QUICK UPDATE: in the last 2 weeks my support has jumped 5% - thank you, everyone, who has been praying and pledging.
If you have any questions you'd like me to include next week, please let me know.
What will you be doing there?
As the Child Safety Coordinator, I will be able to help implement the updated policies I wrote while there in September, provide on-going training for teachers and staff who desire to continue to provide a safe place for students and support students through difficult topics such as bullying, mental health concerns, safety, pornography etc. I really feel like my work with Plan to Protect over the last 5 years has prepared me for this unique role. I also feel God has called me to this specific position.
How long will you be gone?
I plan on going full-time with Africa Inland Mission. This means that I have committed to at least one term of three years and a home assignment but I truly feel like ministry and missions is a full time calling on my life.
What are you doing before you leave?
Before I can move to Kenya in July, there are lots of things I need to accomplish including wrapping up at work, pre-field training with a mission's mentor, Biblical course requirements and fundraising. I'm also hoping to attend an important Response Team Training by the Child Safety Protection Network in Virginia, USA in May.
How can I pray?
In this busy season of preparation, there are lots of uncertainties and worries as God calls me out of my comfort zone. The more anxious part of me wants to worry about all the unknowns and differences I will be experiencing. Please pray for peace and that I would trust God with my worries.
Are boarding schools safe?
The truth is that the students at RVA are very vulnerable. Not only are they far from their parents they are also children dependent on the staff; they could also be victims of abuse, bullying, and there can be other concerns about the country. The school recognizes this innate vulnerability of their students and is dedicated to creating a safe environment for them. I love that as the Child Safety Coordinator, I will play a critical role in continuing to provide a safe environment and will be proactive in continuing to protect them.
"Our dorm is our safe place. Where we come back to feel refreshed and restored. We live by different rules in our dorm and these are rules of love and honor. So it is a motivating place to be. Sometimes we get burnt out and that is why we come home....to the dorm." - Dorm girl working on a Bible paper-
"It is a place of comfort. A place where you know you are not going to be judged for who you are. I feel really happy in this dorm because the girls are kind. Even on a bad day you come into the dorm and are greeted by a dorm sister, and it makes you feel happy again." - Girl laying on couch, taking a homework break
How is your support raising going?
I am currently at 17% of my monthly support goal of $2,600 per month. I am currently at 5% of my outgoing support goal of $24,000 in one-time gifts. Information on how to pledge, below.
Learn about support here.