The month of August is nearly over. For most North Americans it has been the final weeks of summer break. For us it ha been the first month of school for the many children of missionaries. Students have moved in to the three hostels. And everyone has had to make adjustments in transportation and routines as we started using the new high/middle school campus 5 miles from the old one.

Praise God that
— school has gone relatively smoothly even though there was more work to be done on the buildings, and the move to the new campus was not complete.
— safe travel car pooling to and from school. Many students used to be able to walk to school; now all have to drive. Part of the road is paved, some getting paved, some is rutty dirt roads.
— Janet has attended meetings of two of the boards and committees she finds herself on: Rain Forest Int’l School Board and UBAC Hostel committee (overseeing the Covenant/Free Church shared hostel).
— Ron has a backhoe to dig holes in the hard dirt (instead of having to use shovels) to fix sewer line problems at the new school.
— Janet has had a great time teaching 5 five year olds in a Kindergarten class during the first 3 weeks of school in which all elementary students come in to Yaoundé for classes together.
— Ben’s 2 day fever didn’t turn out to be malaria so he was able to participate in all his classes including a unit on Ancient Egypt in which they got to mummify a chicken (King Kluck) complete with ceremonial burial in a stone sarcophagus that he helped make!
— the kids have been making good friends at school

Pray with us in September for:
— discernment as Janet considers how much she should be involved in teaching the Parent Run School (probably will continue with the 2 Kindergarteners who live in Yaoundé)
— Janet’s ministry in small group discipleship with a few of the high school girls
— the hostel parents in all 3 hostels who are all new to this position; that they adjust to their roles; for unity among the hostel families;
— discernment regarding Africans who come to our door in need of financial help (only one man so far, but there may be more)
— the work of landscaping at RFIS; Ron has been planting grass. Roy Danforth (Covenant missionary) has provided lots of flowering plants and fruit trees which need to get planted too.
— balance for our kids between school work and fun with friends

Thank you so much for your prayers for our ministry. Blessings on you as you get into your fall schedules. May the Lord be honored in the choices you make. And please enjoy a trip to the apple orchard of your choice for us – we do get apples (about 50 cents each) but without the orchard experience it’s not the same!