The end of the school year at RFIS is a busy time!  There are exams, final grades, turning in text books, library books, locks, and the usual yearbook signing and good-byes.  But there are the celebrations too.

At the “Middle School Celebration” we parents were treated to songs by the middle school students and a slide show of the year’s highlights.  And each student was given a character award.  Nathan was given an award for being enthusiastic about working with his hands (with special mention being given by his domestic arts teacher for tolerating the pain of sewing his finger with the sewing machine).  His verse was Psalm 128:1-2 “Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways.  You will eat the fruit of your labor, blessings andprosperity will be yours.”

At the High School Celebration many awards were given to the high school students, including various sportsmanship awards, awards for academics, for the drama production, These are an amazing bunch of students who not only work hard at their grades but at extra-curricular activities too, even taking care to mentor the younger students like big brothers and sisters.

And the grand finale of the year — Graduation!  June 9 at the Protestant University auditorium 18 RFIS students graduated! 

The following day many of them set up displays for a combined open house.  It was fun to see their creativity, taste their snacks, and brouse photos or watch slide shows of their lives on computers. 

And that same weekend many families started the grand exodus from Africa to their passport countries (USA, Canada, England, Germany, etc) or back to their countries / villages of service in Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, and Gabon. 

They say 1/3 of the student population changes each year.  That is a lot of transition for returning students.  Every year is like an entirely different school body.  Pray for these amazing students and the transitions they are going through this summer; whether returning to their passport countries and adjusting to that culture, or returning to Africa after a period of time in their passport countries, or anticipating a new school year with very different dynamics and new friends & teachers to meet.  Pray too for the teachers who have not yet been able to raise the support they need to be here for the start of the school year.