition and appreciation goes to NM UMC New Church Development, James and Judith Kovalik, Cheri Burch, President, St. Paul’s ABQ UMF, Marilynn Crelier, Helen Wright, Roberta Begaye, Gene Stevenson, Laverne Wilson, Sháńdíín Church, Álilee Bah Garcia, Makaylee Twohatchet, and Nikki Castillo for their generous donations that helped make GMW’s outreach event a success! For more information, contact Lora Church at 505-220-1986 or lorachurch101@gmail.com

Good Medicine Way is a NM UMC-supported Native American ministry that seeks to reach our Indigenous population with the gospel of Jesus Christ/Creator Sets Free from a Native perspective, and is under the pastoral leadership of Dr. Casey Church (Pokagon Band of Potawatomi) of Albuquerque, NM.