Kid's Update

Steven (11th) and Melody (9th) have had a great first year at Rift Valley Academy (RVA). They have only 4 weeks of school left to finish out the school year, and then they come home for a six week break. They have been blessed with wonderful dorm parents, have made many new friends, and have been involved with lots of fun activities. 

RVA is located on an escarpment that overlooks the Rift Valley. The views from the school are breathtaking, with Mt. Longonot in the distance, and the valley spread out as far as you can see.  From Steven's dorm room window, he can see the mountain, and watch the antics of the monkeys in the trees. 

View of Mt. Longonot from Rift Valley Academy

Their school schedule is September - July, with the months of December, April and August as break months. The December break is usually from Thanksgiving through the new year, so they are home for those major holidays.  We have been able to see the kids about every 3 weeks or so, and this has worked very well. They have cell phones also, and we talk to them several times a week. This has allowed us to feel very connected to them and a part of their lives, even though we can't see them everyday.  They also have a mid-term break each term when they come home for a long weekend half-way through the term. It always feels like a holiday when they come home for this, as I usually make their favorite foods. These times are always very special and we cram a lot of visiting into those 3 days!

Steven has been playing rugby this term on the school JV team. It is a little like American football, without timeouts and minus protective gear. It is scary to watch, but Steven absolutely loves it, and has had fun on the team. We are slowly learning the game, and enjoy watching the few games we can get to.

 Mom and Steven after a rugby match

Melody just finished volleyball season on the Varsity girl's team.  Volleyball is my favorite sport to watch, so it was fun seeing her in a few games as well. Their team came away with winning finals this year, so that was very special.

Melody playing v-ball at a home game

Kayla and Ashley are finished with their school year, so they are enjoying a nice, long summer break!  Kayla turns 12 this Friday, and I can't believe she will be in Jr. High this fall. Ashley will be in 4th grade. They are at Camp Blue Sky this week. It is a camp run by Christians, and they bring their counselors here from Christian universities in the States for the summer. This is always a very fun time for the kids, and they have lots of activities like swimming, rock climbing, high ropes course, and many fun games. We are very thankful they can have a Christian camp experience in Kenya!

Kayla and Ashley had a wonderful school year with their other MK homeschooled friends at Tenwek. We had a co-op, so most of us moms taught different subjects. This was great, and the kids enjoyed having group classes with their friends. I taught history and band in the co-op, as well as some other individual classes.

Tenwek MK School kids

Kayla is 2nd from left in front

Ashley is 4th from left in front

Thanks so much for your prayers for our children. We feel blessed and privileged to be in Kenya, and are so thankful for the spiritual, academic, and personal growth in our kids this year. We treasure these times, especially with Steven, as he will be a senior in the fall. Please pray that he will sense God's leading for his future after high school.  

Blessings and peace,

Pam, for the gang

May update

We want to let you know a little bit about what's happening with us this month. Mike and I were able to go to Washington D.C. last month to visit a supporting church of ours. The great thing was that Mike's mom came to stay with the kids, so we were able to go alone! We had a wonderful couple of days to ourselves, and managed to have a fun day at the Mall, walking and looking at the monuments, capitol building, white house, etc. I think we walked more than 7 miles that day! Our visit with Ambassador Bible Church was wonderful and a great encouragement to us.

Our plans for Kenya continue to fall into place! I have begun doing a bit of initial sorting and packing of our belongings, as we leave the country in less than two months. We were able to purchase our airline tickets, and depart from Chicago on July 9th. The kids have just 3 weeks of school left, after which we will be packing up the house and leaving the area on June 18th. We plan to travel south to see family and friends for the last time before we leave. Then we will return to Michigan for our flight out of Chicago.

As you can probably tell, I really like to know what's going to happen. I like lists, structure and organization, and most of all, I like to PLAN! However, sometimes I have no control over a plan. We find ourselves in this situation now, when the "plan" is a bit fuzzy and not set in stone. The boarding school, Rift Valley Academy, where we hope our two oldest children will go to school next year, still does not have any openings for them. We have received some positive e-mails from the admissions director, and we are hoping to hear that Melody has been accepted very soon. Steven is #2 on the waiting list, but as of now, there is no additional bed space for Grade 11 boys. At this point, we do not see any other alternative for schooling for Steven. This is a huge faith-builder for us, and my prayer life has increased 10-fold because of this need! I know that them getting into the school is totally and completely up to God and that I can do nothing to "speed up" the process. Please join us in prayer for this very urgent need.

In addition, we are working with a rental manager to find someone to rent our home when we leave. We hope to have it rented as of July 1, Lord willing. We are praying for the right people to come along, at just the right time.

Finally, we still lack about $2,000 per month in support. If you have been thinking about supporting our ministry, please let us know, so that we can get a good idea of what we still need to raise.

These issues can weigh heavily on my mind, but I am learning to trust God's timing, and believe that if He wants us in Kenya, these details that look so huge to me are so very easy for Him to manage. I can honestly say God has given me a "peace that passes understanding" because even I don't really understand it! I want to rest in Him and watch what He does and not worry about the "plan".

Thank you for joining us on this journey, and may He increase your trust and faith as He meets your needs in His time.

Trusting and believing,

Pam

A new thing

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:18-19

My heart is incredibly full as I reflect on how the Lord has led our family through the past 2 years, and has given us confirmation to return to Kenya. He has definitely done a new thing in my heart as I continue to work on trusting Him and abiding in His Word. What felt like a wasteland in my spirit only months ago is now a stream of joy and gladness. My faith is being stretched, but in return I am learning to trust Him in ways I never have before. I know He isn't finished with me yet, and has "new things" for me to experience and do for Him.

Mike had a wonderful trip to Tenwek in February, and came back with many pictures and stories to tell us which made us even more anxious to return to our home in Kenya.(Above pictures were taken during Mike's trip.) We are continuing to makes plans to leave the U.S. in July, which is only 4 months away! As winter weather is passing, and we are enjoying warmer weather and the coming of spring, our whole family is definitely feeling the "winds of change."

We covet your prayers as we begin to set our sights on transitioning from the States to Kenya again. A few prayers requests are:

- For a good renter to rent our home in St. Joseph, Michigan for the time that we are in Kenya
- For our two oldest children, Steven and Melody, that they will be accepted to the missionary boarding school near Nairobi for the next school year
- For Mike as he continues working with Southwestern Medical Clinic and also support raising for our return to Kenya (we are currently in need of $3,500 a month in additional support)
- For Pam as she helps Mike with support raising and administrative responsibilities, and takes care of family and household needs for Kenya

If you would be interested in joining our support team, please drop us an e-mail at mike.chupp@wgm.org.

Pam for the Chupps

Looking ahead--starting anew

"But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Gal. 3:13-14

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lam. 3:22-23

As I begin this new year and reflect on how the Lord has guided me through depression and anxiety over the last two years, I am constantly aware of His faithfulness and grace towards me. As this new year unfolded, I began to feel a deep sense of starting anew. The Lord has given me new joy, new hope, new vision, new energy. This is a new year, and a new decade. Our family will begin a new term of service in Kenya this summer.

I have also decided to start this new blog and begin journaling my thoughts and share parts of my life as a missionary wife and mother. My hope is that these entries will be an encouragement to you, as well as a window into the life of a missionary family.

That said, let me just update you on what is happening now with our family. Mike is heading to Kenya the first of February with a group of physicians from Southwestern Medical Clinic here in Michigan. They will be there for two weeks. Mike is very excited to be able to do orthopedic work again, and see his missionary and Kenyan colleagues.

I am beginning a new Beth Moore Bible study called "Breaking Free" at our church next week. I'll be one of the small group facilitators, and I'm very excited to be with this group of ladies again.

The kids are staying busy with school, homework, activities and friends. They continue to be excited about returning "home" to Kenya.

Thanks for your continued prayers and we will keep you updated!

Pam