Christmas Card 2020

"Do not fear. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people." Luke 2:10

Greetings from Montana! We have so much to be grateful for this year. This past July we rejoiced that we were able to officially welcome Joshua Joanthony (JoJo) into our family through adoption. He brings joy and laughter into our lives. At 2.5 years old, he loves trains and basketball! Aria turned 2 years old in October and is full of life and a lot of will! She enjoys books, Minnie Mouse and playing with her big brother. Two toddlers is quite the handful (and exhausting!), but they are such a blessing! Joe is hopeful to have their college basketball season which is scheduled to start in mid-January. He's thankful they were able to practice some-what uninterrupted and have a number of scrimmages this past Fall. Daneen continues to work for Christ's Gift Academy in between loads of laundry and cooking meals.

This Christmas, we pray you find HOPE in the One who is full of grace and truth... our Savior, Jesus! He is our thrill of Hope. Weary world... REJOICE!

Alicent Graduates College

This girls is an OVERCOMER!

Optimistic. Persistent. Determined.

On December 5, 2020 our Kenyan daughter graduated college!! We are incredibly proud of all that she has overcome in life to reach this milestone!

She has not let the circumstances she was born into define her. Growing up in a rural village on Rusinga Island, she lost both of her parents by the time she was 8 years old. She was wise beyond her years. At age 11, she realized that if she remained attending her local village school (where the teachers rarely showed up and there was little learning), she would not receive a quality education and would not have opportunities to attend secondary school. She wanted HOPE for a BETTER LIFE!

...

She was determined to create a better future for her life. Paul Onundo  and his wife took her in so that she could attend a better school in Mbita. That gave her a second chance at her education. Which is a second chance at life. Wow- thank you Paul and Mama Omondi... you have truly made a lasting impact in Alicent's life!!!

...

Focused. Determined. Persistent

That's just who she is in life.

...

Then... you put her on a football pitch and she is fierce! She might be the smallest player on the field, but she is mighty!

Her talent stood out to Joe and she was invited to be one of the first Suba Lakers! 

When she was just 13 years old, she received the Best Player award at a national Under 15 tournament. She was recruited to join Jera Secondary School; known as one of the top girls football schools in the country! We are so thankful for the coaching and mentoring of Coach Jacob Oganga. We always knew Alicent was in good hands with Coach Oganga! Thanks coach!

 

...

In 2013 she tore her ACL in the Lake Region Football Championships. But before she went out of the game, she scored a critical goal which helped her team win the Championship and move on to the National Tournament. She worked hard at her physical therapy to regain full strength and be competitive on the football pitch again. She helped her team reach the National Tournament again in 2014 as Team Captain. She overcame!

 

...

She has a passion for football. During her gap year between high school and college, she coached the team for the local secondary school near her home and led the team to the finals at the sub-county tournament.

Once she joined college, she quickly joined the women's football team. She scored the goals to lead the team to win a championship in 2019.

---

But it's not all about football.

She knew she needed a quality education in order to reach her goals and contribute to her community. She wanted to pursue a career in the medical industry.

With the financial support of a number of people, she was able to attend Kenya Medical Training Institute to get a Diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics.

This past January, while on her internship, she became gravely sick of dysentery. She ended up in the hospital for 2 weeks, in critical condition. By God's grace and mercy, He saw her through and helped her recover. She overcame.

She had just barely recovered from her illness, and even while she was still very weak, she had to take her final exams and practicum. She passed. She overcame.

 

...

Then COVID hit. She should have been able to graduate in March and start a paid job. But COVID! After sitting idle with all the unknowns for a few months, she was able to secure an unpaid internship at a private hospital. Since she couldn't get her final graduation and degree documents, she couldn't be paid for her work. She overcame. She continued to volunteer. She overcame.

She is currently waiting (and studying) to take her national board exam while also volunteering at the Mbita Public Hosptial. We are praying and trusting the Lord for her to obtain a paid job.

We are confident that whatever challenges come her way throughout her life, she will continue to overcome with God's help.  She will be successful in whatever she takes on! 

 

 

---

More of Alicent's biography:

After Alicent’s father died when she was 4 years old, she lived for three years in Uganda with her maternal grandparents. In 2006 she returned to her paternal grandparents’ home on Rusinga Island to be with her sick mother.  Not long after her return, her mother died.  Alicent remained in Rusinga and was raised by one of her father’s other wives who has three children of her own that she is also caring for.  The step-mother makes and sells charcoal to provide for the family needs. Alicent has a strong bond with her step-mother and her 80+ year old grandparents.  She also has an older step-sister whom she is close with.