Local family reflects on helping Navajos

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

It’s been nearly two months since the family of Nick and Val Steyer returned from a trip to Arizona to provide donations of food, clothing, and other needed items to Navajo reservations in that state, but family members are still trying to process the feelings that the trip generated in their hearts and minds.

The genesis of the trip began back in April when Val Steyer watched a “Today” program on Navajo tribes that highlighted the poverty tribe members and the fact the Navajos were even without running water.

“I had no idea that there were people in America that had no running water,” she said during an interview in August. “I was totally shocked.”

The program also noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had shut down casinos where many of the Navajos worked, forcing tribe members into even more dire circumstances.

After a month of praying and not feeling good about the situation, Val Steyer decided that she and her family would try to help the struggling Navajos.

Val and Nick and their children, especially her adopted children from Ethiopia, got to work and, through the support of friends, churches, and the community, collected 16,000 pounds of items, including 200 cases of water, diapers, clothes, food (40 cases), toys, kitchen items, bathroom items, beds and bedding, shoes, sinks, scooters, sports equipment, and 320 masks made by one of the Steyer children.

The Steyers rented a U-Haul truck and two trailers and the family, along with friends, neighbors, members of the First United Methodist Church youth group, and members of Bridge Community Church in Decatur, Indiana, helped load the items on the vehicles for transport to Arizona in August.

The trip took three days, where they dropped off items at several local sites, including a couple of churches, before heading to Tuba City, Arizona, where the main portion of donations would be left with Brandon and Sheena Ewer and their family to distribute in their area.

The Ewers are missionaries that work on the reservation — something especially meaningful to Sheena Ewer, who is a full-blooded Navajo herself.

Although it was very hot back in August in Arizona, the Steyers and local helpers, including Connor Shaffer, son of local resident Theresa Shaffer, who lives 1½ hours from Tuba City and decided to drive over and help out. It completed the circle that his mother began when she helped load donations onto the rental vehicles back in Van Wert.

Val Steyer said the trip has left an amazing feeling in her heart because of the generosity of her community in Van Wert, and the blessings they received in Arizona from those they were able to help.

“It was all given away, and those that received it know they are loved and not forgotten,” she noted.

While the Steyers intentions were to help the Navajos in the area, they also made contact with an Apache man and his wife who were trying to get back home, but ran into some problems doing so.

“We did not hesitate to help them,” Val said. “After all, look how many donated and helped us make this all happen.”

She noted that, after they helped the man, he asked if they could all pray together.

“Right there, standing next to the gas pump, Nick and I held this man’s hand while he prayed and thanked his God for providing,” Val said. “I had huge tears in my eyes.”

She added that she feels God placed her family in the position to help the couple, allowing them to have an experience they will treasure for years to come.

“We could have missed this,” Val said. “God put us in the right place at the right time. What an amazing thing to witness.”

She also had nothing but praise for the Van Wert community, which was so generous in giving to people they didn’t know thousands of miles away.

“I’m so proud of my town,” Val said. “Thank you for helping us serve the Navajo tribe.”