(Editorial Note: Shortly before Twila
Hahn’s death, she had arranged to do an "I
Remember" interview for the Serendipitor. At the memorial
service, Elizabeth Dellinger gave her memories of Twila, whom she
had known and worked with for many years. Serendipitor’s
editorial staff asked her to share those reflections, feeling
they were really Twila’s reflections.)Twila Hahn wanted to be a missionary to Africa. In the summer of 1944 she found herself at the Navajo Methodist Mission School in Farmington, New Mexico. She taught the business courses in the High School. Nearly all of the students learned to type.
In time, Twila and Miss Doris Bloomster went to Bisti, an outreach program of the Mission. They had school for the children, took them on trips, and were there for other emergencies. Imagine a group of children from the reservation going to Albuquerque for the first time! There was a fire in the school, and they brought the children into Farmington until the school was in good condition again. Twila went to many conference meetings to speak. She had one message: "Beauty From Ashes." When I was in California, I met a woman who said, "I heard her talk on "Beauty from Ashes."
Time brings changes and change came to our school. The Navajo Tribe bought the school for the education of their young people. Miss Hahn stayed on. She loved the Navajo people. The school changed again and became the Preparatory School. Miss Hahn stayed on! She was there until she came to Brooks-Howell for health reasons.
On a humorous note: Twila was afraid of cats and didn’t want to be near them. She did like fish, and would pick it up to eat like we do chicken. I was fascinated, as I had never seen that done!
Twila was a woman of prayer. Before one district meeting she said, "Lord, if you want me to go to that meeting, wake me up at 4:00." She went to the meeting! She had a prayer list of all the Navajo students and their families. Is it any wonder that she loved the Navajo people, and was loved in return? Her great joy was to hear from some of her former students. There was a special ring in her voice when she would say, "Charles (or . . . ) called last night."
It was a joy and a privilege to know Twila Hahn and to call her friend.