Greetings from Bingham Academy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. As I look back at the last month I cannot believe that an entire month has flown by so quickly. It must be due to the fact that there is so much adjusting, planning and events that have taken place this month. I will try to do my best to catch you up with the last month without writing a novel. I will use the next few posts (if the electricity and internet stay on) to catch you up on each person in the family. This update will be more general......
Here We Go......
After arriving in Addis early in September we have been busy. Busy with adjusting to living overseas, busy with teaching and planning, busy with getting a new schedule, busy with making new friendships and acquaintances.....busy with ministry. Everything is on a different schedule with different expectations and procedures so it has taken a bit of time to get use to things. I think we are managing this transition fairly well....depending on the day of course.
Jes is finding her rhythm and schedule quite daunting at times but is really enjoying getting to know the kids in the classes she teaches. The kids are adjusting and flourishing in the school and are making quite a few friends and playmates. I will introduce you to them in a different post. I, myself, have enjoyed finding where my skills and talents can be best utilized. There are so many areas where I can step in, i have to make sure I don't overwhelm myself. I am helping to supervise (not teach) 2 advance math classes for the High School. It is a self study course so I am basically making sure that the lessons, homework and quizzes are on schedule. I am also supposed to be taking over the Events Coordinator position in the next few weeks. Both of these areas have needed organization so i am excited for the task. It also releases a few of the other staff on campus to better focus their skills and talents elsewhere.
We just finished 2 exciting weeks of events at the school. The older grades participated in class trips and ministry opportunities around Ethiopia while the elementary grades had Leaning Comes Alive week. From the reports I heard, this was a successful week. Learning Comes Alive Week gave the kids the opportunity to participate in various activities in different classrooms throughout the day. The enjoyed creative lessons in art, science, sports, music and then they capped off the week with a Movie/Pajama day.
This week the kids participated in cross country. The entire school is broken up into three teams for what the call "house competitions" that occur throughout the year. For cross-country, each person's time is tallied and points are awarded. Isabelle ran a 1k race, Isaiah ran a 2k race and Audri participated in a 3k race. They all did well given the fact that they are still getting use to the altitude and could definitely feel it in their lungs.
We have seen so many ways that there are for ministry just in the school itself. Many of the kids are missionary kids who are learning about God for themselves. They have questions, concerns and are sponges for the biblical truths that are taught within the educational lessons. We hear about many of the upper grade kids who have a real interest in God. Keep in mind that we minister to many kids who are being exposed to God for the first time. Their families come from different faiths and this poses conflict in the kids. Please pray for these kids that we may share the love of Christ and the message of the Gospel with these kids. Pray that we can be good leaders, mentors and friends and we help them discover who God is for themselves and what a difference He can make in their lives.
Outside of school there is plenty of things going on that keep us busy. All the kids like the freedom of living on a gated compound as it means that the school becomes their playground when the school day is finished. Isaiah is outside way way more and is always finding kids to play games with. Isabelle will have more freedom at the end of the month when she turns 8. 8 is the minimum age kids can be outside without supervision. She awaits that day with great excitement....as do her parents. The biggest thing that Audri and Isaiah enjoy is Night Games. Night games occur after dark (between 6 and 7) and involve hide and seek, tag and other games.......at night. It is so great to see how the kids are adjusting and flourishing. The all are genuinely happy. God Is Good!
Both Jes and I have our licenses, class 3 licenses! Class 3 licenses allow us to drive larger vans and carry more passengers. Many do not have the licenses so we consider ourselves very fortunate and thank our Bingham driver who worked so hard to get them for us. Jes does not drive so I give her a hard time by telling her that she is wasting a class 3 license.....I can totally understand why she chooses not to drive. She has enough on her plate.
Shopping is time consuming but a good way to get out of the house for 3 hours or more. Jes usually comes back exhausted due to traffic and the work it takes. We usually make 3-5 different stops to find everything on our list. Church is an all day affair as well. We have been attending International Evangelical Church (IEC) in the morning with another family and then usually go out to eat after. We don't usually get home till mid afternoon leaving us with the rest of the day to get prepared for the next week, dinner and give baths.
We have not even traveled outside Addis yet but we are excited to do so for the first time. We just want to thank those of you who are supporting us and lifting us up in prayer. Thank you to those who support us monthly, annually or just as God provides. I can look at each one of your contributions and see how God has brought you gift to us exactly when we have needed it. Without you our ministry would not have been able to happen. We look forward to sharing with you the many experiences and stories in our lives
Blessings to you all,
Jose Sturgeon and Family
Here We Go......
After arriving in Addis early in September we have been busy. Busy with adjusting to living overseas, busy with teaching and planning, busy with getting a new schedule, busy with making new friendships and acquaintances.....busy with ministry. Everything is on a different schedule with different expectations and procedures so it has taken a bit of time to get use to things. I think we are managing this transition fairly well....depending on the day of course.
Jes is finding her rhythm and schedule quite daunting at times but is really enjoying getting to know the kids in the classes she teaches. The kids are adjusting and flourishing in the school and are making quite a few friends and playmates. I will introduce you to them in a different post. I, myself, have enjoyed finding where my skills and talents can be best utilized. There are so many areas where I can step in, i have to make sure I don't overwhelm myself. I am helping to supervise (not teach) 2 advance math classes for the High School. It is a self study course so I am basically making sure that the lessons, homework and quizzes are on schedule. I am also supposed to be taking over the Events Coordinator position in the next few weeks. Both of these areas have needed organization so i am excited for the task. It also releases a few of the other staff on campus to better focus their skills and talents elsewhere.
We just finished 2 exciting weeks of events at the school. The older grades participated in class trips and ministry opportunities around Ethiopia while the elementary grades had Leaning Comes Alive week. From the reports I heard, this was a successful week. Learning Comes Alive Week gave the kids the opportunity to participate in various activities in different classrooms throughout the day. The enjoyed creative lessons in art, science, sports, music and then they capped off the week with a Movie/Pajama day.
This week the kids participated in cross country. The entire school is broken up into three teams for what the call "house competitions" that occur throughout the year. For cross-country, each person's time is tallied and points are awarded. Isabelle ran a 1k race, Isaiah ran a 2k race and Audri participated in a 3k race. They all did well given the fact that they are still getting use to the altitude and could definitely feel it in their lungs.
We have seen so many ways that there are for ministry just in the school itself. Many of the kids are missionary kids who are learning about God for themselves. They have questions, concerns and are sponges for the biblical truths that are taught within the educational lessons. We hear about many of the upper grade kids who have a real interest in God. Keep in mind that we minister to many kids who are being exposed to God for the first time. Their families come from different faiths and this poses conflict in the kids. Please pray for these kids that we may share the love of Christ and the message of the Gospel with these kids. Pray that we can be good leaders, mentors and friends and we help them discover who God is for themselves and what a difference He can make in their lives.
Outside of school there is plenty of things going on that keep us busy. All the kids like the freedom of living on a gated compound as it means that the school becomes their playground when the school day is finished. Isaiah is outside way way more and is always finding kids to play games with. Isabelle will have more freedom at the end of the month when she turns 8. 8 is the minimum age kids can be outside without supervision. She awaits that day with great excitement....as do her parents. The biggest thing that Audri and Isaiah enjoy is Night Games. Night games occur after dark (between 6 and 7) and involve hide and seek, tag and other games.......at night. It is so great to see how the kids are adjusting and flourishing. The all are genuinely happy. God Is Good!
Both Jes and I have our licenses, class 3 licenses! Class 3 licenses allow us to drive larger vans and carry more passengers. Many do not have the licenses so we consider ourselves very fortunate and thank our Bingham driver who worked so hard to get them for us. Jes does not drive so I give her a hard time by telling her that she is wasting a class 3 license.....I can totally understand why she chooses not to drive. She has enough on her plate.
Shopping is time consuming but a good way to get out of the house for 3 hours or more. Jes usually comes back exhausted due to traffic and the work it takes. We usually make 3-5 different stops to find everything on our list. Church is an all day affair as well. We have been attending International Evangelical Church (IEC) in the morning with another family and then usually go out to eat after. We don't usually get home till mid afternoon leaving us with the rest of the day to get prepared for the next week, dinner and give baths.
We have not even traveled outside Addis yet but we are excited to do so for the first time. We just want to thank those of you who are supporting us and lifting us up in prayer. Thank you to those who support us monthly, annually or just as God provides. I can look at each one of your contributions and see how God has brought you gift to us exactly when we have needed it. Without you our ministry would not have been able to happen. We look forward to sharing with you the many experiences and stories in our lives
Blessings to you all,
Jose Sturgeon and Family