November update... its about time too :)

Busy busy times:    Is it really possible that it is November and we only have 2 weeks left in the term?! I have been dreadful with communication and I apologize!  This term has been a huge stretching point for me. I have learned so much. God continues to work in my heart and the girl’s hearts as well. We have been challenged by lots of things that range from becoming sophomores and increased homework/responsibilities load (for them ), new schedule for me, and fighting spiritual warfare.  Through it all God has been faithful to sustain us and I am so thankful for the prayers of all of you that carry us in these difficult times.  I am enjoying my work at the office. It keeps me busy during the day, but I enjoy the flexibility of hours and the free evenings. I am constantly learning new skills that are required when working as an “assistant” to the principal ie. dealing with the shipment of a container for the school and other “fun” things like that.  (Definitely out of my comfort zone!)   

Dorm Life: As I mentioned earlier, this year has been full of changes. What I have noticed is how busy the girls are! I hardly see them unless I am very intentional about seeking them out. They start having more responsibilities with Video sales (concessions sort of deal) at the movie nights, drama, and sports involvement. This term it was basketball for the girls. I enjoy the “Soccer Mom” part of my job. (Getting to go watch them play and cheer them on)  I have 16 girls this term. I am so enjoying the deepening of relationships we are able to have instead of having to start from scratch.  In our dorm devos we have enjoyed a video series from Louie Giglio. We are now starting a topical study. (our first topic is actually prayer) I am hoping I can help facilitate and guide them as they learn how to search the scriptures on their own. This year I challenged the girls that for our Tuesday night time, we would focus on praying for each other in a sort of accountability way. We have boards up in the dorm where we can write requests we might have for others, but the time on Tuesday is reserved for what God is teaching us or things we are struggling with. This has been really encouraging to see some of the girls grasp and take hold of. It is really neat to hear answers to prayer in this way because they can see a clear working of the Spirit in their hearts.

But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God the Holy One of Israel, your Savior, I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.(Isaiah 43:1-3 ESV)

We were really blessed as a dorm to participate in an outreach to House of Hope. This is an orphanage started by one of my girl’s parents. It was really special because there are some teenage girls there that my girls were able to pair up with and just share and encourage them about life. My girls really enjoyed that time with them and we hope to continue to build on that relationship during the next 2 terms when we go again. Early in October RVA had Spiritual Emphasis Week. A speaker came who is working in Egypt. We were all challenged by his message of dying to yourself and living for Christ. He has a huge heart for the unreached and I know there were several people who left the sessions sensing a burden for them and are now praying about going to these lost people groups.  I experienced something very new to me during this week. The first night of SEW one of my girls, we will call her “Grace”, had a demonic attack. I noticed her crying at the end of a session so moved over to where she was sitting. Her tears turned into very strange noises and she was shaking terribly. I had no idea what was going on, but all I knew to do was pray for her! Several other staff members and students formed a circle around us and prayed. This happened for about 30+ minutes before she finally seemed to relax. Obviously this whole thing shook the girls. We had a time of prayer and reading scripture in the girl’s room before they went to bed and I think they were encouraged. These moments can be so intense and make me wonder why God thinks I can handle them, but then He reminds me it is so He can be shown powerful in my weakness and He gets the glory.  Through this experience, God has provided an opportunity I have been praying for, for the last year! I felt led to ask Grace if she would read the Bible with me once a week and she has agreed. We already have a good relationship, but I have been so encouraged to see a willingness to study God’s Word …With me since she has not seemed interested in the past . Please keep praying for this Grace. She has a very hard background and is very angry with God. She is not sure if she really believes in Jesus as her Lord and Savior. She is open to continue to read with me and I am thankful for that. I am praying that God would soften her heart towards Him and that she would be able to understand His love and with His help be able to forgive the terrible hurts she has suffered from people in her life.  I am reminded how great His grace is to each one of us. If you want to pray specifically, 10:30 am on Tuesday mornings (your time) is when you can pray for our time together. 

Pictures: Dorm party, Outreach to House of Hope, my Sunday school group, Multicultural day, and My "little"  Tenwek brothers Andrew and Peter White. 

God is teaching me to trust Him completely.  Last Sunday the message was on trust and He reminded us of Phil 4:6-7. He said that doesn't say the plans will be made known to you immediately but It says the peace of God Will guard your hearts! So ask yourself •can you trust God, even though you don't know where he is leading? •do you trust God that he knows what he is doing even though the decisions aren't easy? •do you trust that Gods timing is perfect even though it’s not often your own timing? These are questions I constantly need to ask myself. God is so patient to teach me His truths. As I look to the unknown of the future, I can rest in His plan. He has given me great peace with that knowledge. As of now, I am feeling like I will not return to RVA immediately after my 2 year term is up. I am not sure where He is leading exactly, but know He will reveal that to me in His perfect timing. I would appreciate your prayers that I would have an open heart to discern where that might be and that I would be continually making the most of every opportunity He gives me to serve Him. 
I am looking forward to a month at Home from November 24-December 27th. I am so excited to see many of you and be able to join my family for Christmas. All the brothers and sisters will get to be together for the first time in at least 2 years.

August update: La Grand Finale

La Grand Finale :)    Term 3 (and the school year) ended with lots of goodbyes. The staff turnover rate is always fairly large at RVA. I think this year was one of their highest at around 52%. I had to say goodbye to 2 of my girls and many special friends that were such a blessing to me. God has always been faithful to provide new friendships and I look forward to seeing the way He does that again. Already He has provided in a different way with a special little furry friend. :)   My Puppy Zawadi is a ton of fun and so sweet. He does not lack for any attention in a dorm full of girls.
Graduation: Graduation was quite the experience here.  To imagine it; think back to when you graduated from High school and were looking forward to but also maybe a little nervous about facing new adventures in college or life and multiply that by 5. Also throw in several variables such as; moving to another country far away from your family and anything you really know, leaving friends they have lived with for the last 4-8 years, and moving to a whole new culture. Then you start to get a little better feel for what these seniors are facing at RVA. Most of these kids have lived in Africa their whole lives with very little time spent in their home countries. It’s a whole new ball game for them.
Dorm Life: The girls finished out the year really well. They worked hard and were ready for their break. I am excited that I will have 13 returning girls this next term along with 3 new students. So if you do the math.. :) that gives me 16 girls this 1st term. I am looking forward to seeing the way God works in my girl’s lives this year. To see them mature and grow in their walks with Him. Please continue to pray for each one as they learn to seek Him daily.   ““We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” Colossians 1:9-10
ABO and Break:
Immediately after Graduation I moved all the rental Furniture I have been using the past year and moved in furniture of the Dorm mom below me that is going on home assignment. That was an answer to prayer that God provided. I was only allowed to rent furniture for 1 year then would have to find other options, but thankfully, Candace asked me to furniture-sit her things!

Monday I headed into Nairobi and met my Dad at Mayfield guest house. He flew in earlier that afternoon. We enjoyed catching up that night and the next morning before he headed to Tenwek Hospital where He will be until September 30th and I headed to Machakos (1.5 hrs. south of Nairobi) where I would spend the next 3 weeks being orientated to Africa. :) Never too late I suppose? These 3 weeks had their own difficulties;  long meetings to sit through day after day, living dorm style with people you don’t know, running out of water (with 90 other people!!).  But at the same I was also encouraged greatly to hear the ministry reports of the different serving regions where AIM works. It was really cool to see the places where some of my girl’s family works and to hear the impact we at RVA have in serving those families.  I  was also greatly challenged by one of our speakers who came to present sharing the gospel with Muslims. This man (a Kenyan) knew so much scripture and passages from the Quran. He could name verses left and right. That really challenged me to continue growing in my knowledge of God’s Word as it is the best “tool” we have been given in evangelism.  Not to mention one of the greatest blessings to us as the Word of God. The other aspect I really enjoyed was the relationship building with many new families coming to RVA this next year,   other new friends that will go all over Africa, and the staff who were a huge blessing and encouragement to me.
Ministry Opportunities: A new year with new opportunities! This year instead of teaching, I will be working up in the office as an assistant to the principal.  I am excited to have a break from teaching and be able to focus all my planning on the dorm but still be able to fill a need in a different role.
I will also be co-leading a small-group of 9th or 10th grade girls in a year-long Sunday school that will focus on Biblical Femininity. I am very excited for the chance to study this with these girls. I am looking forward to learning alongside of them as we dig into God’s Word to study this year.
Another opportunity I think I mentioned in the last update was being one of the “Chappie ladies”,(as our dear Chaplain’s wife termed it last year) helping reach out to the other single women on Campus. I will be the only returning single this term at RVA so I am praying for wisdom and direction in how I can be a blessing to these new women that are coming.
I am excited that I may be able to help with the PT department at the beginning of term by helping teach a taping class to the new student helpers this year.  I will be glad to use my abilities and training to help out at RVA.
I can’t thank you enough for your faithful support in prayers and friendship. I am continually blessed and encouraged by the body of Christ. I know that I could not do any of this in my own strength. God is so faithful and I am excited to see what He does in this next year. Please be praying for direction after this year. Usually RVA starts trying to nail down staffing around Christmas time. So I have started to pray for God’s leading and the next step after I finish this 2 year commitment. Thank you for praying with me!

Rain, Rain, and more Rain… Well I think the previous heading for the newsletter was “the dry season” so it may be funny to see the opposite written here, but we certainly have entered the rainy season here at Kijabe.

Not only have we experienced a record high of rain these last two months, but we have also had our fair share of natural “events”; Tornado in the valley, earth quakes, and mudslides. Many people in the community around us lost their homes, some even their families, to the mudslides. All of these things remind me to continually put my trust in Him as He is the only constant in this ever changing life.

“But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.

I cried aloud to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy hill. I lay down and slept;

I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.”  Psalm 3:3-5

Dorm happenings… I have really enjoyed this third term with my girls. I feel like we are able to keep building our relationships closer instead of having to change things around like in previous terms. We have really enjoyed our study and discussion of “Living the Cross Centered Life” by C.J. Mahaney as a dorm. I am so blessed to be in this position where I am charged with leading these precious girls in a time of their lives when they are really seeking the Lord.

“Titchie Tales”…

My time up at Titchie continues to be a fun challenge.  We did basketball and gymnastics the first part of the term and we are now moving on to a nutrition, health and fitness unit. I am looking forward to doing this with the kids and hope I can impart on them the excitement of learning how God created the human body and the way it all works perfectly together. This next school year I have asked to work in the office doing administration things instead of teaching, but won’t find out till closer to the start of the next school year if that will work out. Whichever way, I know God will put me where He wants me to be and I won’t worry about it.

Outreach… IDP camp (internally displaced people)

Last weekend the school participated in the Outreach event. We are able to do this once a term and it is always a highlight of mine. I went to the IDP camp again where we got to love on and play with the kids that live in this community. They were displaced from the political violence that happened in 2007 after the elections. Many of these people had land and homes, but when the wrong party was elected (someone from a different tribe). Some were violently sent away from their homes, while others were simply informed this was no longer their home.  We had fun singing songs and playing games with the kiddos.

I think the kid’s favorite was when we brought out the parachute. They loved running under the chute and giggled the whole time. It is such a precious sound to me. J What always amazes me is to see the kids taking care of their younger siblings. I can’t imagine a child that is so young being held responsible to care for an even smaller child.

Ministry opportunities….

I was asked by the chaplain’s wife if I would be willing to be on the team to reach out to the single women on staff here at RVA. I decided to start a Sunday night fellowship/ praise and worship time at my apartment each week. This has already started to be a big encouragement to me and I hope to the other ladies.

Another activity I participate in each week is volleyball with the kitchen staff and other staff members. I have really enjoyed getting to know these national men and I think my volleyball skills have improved from the time too. J They are very good, so it is a little scary sometimes waiting for an imminent spike that will hit me in the face if I’m not quick enough. (yes, it has happened a few times)

I so enjoy the times I am able to have my girls over for “roommate dinners” along with different friends throughout the week for dinner. It is great to live in a close community where there are lots of times for fellowship even with the busy schedule of school.

I had such a good time at home in April getting to see my family and even many of you. Thank you for praying for that time! It was a rejuvenating time to  my spirit and I came back refreshed and ready for another term.

Term 2 happenings

Well it has been entirely too long since I last wrote. I cannot believe it is already almost the end of term 2! We only have 5 more full school-days left. God has brought the girls and I through so much this last term. We have had ups and downs but through it all, I have seen God’s faithful hand guiding us and teaching me to lean on Him as my Rock.

“The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.” (Deuteronomy 32:4 ESV)

With the start of term two came many days full of sunshine and warmth. This was such a nice change compared to the 2 months straight of rain we had had during term one. However, as is often the case, too much of a good thing can sometimes be bad. All through the Rift Valley you could see great, big dust devils traveling through the brown and dry valley.

People’s shambas (garden or farms) around the community were not able to produce food because of the lack of rain. We at Kijabe and RVA even noticed the lack of rain as we were challenged to conserve water where possible. Some places on campus had to have water rerouted to them as their tanks went dry. We started to pray for rain and God graciously gave us a week and a half of rainy days. We thought maybe it was an early start to the rainy season that typically starts late march to early April but we are back to sunny days. However, we are thankful for the reserve tanks being full and it is always a good lesson for me to think about. We take for granted so many of the Lord’s blessings instead of recognizing His provision of all things.

“Titchie Tales”

I was asked to continue teaching Music and PE to the titchies for most of term two (although last week I handed over Music to another teacher). I have had fun with my students. It was so sweet, on Valentine’s Day I received flowers from 2 of my students along with a few cards. In PE I have enjoyed teaching the kids my two favorite sports which happen to be “America’s favorite past-time” (Baseball) and Football. Some of my kids have made comments about wondering why they have to learn these sports when we aren’t in America. But really, I think everyone should know how to play baseball and football right?  The weather has been great for these classes. I have really enjoyed the more relaxed schedule without the added class times of Music this last week and think that will be a welcome relief for third term.

Dorm Life:

This term we were able to finish our study of James and have started going through “Living the Cross Centered Life” by CJ Mahaney in our dorm devos every Tuesday night. I have really enjoyed these times with the girls as we dig into God’s word and the discussion that comes from these times together. We went through some pretty difficult things in the dorm this term. I have a group of about 6 girls that have had trouble with friendships around campus and even within the dorm. One night we talked for an hour and I was so thankful that God really seemed to work in their hearts to open up to me and ask for advice while also sharing with me their struggles. I continue to pray that God would draw these precious girls to Himself and that they would realize their need to seek Him in every part of their lives. Something that God has brought out of these difficult times has been closer relationships with each other and me. Another difficult change we have faced as a dorm was the loss of one of our girls. She came to a point where RVA really thought it would be better for her to be home with her family since they couldn’t help her more with the problems she faced. This has been a difficult transition for some of the girls as they were very close. Please pray for this family as they work through these changes as well as the girls here that miss their friend.

We have had good times together with birthday feasts (Yakiniku Dinner with first-time chop-stick users  ), Dorm party (Karaoke), and movie nights. We are constantly getting calls from the dorm below us with requests to be quiet. In our dorm write up for the yearbook that was one of their favorite memories.  The girls constantly keep me shaking my head –with a smile on my face- in down-right confusion. They are full of drama, screams, giggles, and any number of things you could imagine in teenage girls.  My sister Rachel was able to visit a couple of times these last two terms (while she and Dad have been at Tenwek) and she made 17 new friends in the dorm. They loved having her come.

Family notes and upcoming trip.

The Jarrett Tribe has expanded by 2 this year and I am awaiting the text to inform me that Baby Declan (27th in the line of nieces and nephews) is on his way.  (Debbye and Aaron Biermann’s 3rd boy).

Yoshiki James Noguchi was born to my twin Laura and her husband Keisuke on Jan 20th. Susie and Chris Gordon welcomed Mara Elise to their family on Feb 18th. I am thankful for things like skype and facebook where I get to video chat and see pictures regularly of these precious new blessings. I am so excited for the time when I will get to hold them in my arms.

I will be going home to Indiana for a quick visit with my family. I leave the day school gets out on March 23rd and will return on April 15th. I will also make a quick trip out to Colorado Springs to see the Pat Jarrett Tribe March 27th-31st