Keeping In Touch…. The King Family in Kenya
January 29,
2004
Dear Friends,
We have now
been in Kenya, East Africa for 15 months (since Oct. 2002). Our primary reason
for coming was to work in Youth With A Mission's Africa Field Office. This
is Brian's job, but I assist in several areas including hospitality for
people traveling through Nairobi and those staying for a short time.
You are also most welcome, "karibu". I also edit some of the
many letters Brian writes as one of his daily responsibilities.
It took a
while to settle in Nairobi and discover what I personally should do. I
currently am involved in several areas. Two mornings a week are spent at
the New Life Home (www.newlifehometrust.org)
helping HIV positive and abandoned babies.
We are praying about adopting one of these babies. On Monday
mornings I lead a prayer group for Colin's school called Moms In Touch (www.momsintouch.org). This
group of Moms get together to pray for the school and our children
each week while school is in session. I am also involved in the PTF
at Colin's school. The years of nursing are still being put to good use. I am
a health consultant for the YWAM base just outside Nairobi.
For several weeks, I dressed a leg wound of a friend so she didn't need
to visit the doctor.
Our children
are in different schools. Colin is at West Nairobi School, small with more
individualized attention. Catherine is at Rosslyn Academy, which was
started by the Mennonites in Tanzania about 50 years ago. It is now in Nairobi
and jointly run by the Mennonites, Baptists, and Assembly of God churches. She
has the opportunity for a well rounded education there (something like EMHS with
an international flavor). She is currently playing on the middle
school soccer team and is a leader in Model UN training, which will meet
3 days at the Nairobi UN facility in February. The children are happy and
developing in their schools, so that makes our living here not a great
sacrifice on their part.
We enjoy a
nice house, but are still challenged with living in Africa. There are
frequent power outages and water shortages for sometimes weeks at a
time, but we are able to manage. The cost of living in Nairobi is very similar
to living in Virginia and the education costs for the children has gone from
free in Virginia to $700 per month here.
This year
Brian will need to do more traveling for his office work. He went to South
Africa in January, Tanzania the first week in February, and will travel Ethiopia
and Uganda in March. Good neighbors and a reliable car help us during
the times Brian travels. Thanks for your prayers and support as we live and
work here in Africa.
Love, Julia
Shultz King
Note:
If anyone would like to receive the Kings’ newsletter on a regular basis,
either by mail, e-mail, or in your church mailbox, please contact Janis Ranck.
Address: Brian &
Julia King, P.O. Box 76046, Nairobi,
Kenya
Email: bjking@swiftkenya.com
Brian and Julia King Support Fund
Youth With A Mission
P.O. Box 7736, Richmond,
VA 23231
*Financial
gifts are tax deductible* Include a separate note indicating the support is for
Brian and Julia King