Coming out of the tunnel

There are times in your life when you can look back and say wow! How did I make it through that? Then you turn to God who is standing next to you and realize you did it only with His strength. The first 3 months into our new term were tough. We felt challenged at every turn. Towards the end of October we started to feel like we were finally coming out of a dark tunnel and November felt like we started living again instead of just surviving.

September found us continuing without Power 3 days a week and not muchwater. Every year near us the city has a local fair and much of the city's

water gets diverted to this fair. So we continued to order water from the water trucks each week and planned our week according to the blackouts. We bought a generator to help us run our fridge for a few hours during the day so that our food wouldn't go bad. I began the Bible study at our house on Tuesdays again and Sept. and October seemed to be filled with helping people in need. I think God revealed to me that is His plan for me right now, to be available for people He brings me whom I can minister to.

Transitioning Kayla into a new school proved to be more intense than we had hoped for. September and October were trying months as we had to figure out a routine that helped her the most. At the end of September we met with her teachers at the school and the plan was to put her into the special education program but we asked if she could have one more month to settle in. At the end of October we all reevaluated her progress and she was greatly

improved in her attitude and functioning at school and didn't need special education assistance at this time. We finally have her completely on her special diet and feel like we have the gluten free

cooking under control. Thanks to a friend who came out in October we were able to get

a bread maker and now are able to make special bread each week that she will actually eat. The Lord just continues to amaze me in His provision for Kayla each day. Where else but in some few countries in Africa would we be able to find a health food store that provides all the special flours we need (gluten free, potato, tapioca, rice flour) and special rice milk. He has provided a lab where we could get all her special tests done for the new medications she is

on and He has provided a new therapist for her that will come out to the school. This therapist just moved back from another country in Africa and is the only one around who can travel and lives near us. God's provision for Kayla these past few months has just been overwhelming to me, it is confirmation again that we are right where God wants us to be. We have always said if we couldn't get the right help we need for Kayla that we would have to think about leaving the field. Our God is the ultimate provider.

Also in September we were able to work with Mama Kennedy and her family again as they were evicted from their home unexpectedly and the families they worked for went on furlough

unexpectedly and so they were left without food, home, and provision for their kids to go to school. We had several supporters of ours who stepped in to help them. They jumped up and down for joy as they saw God providing for them through us. I visited them at the end of September and they had found a house to live, new jobs, and their boys were now in school. Their house is really small but they invited me in for a small meal and to tell me about how God is providing for them. It's a pleasure to help several Kenyan families through your support.

In October our power outages just stopped one week and we realized how appreciative we were of the power that we do get. We also found out someone had almost closed the valve near our water meter to off and this was mostly why we weren't getting a whole lot of water. We were still having water shortages in Kenya but our house was getting even less water because someone had turned this valve off :( argh I didn't even know we had this valve. Till one day the water

meter guy came,opened it to full force, and amazingly its been three weeks and we haven't had to order awatertruck yet. So I am now able to tell you that I truly appreciate water and that it is extremely valuable to life :) thanks Lord for that reminder. Hope I don't need that lesson again soon. We also had Fiesta night party with our Seniors. We made a pinata, had a taco bar, and played board games. We have been working hard with the senior class to do fundraisers to raise money for their senior trip in April.

November found us very thankful that our utilities were all working, Kayla was getting more balanced in her daily life, and we felt more rested. For thanksgiving we visited our friends at Rift Valley Academy about an hour north of Nairobi . We cooked turkey, had homemade pies, and played American Football. The kids enjoyed sledding down the grass hill on plastic sleds....sorry for those of you in the midst of winter our sledding is on grass under beautiful sunshine as we move into nice summer days.

Eric finished up the final requirements for accreditation this fall and he felt good getting the bulk

of that work done so that he can rest over Christmas. We had several fundraisers for the Senior class as they are preparing for their big Senior trip to the coast of Kenya in April. Eric organized a school wide selling of West Nairobi school sweatshirts as the first fundraiser and then the seniors put together our first talent show. We had lots of kids tryout and had a packed room full of parents, staff, and students. Eric was the host and also wrote skits for the teachers to perform in between the acts. If our internet was faster I would upload his skit as Craig the lame high school cheerleader from Saturday night live from the 90's. He was a great MC and their performance was hilarious. It was fun watching the high schoolers be a part of this night and for me to see them having fun as sometimes we can loose perspective as to why we came in the midst of the daily work.

We hope that your family is doing well and we pray that as you move into this December and Christmas time that you would not forget the reason we live.....Christ. May He move in you this Christmas in a new way.

Prayer requests:

Eric and Kara- 1/Would you pray we find rest over the 3 week Christmas break...we are tired. 2/We will be taking a family vacation in January pray all goes smoothly and that Kayla adjusts well to the transitions.

3/Kara's friend Dawn (her husband was killed in a plane crash in August) is back in Nairobi pray God gives her wisdom on how to be a good friend and strength as she supports her.

4/ we invited a few pastors from our church in California to be a part of our Graduation in May will you pray if God wants them to be a part of it that He will reveal it to them by end of January.

Blessings on your Christmas