Dear Praying Friends,

It’s hard to believe that we are already into our 3^rd week of school for this term AND just 1 month away from the Junior/Senior Banquet we have been planning for months! Friday at 6:30 a.m. is the start of “Banquet Asking”…also known as “Open Season”, when guys are permitted to start asking girls to be their Banquet dates. You wouldn’t believe the elaborate plans guys come up with to ask the girls, considering this is only for an evening, not for a lifetime! PLEASE PRAY that this would be a fun and exciting time and that the “drama” that sometimes evolves would be minimal.

OUTREACH DAY was last weekend and many staff and students participated in ministry opportunities outside our school gates. Rachel went with a group of students over to our local AIC church to pass out donated clothes to those in need. The rest of our family traveled with a 5^th/6^th grade boys’ dorm to an orphanage in Naivasha (a 45 minute drive) to plant indigenous trees and play with the kids. It’s always so much fun to love on the kids and watch them smile and laugh. PLEASE PRAY that those we came in contact with will know the love of Christ.

Tree Planting at Outreach Day

Playing Games on Outreach Day

We continue to ask for your prayers as we press on through this very busy term!!!

Here are a few things to pray about:

Missy’s parents – The house settlement originally scheduled for January 13 did not happen as anticipated. There is a hold-up with the buyer’s paperwork and it’s uncertain when it will be finished. So, we continue to wait and pray. PLEASE PRAY that the bank would move quickly and that mom might be able to move within the next week or two.

Interim trip – We were asked to lead a junior/senior interim trip to a completely Muslim island off the coast of Kenya (March 15-21). We met with the 2 juniors and 12 seniors who chose this trip and began learning about the history of the island and what we may experience as visitors. PLEASE PRAY as we prepare for our trip by learning about appropriate dress (girls especially), culture, and religion. PRAY that our hearts would be in-tune to the Holy Spirit’s leading during our time on the island. PRAY for opportunities to share about our personal relationships with Jesus.

Increased Support – We have been richly blessed to have full financial support for the last 1.5 years since we returned to Kenya. As many people have struggled in a tight economy, we have experienced the great faithfulness of the many people and churches who make up our financial support team. With the beginning of a new year, our support rates have increased slightly and we are short by about $250 per month. If you are interested in financially supporting our ministry, please check out our blog site for more information.

College road trip – We’ve reached the point in Rachel’s life when it’s time to seriously look at what she’s going to do after graduation from high school (just 1 ½ years away). Over our school break, Rachel researched colleges and universities and even spent time talking with an RVA grad who attended one of the schools she is thinking about. In the next few weeks, she will be setting up visits with a number of schools in preparation for her and Brian’s trip to PA in March. They will be leaving Kenya on March 24 (just 1 day after the end of our school term) and will return three weeks later. PLEASE BEGIN PRAYING NOW for good connections and some clear direction from the Lord as to where Rachel should apply.

Along with praying, here’s how YOU can help!

-          They will be in need of a vehicle from March 25 until April 16.

-          Lots of road travel will mean lots of meals. If you would like to bless them with a gift card to a favorite restaurant, it would be appreciated!

-          If you are willing to house them for a night or two, let us know!

NEW PERMANENT MAILING ADDRESS:

With Missy’s parents’ move, we have closed our PO Box in Emmaus and have switched our permanent mailing address to:

5830 Milton Drive

Harrisburg, PA  17112

Thanks for your prayers and emails of encouragement!

Brian, Missy, Rachel, Hannah and Micah

Christmas in Kenya just isn’t like Christmas in America!

• Baking cookies in shorts, t-shirts, and flip-flops
• Enjoying daytime temperatures in the mid-80’s
• Grocery shopping (near the equator) while listening to “Jingle Bells”
• Slopping through the mud at a Christmas craft fair held at a horse race track in Nairobi
• Sitting on our front porch watching the sunset over the beautifully green Rift Valley
• Smelling a huge bouquet of white roses and pink lilies on our table
• Delivering 60 food hampers to the neediest families in our community the day before Christmas
• Hearing Micah and 4 friends singing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” from the roof rack of our truck while driving about in the community
• Entering our family gingerbread house into a contest
• Decorating hand cookies with “Uncle Dan”
• Having groups of students in Santa hats caroling at our door
• Enjoying a big turkey dinner with dear friends on Christmas Day

Though our Christmas may sound very different than yours, we rejoice in the fact that we ALL celebrate for one reason: JESUS…the greatest GIFT of all!

We are almost to the close of our school break and will begin our second school term on January 3^rd. We’ve enjoyed time away as a family, watched our cat (Chloe) become a mama to 4 adorable gray kittens, watched movies, played games, and had times of fellowship with other staff. We feel rested and ready (well, almost ready) to begin the next term.

Here are some prayer requests as we start the New Year:

• Missy’s parents: They were able to sell their south Allentown home at the end of November and are waiting for the settlement of the house on January 13. PRAY for this upcoming transition as Missy’s mom moves into an apartment at Luther Crest, where her dad is already living.
• RVA staff: Quite a few staff have had family medical emergencies during this break that required unexpected trips away from Kenya. We also have several families returning from Home Assignment this week. PRAY for smooth transitions for them.
• Our kids: Rachel is beginning a very exciting school term with Banquet in mid-February and an Interim trip in March. She has chosen to participate in a week long aviation trip, where she will learn to fly a plane and visit several mission stations in northern Kenya. Academically, she will be preparing to take the AP Biology exam and begin contacting colleges in preparation for a trip back to PA in April with Brian. Hannah continues to adjust to Jr. High and the drama that it brings to various aspects of life, particularly friendships. She was chosen to be a member of the Under-15 Field Hockey team this term and will also be participating in the Jr. High drama. Micah loves being 10 and playing outside with friends from morning till night. PRAY for them to remain healthy this term, enjoy solid friendships, and be able to balance their academics and social activities.
• Brian: Developing the new Statistics course is still quite time consuming. Along with teaching two AP Calculus classes and a section of Algebra 2, his school day is quite full. This does not even include his responsibilities as Accreditation coordinator, math department head and class sponsor (see below).
• Missy: Her job as Admissions director really picks-up this term as she will be preparing to admit new students for the 2012 school year. She will also be doing a lot of pre-admission testing and coordinating dorm visits for elementary boarding applicants. Missy will also continue to play the piano for the High School Choir.

BANQUET 2012: We are working closely with three other couples helping to guide Rachel’s class as they prepare for Banquet 2012! This year’s junior/senior banquet will be held on February 17. It is a huge event (the theme is still a secret) in which the junior class honors the senior class. Much planning has already been done (menu chosen, drama written, set designed, table cloths and costumes made, and things brought from the U.S.). There is still much to do!!! PLEASE PRAY for these next 6 weeks as the preparations continue. Mid-term break (February 10-13) will involve junior parents coming to help build/paint the set and begin making the food (for 200 people)! ALSO PRAY for the “drama” that revolves around guys asking girls to be their dates. This is often a stressful time for the girls (and their parents)! Banquet asking begins mid-January. Thanks for praying us through this exciting time!!!

Blessings to you as we begin a New Year!
Brian, Missy, Rachel, Hannah & Micah