When we first met at the AIM Canada office during Andrew’s orientation our similar heartbeat to disciple young men and women- studying God’s Word and His good character- is what drew us together. At our wedding we said, “may God use our love as a tool in His mighty hands, drawing many to Him.” Originally we thought God would use us to disciple in a village context amongst the unreached. This led us to a fruitful season in Chad where we served amongst Muslim Background Believers. It was truly a joy to see how the Father is in pursuit of the lost & inviting us to join His Kingdom pursuit.
However in 2020 after a series of God ordained losses and gains the door closed to us returning to Chad. Our son was born with some heart issues and his cardiologist said returning to our ministry/home in Chad was not an option. We were heartbroken & honestly confused as God hadn’t released us from our call to make disciples throughout Africa.
After a lot of prayer an unexpected call came to join the ministry at Rift Valley Academy as grade 11-12 girls dorm parents! The school is made up of 500 students from over 40 nationalities & their parents serve on every corner of the continent. We believe RVA is both a direct ministry to the students and a strategic component to reaching the unreached. As staff we pour daily into the lives of missionary kids enabling them to get quality education and thus empowering their parents to continue to minister in very difficult contexts.
What does dorm parenting actually look like? Well… our apartment is directly attached to the girls lounge and dorm hall. We have stepped into the main support role in these beautiful young women’s lives. These 18 dorm daughters come from passport countries like Korea, America, USA, England, Canada, & Paraguay. Living in intentional community with our door open is a key pillar in our marriage and a core component of moving into the dorm. Our home is theirs and we daily strive to foster a place where each student feel welcome, safe, pointed to Christ, and well fed. This means midnight conversations about heart topics and early morning wake up calls for long runs. We show up in the students life and become Aunt Courtney Joy and Uncle Andrew – those who listen and advocate on their behalf.
Andrew is ALSO using the French he learned while in France & Chad in order to teach two French classes. He loves connecting with his students in class daily and thinking of creative ways to teach them the content!
This ministry has proven to have matched our hearts burdens- discipleship and a reckless pursuit of the lost. It is an honour to be entrusted with these young women and to watch them grow and prepare to graduate.
Posted August 2022
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