Star Trek?

               A few weeks ago I realized that I was a part of something. It is happening so gradually we don’t really realize it. During work I don’t always have work to do so I will read my Bible, play with my budget, look at facebook, and read blogs. I enjoy the blogs. There are two or three kinds of blogs that I like. One is about decorating one’s home. Now, I have no sense of style or what colors go together, but they are fun to read nonetheless and I know that most of what they do looks good. The other kind I like to read are about the Christian life, with devo’s and the popular “this is what Christian marriage/dating is like/should be” posts. And finally, I also like to read the blogs of my friends so that I can (be a creeper?) and keep up to date on their lives.

What I realized the other day is that I am part of the next generation of missionaries. It is really fun to read the blogs of all these friends from high school, plus a few from college. And not only are they the next generation of missionaries, but many are second (or third!) generation missionaries! I would like to highlight a few here.

From high school:

• ·        Ted and Karen: I went to school with Ted, and Karen grew up as an MK in South America, both are at least 2^nd generation missionaries. Ted and Karen are actually my co-workers. They are in their third year of teaching here at DA and their students love them. They are also both involved in coaching and they lend humor and friendship to our community. Their blog always offer a unique perspective about life here and are often thought provoking.
• ·        Ethan and Valerie: Ethan is another person I went to school with and is also at least a second generation missionary. Ethan and Valerie live north of Dakar and arrived in September. So far they have been doing intensive language training and are now starting to get more into their church planting work. I have only briefly seen Ethan since they got here, but I enjoy reading their blog and seeing how they are serving God and how I can pray for them.
• ·        Sabrina: Sabrina is serving in India for the next few years and is a second generation missionary. She has a burning passion to make God known which can be clearly seen through her blog posts.
• ·        Sadie: Sadie is in Germany, serving as an RA at a missionary school. This is something she has dreamed of doing since she was in the dorm here at DA. She is a second generation missionary and her love for the girls in the dorm and desire to glorify God shines clearly through her blog posts.
• ·        Jacob and Kacey: Jacob and Kacey are a young couple working in the Congo area. They were on a short missions trip to Guinea when they heard God call them. Their heart for God and excitement for their work is clearly evident in their blog posts.
• ·        Dana: (honestly, I feel weird using a pseudonym here because this is my older sister) Dana is not currently on the field but I wanted to mention her. Dana was here at DA for 5 and a half years before she felt the need to head back to the States, for a time at least. She has gotten settled in her new life, teaching at another Christian school, but she makes it clear on her blog posts that she knows God wants her overseas somewhere eventually again.
• ·        Dale: Dale is a actually a non-blog person – that I am aware of – but he is a another one of the new generation, and is a 3^rd generation missionary. He currently serves in Mali, but was recently in Guinea. Dale, a third generation missionary, is currently serving in Mali but has been following God around West Africa wherever God leads him. He doesn’t have a blog that I know of, but I see posts of his work on facebook from time to time.

Then there are a few friends from college who are both first generation missionaries:

• ·        Jody: Jody just finished a year in Cambodia working with women in unfortunate circumstances. Her blog posts were always interesting and touching.
• ·        Jade: Jade is working as an elementary teacher at an MK school in Honduras. She initially went for only one year, but now she has extended it at least another year. I enjoy reading her blog and seeing her pictures, learning about life in Central America.

As the writer of Hebrews in chapter 11 “And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about [Damion and Marie, or Magnus and Mable, or two of Mable’s sisters].” I also have friends working overseas, but I don’t know in what capacity. And then there are those of this next generation who are first generation missionaries.

               I look at the high schoolers we have right now and wonder what they’ll be doing in the next 5-8 years. The previous generation will be retiring in the next 10-15 years, will anyone be here to take their place? So far, yes. Some of these people – including myself – I had no idea would become missionaries. But God knew.

               We are the children in Philippians 2, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become pure and blameless children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life.” No, we are not pure, faultless, or blameless – but we are becoming so. As Paul says in Philippians 3 – “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on”. I don’t want to be part of the crooked and depraved generation, do you? I want to be set apart from them.

               Thank you, previous generation of missionaries, for the example you have set for us. May we follow the way you showed us – from wherever we are: in a foreign country or in our passport country – which for many of us in the real foreign country.

P.S. If you have a blog and don’t think you were mentioned here, let me know so I can start reading it and praying for you.

*Not real names, and I apologize if you are reading this and realize I am talking about you and don’t like the names I have given you! But since I am writing about you without your permission, I wanted to protect your identity. 

Neighborly November

November Edition

Hello random people that read my blog (and the non random people as well!), 

How are you? I hope this letter finds you well. It is almost November and I don’t have a clever intro.

-Mali: Things have been peaceful lately, praise God. Back in January the French brought in a lot of troops and things kind of settled down. But now they are gradually (or at least talking about it) taking their troops out. Please pray that as the troops leave that the Islamists will not make trouble once again. Pray that the new president, IBK, will have wisdom in knowing how to handle the situation.

-My parents: My parents are back! We have set up a time for us to skype every week, so that is nice.  What’s more I will get to see them at Christmas!! My first Christmas with them in 6 years! I am pretty excited and sometimes when I think about it I do a hop, skip, and a jump… When they arrived my dad hurt his back from carrying luggage. Please pray for health for him so that he can be as active as he normally is without feeling pain. In addition, he will be going back to Kayes sometime to pick up and move our stuff to Bamako – something that will be difficult for him with his back as it is (it is already difficult, my sisters and I did a lot of heavy lifting when we were doing the initial packing in 2012). My mom has been learning the ropes of an ESL ministry that exists in Bamako. Please pray that she will learn quickly and be able to teach classes soon. Pray also that she realizes that this is where God was preparing her to be.

-Missionaries: Well, I asked you to pray about this month, and soon after we received news. The people who threatened to shut down the ministry finally came. The Brazilians were out of town and got a phone call when they came. I mentioned previously that they were unable to leave the country – this is because their passports were taken away. We recently received news that the passports are supposed to be returned on November 19. Please pray that this happens! This has been a very stressful time for them and getting their passports would mean they can go to Brazil for a while and rest.

- Water situation: For almost a month the city of Dakar was experiencing a water shortage. The reason is due to damage, in two places, to the pipe that supplies water to the city from the Senegal River that defines the northern border of the country. This pipe supplies 40% of the city’s  water needs. There were Senegalese who would stand in line for hours to get just a bucketful of water. This damage is akin to if something happened to the LA aqueduct – if the got contaminated or somehow a large portion of the water was diverted away – LA would have a difficult time. For a few weeks things went back to normal but now the water has officially been cut off, from Tuesday to this Thursday/Friday/Saturday depending on who you listen to. The water is being cut off so water company can install a new piece that just arrived from France which is supposed to completely fix things.

I think that is all for now. We think that the weather has turned – the last few days have been rather cool. Go into November making a choice to be grateful for the little things. 

Ruthanne

Something Different

               People often question whether people working in support positions are “real” missionaries. Although I know that I am, sometimes I wonder. My parents are church planters. They learn the language, interact with the people, rely on their support, do Bible studies with the people, etc. I don’t really have to do any of that. There are many teachers who don’t learn the language. For many, the interaction we get with the people is the taxi drivers, Orange credit sellers, store people, and school workers (guards, custodians). Working at DA, we don’t have to raise support, we can rely on our stipend. Teachers don’t have to do Bible studies or any teaching to the people… “Isn’t that what the “real” missionaries are for?” (This could be a whole other blog post, but it does relate to this topic.)

Another thing I don’t have to worry about is housing. It is provided for me. And what’s more, it is very nice! I feel spoiled and sometimes I wonder if I’m  really serving while being here. I have a “plush” lifestyle and I am a place that I love. It is no trouble for me to live here in Dakar. Many people complain that it is not easy to live here and I’m like, “Are you kidding me??” For me, it would be difficult to live in the States.

And so, with all these thoughts going through my head I started wondering what could I do to serve God? To reach the people? I don’t know how quickly outreach came to mind, but it eventually did.

At first I balked, thinking, “No way!” But it kept coming up. So the question was, “Why not go on outreach?” It is a time when God uses us to help bring the Good News to the people. It is a good opportunity for students to see what their parents might be doing. It gives the students a taste of being a missionary. And it is a powerful thing, as Uncle Evan reminds us, to see that many teenagers volunteer to give up their weekend to go to the bush and work.

In high school I only went on outreach twice. I planned to go my freshman year but then circumstances made it so that I couldn’t. Even though I think that was a good thing in the end – I wasn’t ready – I kind of became bitter about outreach. I would scoff at it for the next year or so whenever it was mentioned. Eventually, for some reason or other I decided to go on outreach. But I don’t think I was really doing it for the right reasons, I was doing it because “every good Christian/person at DA goes on outreach.” So I went and I had a good time. So the next time here was another outreach I signed up right away. Then, I signed up a 3^rd time. But I didn’t go a third time. One of my good friends decided not to go and that struck me. I was like, “What? You can not go on outreach? Especially once you’ve already been on one?” So, a few days before that 3^rd outreach I went to Uncle Evan and backed out. One small part of my mind was thinking I would hang out with my friend, but the other part was wondering what my motivation for going on outreach was – especially if I didn’t want to go partly because a friend wasn’t going!

After that, the enxt time there was an outreach, I didn’t sign up. My friend did and when I asked her about it she said, “Of course I ‘m going. I love outreach. It was just that one time that I wasn’t going.” But I didn’t go, not on that one or any that followed while I was in high school. Do I regret it? No. I think my friend not going made me wonder what my true motivation was. After that, I was never sure why I wanted to go: to serve God, or to be with friends and to be a “good Christian.”

Fast forward five years and we are at the present day. I want to go on outreach because of that question that has been on my mind: “How can I serve God and the Senegalese people?” One of the reasons I hesitate is because I don’t want to spend three days in the hot sun wearing skirts and using squatty potties. But then I think, “Really? You are going to not go on outreach because it will be uncomfortable? Isn’t this what you are searching for? What is more important to you: serving God or your comfort?” I remind myself of Romans 8:18, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Will those three days compare to what can be read about in Hebrews 11:32-37?

Am I willing to serve God for a measly 3 days so that his kingdom can be advanced?  

Quiche

Quiche

A few weeks ago, some invited me over dinner. Even if I want to, I am always hestitant when someone asks me over for dinner because I am a picky eater (though I am slowly getting better) and I don’t want to offend the person by not eating their food. So I said yes. Before I went I prayed to God, thinking of all these food I don’t like (particularly, maffe (peanut sacuce) and taco casserole were at the top of my list) asking him for those things not to be served. I went to supper and they brought out the main dish – quiche – and I pasted what I hoped was a pleasant smile, or at the very least, look on my face. Quiche! How could I not think of this? Oh the irony! God does have a sense of humor! I ate it, and it wasn’t awful.  

For new staff orientation a few weeks ago, several of us “old”/experienced staff were asked to bring in a snack for the newcomers to eat when they went on break. On her day, one of my co-workers brought in Crustell Quiche. Evertime I walked by it my mouth would water (say it my way in your head ;) ) for some reason. I told the maker of it and she said to go ahead and try some. So I took half a square out, took a bite, and WOW! So good! It just melted in my mouth! I was especially surprised because it had (very obvious) spinach in it – a vegetable I really don’t like but would like to increase my intake of it (to once a week or so versus never – because it has folate in it, something I lack in my diet). A few days later I was happily given the recipe. I look forward to eating it every so often as part of my breakfast-for-supper cycle.

When I was in Ecuador, they served quiche pretty regularly. I did not want to eat it! They also served other stuff I didn’t want to eat, and my attitude became such a problem that I was put on probation. Soon after this, I was doing my devos and read Luke 10:8, “Eat what is set before you.” Well, I was convicted. When I shared this verse with the others I was with they all laughed because they knew my struggles. For the rest of the time, if I didn’t want to eat something, I would bring this verse to mind, and force myself to eat it and to have a better attitude.** Apparently when I came back from that trip I was so proud that I had eaten quiche – that is what my parents told me, but I don’t remember being proud, I was probably actually upset or something.

All my life I have struggled with the question of, “How do I know when God is talking to me or telling me to do something?” That time in Ecuador was the first time I knew that God was speaking to me – it was very clear. But before that and since then, it has not been so clear. At the end of high school I thought, “Okay, now I’m going to have to listen to God about a career choice and where to go for college… how do I do that?” In the end, for a number of reasons, accounting was an obvious choice and Bluffton was a decision I had to make one day during the summer before my first year. Did God tell me to go to Bluffton? I don’t know. After that, I was like, “Okay… just of sailed through that one, I guess I didn’t really have to listen for anything.”

Four years go by and I’m graduating from college. Again, I’m thinking, “Now is when I really have to listen to God – what job will I take? … uh God? How do I hear you?” That one was easy too. I flew to Senegal my little sister’s graduation, my mom told me of a possible opening, I had an interview, sent in the application, and 5 ½ weeks after graduating from college I had a job! “Wow! That was easy… wait, how am I going to know when to leave DA?” That last question is my current “okay now I’m going to have to listen to God”. For my older sister it was “easy” (I know it really wasn’t, Danielle!) – for her it was, “No more siblings? Okay, see you! Also, I have some loans.” For me, siblings are not a factor, if I budget right and live frugally for the next 6 or 7 years – loans are not a factor. At the moment, the only reasons I can foresee leaving are being fired, or getting married and my husband saying “Okay, let’s go.”  I am comfortable here, I love it. I love the people, the weather, the ease of shopping, seeing friends (adult and classmates) from high school, the Christ-centered atmosphere, and more. I can envision myself being here at least four years, so why am I worrying about this now? I don’t know.

A friend told me recently that listening to God  is like the “be faithful with little, and he’ll trust you with more” concept. The more you act on things you think God might be telling you, you’ll get better at hearing him.

This year I am learning to listen to God. There are a few things I think he wants me to do this year. I am afraid to tell you what they are in case I chicken out but I also think I need accountability. So I will tell you one thing. For the last few weeks, or maybe even months, I think that God has been telling me to go on outreach. To some of you this may not be a big deal, but for me it is. Why? Well, that another blog post – or I’ll tell you if you ask me.

I am tuning myself to God’s leading.

I’m here, God, listening…

**To my mother’s (and my) dismay, these good eating habits only lasted until I got home… and then they quickly stopped. 

Sanguine September

September Edition

Hello Friends,

How are you? I hope this letter finds you well. Ah, August. What an interesting month. It started with the arrival of the new staff and “old”/experienced staff and sorting through school supplies, “middled” with the start of school, and ended busily.

-Mali: Thank you for your prayers concerning the elections. They went well and we now have a new president. Pray that the new leader, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, will be able to help restore peace to Mali. Pray that he has good relationships with the other members of the Malian government and that he will use wisdom. Pray also that he will think of not only those in power when making decisions, but also – primarily – of the people. In addition, last weekend Bamako, the capital city, experienced some heavy rains and as a result has a lot of flooding and several people have lost their lives. In a time of instability, the Malians must be feeling the old adage: “When it rains, it pours,” what with famine, a coup, and now terrible flooding – all in just a 2 or so year time period. Pray that the life of the Malians will soon get back to normal. Pray that the problems they are facing will encourage them to seek the one true God.

-My parents: In a little over a week they will be flying back to Mali. Between now and then they will be packing, shopping, visiting churches, and visiting friends and family one last time. Pray for safe travels and for their packing – that it will not be overweight or too many bags, and that it will all arrive when they do. When they arrive in Mali they will be searching for a place to live, so please pray that they will be able to find a place quickly so they can get settled in quickly and move forward in their ministry. Please continue to pray for my mom as she seeks the Lord’s guidance in where and how she can serve him. There are many ministries in Bamako for her to get involved in, she just needs to learn which one God wants her in.

-Missionaries: For several months last year I asked you to pray for the release of two Brazilians who had been taken to prison on unlawful terms. While they have now been out for almost 5 months now, there are still legal issues that need to be resolved. They are not allowed to leave the country and they are feeling stressed about their situation – they need rest. In addition, some officials came to their organization a few months ago and threatened to shut the place down but they have not returned. They are once again in a time of waiting.  Please pray that they will have peace about their situation, peace that God will take care of them and peace despite their stresses. Pray that the people who are putting in this time of waiting legally will make some decisions and finally free them. Pray also that those who threatened to shut down their operation will come to realize the good work that it does and that it is teaching young boys who would otherwise be on the streets or starving how to live a better, life preserving way.

-Me: This may seem silly, but I know that God hears all prayers. My camera is missing and I haven’t seen it since June. And while I don’t take a lot of pictures, it is nice to have the option to do so. I also don’t know what pictures are on it – they may be ones I want. I have searched all over my apartment which wasn’t that difficult because painters were in it over the summer and at the end of the summer I had to put it back together. Please pray that I find it. Also, this weekend and the next few are our school’s annual handball tournament and for some crazy reason – I signed up to play. I am kind of nervous. Please pray that I will play to God’s glory. In fact, that is something that you could pray about for everyone involved – that we have good attitudes, that we don’t experience any really bad injuries, and that we have fun.

I think that is all for now. I now have 3 weeks of being the cashier in the normal setting and it has been nice – although I generally have a lot more free time than I expected, I can’t wait till container season, haha! Have a great day.

Ruthanne

Micah 6:8

Petit Poteaux

               Petit poteaux – or “tippy toe” as some elementary kids call it – is a game we play a lot here at Dakar Academy. I wrote this last night in a notebook after having just finished playing and had the notion to write. I don’t know why I am posting it on my blog, but I thought it was appropriate.

               The words “petit poteaux” are French for “small goal.”It has a special court which has walls about 4ft high – which the guys (and some girls) can just fly over! The actual game is very similar to soccer. I don’t really know what the technical differences are since most of the time I have only played for fun. On any given night you will see students and staff members alike playing the game.

               So why am I talking about this? When I got back last night I started thinking about the role it has played in my life. We have not always had the court. It was built in 2003 soon after ICA became part of DA. For those of you who are unaware, ICA was a sister school in the Ivory Coast until they had to be evacuated due to civil war. When the court was first built, I was not excited. This ugly mass of concrete was another example of the ICA invasion. ICA had to evacuate in September 2002 and in doing so they brought 90 students to DA. That was a difficult year. I was not happy. I did not like the ICA people: they were too sporty, I thought they were snobs, and they just changed everything. Then my family went on furlough and I kind of became fine with everything. For the next two years after furlough I carried a resentment of the ICA-ers. Finally, my junior year, I had these AMAZING dorm parents – who were originally from ICA. But God had done a work in me and I told them about my resentment and asked their forgiveness. With their help I was able to do the same with other ICA people who were just as gracious to me as my dorm parents were.

               Once again, you are asking where I am going with this. The petit poteaux court was once a visual reminder of my resentment toward a group of people who did not deserve my treatment of them. But now it is a reminder of my thankfulness to God for bringing those people here. They are wonderful people who are here to further God’s Kingdom – wherever he places them. I am sure that first year was difficult for them, too, but many of them stayed. Those people have now been my friends, classmates, dorm sisters, mentors, teachers, dorm parents, and more I am sure. They brought music, petit poteaux, outreach campaigns, and God’s love. Sometimes, Satan gets hold me and I get frustrated when I hear them talk about ICA: “Remember how it was green” “Remember how many soccer fields we had” “Remember the cafeteria” “Remember we had grass on the field?”etc. But then I tell myself that if the same had happened to me, I would still be remembering DA (but not the grass on the field part, haha!). They loved ICA just as I love DA.

               So now petit poteaux has wonderful memories associated with it. My dorm first started playing it once a week in 9^th grade and continued until I graduated, and even till now. Those first two years of high school were not easy and I had 4 things I looked forward to: tutoring, mentoring, handbells, and petit poteaux. My junior year has exceptionally good memories associated with petit poteaux – two stand out. Frequently throughout the year we have sports tournaments, including a petit poteaux one. I was sitting in study hall one day when a senior came up to me and asked if I would play on his team. He was asking because he needed another player on his team but I was shocked and touched that he would ask me: shy, insecure, behind the scenes, non sporty, socially awkward/inept me. I was looking for something in my diary today and found out that I said no and he put my name on the list anyway. So I showed up. I ended up having a really good time and my team actually won the tournament! The other memory makes me smile and laugh when I think about it. If you know anything about me, you know I don’t like hugs - J - except for special occasions: when I haven’t seen you for at least two weeks, if I won’t see you for at least two weeks, if you’re a guy I feel comfortable around (I know, I didn’t need to put that in there, but I am not nothing if not blatantly honest!), and (this is a new rule) if I feel like it. So one night I was playing petit poteaux with my dorm sisters, dorm parents, and four “brothers,” just having a blast when all of a sudden one of my dorm sisters yells “OREO!!!!” In my head I’m thinking, “What??” Suddenly everyone is running toward me, my brothers tackle me to the ground and everyone else piles on top in a giant hug. (Big smile on my face as I write this :D) This is a memory I cherish. That they would plan “Operation Oreo” so that they could give me a hug, wow.

               So in the last two weeks I have played petit poteaux about 5 times, each lasting 1 ½ to 2 hours. At the end of each night, one of the other players (our librarian) says “Already?” Which is exactly what I am thinking: “Why (stop) so soon?” Each time has been so much fun. I hope I continue playing during the school year for several reasons. 1) It is fun! 2) It is better exercise than walking around the track for half an hour. 3) I get to be around people which, I know: shocker, I enjoy. 4) It is an easy way to socialize (I dislike small talk – like the kind after church – I prefer “big talk,” aka meaningful, deep talks). Related to 3, 5) it is not as lonely as walking around the track alone listening to music even I can get tired of. And many more reasons I am sure. I am thankful to the dorm parents who kindly let me join in their dorm’s weekly game last year. And I am thankful to the person who invited me to play the game two weeks ago when I was to shy to ask to join in.

               What is my conclusion? Even though I have several bruises, have never scored a goal, I smell at the end of a game, and sometimes my mediocre defensive skills fail and the other team scores, I love petit poteaux. Thank you, ICA, for this gift.

P.S. I would post a picture but my camera is missing. Word says this is approximately 1,200 words, so this is worth a little more than a picture.

P.P.S. If there were any ICA people who I did not ask forgiveness of 6 years ago, I do so now. Y’all are wonderful people and I am grateful to have you in my life. 

August Already??

August Edition

Hello Friends,

How are you? I hope this letter finds you well. Well, I skipped writing in July thinking that since we are out of school there is not a lot to pray about – that God is not at work anymore. Well, obviously, that is so not true! Almost as soon as I consciously (as opposed to procrastinating on writing it) made the decision to skip I realized that was a bad decision. So now it is the end of summer. And what a long summer it has been, too long. Thank you for your prayers about babysitting – opportunities did avail themselves and I had a great time with each of them.

-Mali runoff elections: Well, Mali finally held their presidential elections on July 28 with the result being that there would be runoff elections on August 11. So next Sunday when you think of politics or Mali or presidents or coups or hot weather or something else that might jog your memory, please pray for the elections. Pray that they will go smoothly and that the new leader will be able to help restore peace to Mali.

-My parents: Well, last year they planned that this year they would go back to Mali at the beginning of July – but God has different plans than we do. Then they thought they would go back at the end of July after the Mali elections in case of trouble caused by the elections. But Malian officials and God had different ideas for that. So now they are going back toward the end of August, Lord willing. For years my mom has had a dream of teaching at a small, American Christian school in Bamako that is similar to DA, but smaller. But with all the troubles in Mali the school decided not to reopen for this coming school year. Please pray for my mom as she seeks the Lord’s guidance in where and how she can serve him. There are many ministries in Bamako for her to get involved in, she just needs to learn which one God wants her in.

-Beginning of school: Well (I need to learn some new transition words, huh?), in just a week and a half school will be starting. In that period, at least 100 people will be flying in from all over the place and the new staff members will be having orientation. Senegal recently changed its Visa policy and created all kinds of chaos for many countries. The visa people did not give very good information about who needed a visa, whether our residency cards would be effective, or even how to get a visa. It has been a confusing summer in that regard and so far no one has been stopped from entering the country – but what could they really do, leave them out on the runway (You have to know our airport to understand that – it is basically just 5 large rooms plus VIP areas.)? Pray that everyone will be able to go through passport control successfully, that luggage will not be lost, and for safe travels. Pray also for the new staff who are arriving or have arrived, pray that they will adjust well to living here and being a part of the DA community.

I think that is all for now. These days I am enjoying the heat, the rain, not the humidity, having people return, meeting new people, and getting back into the routine of things. Have a great day.

Ruthanne

Jubilant June

June Edition

Hello Friends,

How are you? I hope this letter finds you well. It is hard to believe that it is June already! Seems like just yesterday it was New Year’s! This will be a short letter, as most of my summer letters will be.

-Seniors: It’s that time of year again! On Thursday, the 6^th, the seniors will be graduating. It is a crazy thought because I remember some of them from when they were born, and others from when they were in pre-school. It has been fun to watch them grow into being the “big dogs on campus,” into their role as leaders and role models. Between now and graduation, the big things for the seniors are receptions and JSB (our prom type thing)(and actually, as I send this, JSB just ended). Over the past year I have been toying with the idea that DA is almost a sender of missionaries in and of itself – at least for the students who have a relationship with Jesus. Because we try to teach them about God and the Bible, and how to establish good disciplines, and provide a place for fellowship. I realize this analogy can easily crumble, but that is okay. For those who know Christ we send them out with the hope that they will spread their love of Jesus to whomever they meet. This summer and the coming year will be difficult for them as they figure out how to live in the States – without a parent around to do all the “parent things” (i.e. taking care of them) – in other words, they now have to do everything themselves. Pray for their transition and for their faith to be strengthened in the coming months, and however God leads you to pray.

-Recruiting: I have mentioned a few times that we are in the process of finding staff to fulfill our needs for next year. There is a page on the website: http://dakar-academy.org/staff/employment_opportunities/employment_opportunities.htm. When I wrote you last, we were searching especially for a 1^st grade teacher. I am happy to say that as of last week, that position has been filled. Now we have one position left (yay!): a high school math teacher.  If you know anyone interested in working overseas, tell them about DA – I may be biased, but it is a great school! There are several people who have applied for the positions, but sometimes discernment is difficult. Please pray that my bosses and I will have wisdom in knowing who is the right person for a position. Pray also for the people we have hired as they prepare to move overseas and leave the familiar. Pray that their first year here will be filled with joys and that they will be able to be examples of Christ while they serve here. Pray that God will lead qualified people to our doors. Praise God that we have 5 positions filled!

Well, that is all for now. I am looking forward to this summer. As of a week ago I thought it would be rather boring because not a lot of people in the community will be around and I will only have to go into work once a week. But then four (maybe five) things came up. So now I will be house sitting (which includes taking care of two dogs – not my favorite part!), unlocking someone’s house so their maid can get in over the summer, feeding a fish, and helping out in the library from time to time. I realize that that as only four items, that is because the 5^th is still very tentative. I would also like to do some baby sitting. So that is something you can pray for me, that opportunities for babysitting will come up. Have a great day.

Ruthanne

Magnanimous May

May Edition

Hello Friends,

How are you? I hope this letter finds you well. It is now May. I don’t have any clever opening remarks this month, so I am just going to jump right in. 

-Praise: One really great thing that happened during April was Elementary Camp. This is not actually camp – they stopped sleeping over a few years ago. It goes on from 3:30 in the afternoon to around 8 or 9 that night, and consists of games, crafts, story reading, supper, a movie, and chapel. This is a big outreach opportunity because the elementary students are the highest unsaved portion of our student body. The older students were given the opportunity to pray during the whole afternoon that it was going on – they signed up to pray for 15 minute segments, some time slots have up to 3 people praying! Later in the afternoon the gospel was presented and the kids were given the opportunity to accept Christ into their heart. One of the students that chose to do this is not from a Christian family, but her father wanted his children to make their own choices, not to just do whatever the family does. This is amazing! Please pray for this little girl and for her family. Pray that the girl will be nurtured in her new faith and that her family will also come to know Christ through this situation.

-Another praise: I forgot to mention this! My sister got a job! She will be teaching again in the fall at a Christian school somewhere around Baltimore - I don't really know where. 

-Sickness: Lately I have mentioned a few people who need healing for their bodies. The director had his surgery and it went well, however the recovery time is such that he will not be able to return until after the school year is over. This is unfortunate, but we want him to be fully ready to come back and not push himself. Please continue to pray for his recovery. The dorm mom that had the growth on her neck is back and doing well. She has to have the bandage changed, but the nurse who is helping her with that says that the wound is looking better. Pray that she continues to heal and that whatever caused this will not cause it to happen again. Today, during PE one of the 8^th graders fell and hit her head. An ambulance came to take her to be checked out thoroughly. Please pray that there are no serious repercussions to the fall, and that she will be able to return soon. Pray also that she and her family will trust in God during this situation.

-Alumni: There is an alumna from Dakar Academy who recently wrote asking for prayer. I don’t know a lot of details because not many were given, but I thought I would pass on her request. She said that her husband is in jail with the possibility of a prison sentence, and that is all that was told. Please pray for her to have peace in this situation. Pray also that if her husband is not at fault, that he will be able to go free. And pray that God will more fully known through this situation.

-Seniors: It’s that time of year again! May will be the seniors’ last full month of (high) school. At DA, the month of May is filled with the spring musical, AP exams (many take more than one!), a evening showcasing the artistic and musical abilities of the high schoolers, JSB (a banquet given to the seniors by the juniors to honor them), sports, and (for seniors) seniorities and senior “sneak.” Pray that they will not be so caught up in the busy-ness that they forget to strengthen relationships. Pray that the staff and parents have been able to give them a good foundation in Christ for going out into the real world, and that this month will draw them closer to God than ever.

-Missionaries: Please continue to lift up Jose daSilva and Zeneide in prayer. A few days after I sent out my last prayer letter, Jose and Zeneide walked out of prison!! They were not free of charges, but they no longer had to be in the prison. They took the next few weeks to be refresh after their approximately 5 month ordeal. Today (the 30^th) was supposed to be the hearing to finally decide the case. I don’t know if it actually happened or not, so pray. If it did not happen, pray that it will not be delayed long. And if it did happen, pray that Jose and Zeneide and family and friends trust in God no matter the outcome. Our varsity soccer guys had an amazing opportunity to visit the prison where they had been kept. They gave them jerseys, played a game of soccer, and were able to present the gospel. Please pray that God will water the seeds that were planted, both in the hearts of the prisoners and prison workers, and in the hearts of some of the boys on the soccer team.

-Recruiting: A little while ago I mentioned that we are in the process of finding staff to fulfill our needs for next year. There is a page on the website: http://dakar-academy.org/staff/employment_opportunities/employment_opportunities.htm. Our most urgent need is for a 1^st grade teacher. If you know anyone interested in working overseas, tell them about DA – I may be biased, but it is a great school! There are several people who have applied for the positions, but sometimes discernment is difficult. Please pray that my bosses and I will have wisdom in knowing who is the right person for a position. Pray that God will lead qualified people to our doors. Praise God that we have 3 positions filled!

Well, that is all for now. It is unfortunately warm right now, but it is definitely no October(if you have lived in Dakar, you know what that means)! Have a great day.

Ruthanne

Proverbs 19:23

Avril... April... Abril... Amazing!

April Edition

Hello Friends,

How are you? I hope this letter finds you well. WOW!!! April! Does anyone else feel as though this year is just flying by? Although, sometimes it feel really slow, like when I am waiting (or wishing) for something to happen… It is spring break right now and it feels really long – 2 weeks and a day and a half – twice as long as in college. I find that I do not really have anything to do… which is nice, but also frustrating in some ways. Well, it is April, and they say “April showers bring May flowers.” I don’t know about you, but I will not be getting any showers where I am! And really, that quote is misleading – I have waited for it to come true all my life and the progression just never really seemed as straightforward as “they” would lead you to think… I’m rambling.

-Sickness: In my last prayer letter I mentioned a few people needing surgery. The director had his surgery yesterday, and the report says that it went well. Please pray for his recovery and physical therapy. I also mentioned one of the dorm moms, when she got to the States they discovered she had an absess. On Tuesday she is having surgery to get it removed. Please pray for the doctors as they prepare for it. Pray that the cause for the absess will be discovered so that they can know how to prevent it happening again. And pray that her recovery is quick so that she can soon return to her family.

-Missionaries: Please continue to lift up Jose daSilva and Zeneide in prayer. There is a petition going around to convince the Brazilian and Senegalese governments – especially the Brazilian one, I think – to take action. The link follows: https://www.change.org/petitions/governo-do-senegal-presidente-dilma-rousseff-itamaraty-liberta%C3%A7%C3%A3o-de-mission%C3%A1rios-brasileiros-presos-no-senegal

Please sign if you feel led.

Here is an update:

We reached 50,000! Thank you everyone who has voted so far. It's amazing to think that just a few days ago we were trying to reach 5,000. God's good. Keep praying, the situation is still very messy.

Here's an update by a friend in Senegal:

Just to give you an update on Jose Dilson E Marli and Zendeide. They are still in prison here in Thies waiting for the appeal to go forward in Dakar. They have been encouraged this week by three pastors from Brazil who have come to be with them and to minister in the prison! One is a dentist and another is a psychologist. The dentist is seeing between 50-70 prisoners a day to work on their teeth! They are having a huge impact. The other two pastors are listening to and counseling people there. Jose and Zeneide are getting to help with all this which means that Marli and their son, Zucky get to spend more time with them as they are also helping. Thank you so much for all your prayers. Please pray for the petition to reach the right people, as well.

-Recruiting: A little while ago I mentioned that we are in the process of finding staff to fulfill our needs for next year. There is a page on the website: http://dakar-academy.org/staff/employment_opportunities/employment_opportunities.htm. Our most urgent need is for a Business Manager. If you know anyone interested in working overseas, tell them about DA – I may be biased, but it is a great school! There are several people who have applied for the positions, but sometimes discernment is difficult. Please pray that my bosses and I will have wisdom in knowing who is the right person for a position. Pray that God will lead qualified people to our doors.

Well, that is all for now. Have a great day.

Ruthanne

Proverbs 19:23

CHRIST IS RISEN!!!

Magnificent March

March Edition

Hello Friends,

How are you? I hope this letter finds you well. Things are going well here. Last night was the junior class’ biggest fundraiser and it went really well. They were worried because they are a small class (about 27) and were going to be serving 300-400 people, but everything went so smoothly. The weather has been so nice. There was a while where we weren’t sure if the cool season would be cool, but about 3 or so weeks ago it turned. The best part about it is that the price of strawberries is going down!!  

-Sickness: There are a few people who are having serious health issues and need prayer. One of these people is our director. Over Christmas break, he and his wife went to New Zealand to visit their son and daughter-in-law. While there, and since returning, he has experienced major back pain due to the long plane rides. After consulting several doctors, he has been advised to head to the States for surgery on his back. Please pray that he and his wife will be safe as they travel. Pray that the doctors in the States will have wisdom in knowing how to operate. Pray that his recovery will go better than anticipated. And pray for everyone here as we carry on without him and lift them up in prayer. They hope to return at the beginning of May so they can be here for the end of the school year – and the next few years! Another prayer need is one of the dorm parents. A few weeks ago a lump appeared on her neck, and after several doctor’s appointments and an MRI she has also been told that it may be wise for her to go to the States to have it checked out further and possibly operated on. Pray for her and her husband as they look to God for what the best option is. If they have to go to the States, pray that her dorm boys will be well looked after. And finally, the daughter of another dorm parent, and an alumni, is also experiencing back pain. This has been an ongoing problem for a while. The pain will disappear for a while and they’ll think she healed, but then it will come back. She is hoping to go on a mission’s trip this summer and does not want this to hinder that. Pray that the doctors and neurologists involved in her situation will have the knowledge and the wisdom to know what to do for her. Pray that whatever is chosen will not hinder her chance to go on this trip. She is really looking forward to this opportunity she has to share her love for Christ with others (Also, pray that she and her sister – who is also going – will be able to raise the funds necessary for the trip).

-Danielle: She is back in the States and adjusting to life there. Thank you for your prayers about a car, I think I have already mentioned this, but she was able to buy a car soon after returning to the States. She is still searching for a job. As most of us have been in her position before you can identify with her. Please pray that she will be motivated to go out and search for a job. Pray that she will trust God about where she should look and that He has a plan for her.  

-Missionaries: Please continue to lift up Jose daSilva and Zeneide in prayer. Here are two of the latest updates.

From Wednesday:

“Unfortunately we DO NOT have good news. Today I went to the office of one of our attorneys and he gave me the sad news that the Habeas Corpus was DENIED for both Jose Dilson and Zeneide. Reasons? 1) Public disturbance. 2) Lack of assurance of permanency in the country. 3) Continued activities (we suppose they are referring to evangelism). They are illogical reasons that reveal precisely what’s going on behind this whole situation. We do not have all of the details yet. Friday we will have a meeting with our three lawyers to better understand the situation. Our ambassador will be present.
It seems that there will be an appeal to a court of Dakar, however these procedures take at least one month.
Jose Dilson and Zeneide still do not know. They'll know tomorrow. Pray for comfort for them.
Pray for comfort for our children and for the family of Zeneide. The Lord knows our limits and how much we can bear. We are in your hands Lord!!
Jose Dilson E Marli”

As difficult as this news is, here is a letter written by Jose before this news came out. It is so encouraging!

“Letter written by José Dilson, in the prison of Thiés - Senegal
Feb 25, 2013

Dear brothers and sisters,

God is great and merciful. He does not change or stop being what He is, because of the problem or difficulties that I may be experiencing. The circumstances of life, no matter how difficult they may be, do not diminish God's glory or goodness. I cannot in any way keep from looking to my Lord and putting my confidence in Him, my eyes and hope are fixed on Him.It's now two o'clock in the morning, and I cannot sleep. All the nights are hot, without space to turn over, extremely uncomfortable. In spite of all this, I know that Jesus is at my side, and this comforts me. I see my colleagues all asleep, and I keep imagining that Jesus wants to have some time with me for us to talk a little. These are the moments when I have freedom to express my frustrations, my feelings of anguish, my fears - what a dear friend, how I love Him!

During these nights I experience battles you can't imagine. I also feel the presence of the enemy close by, whispering in my ear, saying that God does not care about me. What a fight I wage against self-pity, against the feeling of despair, loneliness, injustice, anger, and so many other feelings that seek to dominate me. I rebuke those mental battles in the name of Jesus, the One who shed even His last drop of blood for me. He is infinitely good, and His mercy endures for ever!

Those battles are fought not just at night, but also during the day. One needs to have a lot of courage, along with humility, and overall the Lord's grace to resist the insults, the acts meant to humiliate us, the arrogance and disrespect. A while back a muslim man approached me and began to verbally attack me saying: "You are nothing. You know nothing. And nothing you teach is worth anything. You are less than the little toe of anyone here." And with many other words he tried to humiliate me more and more. The words he spoke were hard and terrible.

And all I said to him was: "Yes, you can continue. Yes, I am listening. Continue!" He became even more impassioned and poured out a flood of insults trying to drown me in his hellish words. After a brief silence, I asked him: "Have you finished? Have you said everything you want? If so, can I speak now?" With a stern voice he replied: "Speak!", expecting I would reply in a tone of arrogance and anger.

So, I began by saying: "You're right. I really am nothing. I am less than a grain of dirty sand. I am dust. I am a worm. I am a filthy rag. I am a dead dog. And, almost crying, I added: "But I want you to meet someone who was everything, who was the creator of the universe, full of glory, the sovereign Lord, who inspite of all that, loved me so much He gave up his life to be insulted, broken and shed his blood for me. But not only for me, but for you, too. You are important to Him, and He loves you. He died for your sins and rose from the grave so that you could have eternal life."

And when this man heard me say that, it was as if he had been shocked with 50 thousand volts. He never expected that reaction. He expected I'd pay him back with equally harsh words. Then, with a soft voice he told me: "I have been trailing you and watching your movements over the past month. I was sent to test you, to see if you really are a man of God. And I can say that you are the man of God that everyone says you are. For a man of God, when humiliated, is exalted by God. Starting today, you have my respect!"

I was overwhelmed to hear this man recite the Word of God! Now he is one of my best friends. He has not come to Christ, but he has never again opposed my sharing Christ!

My dear brothers and sisters, I want to remind you that your life is hidden in Jesus, regardless of where you are or in what circumstance you find yourself. You might find yourself being humiliated, misunderstood, sad, anguished, sick, facing many needs. I want to encourage you today: "Cast your care upon Him, for He cares for you." Don't let the enemy receive any glory, for the Lord is present, even though He's not solving your problem in the way you had hoped. He will give you grace to endure and to be more than a conqueror.

Some days ago another man, to whom I've been ministering since I first arrived in prison, asked me: "How can I be a Protestant?" I answered: "I'm going to answer your question in way that's different from what you're expecting. I'm going to imagine that you are asking me:How can I receive Jesus in my heart and become converted to Him?" I then showed him some Bible verses, especially Rom 3:23, Rom 6:23, Rom 10:9-10. I told him about the expulsion from paradise, the condemnation to eternal death, the plan of redemption through Jesus and his death on the cross. I told him that it is necessary to believe in Jesus and obey him, and after sharing a few other things I asked him: "Do you want to give your life to Jesus and become one of his disciples, believing and obeying him? He answered: "I do. I want to give him my whole life. I want to live for him." This man is French, 55 years old. The Lord has given me the opportunity of sharing His love with such a diverse audience: catholics, atheists, muslims, christians. Alleluia!

We need to remember that our life belongs to Christ, and since the one who owns us is the Lord, he has the right to use us however he desires, and wherever he desires, to fulfill his perfect will. He is God, the creator. In Him we live, and move and have our existence. What a privilege to be chosen by Him to be in this place and at this moment, in order to be his arms, his feet, his mouth in order to embrace, help and show the way to so many here, who besides being prisoners, are so needy in every imaginable way.

I want to thank all of my brothers and sisters who have been with me in this prison. I can honestly say that my biggest desire used to be to leave here and rejoin those I love. However I have been praying the prayer of Mary: "May your will, Lord, be fulfilled in me." And if it be his will that I stay longer in prison, in order to bring freedom to those who really are captive (physically and spiritually), then may it be. He will give me grace to handle it, as He has so far. And He will give grace to the brothers and sisters who have been giving us the necessary support here.

I do cry and lament over being imprisoned, for I would rather be with my family, my wife, my children, whom I love deeply. Freedom is priceless. How it is precious! I had it for so many years of my life, and I didn't realize how important it was; how I should have taken more advantage of it to spend time with the people I love. But at the same time I rejoice in being a prisoner for the sake of the Gospel.

After the latest hearing (dealing with a man we had hired who claimed to be a lawyer, but really was not), the judge told me: "My work as judge has finished, the only issue that remains now is the fact that you converted children (minors)." He has seen that all of the other charges are false. The judge himself said that we are not "gang leaders" and he sees we are innocent of the enemy's accusations. The judge even told Zeneide that she was unjustly imprisoned.

All of this confirms what I've said from the beginning: I am a prisoner of Christ, and God is my judge. When the moment comes, He will release us from here, and I want to leave with the feeling that I was faithful to the Lord during my journey through this place.

The moments of pain and need, the times of illness, discomfort, loneliness, tears … everything will be rewarded when we shake the hand of hundreds of people there in glory. When I assisted in the funeral for Amadu (a Christian from Liberia who died here in prison on Christmas day), I thought: "One day I will embrace him in glory, and together we will give praise to the Lord for His salvation". May our Lord and Savior whom we have the privilege of serving receive glory!
I would like to thank you for every email and message of encouragement, posts on Facebook, contributions, prayer meetings and times of intercession for us. Only God can really reward you.

I love you, dear friends, and even those I've not yet met personally, but who now are part of our lives, who have demonstrated so much love and affection for me and for Zeneide, as well as for Marli (my beloved wife) and my family (Jonatas, Debora & Zucki). May the Lord continue to shower your lives with blessing.

Christ's prisoner,
José Dilson”

Well, that is all for now. Have a great day.

Ruthanne

Greetings

Ruthanne, servant of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus around the world, together with the overseers and deacons,
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing: that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you since I have you in my heart. For whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer:

That your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God!

FEBRUARY!!!!

February Edition

Hi Friends, 

how are you? I hope this finds you well. This intro paragraph will be random as I can't think of anything clever to say. Much has happened in January in my part of the world: Spiritual Emphasis Week, outreach, people evacuating from Mali again, my parents are on a cruise, and more. The weather here in Dakar can not seem to make up its mind: it is supposed to be cool, and we had about a week of that, but for a good part of the month it has not been cool. And yesterday and today are just icky, with a lot of dust and dryness in the air. But February will be wonderful as it always is. 

-Parents: Currently they are on a cruise in the Bahamas, probably getting back today or tomorrow. While they are not on a cruise they are taking classes getting their master's degrees and praying about their future. Please pray for their time on the cruise, that it will be relaxing and they will stay safe.Pray that when they get back they will be able to focus on their classes and do the work necessary. (I am hoping that having my sister the teacher in the house will motivate them to work harder.) A lot of people ask me what my parents are going to do after their year in the States... well, I don't know. And I don't think that they really know either, it is hard for them to know because the situation in Mali can change so quickly. They just have to trust God about their future. Pray that they will have faith in God about their future, pray that they will have patience, and pray they will trust God no matter what. 

-Mali: As you have probably heard and read about, much is happening in Mali. Only 3 weeks ago, the French started bombing cities that the Islamists had hold of. Because of this, many missionaries no longer felt safe staying there and so evacuated for the second time in a year. Earlier this week it was reported that the French and Malian forces had seized Timbuktu and Gao, two major cities in Northern Mali where the Islamists have been located ever since the coup last April. When they took these cities, it was reported that the Islamists fled farther North. Please continue to pray for this situation.Pray that things will continue to improve, and the Islamists are not just giving false hope. Pray for the missionaries who left, that they will trust God about this situation. Pray that they will have wisdom about when to go back in to continue to work. Pray that the church in Mali will rise up during this time and be a light to the rest of the country. 

-Danielle: First of all, she has a car! Praise the Lord! Right now she is adjusting to living in the States again and searching for a job. Please pray for as she goes about her job search, that she will have the motivation every day to do this tiring and courageous thing of doing something new with her life.Pray that she will have exactly the qualifications that some employer out there is looking for. Pray that she has faith in God about what job she should take. And pray that wherever she works she will be a living example of who Jesus is. 

-Brazilian missionaries: They finally had their hearing about the middle of January and in order to make a final decision, the judge had to go out to the compound and see the place for himself. It was scheduled for the 31st, and that is when he went. Here is a translation of how it went: "We just got back from the visit to the property on which we have the Obadiah project. It was an intense day with a lot of expectations. We left at 9 AM to travel to the project. Jose rode in my car with two policemen. Zeneide was in another car with another policeman. Marco, another Brazilian missionary brought the two lawyers from Thies. The Embassy of Brazil was represented by the Secretary, accompanied by another lawyer from Dakar. Among those present were the judge and his staff, the Secretary, the Registrar, the Prosecutor and two policemen. 

They inspected every part of the project and were very impressed with the facilities. However, they were determined to investigate the religious instruction the children receive. They spoke with each child, staff members and employees at the project.
Yesterday, the project was unexpectedly visited by the government agency responsible for the care of children. They also went through the same procedure of questioning all the children. They were very impressed with all they saw and heard.
At the end of the day, the lawyers stated that the impressions of the project were positive and they were going to request final release of the prisoners. There is the possibility of a temporary release if the judge needs to question more witnesses, which could take a few days due to official procedures.
We thank all of you who faithfully accompanied us in every moment of this process. We have no words to express our gratitude for the care of Christ’s body for us.
Continue steadfast in prayer and confident waiting for the return of our brethren to those who love them, and to see the triumph of the Lord and his work!!!!" 

Please keep this situation in your prayers. 

-Life at DA: This February here at DA we get to enjoy Olympic's Days (in the States this would probably be referred to as field day... pray that the students will be safe and not sustain any inuries), valentine's grams (freshman class fundraiser - pray for them, they only have 16 kids), WAIST (West Africa Invitational Softball Tournament)(one of my favorite times of the year - 3 days jam packed full of softball... plus, no school on Monday!), and senior cafe (senior cafe fundraiser in which people in the community have the opportunity to put on skits and display their creativity to songs, and the audience gets to laugh at them and eat desert). Pray that all of these go well. Especially, for WAIST, that we will be examples of Christ to the many people we will get to interact with. 

-Me: I finally have something to do! I mean, I always do, but now I have a lot and it is wonderful. We are getting into heavy recruiting days - which is part of my job. Also, we are starting to work on our container order for next year - another part of my job. So yesterday afternoon was exciting: recruiting, container, billing people for mileage and pop, and we finally received our phone and internet bills which I am in charge of entering into the computer. And I got it all done! Speaking of recruiting, if you know anyone who is interested in working overseas in a school setting, send them to this link: www.dakar-academy.org/employment_opportunities. Please pray especially for my work with recruiting and the container. Pray that I don't get overwhelmed or stressed about doing them. Pray also for the time I spend with the elementary kids. We got about 12 new kids this semester, and only lost about 3.Pray that the other recess monitors and I will be able to take care of them and watch over them well. Pray that we will be able to be examples of Christ to them. 

Well, I think that is all for now. I hope you have great February's as I am sure I will. Have a great day. Ruthanne

 

Psalm 37:4
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Contact Info: 
Snail Mail: 
BP 3189
Dakar 18523
SENEGAL

Phone:
77-227-9335