Renee and Ian are definitely changing!
Changes:
As we returned from Home Assignment, we were overjoyed to serve with the third family who joined the Loki AIM AIR team, Patrick and Jana Crisp and their three kids. Finally a full team! … for five months. Jerry and Breanna, who had maintained the Loki Base Manager position for four years, agreed to accept the Director of Operations position in Nairobi which meant the Base Manager position in Loki would be vacant. AIM AIR leadership asked us to consider taking the new responsibility, and after careful prayer, we accepted. Joel has officially stepped into Base Manager, as Jerry prepares to move their family back to Nairobi in April. With only two pilots stationed here for now, Joel will be kept quite busy as the primary Caravan pilot and Base Manager responsibilities. Please pray for us in this season of change, balancing ministry obligations with time with the Lord and family.
Returning precious passengers back to their village after 3
months of treatment at Kijabi Mission Hospital.
Getting the Gospel OUT THERE!
Joel did a trip about 2 years ago for World Mission distributing a solar Bible called the Treasure. It was one of the most impactful trips he had done and while we were back on Home Assignment, we shared this story with many of you. In doing so, we became quite convicted that we had not introduced the Treasure to our own village of Lokichoggio. Around Christmas, we were able to acquire and distribute several of these Treasures in the local Turkana language. The response was amazing. The thirst for the gospel amongst these people blew us away. We started communications with World Mission to have them come to Loki to share the Treasure with the local pastors and church leaders working here in this Turkana region. World Mission sent a team to Loki in the beginning of March, and we were able to distribute about 100 of these Treasures to local pastors. We would like more. We are constantly being asked for the “radio bible”. Every time we leave the house or go into town, people are asking for one. A number of times folks back home have asked what projects they can help with. We are in the process of opening up a project to purchase roughly 200 of these Treasures. If you are interested, please contact us and we will work out the details on how you can be a part of getting the Treasure into the hands of this very thirsty region of Kenya.
At the beginning of the year, as the thirst for the auditory Word was taking off, we were inquiring of the Lord what direction to take the ANA devotions. These ladies, like most villagers in Loki, don’t read and therefore have never heard a book of the Bible from start to finish. We’ve been teaching Acts, one chapter a week (Acts was a request from one of the Turkana ANA leaders).
LaReina leading bible study at the ANA Group
Kid-Life:
Renee and Ian are glad to be home where they can concentrate on school, their cats, and friends. Their slave-driving PE teacher (that would be LaReina) had all the Loki AIM AIR kids do the US/Canada National Fitness test. These kids are amazing. They did the mile run on a thorny, sandy road in 90+ degree weather, the shuttle run on the least sandy pavement(ish) ground the teacher could find, flexed arm hang from a tree, sit-ups, and V-leg sit-stretch for flexibility. So proud of them for pushing through harsh conditions, pushing past mental barriers, and meeting the national goals in the desert of Africa.
Thank you…
once again for your love, prayers and financial support. God is moving in this region, but even as we write this, gunfire is heard in the river valley near our home. The peace treaty that was signed at Christmas time has been broken (again). Freedom in Christ will not be ground that our enemy wants to surrender easily. Please pray for the Turkana and Taposa people, and the hostility that remains in their hearts.
In His Service,
Joel, LaReina, Renee and Ian
