Doughtys at RVA

Term break is here and all the girls have gone to be with either family or friends over the break. This will be a short term break as they return in the middle of April to start their final term of this school year.  All of our girls will graduate and go on to college either in the US or their passport countries.

It has been a busy time since the last blog. One big event of the term was the junior and senior banquet. The junior and senior boys got together to make sure that each of the girls was invited to attend with one of them as their escort.  There is much drama involved as each boy tries to think of a unique way to ask the girl if she would go to the banquet with him. Invitations might include serenading, an outdoor candlelit dinner, lots of roses, balloons, or illumination sticks, blindfolded surprises, and many other ways too numerous to mention. As each girl was asked, the girls kept a running list of who was going with whom on the whiteboard.  The invitations went on over the course of two weeks.

All dressed up and waiting for the boys.

The second big event for the junior and seniors this term was "Interim".  This is a seven day event where the students travel to different parts of Kenya and Tanzania to connect with nature in some way.  Activities may include white water rafting on a tributary of the Nile river, living off the land in a forest, bungee jumping, obtaining a scuba diving license, climbing Mt. Kenya, and many other venues. All of our girls returned safely with a few small casualties, like stitches, and bruises.

Debbie's back continues to improve. Over the break we will get a much needed R&R and will take about five days to go see more of Kenya's wilderness with two other families. Since I will be teaching a course next term in additions to my other duties, I will be busy preparing curriculum during the break.

Please pray for  the following ministries.  As I mentioned before, John Karanja, who works with me in the Arcade, is involved in ministry at the IDP (Internally Displaced People) camp.  They have raised enough money to build a church and now have the walls up and will be putting a roof on the sanctuary this week. Continue to pray for the church as they trust God to provide the funds for windows, doors, and a cement floor.  They have previously been meeting under a tree in all kinds of weather and the new church will give them shelter from rain.

Continue to pray for the St Edwin's orphanage. The owner of the building which houses the girls, has increased the rent to the point that they can no longer stay there.  They must find another facility to house the 29 children the next few months. The children will have no place to go if another facility cannot be found.

     Also, please pray for a young missionary family who just started at a mission station near here about 6 weeks ago.  Their 13 month old baby girl was diagnosed about a month after their arrival with a brain tumor.  A world-renowned neuro-surgeon was here in Kijabe and performed the surgery, but the little girl passed away shortly after the surgery. Please pray for this family in their grief.