OUR MINISTRY

WHAT ARE WE DOING?

We are currently on furlough from ministering at a boarding school called Rift Valley Academy (RVA).  While in Africa we daily had the opportunity to live among, disciple, and get to know these precious students .

Through our ministry at RVA to these missionary students, we indirectly impacted people all over Africa – through the work of their parents’ on-going ministries while their kids attend RVA. Rusty worked in the IT department as the Student Lab Manager while teaching 7th and 8th Grade computers as well.  Brooks kept busy teaching Photography in the Graphics Art Department as well as being a dorm mom. We are looking forward to going back this summer and continuing our grand adventure with these kids.

From our initial time of being called to go to Africa until now we have had many amazing opportunities to learn and grow in ministry, spiritually, and in our relationship with each other. Finding ways to support and learn from the church & other missionaries while raising our children has been a meaningful time in our lives. We really enjoyed the opportunites that we have had to share what we have learned with these students on campus!

We are currently on furlough from RVA, and are looking forward to our return to Africa.  Life sometimes got busy there, but the rewards and the joy we saw on the faces of our students and dorm boys is priceless.  There are times when we are down and we try to do things on our own and then we realize that we cannot do this alone – We need your help! We need pastors, churches, friends and family to step up and stand beside us in prayer, encouragement, and finances, both monthly and one time gifts. Nothing is too little, every dollar helps! We serve a big God who can do anything and use anyone. Will you pray about being one of those He uses to help as we are planning on returning to Kenya and Rift Valley Academy?

WHAT IS RVA?

Many people have asked us what Rift Valley Academy is and who we will be serving. The following video tells about RVA and the amazingly unique student body!

Rift Valley Academy (RVA) is a school of almost 500 students ranging from grades K-12. The majority of the students are missionary children coming from 21 different countries and more than 85 mission organizations. Every staff member that works at RVA is a committed Christian and a member of the Africa Inland Mission. The school is fully accredited in the United States and the teachers use an American style of curriculum.

RVA is Africa’s largest American Christian school, as well as the largest boarding school in the world. It is located in the town of Kijabe, about 30 miles northwest of the modern city of Nairobi. The campus shares the Kijabe mission station with Kijabe hospital and Moffat Bible College, a bible school for nationals. Kijabe stand 7,500 feet above sea level and overlooks Kenya’s breath taking Great Rift Valley.

RVA is the sole responsibility of the Africa Inland Mission, an inter-denominational organization which first came to Kenya in 1895.

A little about its History

Rift Valley Academy opened in 1906 with seven pupils ranging in age from eight to seventeen. Early in the history of the Africa Inland Mission it became apparent that if the Mission were to progress, a school for educating the missionaries’ children would need to be provided.

At the heart of RVA is relationships. There is so much more to the boarding experience than going to school and heading home at the end of the day. Every aspect of the student’s lives are experienced here, and people are a huge part of that experience. One student writes:

“Strong bonds develop between us. Being from so many different backgrounds and cultures, it’s surprising how close we get. But we have common struggles and common joys and God pulls us together through His love. We learn to live together at school, after school, and in the dorms; we know practically everything there is to know about each other.”

Being away from their families, these kids need someone to love them. They need dorm parents and teachers who are willing to pour themselves into their lives and support them and love them through some of the hardest and most challenging times in their lives.