Changes Update #5

Hey guys. We have been making some great memories these last few weeks hanging out with our Indonesian friends, our expat friends, dog sitting, trying to catch the rat living in our kitchen, hiking, swimming, making our favorite Indonesian dishes, attending Indonesian classes, having people over and just finding as many reasons as we can to laugh and enjoy our days. I love it! I am writing today because a lot has changed since I last wrote and

I want to give you an update. The director of the school called us in for a meeting last week and told us that the enrollment for the dorm has gone down. Plans have changed for many families and they won't be putting their children in the dorm. Instead of the 15 or 16 kids we thought were coming we now have 11 or 12. So he feels like we should only run one dorm instead of two. Many of the kids were in Hostel One last year and he doesn't want to move them to our dorm if he doesn't have to. And knowing that we are leaving next year he feels like it would be better consistency to keep the kids at Hostel One with those dorm parents instead of moving them here for a year and then back there after we leave. So, he has asked us to run this dorm as a Guest House for the community and for parents coming to see their kids in the dorm. We have mixed emotions about that as it is not what we thought we would be doing, but we can understand where he is coming from.  We have no idea exactly what running a guest house will look like, but we will commit to it 100% and make this our new ministry doing our best to bring God glory in it. We will still have a huge part in the dorm kids lives. We will be a safe place they can hang out and try to have days where we have them all over and give the current parents a break. Pray for our kids as they adjust to these changes. Pray for us as we try to figure out the best way to do this. 

We have also been asked to teach-Garth two Bible classes, me my Food Prep class and then also 4 PE classes. We need wisdom to know what to say yes to and what to say no to.

 

Currently, Garth is in Singapore for visa work. If all goes as planned he will be back Wednesday and then in a week or so we all will need to go to PNG. The clock is ticking and we really want to get all of our visa work figured out before school starts. We are working hard to get this place ready, to move bunk beds and move bigger beds in so we can have families stay here, to prep for the classes we will be teaching and to enjoy our last summer here as a family...

We are so very thankful to be here and are up for whatever adventure God has in store. God has a plan and a purpose and we are excited to be a part of it.

We have loved reconnecting with all of our friends! One of our Indonesian friends just had a baby-(you know me and babies, I just had to hold the little one!) She is so precious and beautiful. I am attaching some pictures for your viewing pleasure. Haha.

Thanks for caring about us. Thanks for your prayers and support.

I will keep you updated.

Love,

Rachel