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For Kids
Navajo Redemption
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Over a hundred
years ago before there were cars and airplanes, an eight-year old
Navajo girl lived in New Mexico with her family. Every summer they
gathered with other friends and family for a great harvest
celebration. It was always a time of great excitement. All of the
Navajos that were able to go were very happy to meet with other
friends from their tribe. One summer morning the young girl and her
mother got on a horse to go to Chinle for the harvest feast. The
little girl sat behind her mother as they rode. Around noon they
arrived. Soon they would be feasting on corn, squash, other
vegetables, and meat. |
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The corn was
cooking and the meat was simmering. It smelled wonderful! They were
all hungry as they sat down before all the delicious food. This was
always a special for the Navajos that came to the feast. It was
going to be different this year. During the feast something terrible
happened! The Ute Indians, following their chief, rode over the
hills to come and attack the Navajos. |
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A cry went out
among the Navajos. The Utes were coming! They were frightened.
Everyone fled. They left the food, their belongings, and they all
ran to their horses trying to escape. They mounted their horses and
all rode off. The young Navajo girl was on a horse with her mother.
They were trying to ride away. The Ute chief caught up to them. He
grabbed their horse’s reigns and stopped them. Several other
Navajo’s were captured by the Ute Indians too. |
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Chief White Hair
glanced down at the mother and child. As he looked at the girl he
said, “This one is going to be mine. She’s coming with me.” He
grabbed her and put her behind him on his horse. The other captured
Navajos were also forced to make the journey back to the Ute’s land. |
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They spent many
days at the Ute’s camp. Every night they were all tied together so
they couldn’t escape. But one night the little girl’s mother
realized that the ropes she was tied with were a little loose. In a
daring escape she and several of the other women freed themselves
and ran toward the mountains. |
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The Utes
discovered that some of the captives had escaped. They tried to look
around for them but it was night so they gave up their search. The
Navajo women that escaped stayed hidden at the foot of the mountain
for three days until the other Indians were gone. |
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The little girl’s
mother finally came back home. When she reached the Navajo people
she told her friends and her husband of the kidnapping. The little
girl’s father thought about what he could do. Finally, he had a
plan. He began asking everyone to make rugs. Navajo rugs are very
beautiful. It takes a long time to make a rug by hand. In one
month’s time there was a pile of rugs. His plan was to redeem his
daughter by buying her back. |
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The Navajo people
are known for their fine weaving and silver work. And the entire
village worked together to produce piles of blankets, silver horse
bridles, saddles, and other goods. He put the goods on a beautiful
pony and rode many miles to find Chief White hair and the Ute
Indians. |
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The little Navajo
girl had spent much time with the Ute people. She worked hard just
like the other slaves. She always felt alone. The Ute children were
mean to her. They teased her with their words. She got used to the
teasing and would try to ignore it. |
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One day the
children said, “Your father is here. He has come for you.” The girl
thought they were just trying to make her sad so she ignored them.
She didn’t believe their words. Soon she saw Chief White Hair riding
up to her. He had an extra pony with him. He told her to get on the
pony. After she was on the pony Chief White Hair led her out of
camp. Several of the other Ute men followed them. |
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As they rode, the
girl could see a hill where people were gathered waiting. She could
see on a hill top that the other riders had come to meet them with a
great load of goods. They rode closer. The young Navajo girl did not
know what was going to happen. She finally recognized one of the men
that was waiting on the hill. It was her father! He had come to buy
her back- to redeem her. Her father told Chief White Hair that he
would give him all of the rugs, the silverwork, the saddles, the
blankets, and the pony in exchange for the little girl. The chief
agreed. The little girl was finally free! She now could go home with
her family. |
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The young Navajo girl told this story many
times as she grew and became a woman. She would tell how her father
came into the enemy land to buy her back. It was hard for her think
about it. As the years passed she could never tell the story without
tears. Many times she could not even finish the story. |
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Application
This true story reminds us of what
God our Heavenly Father has done for us. God sent His Son Jesus
Christ into this world to redeem us- to free us from the power of
sin. Jesus Christ came to this earth to redeem our souls from our
sins. He died on the cross to pay for our sins. And now we are His
because He bought us. That’s how He redeemed us. The Bible say in
John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but
have everlasting life.” All we need to do is to accept this free
gift. Won’t you ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins today and give
Him control of your life?
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"Train up a child in the
way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
Proverb 22:6 |
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