So, we are finished with 1 of the 4 weeks of the kids' vacation - check! Survived! Only 3 more to go! They have all endured some of the most boring times of their lives (quote from Sallie), but I guess we all go through that. Jim and I are working this week and so it puts them on their own. We are going to get away for just 4 days right at the end of April, but we just couldn't schedule a trip to Mombassa like it seems that the rest of the RVA families did! We will survive!
The Bethany Kids Project: It is looking great! It is amazing to see the walls getting plastered and the door frames going in. Jim desperately wants to show a picture of the building with the roof on (as it should be at this time), but alas, that is not to be! We hope soon though.
There are more quilts coming in for the beds. The contact point in South Carolina says she and another lady have now received 22 plus! We are going to try and get them here with a man who is traveling in May.
Thanks Michelle and Renee
So fun to see the ladies of Crossroads (our Church in Evart) making quilts for BK!
Thanks Sandi, Delores and Jenny!
Such a fun project and can't wait to see them on beds in the wards.
Crazy College crossroads: We have had a rough time with the college road for Trevor. He was denied from 6 schools (4 Ives and Stanford and MIT) and was accepted by Colgate and Wheaton and wait listed for Lafayette. We received a link to an article from the NYTimes about this whole thing that was really very appropriate for us. It is called Crazy College Crossroads.
Also, we found out an interesting fact that we were not aware of: When we do the on line calculator for Wheaton (for example) we get a reasonable number that we will have to pay. But, when we get the actual financial data from them it is much different! Why is that? Well, the fact we have a home that is mostly paid for is a real detriment to our financial aid. They expect us to take out a loan on the equity in the house to cover college tuition. We were told by many people that the equity in your home did not matter, but found out that it did. Apparently, state schools don't normally consider it, but private schools do. Why these schools don't include that in their on-line calculators is a mystery to me. So, where does that leave us? We have appealed the financials at Colgate. Wheaton is just too expensive and they won't accept an appeal. We are now back in the application process, but have to find schools where the deadlines are not passed. Michigan Technical University and Central Michigan meet this criteria. We are even considering the military option. Deadlines for those scholarships have also passed, but it doesn't mean that he can't apply next year. This has been a real change in our plans. But, a friend was telling me this week how it must be what God wants for him. There are many people she can think of that got into schools like Trevor wanted but she said, "they were no Trevor." So, God has a plan for him that is a totally different path than what we were expecting. You can pray that he can apply (again) and be accepted to some schools with better tuition (that don't count equity) and that he will feel good about it all. When I mention Ferris State to him he just rolls his eyes! So, not sure where this will lead, but please pray that He will work it all out!
We went to Naivasha the other day just to have lunch. You have to travel an hour or so to get far enough away from here to find good Indian food! Here is something we saw on the way home:
That is a couch on the back of a motorcycle and there were two men - one driving the other sitting on the couch!
My thyroid issue (hyperthyroid) is getting better this week. I actually only missed one workout due to not feeling good! I had a blood test and the numbers show improvement. Not sure where this will lead but at least I feel almost normal this week!
Art Center at RVA: This has been at an all stop since last week. It is funny to see it so vacant. We had a few contractors come to look at it and now all we are waiting on are the numbers from the Quantity Surveyor so that they can rebid it. These kind of things take time, but we just want to get moving again. Please pray that this will come together. I am also working on deciphering the water system up there. Boy what a mess! It has been in service for over 100 years and has been added to over time, so that "it works." There is no master planning involved with a system like this! But, that is OK too, it is just a matter of documenting what is there and making a maintenance plan to go with it. It has been keeping me busy most of this week and I am discovering things that even the maintenance guys didn't know!
Our friend Patrick Suruni will be coming this week. You can read his blog here . He is trying to get a training program done for pastors out in the bush. He did get his Paypal account all set up! That was a big step! Can't wait to see him and feed him some Nyama Choma (roast meat) - (he is a Masai of course)!
Please pray that:
1. Trevor's college plans will come through
2. Bethany Kids will get moving on the roof
3. RVA Art Center will get sorted and started back up.
4. My thyroid problem would just go away!
Isa 40:31
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
NIV
Thanks so much,
In His Hands (always),
Jullie T
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