Hi Friends,
Sometimes it can be overwhelming to try and share everything that’s happening - especially when I have to be conscientious about confidentiality and child safety concerns. However, the other day I was encouraged by a friend that just sharing small glimpses of life was enough. Sometimes it’s in those moments that we get to see God’s extravagant hope in the chaos.
Looking Out
I’m blessed to be a part of something bigger at RVA. In this section, I’ll shine a spotlight on what’s happening around me.
As you may have seen in global news, Kenya has been experiencing well above average rainfall over the past few weeks. The area around RVA has received massive amounts of rain which has led to mudslides, trees falling and horrible damage to roads and housing. We received news yesterday of flash floods and landslides, just down the hill from RVA’s campus. The flooding has caused massive destruction, many injuries and loss of life. Several of our Kenyan staff at RVA are affected by the damage. We are safe at RVA - students and staff are staying on campus and the forest above us is holding, but the rain keeps coming.
Nairobi has also been facing flooding. The Red Cross, government, and Kenyan Defence Force (army) are on sight - and we are staying in contact with officials and local leaders. While we do not believe that RVA’s campus is at risk, we have concerns for the areas around us. Our hearts break for the many in our community who have lost their lives. Please join us in praying.
RVA has been disbursing funds and goods to help meet needs, and are committed to continuing to support our local community. Currently, we’ve gathered clothing, filled jars and bottles with clean drinking water and have taken food down to a local church. We are continuing to work with local community leaders to figure out how to best support those in needs. If you would like to give towards flood relief, you can do so through RVA’s benevolence fund.
*Please check the box to leave a note for the finance office and type “Flood Relief” in the notes section.
Looking In
In this section, I’ll share how I am doing personally - what’s going on in my heart and how I’m feeling.
My heart is heavy as I think about the devastation that has occurred right outside our gates. It’s hard to continue with daily activities, emails, and meetings when I think about the loss and pain of friends and community members. I’m so thankful that we serve a sovereign Lord who stands in the muck and mud with us - who wears at what we have endured with us.
Looking Down
Sometimes I find myself so caught up in the hustle and bustle that I forget to check where my feet are planted. As a child safety officer, I’ll be sharing insights into my day-to-day, reflecting on where I am right now and what I’m doing in this section.
Our child safety theme for third term is boundaries and consent. In a few weeks we’ll be holding an after school assembly for high schoolers. I’ve been working on creative ways to help students create a consent culture at RVA. While consent is often thought to be exclusively about sex, creating a consent culture is so much more that that - it permeates every aspect of our interactions - it’s about feeling safe and knowing our boundaries are respected. We want students to understand what boundaries are, how to communicate their personal boundaries, how to respect other people’s and what to do if they feel unsafe.
Looking Back
This is just a fun place for me to share some photo reflections on things that have happened recently.
My family came to Kenya in April for a visit. It was such a blessing to have everyone together for the first time in over 5 years.
Looking Up
Last, but certainly not least, we’re turning our eyes to the Lord. I’ll share some prayer requests that we can together lift up to the Lord.
Natural Disaster: Please pray for our community which has been devastated by the rain and mudslides. Pray that the rain would stop and we would best know how to help our community.
Nairobi Eye: Due to the torrential rain, we’ve had an infestation of Nairobi Eye bugs. These bugs contain a corrosive substance which can cause chemical burns if it comes into contact with skin. You may remember a few years ago, I received a horrible acid burn on my neck from one of these pests. Please pray the bugs will go away and we won’t receive any horrible burns.
Back Pain: About a week and a half ago I hurt my lower back when picking up my niece. I’ve been experiencing a lot of pain which is making it difficult to do every day activities and to sleep. I’m so thankful for a friend who is a PT and has given me exercises to strengthen it. Please pray for pain relief.
Work Permit: It looks like my work permit has FINALLY been approved after a year and a half of waiting. We are now waiting for the finalized paperwork to come up. Praise the Lord for his provision.
