Life at Rift Valley
We’ve now been in Kenya for almost two months – about time to give you an update on our family and ministry. Here’s a quick report on each family member:
Jonathan
Today I had the privilege of preaching to the RVA community for the first time since we’ve been here (a few staff members filled in for the first few weeks to give us a chance to get settled a bit). I preached on 1 John 2:12-14. What a joy to revel in the gospel together – remembering that those of us in Christ are forgiven, that we know an eternal Father, and that we have overcome Satan by the blood of Jesus and continue to fight the good fight of faith by the Word of God. I have to admit I was a little nervous this morning as I’m not used to being in front of six-hundred people!
Besides coordinating the weekly worship service and preparing to preach, I’m also part of several committees, RVA admin, movie preview (we make decisions about movies that can be shown during movie nights and in the dorm and appropriate edits), UPG (a group that helps to keep unreached people groups before us and facilitates prayer for them), and benevolence. Almost every week I have people from the local community come to my office and ask for help with a financial need – whether it be school fees, hospital bills, or simply a daily need. We seek to come alongside these individuals and families and be one part of the community effort to meet each other’s needs, rather than simply providing the whole sum. Pray that we would be given wisdom to be generous without creating dependence.
One of my main responsibilities is to provide care for the missionary staff at RVA. The chaplaincy team is made up of myself, a student chaplain, and a women’s chaplain. Though I provide guidance to their ministry with women and students, my time is spent primarily getting to know the male missionary staff. This can be a daunting task here at RVA as people are so busy during the term it can be hard to find time to get together. Please pray for me as I seek to build genuine relationships with the men and be able to encourage them in Christ.
I’m so grateful to be here where God has called me, even despite the challenges of adjusting to life in a new culture and community and learning new responsibilities. I’m so thankful for God’s promise to show his grace and strength through my weaknesses!
Lilli
Lilli is thriving in her responsibilities in student health, though she is often confronted with new and challenging circumstances. She so enjoys meeting new students and loving and caring for them, with her sweet smile, a hug, a listening ear, or a spoonful of sugar (okay, awful tasting medicine).
Just this morning she was called away from the worship service (maybe she just didn’t want to hear me preach!) to care for a high school girl who was sick. In encouraging the student to feel free to press the call button Lilli communicated that she was there to provide love and care in the parents’ absence. A little later Lilli asked if there was anything else she could do. “Just prayer,” the girl replied. Lilli gladly obliged.
For a number of weeks doctors in Kenya have been on strike. Kijabe Hospital, our mission hospital near RVA hasn’t had very many striking doctors, but the local and missionary doctors that are there are overwhelmed and exhausted. Some patients that find their way to Kijabe have already been turned away by five other hospitals. To make matters worse, nurses throughout the country, including those at Kijabe, plan on going on strike at midnight on February 19. RVA is doing what we can, providing a few nurses to the hospital to help where needed, supporting the families of the doctors, and praying earnestly for resolution. Patients are dying. Doctors are exhausted. Please join us in praying that both doctors and nurses can get back to healing physical bodies and for opportunities to speak about eternal life.
Tiana
Tiana has told us that she felt at home here within the first week. She immediately made friends with several students that also live with their parents in Kijabe – and with the start of school has expanded that circle of friends to include many in her class. The eleventh-grade class has been incredibly welcoming.
Coming to RVA in eleventh-grade second term means coming in the midst of Banquet preparation. What is Banquet? It’s like Prom, Formal, and Dinner Theater all in one. The Junior class comes up with a surprise theme and works for six months preparing the drama, music, and set, which both the Juniors and Seniors get to enjoy. During mid-term break, the entire Junior class, class sponsors, and as many parents as can come, work together to put the production together. This year’s theme was The Princess Bride.
Yes, most students go to Banquet with a date – however there is no dance. Guys asking girls to Banquet has become quite an event – I mean there are some stories that would rival marriage proposals! Tiana was asked with the guy singing, accompanied by a mariachi band that jumped up from behind a bush. This was followed by a picnic lunch overlooking the Rift Valley. Incidentally, the parents of this nice young man graduated from RVA with Lilli.
Banquet was last Friday night (Feb. 17) and by all accounts was a success. We’ll include some pictures below.
Joshua
Joshua too has adjusted well to life at RVA, but it’s also been hard to be away from family and friends back in Minnesota. He told me just yesterday that he’s finally feeling more at home with the kids in his class as he gets to know them more (and they get to know him). He also has a few closer friends that he is starting to spend more time with.
A highlight for Josh has been making the Jr. High basketball travel team. They have played four games against international and Kenyan schools and won them all. One regular game and one tournament were in Nairobi.
Sophia
As many of you know, Sophie was the most hesitant about traveling to Kenya. Once the flight was over and we arrived at RVA she seemed to settle in, loving her sixth grade teacher and making some new friends. However, she really missed her friends and family back home, and she wasn’t finding that one really good friend she could share anything with. Just in the last couple weeks the Lord seems to have provided that friend. Not that it replaces the loved ones back home, but God is showing His provision for her here.
Vehicle
We have decided to look for a vehicle to purchase for our family here. This wasn’t something we considered lightly – as vehicles here are expensive due to extremely high import taxes. But after getting opinions from both those at RVA that have cars and from those who don’t, we feel it would really serve our family and ministry to have one. I am being asked to visit and minister at a church down in the valley and having a vehicle will allow us to take advantage of these opportunities. Right now, for the three months during the term, our only opportunity to get off campus is by means of a ride with friends or by hiring a car and driver. If we were only here for one year, the cost and lack of flexibility would be negligible, but over several years we feel the cost of a vehicle is justified. Finally, there are four-week breaks between terms that we would like to use in part, to visit the parents of some of the kids we serve who work throughout Kenya and Tanzania.
At this point we are needing $10,000 in order to buy a decent vehicle that will accommodate our family and get us through the rough roads of Africa. The rest will come from a car fund that has already been donated to, and from our own personal contribution. If you or your church would like to contribute to our vehicle fund, please go here. Thanks for serving us in this way! And if you come to Kijabe to volunteer or visit, we might be able to pick you up from the airport!
