Home Assignment Update

 

November 2019

Jambo Friends,

This week we celebrated Veterans Day, a day when we remember the men and women who served or serve in the armed forces, willing to lay down their lives to keep us safe and free.  Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) Our soldiers are willing to do just that to protect us.  Jesus Christ did that to save us.  Thank a veteran for their service and thank God for sending Jesus to pay our penalty for sin so that we could be free!

It has now been a little more than three months since we returned to the states from serving at Rift Valley Academy.  We are settled in a mission house sponsored by First Baptist Church of Lee’s Summit and getting re-settled in the states.  The girls are enjoying kindergarten, ballet, and Girl Scouts.  Becky is involved in a Bible study and two moms groups at the church, leading the Girl’s Scout troop, and doing all the “mom” things, like packing lunches for school and volunteering in the girls’ classrooms. John is busy working on updating an old rental house and looking at ways to continue serving with Africa Inland Mission while we are state side.

All of us our thinking about what comes next.  We loved our two years in Kenya as a family. We loved serving the students at Rift Valley Academy in multiple roles, including teacher, sponsor, Sunday School Teacher, and Caring Community leaders.  We came home to the states tired, but thankful we had been able to be a part of the students’ lives.

Our future plans at this time are unsure.  We are praying about what God would have us do.  Currently, we feel both pulled to Kenya and pulled to remain in the states.  We have no current timetable in mind for returning to Kenya yet, but we have certainly not closed the door on that chapter. 

However, because we do not have current plans to return to Kenya, we will be moved to “Inactive” status with the mission, starting on December 1, 2019.  AIM will no longer be accepting donations to our account until we become active again.  If you are on automatic withdrawal, then you need to cancel the withdrawal.  If you would like to continue donating to AIM, Becky and I know of several worthy causes or people to whom you could donate to.

Thank you for all your prayers, support, and encouragement over the last two years, and for some, over the past twenty years of John’s ministry.  Because of your partnership in this ministry, the Gospel is being preached, Africans are being trained for service, and the lost are finding forgiveness and being saved!

In the love of the Savior we serve, 

John, Becky, Ruthie, and Gracie Myrick

Grayson, Becky, Ruthie, Gracie, and John and the twins' November ballet recital

Becky giving directions at RVA

John serving pancakes at our home in RVA

Ruthie greeting children at our first church visit in June 2017

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Becky, John, and Dan at the RVA Farewell Tea

A local woman and children carrying firewood.  The wood will be used for a fire to cook their food.
 Picture taken by Diane Rozier

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Hugs for Cousin Rachel on graduation day at RVA

Chai with friends

Rhinos in the Nairobi Game Park.  You can see the city in the background.

Roasting hot dogs at Uncle Dan's house at RVA

The preschool class and parent teachers

Ruthie's preschool Graduation

Gracie's Preschool Graduation

Third Term Update

Greetings from Kenya!  Winter has come and the air is getting cooler. Thank you for praying for rain.  It has been wetter this past month and we have enjoyed a fire to help keep our home warm.

Reading by the fire

This has been a busy term!  In May, on the second weekend of the term, the school hosted Titchie weekend.  John worked at the Elementary School's carnival and Becky directed the actors in the musical, "Joseph, This is Your Life".  Our twins loved all the games at the carnival.  Gracie especially loved climbing the rope and Ruthie loved having her face painted. The 5th/6th grade students shined as they sang and danced to retell the story of Joseph and his journey from the pit to the palace.

During the last weekend of May, Becky attended AIM's Women's Retreat at a conference center about 40 minutes from campus.  The conference was lead by a team of 12 women who came from a church in Iowa.  They planned mini sessions, crafts, special American snacks, and brought all the supplies needed from America.  They were such a blessing to the Missionary Women!  This year's guest speaker is a missionary in Western Kenya and has a child attending RVA.  She is an incredible speaker and Becky was moved by many of her examples as she spoke about Hope and focused on Romans 15:30 "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Becky and her roommates at the Women's Conference

The girls are growing and love attending preschool three days a week!  In June we took the preschoolers on a walking field trip.  We toured the kitchen in the cafeteria and saw where the boarding school students' laundry is washed.  The girls' favorite part was stepping into the large refrigerator and riding in the large laundry carts while touring the laundry room.  We ended our field trip with an ice cream treat from RVA's Arcade, the school's store.

The walk in fridge in the cafeteria.

The preschoolers loved riding in the cart to look at the large washers and dryers.

Here are more pictures from third term:

Becky helped our inside worker, Momma Mary, make her first bundt cake.  

The twins having chai with Momma Mary, Joel (our outside worker), and one of their preschool friends.  Momma Mary takes a chai break at 10 am and 3 pm each day she works for us.

John serving pancakes to our guests, his 6th grade students.

The twins have loved help us to host 6th grade pancake dinners. The 6th graders can eat a lot of pancakes!! 

We attended the Sophomore Restaurant.  The Sophomores provided child care and a delicious dinner.

Praise God we were able to sell our car and 6th Grade Safari was a success.  Thank you for praying for both of those prayer requests.  Please join us in prayer for the follow requests:

1.  Leaving:  Pray for the sixth graders as they transition to junior high, Pray for the seniors as they prepare to graduate and transition to the next chapter of their lives.  Pray for our family as we prepare to go on furlough in Missouri.  

2.  Resettling:  Pray for the seniors as they settle into University or their first jobs post graduation.  Pray that they stay strong in their faith as they find their place in the world.  Pray for our family as we move into a home in Lee's Summit, MO for a year.   We will be arriving on July 29 and will prepare for the girls to start Kindergarten on August 14.  Pray our furlough will be restful and productive.

3.  Safe Travels:  The seniors will be going on Senior Safari at the end of this week.  Please pray for their safety as they travel to and from the beach.  Pray for all of the students and staff who will be traveling at the end of the term.  Pray for our family as we travel on July 18 to Europe.  Pray for Becky's dad as he travels to Europe to spend time with our family. 

As we reflect on the past two years, we are thankful for our time at RVA and are grateful for all that God has done. Thank you for walking along side us, praying with us, and helping us to serve our mighty God.   We look forward to meeting with our supporters this next year and sharing all that God is doing in Kenya.

In the love of the Savior we serve,

John, Becky, Ruthie, and Gracie

Praying Together for the Start of Term 3

🙏Hello Prayer Partners! 🙏

Today we attended staff meetings for Term 3.  There were several prayer requests shared.  Would you join me in prayer every day for the next week for RVA's staff and students?  There will be one request to focus on for each day.  I've listed the prayer focus for each day below.  To help you remember, you might want to print this page and post it where you will see it and be reminded to pray.  I plan to add it to my phone's calendar so it will remind me each day to pray at a certain time.  As a family, we will include the daily prayer at meals and bed time.  

Here are the daily prayer requests:

Thursday, April 25:  Pray for the Seniors as they prepare for their last term at RVA.  Many of the boarding students will be saying good-bye to their African home countries.  After graduation, many of the students will travel to start their next chapter and may not return to the area that they have considered home.  Pray for the Seniors as they decide what this next chapter in their life may look like.  Many are planning to attend university and have to decide which school to attend.

Friday, April 26:  Pray for safe travels.  Some boarding students travel from far away and will start their journey to RVA on Thursday or Friday so they can arrive by Saturday.  Pray that the flights will be on time and will fly safely.  Pray that the staff driving to pick up students from the airport will be alert on the road and will arrive safely.  Pray for the families, also, who are driving their students to RVA.

Saturday, April 27:  Pray for rain and the end of the drought in Kenya.  As we are suffering from lack of rain, Cyclone Kenneth threatens SE Africa, including Mozambique.   Mozambique is still trying to recover from Cyclone Idai that killed 700 people.  Pray for the safety of those in the path of the cyclone.  Some of our students will be traveling from these areas while leaving family and friends to deal with the storm and the clean up.

Sunday, April 28:  Pray for the students starting classes this week and for dorm students' transition from being with family to being back in the dorm.  

Monday, April 29:  Pray for Peter, the acting superintendent, who is filling in while the superintendent is on furlough.  Pray for his wisdom, endurance, patience, and leadership.

Tuesday, April 30:  Pray for RVA's staff as they start a new term.  Along with teaching and caring for students, the staff is working on restructuring the roles of leadership and setting goals to tackle issues brought forward in the cultural audit conducted during term 2.  Pray for God's wisdom and guidance as the staff focuses on challenging issues such as bullying, racial equality, and gender equality.

Wednesday, May 1:  Pray for RVA's mentoring program.  Pray that the staff mentoring students will be encouraging while sharing truth from the Bible.  Pray for the students to be open minded and to ask the tough questions as they work on making the faith their own. 

Phillipians 4:6 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Jeremiah 29:12-13 says, "Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

Lord, hear our prayers!

Thank you, friends, for joining us in daily prayer for the next week.  Our first day of focused prayer will be tomorrow, Thursday April 25.

In Him,

John, Becky, Ruthie, and Gracie Myrick

Celebrations

Happy Easter! 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade.  This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 1 Peter 1:3-4

This is a day to celebrate!  He is risen!  Like us, we hope that you were able to spend this special day with loved ones! 

As we reflect on our second term at RVA, we have celebrated in a variety of ways. 

Our dear friend, Diane, came to visit us for two weeks in February.

 We went on a safari in the Masai Mara, visited the giraffe center, and shared RVA and Kijabe with Diane.

We took Diane to a Sunday School Outreach in a village in the valley.  With the retired Kenyan Pastor, Peter, high school students lead the outreach and teach the love of Jesus Christ with children that gather in an empty lot in the village.  They play games, sing songs, and share stories of Jesus.

Top left:  A village boy helped Gracie to tie her shoe.

During mid-term, we went camping in Hell's Gate.

 We hosted John's sixth grade students for pancake suppers during this last term.  We hosted 4 to 5 students a few times a week.  It was a great way to connect with the students and spend time with them outside the classroom.

On Valentine's Day, the girls delivered cookies and cards to our guards who help to keep us safe at RVA.

The Juniors and Seniors attended Banquet with a Beauty and the Beast theme.  Our girls dressed up for a picture with Cousin Rachel (senior) and her date, Tyler.

Becky helped our friend and inside worker, Emily, decorate cakes for her church's retirement celebration.

On March 16, John and Becky celebrated six years of marriage.  We celebrated with an overnight trip to Nakuru Game Park.

We saw many pink flamingos, eight rhinos, and watched the buffalo keep the nervous zebra out of the watering hole.

The girls turned five on March 26.  We celebrated with about 13 of their preschool friends and invited about eight of their Junior High friends to help us with the party.  Everyone had a fabulous time celebrating!

We also celebrated with family and friends!

Top right:  Gracie shared birthday treats with her preschool class (Ruthie did too but I don't have a pic of that)
Bottom left:  Torrie, Uncle Dan, Cousin Levi, Uncle Brian, and Uncle James came for pizza and cupcakes.
Bottom right:  Celebrating with aunts is the best!  We love Aunt Shelly and Aunt Missy.

The girls attend preschool two days a week and a t-ball class once a week.  They loved meeting with their friends and learning how to play the game.  At the end of the term they played in a game against the parents.  We all enjoyed the fun in the sun!

Ruthie is in the yellow shirt and Gracie is wearing her red "team" dress.  

March 30 was the end of second term.  During our vacation we have had several doctor and dentist appointments.  We also spent a morning visiting Crescent Island.

We were able to stand close to the giraffes and study them as they had a morning snack.

·        We are starting to pack for our home assignment and are celebrating some of our lasts before we return to the states.  We will be leaving RVA on July 18 and meeting Becky’s Dad in London to tour England and the northern coast of France/Belgium.  God willing, we will arrive in the states on July 29.  A church in Lee’s Summit is providing a missionary home for our family to live in and the girls will start Kindergarten in August. 

After today, we have a week of vacation left, then the students return for third term on Saturday, April 27.  As we begin to serve our last three months of this school year, we have a few prayer requests.  Please join us in prayer for:
       1.   Our family finishing the year well and strong.

             2.  The students and safe travels as they return to school.

             3.  John and Becky’s wisdom as they teach and guide students.

             4.  John’s 6^th graders and their studies in Bible class,  That John will be able 
                  to fully and answer their questions and they will grow in their 
                  knowledge and love of Christ.

             5.  Ruthie and Gracie as they continue to grow and understand more about God.  

                   Also pray for their transition and that they have peace as we pack up our home 
                   and prepare to move back to the states. 

             6.  We feel it is best to sell our car before we leave for home assignment.  
                   Please pray that we will be able to find someone who is willing 
                   to buy our car.

Thank you for your prayers!

In the love of the Savior we serve,

John, Becky, Ruthie, and Gracie

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6

New Year, New Term, and New Prayer Requests

Jambo!
 As I, Becky, write this it is Wednesday night and I have dorm duty.  Being a dorm parent is a 24 hour job, so RVA staff cover their dorm to give them the night off.  I cover for a single dorm mom who has 20 Junior and Senior female boarding students.  Tonight I brought dorm treats (carrot sticks and poppy seed muffins) and many of the girls have come out to greet me in the lobby and eat the treats.  Several of the seniors are working on writing fables and are giggling as their creative juices begin to flow.  Students come and go as they attend study groups, complete homework at the library, or meet friends at late Studie.  A few girls arrived after 7 pm because they had field hockey games in Nairobi.  They hung around to share stories from the games and bus ride.  A few other girls sat and chatted with me about Banquet coming up in a few weeks and who they thought might invite them to be their date.  Banquet is a fancy dinner theater put on by the Junior class for the Juniors and Seniors and their class sponsors.  The guys plan elaborate ways to ask the gals to attend with them.  You can imagine how excited the girls are as the date gets closer!

My twin girls are also excited and counting down the number of sleeps they have until Saturday gets here.  Titichie (elementary school) Water Field day is on Saturday!  The girls loved racing down the huge water slide last year and are determined to ride the slide many times again this year.  Since John is a Titiche teacher, he will be running one of the stations.  So I will be walking around to each station with my girls.  I will try to take pictures to caputre the excitement on their faces! 

This is a pic from last year.  It shows the girls, and their preschool friend, as the prepared to go down the water slide.

 This weekend is Titchie Weekend and John starts with an open house on Friday.  The boarding students and station students invite their parents to join them for class on Friday.  On Saturday, there will be the field day and the Seniors will sell breakfast and lunch at their store to raise money for their Senior trip to the coast.  On Sunday, the Titchie students will host the RVA Church Service and prepare to tell their parents good-bye once again until mid-term in February.

John teaching 6th grade.

Along with the Titchi activities, John will also be taking care of our girls solo while I attend the 9th grade girls' retreat.  I am one of the 9th grade Sunday School Teachers and have a small group of 9th graders with a senior girl to help me lead discussions.  In Sunday School, we have been reading Becoming Who You Are in Christ  by Allie Marie Smith.  Saturday we leaving campus after the water field day and we have many special activites planned that are related to the book.  The purpose of the retreat is to have time away from school to relax, have fellowship, have group discussions and time for private reflection as the girls think about their idenity in Christ and their boundaries with relationships.

As the weekend approaches, please join us in prayer.  Please pray for:
*the parents traveling to school for Titchie Weekend
*John as he welcomes parents into his classroom, runs a station at the water field day, and cares for the girls while I'm away
*the 9th grade girls.  Pray for them to pause and listen for God's voice.  Pray for them to be open to the discussions and for each individual girl to hear what she needs to help her grow healthy relationships.
*the 9th Grade Sunday School teachers as they prepare for the event.  Pray that the teachers will meet the needs of the girls and will be guided by the Holy Spirit as they have conversations with groups and individual students.
*me, Becky, as I prepare to be away for the night and prepare to spend time with the 9th grade girls.  Pray that I will see what needs to be done and will have God's wisdom as I lead my small group.

Thank you for your prayers!  We are thankful that we have a loving God and a suppportive prayer team!

In the love of the Savior we serve,
Becky, as well as John, Ruthie, and Gracie

Gracie checking out a book at the Titchie library. The books is about princesses, one of her favorite subjects!

The girls checking out nonfiction books about shells and oceans.

Ruthie having Ms. Ruth help her check out a book.  They love books with silly rhymes! 

The girls love finding new picture books to borrow.

We are thankful that RVA has a well stocked children's library!

Christmas in Kijabe, Kenya

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
John 3:16   
 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  RVA has been on break since the end of November and we have been catching up on our sleep, enjoying family time, and celebrating the birth of our Savior.   
Here are some pictures to show what we have been doing in December:

Decorating the Kijabe Hospital

We hung balloons, streamers, and decorated trees.

Shopping in Kijabe for our last Christmas Gift

John was looking for a pair of shoes. One shoe from each pair was strung on string.  Once you found which one you wanted, the owner would find the match in the bag (shown above).

Hand Cookies with Uncle Dan, the Wagners, and Uncle James' family

Cousin Abby helping Ruthie

Cousin Abby helping Gracie cut out her hand cookie.

James and Shelly with their decorated cookies.

Rachel, Abby, and Becky

Cousin Lizzy with Gracie singing Christmas Carols with RVA

Ruthie with Daddy 

Getting ready to sing Christmas Carols at RVA with Cousin Levi, Ruthie, and Uncle Dan.

We are ready for the Gingerbread House Contest with our RVA Family.

One of our favorite Gingerbread Houses....Noah's Ark

Our girls counting down the days until Christmas!

During the break, the girls loved spending time with their cousins!

The girls cut out Christmas sugar cookies with Daddy's help.

We tried something new this year when decorating the cookies.  We painted on the thin icing.  The girls loved that they could put the icing on themselves and added many sprinkles!

The girls remember sledding last year when it snowed on Christmas Eve.  So we took them "sledding" the Kijabe way!  We cut a box in half and the girls quickly slid down the steep hill.  

On Christmas Eve, we sang Christmas Carols at the hosptial.  Our group of about 15 sang to the patients in Casualty (emergency room).  We had our family picture taken under the decorations we had helped put up several weeks before.

On Christmas Eve we hosted dinner and dessert with our family.  Then John read the Christmas Story from the Bible to the girls, we hung our stockings, and left cookies with milk for Santa.

On Christmas Morning at 6 am, it was still Christmas Eve in Missouri.  We sang Christmas Carols with Becky's Dad, her brother and his family, and cousins.  Then we opened Christmas presents and had brunch with John's twin brother and his family.  In the afternoon we went for a Christmas Day hike around campus and enjoyed the warm Kijabe December weather.

Our family in Missouri.  We hooked up the computer to our TV so we could skype and sing Christmas carols with them.  We were grateful for the strong internet connection at 6 am so we could share this time with our family.

We have enjoyed our break!  On January 2 and 3 we have staff meetings and the students return for term 2 on Saturday, January 5.  Classes resume on January 7.  Please pray for safety as the students travel back to campus.  John will drive a bus on Saturday to pick up some of the students flying in. 
Please pray for the staff and students for the start of another term.  Students will be adjusting again to life at a boarding school and the staff will be preparing their lessons and activities. 
John will continue teaching Grade 6 and Becky will be teaching preschool again.  Ruthie and Gracie have missed seeing their friends several days a week.  We will be ready to get back into a routine again and look forward to Becky's friend visiting in February over mid-term. 

Thank you for your prayers!  We pray that the New Year will bring you joy in the blessings from God.

Happy 2019!

Love,
The Myricks

John, Becky, Ruthie, and Gracie