Waterfalls, Bike rides and Hail! Oh My!

Well, it’s March already, and I think a little update is in order…Here is a rundown of the last 2 months complete with prayer requests and praises.

January and February tend to be dry here in Bomet, which means the river is low. A large part of our electricity is produced by a hydroelectric plant, so when the river is low our power supply diminishes. Therefore, we have suffered many power outages over the past weeks. No electricity also means no internet…Thus, the lack of facebook and blog posts! Sorry. Please pray for the engineers who are volunteering their time and expertise to install a second turbine so that we have more power.

Most of these rocks are usually under water.
Most of these rocks are usually under water.
The waterfall is so, so low.
The waterfall is so, so low.

Aaron is participating in the prison ministry today, so I took the boys to the river this morning. The river is so low that it isn’t going over the dam. It has been channeled through this opening you see in the above picture. Regardless, the boys loved playing in the water this morning. Levi was drenched in minutes and came close to death multiple times…He’s so clumsy, impulsive and crazy! Praise God for a safe and fun morning! Pray that Levi will learn how to control himself and make wise choices. 🙂

The boys are rowing their boat.
The boys are rowing their boat.

Everyone is enjoying the warm, sunny weather. (Sorry to all my friends getting slammed with snow storm after snow storm!) The boys are still enjoying and thriving in school. Noah’s reading has improved SO much this year. Praise God! Jacob has discovered his need for alone time and is reading quite well for a 5 1/2 year old. Levi, the social butterfly, loves his preschool class no matter what’s happening in it.

Both Noah and Jacob have learned to ride bikes. They aren’t experts yet, but they learned so quickly and are enjoying it. Just stay out of the way! Levi is a speedster on his bike too. We’re not quite ready to take the training wheels off his bike though.

Jacob is getting quite good!
Jacob is getting quite good!

We moms are already busy planning next school year. With 25+ kids involved in the co-op here at Tenwek, it’s quite the process to figure out who is teaching whom, where the classes will take place, which curriculums are best, and the schedule to make it all work simultaneously! The process has just begun, and it will take months (probably until August) until it’s all settled. Please pray for us! And please pray that God will provide the teacher(s) we need to make the co-op run smoothly and at its best academically, socially, etc.

As for the current school year, I am busy teaching 3 math classes! I’m still teaching 2 boys pre-Algebra. And now, I have one-on-one instruction with one girl who is learning Algebra I and another girl taking seventh grade math. Plus, I am responsible for teaching Noah most of his core classes. Needless to say, my mornings are busy! Please pray for these students as they learn the fundamental concepts of math that will serve them well throughout high school and college. Praise God for the maturity and academic progress I’ve seen in Noah this school year!

We had one surprise snow day this year. (We teachers usually plan one to surprise the students, and that day took place in February.) God provided this one. Right at lunch time on Thursday, the rain and hail poured from heaven. It was deafening and painful. The hail was only pea-sized, but it hurt when it hit bare skin. Despite my warnings, the boys begged and begged to go outside. I, being the meanest mom in the entire world, made them finish their lunches first. Fortunately, the storm ended just before they ate dessert, and then they were released to play in the ‘snow.’ It really did look like snow, because the hail gathered into piles. It was cold but no one seemed to care. They loved it!

Hail or snow??
Hail or snow??
This is how we play in the hail...in shorts, with water guns, loving every minute.
This is how we play in the hail…in shorts, with water guns, loving every minute.

Clearly, overall, life is good here. We are privileged to serve in such a beautiful place. However, we do have some other prayer requests:

First of all, please pray for us as we quickly approach March 14. I’m not sure what to expect, but I’m trying to prepare myself for an emotional roller coaster. Pray a special prayer for the boys’ hearts. They have been expressing some sadness lately. Even Levi is getting upset at random times and asking for Sissy.

Secondly, please pray for all of the missionaries in Kenya. Pray that God will allow us to stay here and finish the work we’ve begun. More importantly, though, pray that we are hearing and submitting to His direction.

Lastly, pray for our friends and family back home. Pray that the God of all comfort will comfort them this month as well.

Psalm 91:14-15 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.” 

 

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1 Comment
  1. Cindy Peel
    Mar, 8, 2014

    Keeping all of you in my thoughts and prayers.  You are all doing such a great job, you will be blessed for the wonderful work you are doing.   Praying for the school and teachers.  Thank you for the updates.  God Bless.

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