Dear Family and Friends,

Yesterday was a good, but very hard, heart-wrenching day when we dropped Joshua off at Rift Valley Academy, a Christian boarding school in Kenya, where he will begin fifth grade on Monday. We had new parent/student orientation Friday and Saturday and met a lot of the great staff there, and Josh’s wonderful new Dorm Parents, Travis and Patti Nielsen.

Our hearts are filled with a mix of emotions, knowing that this the Lord’s will for us as a family, confident in His call to us here on the mission field, confident that He’ll watch over Josh and use the missionaries there at RVA to impact his life, but knowing we will miss him so much during his terms at school. At a minimum, we’ll see Josh every six weeks, during mid-term breaks and for a month of vacation at the end of every three month term when he’ll come home to Magambua, TZ.

I think yesterday was actually a lot harder for mom and dad than Josh, as he ran around playing with the other dorm students. We prayed together with Josh and with Travis and Patti and gave hugs and kisses through the tears. Last night I cried myself to sleep. Drew said he missed Josh today, but I don’t think the full impact for him and Rachel will happen until we get back to Magambua.

Please pray for Josh as he settles in to school, pray for his teacher, Mr. Taylor, and his dorm parents the Nielsens as they watch over eight dorm kids as well their own four children. Pray for the students as they grow socially, academically and spiritually. Pray for wisdom for us as we parent from afar. We’ll be back up to RVA in three weeks for a school open house and field day. Pray for us as a family as we enter this new phase in our missionary lives.

Thank you so much for your upholding support and prayers!

For His glory,

Jon