| Hello from Kenya - Dear Friends at Pleasant Hill,
Hello from Kenya! Thanks so much, once again, for remembering us in far-off Africa with your generous giving. You and your gifts mean so much to us and are such a vital part of our ministry.
We're thankful for the peaceful election and appeal process over the last month. After the events of 2008, we didn't know what to expect, and everyone was kinda holding their breath and most were talking peace above political party or candidate. I gues... |
| Serving and Suffering - Jon and Susan Stocksdale
Serving missionaries by serving their kids at
Rift Valley Academy
February 2013
"For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him." Philippians 1:29
Dear Friends,
As I was reading in Philippians last week, I was struck with the paradox of this verse – "privileged to trust" yes, but "privileged to suffer"????? I have to admit that I often don't look on suffering ... |
| Caps and Gowns - Jon and Susan Stocksdale
Serving Missionary Kids and their families at Rift Valley Academy
September 2012
Dressed in black caps and gowns, the honors' musicians took their places on the platform. The black and red stoles (a nod to their school colors and the Masai who made the fabric) hung around the necks, and a variety of high heels and holey blue jeans peeked out from under the hem of their gowns. The fruit of their pract... |
| Stocksdales. August 2012 - "Please keep doing what you're doing. You're really making a difference in people's lives – you made a difference in mine."
They were words I never expected to hear from this college-age alumna who struggled so much during her years at RVA. I often felt at a loss to help, feeling that no matter what I did, things never seemed to get better and she kept making bad choices. Leaving school and returning home was the only option left, so that's what she did. The family returned to the US, and I ... |
| A Big Thank You - (adapted from a recent card to PHC from Susan) Greetings from Kenya! Thank you for your continued faithfulness and support. We can't begin to tell you how much it means to us. Knowing that our support team across the globe is atanding with us is part of what enables us to continue through times of extreme stretching.
Jon has been helping the school recover from a costly lightning strike. I have been dealing with more than the usual number of tricky counseling issues.
God has clearly guides and str... |
| Boom! - Jon and Susan Stocksdale
Serving Missionaries and their children at Rift Valley Academy
From Susan:
The flash of light and "BOOM" left some shrieking and others speechless – teachers included! Some kids in the 8th grade science class felt a shock flow from their metal stools through their bodies, and Caroline's first thought was, "This is the terrorist attack we've prepared for all these years."
... |
| Tough Stuff - Jon and Susan Stocksdale
Serving Missionaries and their children at Rift Valley Academy
It was one of the harder letters I'd ever written. The gist of it was this: "Boarding isn't working for your child, despite all the support you and we are offering. You need to make a change."
Let me clarify what a "change" implies: For a bush missionary whose child doesn't "make it" at boarding school, almost everything... |
| "Holey" Celings... - Susan Stocksdale wrote: "Not one but TWO men fell through our ceilings today as they were constructing our upstairs room. Thankfully, neither were hurt very badly, because getting medical help would have been tricky -the Kenyan doctors are on strike, and the missionary doctors at our hospital are seriously overworked. And us . . . now we have matching gaping holes in our bedroom and bathroom." :) |
| Urgent; Staff Member Dies - Dear Praying Friends,
RVA lost a staff member earlier today. Loren Harrison and his family were on a five month "home assignment" in the US, but we were anticipating having them rejoin us in December or January. On Sunday Loren suffered hemorrhaging in his brain from an aneurysm and he finally died late Wednesday night in Minnesota.
We rejoice that he is in a better place, but we grieve at this loss of friend and co-worker and for the pain that his immediate family and his RVA family are feeling... |
| Back to Kenya - Dear Friends,
Wow! It's been less than 4 months since we wrote a longer email, but so much has happened in that time!
We flew back to Kenya uneventfully through Cairo on New Year's Eve - thank you for your prayers for all of the logistics! We're so thankful that we had the opportunity to transit through Egypt this time. We have wonderful memories of our time there, but things have certainly changed since our visit. I especially appreciate the fact that my kids could watch news footage and say, "... |
