June 1999

Dear Friends,

Greetings from Presbyterian Teachers College-Rubate where officially I am a member of the teaching staff. Rubate's students number about 350 Kenyan men and women preparing to become Kenyan primary school teachers. Thus far my ministry in mission is going smoothly, with very few obstacles.

Rubate College's main goal is to prepare and send out Christian men and women who will instruct, guide, and nurture Christ's teaching in young children of Kenya. My responsibility in assisting Rubate to achieve this goal is to be a "tutor" or "lecturer" in teaching music theory, Western classical music appreciation, Christian education from an African perspective, and English composition. I will begin my teaching duties during the third term, which begins in early May. Along with my teaching responsibilities I will mentor eight to nine students.

The college is located in the central highlands, Mero district, at the base of Mt. Kenya. On a clear day I can see the top of Mt. Kenya, which is a four-day climb from here. Rubate's campus is unlike an American college campus. It's located along a dusty road ten kilometers from the main highway, which is a three-hour ride north of Nairobi. The dirt road is the only access to and from the college. Some of our neglected U.S. roads are in better condition than this access to the school. Presently, we are in the rainy season, which is proving to be risky at best and makes traveling on the only way in and out of the college an experience. A four-wheel drive van is the only reliable means of transport on the road.

Rubate is unique in many respects. One way I view the school unique and different is that it is not unusual to see cows and sheep grazing on the compound, corn growing in the nearby field, and coffee plants growing near the house where I live. The students' housing resembles camp housing and there is little or no privacy due to the cramped conditions. But the students accept these conditions because of their strong commitment to getting an education.

I am blessed with running water in the house, but the students have to carry water in buckets from pipes on the school grounds. Electricity is another issue that the school has to deal with. The source of electricity that provides our light is a generator. It is turned on from 5:45 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. then again from 6:45 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Therefore, many activities are carried out in semi-darkness. All these things, which we would consider inconvenient, are accepted.

My house, home for the next two years, is a four-room bungalow at the end of the school compound. The entire school grounds are fenced in, with a iron gate at the entrance manned 24 hours a day for security reasons. The principal and staff of Rubate continue to make my adjustment and settling in as smooth as possible. They take care of matters dealing with my housing needs, legal matters such as work permits and visas, as well as personal needs during this time of adjustment and transition to a different lifestyle and culture. Their concern for my needs and comfort is a great solace to me. Please know that I have been welcomed warmly and graciously.

I am experiencing the Kenyan people as warm, friendly, gracious, and eager to make me feel I am part of their life and culture. A member of the teaching staff made the comment that since I was in Kenya for more than two weeks I am viewed a Kenyan. I wouldn't go to that extent, but I did appreciate the compliment.

Rubate is in its fifth year of operation under the sponsorship of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa. The Kenyan schools are operated either by the government or privately. Rubate is a privately run school. All students must promise to pay expenses before being admitted. Some of the PCEA presbyteries and churches will support students, so that the PCEA will have some influence in forming and molding Christian principles in the future generation of Kenya's young people.

I am looking forward to sharing my adventures as your missionary on the mission field at Rubate. Please continue to pray for me—that I will know God's guidance and care and that you will be with me in our mission in obedience and faithfulness to Christ's command to go to the ends of the earth.