Warmest Greetings!
The signs of rainy season have finally arrived. We have had our first large rain and the people have begun planting. At this time we always ask for prayer for continued rains so that their seed will not be lost. God has also been very good to us this year in granting what we would term a very reasonable hot season. The hot days followed by unrelinquished heat at night were limited and interspersed often by nights that were quite bearable. Kathy only experienced a reaction to the heat once. We are very thankful for His kindness.
We recounted in a recent update my involvement in the installation of the first Christian FM radio station in the south of Chad. We praise God for safety and the success of the installation. We continue to pray for the arrival of a programmer in the fall to put God’s word on the air. The people are anxious for the first broadcast.
As you will likely have heard by now we have accepted to remain on the field instead of returning to Canada this summer for home assignment. We are needed on the field to fill in the gaps as there is no one to manage things here on our compound and no teacher for the coming school year. We are now scheduled to come back summer of 2006. We thank God that our renters have agreed to stay in our house until then. This is a real answer to prayer. In summer 2006 we will need to return to Canada even if there is no teacher. Pray that God will work things out to meet these needs as there is still no teacher to fill Kathy’s position.
We have also recently mentioned one of the needs here at the school. There had been a mower, purchased in the 60’s that was a huge timesaver in maintaining the 15 acres on which the school is situated. Keeping the grass down is a huge job in the rainy season and very important as it makes it unwelcome to the snakes that do populate the area. The commercial style mower served for more than 20 years before becoming unserviceable. Since my arrival hiring day-workers and all that is associated with this type of employment here in Chad has consumed much of my time. Field leadership has approved a project to replace this equipment with a similar product. The time is also right to get one here economically as a shipping container is scheduled to leave the US early in July. Pray that the finances needed will be met, enabling the purchase of a suitable mower to be put in the container.
Since the boys graduated from Palmview the MK primary school where Kathy teaches we have often mentioned their schooling. We thank the Lord continually for His provision of their needs. I’m taking this opportunity to share a few details as it seems some have understood them to be home-schooled. Yes they are home and this has been a great blessing to us as well as a savings in boarding costs that run about $4000/yr plus transport to and from a boarding school would cost $1000 each time they come home. This however is where the similarity ends. They attend NorthStar Academy which is a Christian Internet highschool. Their offices are in Canada and the US and offer country-based curriculum for Australia, Canada, the UK and US. They are able to chat with both teachers and classmates alike. This part was of course very limited in the beginning when we had to access the internet by phone. We are very grateful for the generous gift that enabled us to purchase a satellite system which connects us to the Internet. Their books and materials are brought out from the US each year and they receive their lessons or exams via the internet and submit their answers to the teachers in the same fashion with a particular software program designed for the school. When they graduate they will receive a recognized diploma from NorthStar. Their tuition however is similar to attending an international boarding high school. This is almost 6 times the tuition at Palmview which covers mainly books and materials. With both boys now in high school, we only have Jessica at Palmview; this has become a financial burden that was not part of our allowance when we came to the field. The Lord has been good and met these needs thus far. Pray that these needs will be again met for the coming year. We continue to bring our needs to the Father in faith.
Kathy will be holding Palmview’s annual retreat the weekend of the 14th. This is a special opportunity to minister to the children’s spiritual lives. It is a time we look forward to, student and teacher alike. We camp out, have fireside singsongs and perform community service.
I continue to try and keep ahead of things; recently I had to replace a couple of main water feed pipes as well as the supply pipe from the pump to the water tower. Today I repaired a lighting problem that had left a fellow missionaries office in the dark for several weeks as well as installed a new fixture in her bathroom.
We covet your prayers for this weekend (May 7th) when we will be presenting a film at our local church entitled The Solution which addresses the use of witch doctors and the spirit world. This remains a huge problem in the church. Pray for God to work in the hearts of many.
We thank you once again for your continued love and support as we work together for the Kingdom. May God bless you and use you where you are.
your co-workers in God’s harvest,