Baptism at Rainbow!

Words cannot describe the amazing day we had out at Rainbow yesterday.  Rainbow Community Church (the church we've been attending for the past few months) and the village church plants that were started from Rainbow held their annual baptism and Lord's Supper service.  Throughout the year, any new believer who desires to follow the Lord in believer's baptism is discipled and ministered to throughout the year and the baptism happens on the Rainbow orphanage grounds every June.  Nearly 90 new believers were baptized from 3 churches. It was such an amazing experience.  The choirs were singing, the prayers were going up to the Heavenly Father, and there were cheers and yells as the saints followed their Savior in obedience through believer's baptism!  

After the baptism everyone shared in the Lord's Supper.  How wonderful to share in this precious event with our brothers and sisters in Malawi.

The man with the Bible is Brother Scotty McDowell.  He is the man who started Rainbow.  He comes over once a year with a team of people from all over the Southeast to minister and love on the children. We really enjoyed getting to meet him and talk with him about the ministry and the needs that Rainbow has.  Our family is so blessed and excited to be a part of this work of the Lord.

After the service Bro. Scotty's team and a bunch of the Rainbow kids (and half of the Kysers) hiked up Bunda mountain.  

What a blessing this day was for us.  God is truly at work here in Malawi and at Rainbow.  We are so blessed that He is allowing us to be a part of HIS work here!  If anyone feels led to come and serve at Rainbow for a week, a month, a year....then please let me know.  There is plenty of room and plenty of need!

School's out!

The 2011-2012 school year at African Bible Colleges Christian Academy is officially over!  What a wonderful year it has been!  The kids learned so much, made some great friends, and are taking with them some amazing memories of their school year.  Here are some photos of our last week of school.

CJ with his amazing first grade teacher teacher Mrs. Blake (who received her National Board certification while she was here)!!!

AJ and her best friends Martina and Myra!  These are three of the sweetest, kindest, most beautiful girls I know!!

On awards day AJ received her Bible verse award (for saying her Bible verse every week). She received a writing award for a story she wrote in which she competed with all of the other 4th graders. She received an academic award in Literature, Science, History, and Spelling (to receive this award she had to have an average of ABOVE 97% all school year). And her most difficult award was her BIBLE verse year end award.  To receive this award she had to say each Bible verse that they had learned throughout the school year in one sitting (over 60 verses) without mistakes.  She has a fantastic memory and an amazing love for the Lord!

Martina and AJ (Nya in the background) with their awards.

I had to throw a cute pic of two of my boys in here.  

This is CJ and some of his friends at field day.  

Run man, run!!!!

Yep, Prince and his team won this!!!

So excited for his sports award!!!

So now that Winter/Summer break has started we are enjoying hanging around in pj's, helping Mrs. Jennifer to bake cakes, playing spaceships outside with the extra moving boxes, and homeschooling.  Yes, that's right.  My children insisted that we begin homeschooling two days after they were done with school.  I had to push them off a couple of days because I hadn't finished planning the year out.  So we spend our mornings reading books together and doing art projects, science projects, etc.  I love their eagerness!!!!

The amazing Mrs. Jennifer!!!!!  She makes my life so much easier!!!  How blessed we are to have her helping us!  And the kids absolutely adore her!

Somehow this pic showed up at the end.  It was originally first.  One day I'll figure out why....

This is CJ with his special award from Mrs. Blake for being the Biggest Helper!  She said he always asks if he can help her pick up, clean, put away books, or anything she needs.  I'm one proud Mamma! Now if only he'd bring that eagerness home! haha!

We had a great school year and we are excited about the Lord leading us back to homeschooling this next year.  I'm so thankful that He knows our future and the plans for us even when we aren't sure!  God is so good and we are so thankful for His many blessings!!

Rainbow kids at the Lake

Last week our family was blessed to travel with Rainbow and a few of the Rainbow kids to Lake Malawi for the day.  Most (if not all) of these children had never been to the lake.  The awe and delight in their eyes as they played in the waves and rolled in the sand was indescribable!  What a wonderful and blessed day we all had.  Thank you, Lord for allowing us this ministry to pour our hearts into.