Dear Praying Friends,

Thanks for your continual prayers throughout the last few weeks as we finished up the second term of our school year.  Here’s a brief update:

INTERIM TRIPS

Rachel loved Aviation!!! She had a blast learning how to fly a plane, as well as about all the maintenance involved in keeping things running smoothly. She enjoyed learning about different ministries happening in the desert areas of northern Kenya and even got to fly into the airstrip that Brian helped build at Orus in 1985! We’re thankful for the quick thinking of the missionaries at Kurungu when Rachel was stung by a scorpion one evening. They quickly got “the zapper” and ran electricity through her leg to neutralize the poison.

Aviation Interim Group

Rachel flying the Caravan

The island Interim that Brian and Missy led was fascinating. We sailed on dhows, waded through the mangroves, road donkeys to a coconut farm, drank lots of fruit juices, enjoyed Swahili food, played with children at an orphanage, listened to the testimony of a former Imam and how he came to know the Lord, were challenged in our own faith, sang praise songs on the beach, had evening devotions on the open roof of our guesthouse under millions of stars, and had opportunities to interact with Muslims on a daily basis. We left encouraged by the fact that God is at work in a very dark place. We left challenged by what the Lord might ask us to do in response to what we’ve seen and heard.

PRAY for our juniors and seniors – that God would continue to bring to mind the experiences they’ve had on these trips and challenge them as they look to their future.

Interim group visiting Children's Home

COLLEGE ROAD TRIP

Brian and Rachel left Kenya on March 24^th, just 3 days after returning from Interim. They have driven over 1600 miles and visited 14 colleges in eastern and western PA. They also flew to Chicago to visit Wheaton. They have finished packing up and are eager to fly back to Kenya on Monday, April 16^th. It’s certainly been a whirlwind trip, but very worthwhile. One of the highlights, of course, was being able to visit with family and friends along the way! PRAY that through these college visits, Rachel will be able to determine what she’s looking for in a college and where she might like to apply.

THIRD TERM

The final term to this school year will begin on April 23^rd. It is a busy one with band and choir tours, senior safari, Alumni weekend, and graduation on July 14^th. This term, the Junior Class will begin running “store”, which will happen on three weekends this term. Store is a fast-food restaurant, often held on sports tournament days when we have lots of visitors on campus. On Friday night, the juniors will do all the preparations, as well as make doughnuts for delivery. Saturday morning, they will run a café, selling breakfast foods. The doughnut crew will begin at 4am making hundreds of delicious doughnuts! Around 11am, they will start selling lunch food – chicken tikka sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, taco salads, sodas, ice cream sundaes, etc. It’s a lot of work, but a lot of FUN! PRAY for us as we begin to make plans for our first store, the weekend of May 12^th.

Wishing you a wonderful Easter as you celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior!!!

Brian, Missy, Rachel, Hannah and Micah

You just never know what you’ll hear coming from the back seat of our truck when traveling through the capital city of Nairobi!

We know many of you have been waiting to hear about Banquet 2012! The theme was “Pirates of the Caribbean” and in our minds, it was a huge success. Thanks for all your prayers during the last 10 weeks as everything was put together for an exciting evening. Downing Hall was transformed into an amazing set with a big pirate ship, an island, a cave, the town of Tortuga, and four smaller ships (made up of guest tables arranged corner to corner). We prepared food for 193 guests (all the juniors and seniors, 19 staff sponsors, two photographers, and our superintendent and his wife). Appetizers included ham stuffed mushrooms, hot crab dip and crackers, fruit kabobs, spinach feta pastry puffs, and bacon/cheese mini-quiches. Our next course was a French onion soup, Caribbean salad and sage breadsticks. That was followed by the main course: grilled pork loin chops, shrimp skewers, coconut rice and mango salsa. The dessert was a frozen cool lime pie and hot spiced cider. The students involved in the drama did a fabulous job. Many relationships were strengthened as we worked closely with juniors, junior parents, and other staff during this whole process. PRAY that the lessons learned and relationships built will be wonderful memories for the Class of 2013 in the years to come.

Former Tembo dorm kids attending Banquet

Rachel & Ryan with Mom & Dad

On Thursday morning of this week, our juniors and seniors, along with staff, will be heading out on various Interim Trips for a week long cultural experience. RACHEL has chosen to be a part of the Aviation group, working exclusively with AIM AIR (which has a hangar in Nairobi). On the first day, students will learn all the basics about flying a plane. They will then spend the rest of their week flying in and out of various mission stations in northern Kenya. While on the ground, they will have significant amounts of time with missionaries working in remote locations, learning about various ministries and how pilots are an integral part of bush life. We were excited to hear that one of their stops is Orus, a small village among the Pokot tribe, where good friends Art and Mariellen Davis ministered for many years. Brian actually helped to build the Orus airstrip when he first visited Kenya as a junior in high school (1985)! At the time, he would have never imagined his daughter flying a plane in and out of that airstrip 27 years later! PRAY for good flying weather, safety, and good health. Pray for opportunities to share God’s love with those they meet. PRAY that God would speak to each member of the group in very real ways.

While Rachel is flying around northern Kenya, BRIAN AND MISSY will be flying to an island in the Indian Ocean, just off the coast of Kenya. This island is the religious capital of Islam in sub-Saharan Africa and is considered the 7^th most holy place in the Islamic world. There, we will refer to ourselves as “Followers of Isa”, we will dress differently to show respect for the culture, and we will look for opportunities to show God’s love to those we meet. The goal of this interim is not ministry. Rather, we will be learners of a new culture and their beliefs. Key verses for the week are Mark 12:30-31: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” Our goal is two-fold: (1) To know that God loves us very much and that we are His children; and (2) To LOVE others just as God loves us. Because we are entering a dark place where the spiritual powers of the evil one are very real, we need to be covered in prayer throughout this time. PRAY for protection, courage, wisdom and strong faith. PRAY for our interactions with the Muslims we will meet. PRAY that our feet will be fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15). PRAY CONTINUALLY!

Prayer Needs:

• PRAY that we would finish the last two weeks of this term strong.
• PRAY for good health and strength for each day and each task that lies ahead.
• PRAY for Hannah and Micah, as they will be staying with friends while we are away on Interim (March 15-21).
• PRAY for Hannah, as she will be performing in the Jr. High drama this week.
• PRAY for Brian and Rachel, as they prepare to leave for the States on March 24.

We have seen God’s faithfulness in many ways throughout this very busy term and are confident that it is a result of YOUR faithful prayers for our family. THANK YOU for being an integral part of our ministry here at RVA.

Praises:

• PRAISE for safety and fun as Hannah played field hockey this term.
• PRAISE for good health among our students and staff.
• PRAISE for opportunities to pour love and truth into our students’ lives on a daily basis.
• PRAISE for safety and fun as Micah played street hockey and tennis baseball this term.
• PRAISE for a successful Banquet and relationships strengthened among the Junior Class.

With our love and thanks,

Brian, Missy, Rachel, Hannah and Micah