KENYA

March 8 we left Tanzania to make our home in Kenya.  We now live near Limuru, a town about 25 kilometers outside of Nairobi.  Our house is on the Brackenhurst Baptist International Conference Center within walking distance of the Kenya Baptist Theological College.  We are in the mountains and are around 7,500 feet above sea level so that even though we are right on the equator, our temperatures are mild and the growing season is all year long.  The area up there is like the Garden of Eden and we live in a really nice missionary home provided by the International Mission Board.

In the five weeks we were there before we left for our short time in the US, we were able to unpack our crate, set up house, get some sense of direction in our work at the College, and sit in on the first week of music classes in the April session.  The College is a non-residential school in that the students are only in for a month at a time, three times a year for an intense time of class work.  The music program offers a diploma in music after three years.  Two different groups will go through at the same time.  One of our groups will finish up and graduate in December and a new group just started this past April.  Jeff is the new music department head and we both will be teaching classes.

Because of the latest conflict in Kenya, enrollment is low at the school and things are difficult.  The College has begun construction on a new building but progress is slow as the available funds to complete the work is limited.  The music office is due to set up in the new building and right now our things are in storage as we wait for the space set aside for that office to be finished.  Pray for the Kenyans in administration at the College as they deal with the challenges before them.  Pray for the students to begin to return to the school, and pray for the teachers and department leaders as they prepare to teach the ones who do come.  

When we return the first of July, we will have one month to settle back in and prepare to teach the August session to our returning music students.   About 10 days of that time we will be involved with our missionary annual meeting so our time will be full as we approach our teaching time.  With classes from 7:30am until 6:30pm, six days a week, our time during August will be full as well.  In September we hope to catch our breath, finish settling into our house, then begin to make trips out to visit our students where they live.  We covet your prayers as we get back and get started in our new ministry roles!