april 2021.

Today marks nine months of living in Kenya! Praise be to God for his steadfast faithfulness. What a journey it has been. Looking back on the year, despite challenges I’ve faced, I can see God’s hand at work.

We started the school year online for four long months and by God’s grace, we were able to return to in-person learning from January to March. This entire month we have been back online and although it isn’t the ideal situation, there are still so many reasons to be thankful. This time around, the students know what to expect and are able to be more independent and responsible. We all have a sense of gratitude for the months we were able to be together. Best of all, today the president of Kenya announced that in-person learning can resume on May 10th! Praise God! I am thankful for this answered prayer. What a blessing it will be to finish the school year with my students on campus. It’s hard to believe that there is only one more month left of school!

This month, I was able to complete my second Masters course, officially making me 1/8th of the way through my program haha! I am glad that God has enabled and strengthened me to manage the workload despite full-time teaching. This summer, I am looking into doubling up on my course load since it seems as though I will be staying here over the summer. I’ll be honest and say that when I moved here in August, I anticipated that I would be returning to Canada this summer to visit family and friends. However because of the ongoing restrictions and protocols with COVID, it seems too expensive for that to happen. I am sad to think of missing out on memories with my family and friends after a year apart, but I know that God is going to use this for His glory. I am at peace knowing that He will be here with me this summer and I am excited for how He is going to work in and through me. Please join with me in prayer, that my parents would be able to visit me here in Kenya for Christmas this year. At that point, it will have been a year and a half since I’ll have seen them and I pray for the sweet reunion it will be. I am reminded that God is seated on His throne, not anxiously pacing back in forth, concerned about the world, but seated and in control. I am thankful that I can rest in the assurance that He is Lord, He is Sovereign, and He is good.

As I mentioned last month, my church has a ministry called “Rejesha” that seeks to empower and provide dignity to women caught in sex-trafficking here in Nairobi. Last month, I was able to help sort clothes donated for the women to sell at their new shops and this month, the women were able to open their shops and begin selling clothes! God has been faithful to provide for these women and their businesses have been doing great! Here is a photo of a proud new shop owner on opening day! Continue to lift these women up in prayer as they navigate their new lives. Pray that their hearts would be filled with joy knowing that their Savior has not forgotten them and that He has made a way in the wilderness.

My next-door neighbor’s son turned eight this month and invited my house over to celebrate his birthday! It was fun to be a part of his special day and get to know this family a little more. These two kids have become such a fun part of my daily life here, always playing in their yard and coming over to visit.

My weekly visits to the market continue to be a highlight. It is so fun watching this sweet one grow. I look forward to attending her one-year birthday celebration in June! Her mom is convinced that she should give me braids before the party, but I’m not so sure I could pull it off…

That’s a little update from me! Thank you for your continued prayers and support. I am looking forward to returning to teaching my students in person again! I am growing weary of teaching behind a screen all day, so this will be very exciting. If you think of it over the summer months, I’d love for you to reach out and send me a little message. Staying here over the summer will be great, but I’m sure that there will be times that I miss family and friends, so hearing from some of you would be wonderful! 🙂

-j.