Back to School for All Students in Kenya

Kenyan schools are back in session! With cleaning, handwashing, masks and distancing the children and staff are doing well. They are so happy to be together again. It is their hot, dry season and COVID-19 cases in the country are at a low level. The Kenyan government is going to try to make up for all the lost months of education by altering their school calendar through 2023. Please pray for each young life and those adults who care for them as they face the challenges of this new world. 

LETTERS
We will begin the exchange of letters with sponsors and students in February 2021. If all goes well, we will be able to deliver letters each month this year except April. 

Thank you for your life-changing sponsorship! You have been a life line for these families in 2020 and now we return to the mission to offer hope and a better future on this earth and in eternity through education and the message of Jesus!

2020 SCHOOL SCHEDULE

Grade 4 (oldest class in the new school system), Grade 8 (oldest class in primary school) and Grade 12 (seniors in high school)

• Term 1: January - March 2020 before COVID-19 closures

• Term 2: October - December 2020 (only classes allowed to return to school in late 2020)

• Term 3: January - March 2021

• April 2021 they will take national assessments and wait to hear the results

• They will go to their next level of education with the rest of the classes at the end of July 2021 at which time all students will begin the 2021 school year

All Other Grade Levels from Preschool to High School

• Term 1: January - March 2020 before COVID- closures

• Term 2: January - March 2021

• March 20 - May 7 they will be on school break while grades 4, 8 and 12 take their national assessments

• Term 3: May 10 - July 16, 2021

2021 SCHOOL SCHEDULE

• All preschool - high school students are back on the same schedule

• Term 1: July 26, 2021 - October 1, 2021

• Term 2: October 11, 2021 - December 23, 2021

• Term 3: January 3, 2022 - March 4, 2022

• March & April 2022: national assessments for grades 5, 8 and 12 and marking

2022 SCHOOL SCHEDULE

• Term 1: April 25, 2022 - July 1, 2022

• Term 2: July 11, 2022 - September 16, 2022

• Term 3: September 26, 2022 - November 25, 2022

• December 2022: national assessments for grades 5, 8 and 12

• January 2023: marking national assessment

2023 SCHOOL YEAR: January 23 - December
2024 SCHOOL YEAR: back to normal beginning the first week in January and ending in November with national assessments

National Exams in Kenya

The 2019 Kenya school year is in the books! School officially ended last Friday with preschool graduations and a closing awards ceremony.
The new school year begins in January, but before then we have almost 100 students finishing primary school and high school that will be taking national exams that will determine their next steps.
Fifty three students finishing grade 8 are sitting for their national exams today, tomorrow and Thursday. The results of these exams will determine if and where they will attend high school. They have prepared well.
There are 43 of our students finishing high school. Their exams will take three weeks in November. Students who do well will be invited to attend university that is highly subsidized.
There is a lot of stress for these students. Will you please pray with us for them?

Goats and Chickens - an update

Flashback to the spring of 2016 when the Fox River family was invited to "Show Love" and give in new ways by blessing our Kenya family with goats and chickens. I loved this idea and allowed for it to snowball a bit. I gathered donations from family, friends outside of Fox River and my classroom in kids' ministry to be able to broaden the blessing. Ultimately, we had enough to purchase 10 goats and 20 chickens. How fun is that?!?  To make it more personal, I purchased dog collars and made name tags for the goats.

The two children we sponsor received Bunco Billy and Henrietta. Imagine my joy when a letter the following year let me know that Bunco Billy had a kid who was named Paul (after the one and only from the Bible!) Fast forward to this January when I was able to see Bunco Billy's newly born second kid, Silas. Seeing the literal harvest of seeds planted years ago was amazing. My mind and heart continue to swirl with the lessons learned on sowing and reaping that is talked about so much in the Bible. 

Bunco Billy with baby Silas

Besides seeing the goats, there was the flurry of fuzzy little chicks scurrying after their mamas.  Walking through the villages, the abundance of this blessing was crystal clear. From eggs to babies growing up to have more babies, God's ability to take what we offer and exponentially expand what we give was mind blowing. I had been guilty in the past of underestimating the impact my giving through "My Gift for Jesus" had on the lives of not only the children I support but also their families. When I had the opportunity to visit Pahe's home, they had prepared a special lunch in honor of my visit. This included chicken which they had specifically sacrificed out of thanks for what I am able to do for their family through my $25 each month. I was overwhelmed by their generosity in light of their daily struggle to provide for their family and have enough to eat for themselves. I was challenged to consider if I ever give to that extent and was so grateful for their example.  

God continues to work in my heart upon my return. I will continue to pray that He will show me ways to pray, live and give in new ways. What might He be calling you to do? Imagine the possibilities if you say "yes" to Him!!

Meet Paul!

I wish you could have heard her laughter as she tried to get a goat to pose for a picture!!

All's Well That Ends Well

This last week both our schools in Bomani and Vipingo have taken a break after finishing term 2 successfully. This is common to do here in the Kenyan Education System.

Bomani grade 8 students at Haller Park with the Fox River Team

Vipingo grade 8 students at Haller Park with the Fox River Team

Community is such an important aspect of our Kenyan culture. Relationships always trump agendas and we try hard to make sure we make time for the good stuff -  fellowship with each other.

The Team that makes everything happen at the schools.

This was a longer term for the schools and was also filled with the blessing of many visitors. We decided to wrap up a little bit differently with a gathering of staff from both schools. We met at Vipingo where we watched a movie titled Mully - (worth looking for), played games and finished up with eating some nice Byriani - a Kenyan coastal speciality.

Inspirational Movie Time - Mully Movie

All work and no play makes us all dull.

Lunch was scrumptious 

We had this time of fellowship to focus on the ever important community that is being built every year as the schools grow. Both schools are uniquely different but have one main focus - to educate young children in their faith and their academics to one day change their own destiny, direction and community.

After Fellowship came Swallowship

O’Neal moderating 

We ended the term with a real bang and were so thankful for our time together. Please keep our students in prayer over these 3 weeks term break that they may:

- Stay safe while at home.

- Continue their walk with Jesus by attending Church and youth programs.

- Make good choices and return back to school rested and healthy.

In Team there is no Me.

Please also take time to pray for the teachers and the support staff. They do a wonderful job and we are immensely grateful for them!