Well once again I take pen in hand to write a missive. OK, make that take keyboard on desk.
This past week was our annual 6th grade safari, where we take the 6th grade class up to close to Mount Kenya to the William Holden Wildlife Foundation Center for a couple of nights of camping and a great program for helping to conserve the natural resources that God has given to us. I go along as camp pastor (since I teach the 6th grade Sunday School class) and give evening campfire talks about what it means to be united. Monday night, being united with God using Jesus parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son in Luke 15. Tuesday night we talk about being united with other Christians when we use I Corinthians 12 passage “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is part of it. (v. 27)” The last night we are up there, we talk about being united with each other. We specifically look at the transition from elementary school 6th grade to Jr. High 7th grade. My main question of that night is “What characteristics do you want your class to be known for in the next 6 years before your class graduates?” Then I ask them to commit to making those characteristics a reality.
When we came back to campus on Thursday last week, we were informed that the flu had hit RVA again this year. When you have almost 500 students in a boarding school situation, once one kid get’s sick, it seems they all get sick. And for the past week, we’ve been having more and more kids getting sick. Almost 75 students came down with the flu at one point or another in the past week. I also got hit with the flu bug, but I’m feeling much better now than I was just a day ago. I still have a cough, but the nurses at our Student Health Center are telling us the cough could last up to a week or more. Pray for our nurses here at school. They have been very busy this past week and a half.
Well let me jump back to 6th grade safari (the title alliteration sounded better than doing things in order). One of my other jobs on 6th grade safari is to drive the bus. This year, like two years ago, I was pulled over for speeding. This year, like two years ago, I was not speeding. This year, unlike two years ago, I have proof that I was not speeding. RVA has installed on each of their school buses speed governors that limit the speed of the bus to 80 KPH, which is the law. As part of the speed governor, the system records on a computer chip exactly how fast I was going. And it records the speed every 5 seconds. We were able to download and print out that data to prove that I was not speeding. However, when I went to court to contest the ticket, the judge didn’t even look at my evidence, but just held the case over for trial. I have to go back to Naivasha (about 45 minute drive) this coming Monday, July 7th for a hearing, and then go back again for the actual trial on August 15th. Pray that the judge in the case will look at my evidence fairly and see that the police have made a wrong identification. If he decides that I was speeding, the fine could be as much as $800, so prayers are definitely needed.
On a more personal note, my parents fly out tomorrow (Friday, July 4) to come and visit me for a couple of weeks. Pray for safe flights and that all their luggage arrives safely. It will be great to spend some time with Mom and Dad, and for them to visit here once again, a place that holds great significance in their lives as well as mine.
Well I guess that’s about it for now. Here are some specific prayer requests for you to lift to the throne.
1. Pray that the judge is fair and sees the evidence for what it is.
2. Pray for our Student Health nurses that they will have strength and not get sick themselves.
3. Pray for the Senior class. We are 2 weeks away from graduation and many of these kids will say goodbye to their friends and to Africa, may be for the last time as they move all over the world for college and university.
Shalom,
Dan
Dan Dixon's Discursive Declamations 