Goodbye to parents - June 2007

Travel docs!

Financial situation

We’ve been watching the news in the US and are well aware of what things are like back home. We have been praying for the financial crisis that is affecting so many in our nation and most nations across the world.  Many many thanks to all of you who have continued to faithfully support us these past couple of years.  It humbles us and reminds us that we must put our trust in God every day to provide and that He uses His people – His church – to make possible His work throughout the world, especially in places that can’t afford to help themselves.

Even before the financial crisis, our monthly support income was $1,500 lower than it needs to be.  Thankfully, due to the generosity of supporters before we left America, we have been able to stay afloat, never lacking for anything that we need.  How amazing is it that God has so generously provided for us?! Now, however, as we are preparing to return for our end-of-term Home Assignment, we are finding ourselves “back to the drawing board.”  We must be 100% supported before being allowed to come back to Kenya in August.

We pray and trust that many of our faithful supporters will continue to give monthly, and we also pray that God will put it in the hearts of new supporters (both individuals and churches) to come alongside us and commit to a monthly or yearly amount.  We are asking that you, our dear family and friends, would prayerfully consider supporting us regularly. We are also humbly asking if you would talk to your church about possibly supporting us, as well.  We will make an effort to visit with churches, pastors, mission committees, etc. during our time in the US.  If you would like to become a supporter, please click HERE.  If you would like to connect us with your church, please EMAIL US with more information about how we could establish that relationship.

Walking in Shadow - click to watch!

Walking in Shadow

The newest video from Andy’s team, hot off the press and 3 months in production. A story of the muslim mindset in coastal Africa. Click the picture to the left to watch it and please forward on to your friends and churches. Also be on the lookout in the next week or so of versions without the AIM brand, for use as a worship element in churches. Andy’s team is also busy preparing the French and Portugese versions of this film, along with subtitles in Spanish, German, Korean, and Chinese!

Other random tidbits

• 

  Lesa's cast from the fall show

  It is all settled for Lesa to begin teaching high school drama/fine arts classes next year at a school in Nairobi whose purpose is to serve and support missionary families.  All three of our kids will be attending there and we will move closer to the campus when we return from the States in August.  God is working out a housing situation for us that is just a few minutes’ walk from the school.
• Our dear friends here had to return unexpectedly to the States because of the death of his mother.  As a result, we stepped in to lead the youth group that they lead, and which we have been leading worship for since we came in ‘07.  We led the group throughout December and January and greatly enjoyed building the relationships with the students and generally had a great time!
• The entire Lang family came to visit us and Tim during the month of January.  We had an incredible time showing them around Nairobi and surrounding areas and catching up on 1 ½ years’ worth of news.  We spent our vacation time with them in Mombasa, resting and enjoying the beauty of the Indian Ocean.  What a true blessing to be with close friends and share our lives with them.
• We have each been blessed to help lead worship for a couple of AIM retreats and conferences lately.  We greatly miss doing music in the church, so this is a blessing for us to get to use our gifts in this way for the missionary community.
• Lesa is well into rehearsals for the next production.  There will be nearly 50 students in the cast of this production of The King and I, in addition to the stage crew, orchestra, etc.  It is going to be a massive under-taking, but she is feeling energized and up to the challenge – and is greatly looking forward to the mentoring/teaching opportunities with so many students!  The show will be at the end of April and beginning of May.
• We have had many new people come in the last two months to join AIM IS, so we have been very involved in orientation and helping them to get settled in to their homes and ministries.  Lesa will be handing off this position after we move to the other side of town in August, and thankfully a new missionary (who is much more administratively gifted) is coming this summer who will be able to shoulder the responsibilities.
• Robbie has begun taking Karate lessons as an intramural at school, and Avery just finished swimming intramurals.  They both are enjoying these extra activities, as well as playing in the neighborhood every day with their friends (after homework is done, of course!).  Sydney is as busy as ever.  We make an attempt at doing “preschool” at home whenever we can.  She is learning her letters and numbers to help get her ready for kindergarten next year (which she is VERY excited about)!

OUR MASSIVE ROAD TRIP

Below is our somewhat tentative schedule for our time in the US.  We would love to share a meal with you when we are in your neck of the woods, so please send us an email about getting together.  We possibly may have some larger “get-togethers” in each area and will inform you of those when we know!

Tentative Travel schedule

May 6- We land in Chicago and decompress in Illinois for a few days before hitting the road

May 12 – June 3 Northern Virginia

June 9 – July 12 Kansas, Missouri and Colorado

July 12 – 31 Illinois

July 31 We fly back to Kenya!

In closing

Thank you for taking the time to read our update, and for your prayers. Our many ministries here would not be possible without you. We love you all and cannot wait to see you in a few months!

God bless you all,

Andy, Lesa, Robbie, Avery, and Sydney Brown