The Northwest Indian Bible School used to have six taco sales per school year, but cut it down to four.

“It’s a tremendous amount of work, even with so many pitching in,” said Doug Smith, who along with his wife have been the head cooks for 22 years at the school in Alberton. “The taco sales were going on when we got here so I really don’t know how long the school has done this.” 

The money raised goes to different departments and functions and their final taco sale of this year was last Monday and the money raised is for the senior high school graduation on May 20. They serve between 150 and 200 people each time and Smith said they received a heads-up that 18 were showing up at 5:30 p.m. 

“About that time we will have people lined up at the door,” he smiles as he handles a taco-transaction with two regulars from Alberton who were taking their boxed taco’s home.

The dining area looks to be able to handle 90-plus at a time and once Alberton gets off work, the place fills up. 

A table of five from Missoula had just been seated with two of them past patrons and three were enjoying their Indian taco for the first time.  

“Their Bible school choir came to our church and told us about it after their performance,” said Beata Gill who had chauffeured the others but she has attended these taco sales on-and-off for about 10 years. “We really appreciate this school choir coming to our church and singing and presenting the gospel,” she shared when asked what her reason was for being a repeat customer. 

“And the good food,” Gill said with a smile. 

One from their Christian Life Center group who was dining for his first time was Wes Snyder. 

“I’m really impressed. I think it’s a great meal,” he said. 

Snyder had Indian fry bread back when he was in Bible college in North Dakota, but this Indian taco was so much better. The NIBS Indian taco starts with fry bread and then they are heaped with seasoned beef, black olives, tomatoes and lettuce, salsa, sour cream with other condiments for self-serve.

Shirley Iwata from Superior and her friend Val were also getting their tacos to go. 

“I love supporting the school,” said Iwata. “And these tacos are delicious!” 

Iwata is on the NIBS Taco Alert email list knowing three to five days in advance of the next sale. Smith said that the school does a direct mail notification at the nonprofit rate to the Alberton area which is about 700 people who are the largest population of diners and supporters.

Cary Turningheart is from South Dakota and will be graduating next month after five years at NIBS. 

“I’m looking into cooking schools but haven’t decided on one, yet” she said as she worked the serving line. 

Another graduating senior who is also from South Dakota on the serving line was Lovely Young who said that she wants to become a teacher but was not certain of her school choice. At the front of the serving line was Jonette Foster who was starting the taco process with the huge piece of fry bread onto a plate to be passed down for the other fixins.  Young is another graduating senior who is moving back east. 

“I’m going to go to Penn View Bible Institute in Pennsylvania,” she smiles.  

Penn View Bible Institute is a nationally accredited four-year Bible college with the Association for Biblical Higher Education preparing preachers, missionaries, Christian school teachers, child evangelism workers, and musicians. She’s been a NIBS student for the last 6 years and said the curriculum was interesting and feels she has a solid education. 

“But I also feel that by attending this school, I have learned to mingle with many different people from other tribes and cultures,” she shared.

NIBS has been in existence since 1969 and is situated on 250 acres, on the north side of the Clark Fork River at the Petty Creek Exit on I-90. It is dedicated to providing an education specifically tailored to Native American youth in grades 7-12 utilizing the Accelerated Christian Education curriculum.  

The campus is open and Smith said that anyone is invited and welcomed to their church. 

“We’re not a cult; we’re a Wesleyan Methodist Doctrine Church and we have Sunday School at 9:45 a.m. followed by church at 10:45 a.m. And then another Sunday service at 6 p.m. and on Wednesdays we have an evening service at 7:30 p.m.” 

Once the 2024-25 school season begins, the first taco sale will be within 45 days. www.northwestindianbibleschool.org.

    Doug Smith works the cash box at the last taco sale of the school year at the Northwest Indian Bible School. 4 Indian Taco sales take place and last Mondays was to raise money for the high school graduation. (Monte Turner/Mineral Independent)