Water Day!

Back in September, I wrote about "Titchie Field Day" - a fun-filled day for the elementary students. Well, this weekend, it was that time again. Every January, the Titchie Field Day theme is "Water Day!" Yes, it is boiling hot here in January. Sorry to rub it in for you folks who are shivering in Michigan. (We do get cold weather here in July while you all are basking the beach, though!)

The teachers set up different water stations all morning that the kids rotate to, but the culminating and favorite activity of the whole morning is the water slide!

It was a gorgeous hot day in Kijabe and I think the kid's faces were shining just as brightly as the sun that day!

John's House

Many of you read our newsletter this past summer about our friend John, whose house burned down. In fact, we were touched by people’s responses and some sent money to help John get back on his feet again.

This past Saturday we had the opportunity to go up to John’s new house and help with some of the building. In addition to our family, the group consisted of our friend Jenny, another staff member – Bob, and his son, as well as some high school boys.

The men and boys got to right to work on the construction. John and his wife Nancy have taken in several foster boys, affected by the 2007 Political Clashes. The building they were working on is a room for the boys to sleep in. The tin sides and roof were already up (and the boys already sleeping in the structure) but it was drafty and cold at night, so the plan was to insulate it with plywood.

While the boys worked, Jenny and the kids and I visited with Nancy and her two daughters. The oldest daughter, Caroline, is 5 years old and disabled. She was born a happy, healthy baby, but at the age of 1.5 years old she got very sick with a fever. When taken to the hospital, the Dr. ordered a spinal tap. She went into a coma and when she awoke, was never the same. John and Nancy believe it was a faulty spinal procedure.  She has limited use of her right side and hardly any use of her left. They used to do physical therapy every day, but it grew expensive, so Nancy learned what to do and took over. But then the house burned down, the new baby arrived early and life got really busy. The few things they had in their house that enabled Caroline to sit and stand were burned up.

We spent our time visiting with Nancy, playing with Caroline and new baby Anna, giving pedicures to them (Megan really wanted Anna to have one too, but Nancy declined!) and we prayed with them when we left.

Our hearts ache for a family with so many burdens to bear, living in a country that does not have resources or tolerance for a child with special needs. Yet I would hard-pressed to find a couple that shines Jesus more brightly in their community than John and Nancy.

Being Rooted and Established in Love...

School has started up again. The students all arrived back on campus on January 3rd. The campus is alive again with the sounds of laughter, voices, school bells and sports whistles. I love getting back into our school routine and I love seeing the kids again. (And I love sending my own children off to school again too!)


We always have staff meetings before the first day of school each term. It is good way to get all our bases covered - sign up for activities for the term, teacher's meetings, dorm parent's meetings, coach's meetings, etc. But most importantly, we pray together. 


This term our high school principal shared a devotional thought with us. He challenged us from Revelations and Ephesians.  In Rev. 2:4 it says, " Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first." 


Tim shared that our main reason we come here to serve at RVA is our love and passion for Jesus Christ. And sometimes in the juggling of all the activities, classes, teams, etc. we start to lose focus of that. It is easy to get focused on our agenda, our time frame, our work load, the student who frustrates us, the irritating parts of living in a different country, etc. There are so many things to distract us from our first love. I was so convicted. 


Tim went on to share Ephesians 3: 14-19, 
"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,  may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."


And it was so good to be reminded what we are here for. That Christ strengthens us for the task ahead of us. That He lavishly loves us and that we can be filled up to the top with His love in order to let that love spill out to others. That is why we are here. 

Christmas Hampers

Every year the "Titchies" (elementary children) give their offerings from first term towards Christmas hampers for needy families in the community. I think Christmas Hampers must be a British term, but it just means bags of food. In each "hamper" is rice, sugar, flour, tea, etc. The goal was to raise enough money for 50 families in need and the kids actually surpassed that goal and were able to assemble 60 hampers!

Those of us who live on the school campus have the privilege on Christmas Eve day to deliver these hampers to the needy families in our community. Many of them are widows or are grandparents caring for grandchildren, who may be orphaned.

In many ways, this day is a hard day for me. It is hard to see the poverty. It is hard to compare what our Christmas will look like the next day to what theirs will be like. It is painful to see the homes ravaged by illness and sadness.

But in other ways it is a day of hope. We get to hear testimonies of God's faithfulness to each family and His provision and goodness. We see joy - genuine and pure joy - as we present the meager hamper of groceries to them. We are united, for a few minutes, as we sing and pray together in their homes.

Here are a few shots of our day:

Some of the homes involved walking a steep path  in order to  reach our destination. Here is Babu (grandpa) helping Lyndsey.

Jeff receiving a warm hug from the sho sho (grandmother). Notice her amazing view of the Rift Valley behind.

 We had many spectators everywhere we went. Eventually, they became our "choir" and joined in our songs at each home.

In one of the homes, hearing the testimony of the home-owner.

Visiting Bernard's home - a grandpa alone on the holidays.

This is Mary, and her grandchildren that she cares for.

These children loved following us around and singing Christmas songs with us. They were precious.

Camping Trip

One of our favorite things to do as a family is to go camping. I will admit, it is A LOT of work - before, during, and after - but our whole family enjoys it, so it is worth the effort. Right before Christmas we went camping to Masai Mara with my parents, Jason and Lisa's family, our friend Jenny and another family, the Maxwells (who teach in Rwanda, but were visiting for the month of December). We did have some adventures along the way - mud holes, car issues, ticks and bugs, sunburn, etc. But nothing says Africa like all those things, right?

Filling up the fuel tank at none other than the....

We also enjoyed the beauty of God's creation in the midst of the adventure. We saw some wildlife and enjoyed the peace and tranquility of being in the wide expanse of the African plains. We are so blessed to be able to live and minister in this country.