New God-Pod Brings Joy to Thoreau Resident
THOREAU, N.M. – “Even though I live in a small one-room house with my dog, Sam, and don’t have all the things I used to have, because Jesus is in my life and I love Him so much, I have everything,” shared J.R. Sanders.
Recently, Window Rock, Ariz., Pastor and Arizona Conference Native Ministries Advisor Dale Wolcott received a phone call from Sanders, a 69-year-old man whose life has been shaped by faith, despite challenges. With glaucoma robbing most of his sight and a recent knee surgery leaving him in a wheelchair much of the time, Sanders’ connection to scripture relies on a solar-powered God-Pod radio containing pre-recorded Bible and health messages.
After Sanders used the device for more than three years, it stopped working. Unable to see well enough to read and without electricity in his home, Sanders reached out to Wolcott for help replacing the device.
Unbeknownst to Sanders, Diné Adventist Radio (DAR), a radio network serving the Navajo Nation, had recently received a long-awaited shipment of more than 300 God-Pods from Adventist World Radio. The timing, Wolcott noted, felt providential.
On Dec. 9, Steve Pester, DAR network manager, made the 90-minute drive from Window Rock to Thoreau to deliver the new God-Pod.
Sanders’ modest home, far off paved roads, was easy to locate thanks to detailed directions referencing unique landmarks, including a tree with license plates nailed to its trunk. Upon arrival, Pester was greeted by six dogs and a wheelchair ramp adorned with bells.
Inside, the home was simple yet filled with warmth: a single bed, a chair, milk crates for storage, a propane heater and the afternoon sun streaming through the open door.
Sanders, a soft-spoken and friendly man, shared his story. Raised Christian by his mother, he had little exposure to Navajo traditions. After serving in the military in Germany, he ran a construction contracting business before health issues led to significant life changes.
Injuries and medical challenges, including knee and back surgeries and a 19-month hospital stay, brought Sanders to his current home, where he found solace in radio programs and his God-Pod. It was through the God-Pod’s evangelistic series that he learned about the Sabbath. Though unable to attend a Seventh-day Adventist church, he discovered DAR’s Sunday program on KTNN at 8:30 a.m., which became his worship time.
Sanders appreciates DAR’s bilingual broadcasts, especially those translated by Anita Jones, whose Navajo skills he describes as “beautiful.” Listening to the Word of God excites Sanders, who proudly identifies as a “child of God.”
Thrilled to receive his new God-Pod, Sanders began listening to scripture as soon as Pester left. His faith and joy, even in the face of challenges, remain an inspiration.
