School starts in Dakar

Yes, it is the beginning of the school year. A very different one for our family. Hilary has been at Dakar Academy for 4 years now, and it is like home away from home. Ben just started 8th grade. I (Tom) am still here in Dakar, where I'm spending the first school week helping them settle in, and have the things they need to make it more comfortable for them.



Ben is in a new dorm, his dorm parents are the Walkers. Pray for them as they guide middle school boys. There are 7 kids in the dorm including Ben, we're thankful for this as it allows for a close family atmosphere. 5 out of the 7 play guitar. So Ben started in right away playing with the others.... He hit it off well right away.
Ben's roomate is someone he hasn't seen for a long time, we have a long history with Karlins' family, having known each other since the boys were 3 yrs old. And now they are roomates. So that is great. Ben was a bit concerned about being 8th grade, and being cool. Karlin brought a big box of Legos... This softened Ben right up, and they have a lot in common. (You are never too old for lego, right?)


Ben with his classmates at lunch. Karlin is seated to the right of Ben.

Hilary has a new situation in her dorm. Senior priviliges. The Vantlands are her dorm parents for the 2nd year. Pray for them as they are parents to (14?) High school girls. One of these new priveleges is a senior girls' suite. They have 2 rooms, one with 5 beds for them to sleep in, and one for laundry and desks...
So that will be interesting to see how that all works... Its kind of a party room now... That is mostly a good thing I think... Hilary's addition to the decor was a 60's style bead doorway... The girls liked it and voted to put it up.


Hilary at lunch with friends

So all is off to a good start.

Pray for the dorm parents, pray for our kids, that they would really soak in the mentoring, teaching, and new experiences they can have here that I can't give them on my own. The principal spoke yesterday, and said the value of a school like this is that our kids get pushed beyond what we give them on our own, and have enriching experiences that they come back to the parents and share and process. We covet that enriching for our kids. We want to see them grow further in Christ, and own their faith. We pray for these Christian teachers, mentors, and dorm parents as they partner with us in this process...

Thanks for stopping by,
Tom & Lisa