Begay Leads Navajo Work
Harry Luke Begay is a member of the Navajo Tribe in the State of New Mexico and has been translating for the Church of God since he was 12 years old. Now at the age of 67, he and his wife, Anita Chicharello, have pastored the Gallup Church of God for ten years. They have four children: Veronica of Rio Rancho, NM, Sharlinda Busch of Sallisaw, OK, Renaldon Begay of Gallup and Derek M. Begay of Fort Wingate. They are blessed with 12 grandchildren. Presently, they reside at Fort Wingate, NM.
Brother Begay accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior as a young lad. He came from a broken-home where alcoholism abounded, but through the grace of God ended up in a mission home. He worked with the missionaries in the early days and got involved in their ministry quickly due to the limited English language. He served as interpreter for the missionaries in every conceivable means of spreading the Gospel. He also played a significant role in the amalgamation of the Indian Works as they entered the fellowship with the Church of God. The late Reverend Charles W. Conn then Third Assistant General Overseer and Reverend WM Horton, then the State Overseer of New Mexico played a vital role in culminating their fellowship with the Church of God.
After this work, he attended Lee Academy and graduated from high school in 1964. Later on he enrolled in the Bible College and majored in Christian education and attained his bachelor degree in 1974. He has been a missionary-teacher, missionary -evangelist and pastor throughout the years. He played a great role in the land acquisition where the Southwest Indian Ministry is located and helped established the Indian Bible Institute. He has pastored five Navajo churches on the Navajo Indian reservation and has fulfilled the role of District Overseer and key advisors with regard to Indian ministries.
Professionally, Brother Begay is a certified residential counselor. Other important positions he has held within an educational programs are: Executive Staff Assistant to the Vice-President of the Navajo Nation; Executive Deputy Director for a contract school; high/mid school counselor; program manager for substance abuse program; home living specialist for a residential setting; and director of Indian adult education program under the auspices of the Navajo Division of Education. He holds two master’s degrees: one with Arizona State University at Tempe, AZ with emphasis in adult/higher education (M.Ed.) and the second master is with Western New Mexico University in school counseling and educational leadership.
He has served his own community in a leadership capacity, vice-president of Manuelito Navajo Chapter; served on numerous local school boards and board of regents for boarding school setting and educational programs from k-12. He’s also served on JOM Indian education committee and career advisor at a high school level. Politically, he has run for the Vice-President of the Navajo Nation.
Brother Begay has received the ASU Carnation Teacher Award; participant of the Native American Leadership Program via federal grant with ASU. He was also inducted in Psi Chi Society with WNMU and received numerous recognitions with school boards and tribal government for services rendered in Christian education and Indian education. His desire is to attend a Christian university to attain a doctorate of ministry, if the Lord wills. He is a licensed minister with the Church of God and has yet to pursue his credentials as a Bishop.
Lastly, He loves music. He learned to play piano, accordion and organ on his own. Musical instruments have played a vital role in his ministry. He owes all his musical inclination by residing in the old Ellis Hall at Lee. Everyday while there, he had to walk by the Music Building on the way to class. He listened and wanted to play music like he’d heard. Finally, my roommate introduced him to the three chords on the piano and he took it from there. He praises God for this talent God blessed him with.
My husband, Glen and I recently went to Gallup to preach and sing at their first regional Navajo Campmeeting. God stirred our hearts and blessed the pastors and leaders to continue their work in that region.
While we were there we had an opportunity to visit Brother Begay’s church. We’d like to share some of their needs in hopes that others churches around the nation might be able to help them. They are in dire need of a new van – the kind that is used to shuttle the elderly. Their bus ministry came to a halt when their present van died. Because of Brother Begay’s desire for music in the church, he would like to have a baby grand piano. They also desire 100 redback Church of God hymnals and 100 Navajo hymnals. A team is ready to go and help them enlarge their kitchen so they can feed the hungry, but funds are needed for the supplies. Last, money is needed to purchase an air conditioning unit for the church and fellowship hall. Again, a team is ready to go and install the unit when funds have been raised to purchase it.
Any church interested in taking on any of these projects should contact him at hlbegay2011@hotmail.com.
–Susan Anniskette
