2016 Family Letter

Happy New Year!

It has been 1.5 years since we moved to Glendive, MT!  Compared to last year, this winter has been much colder (many days below 0 deg F) and we've had much more snow (8 inches on Christmas and 8 more inches coming on New Year's).  Despite the weather, we are getting more and more settled into our community.  We really enjoy small town Montana life.  After moving back to America from Kenya over 2 years ago, we thought life would eventually calm down or perhaps become steady, but we are quickly realizing life is a constant state of transition.

Daneen was working for the college in Recruiting and Admissions for a year and left that position in July so that she could be more flexible for parenting children.  She is now working part-time from home for Christ’s Gift Academy, the organization we served with in Kenya.  She does admin work including online fundraisers, newsletters, social media, and other sponsor and public relations communication. One of her large goals for 2017 will be to increase funding for the organization to help meet the general budget and fund many needed capital improvements, and also to support her own monthly stipend.  Daneen is thoroughly enjoying this role and it's an answer to prayer; a flexible schedule, working from home and serving an international non-profit she's passionate about. She also does some substitute teaching in the local schools to help supplement our income.

The biggest change in our lives in the past year is that we have become foster parents.  Our journey started with respite care for a 14 year old girl for a few days and then a newborn baby for a few days. However, our lives dramatically changed when we accepted 3 siblings; twin 7 year old girls and their 8 year old brother.  It happened to be the first day of basketball season, November 2^nd; the start of the busiest time of the year for Joe.  During school days, we only get a short time with them in the morning and a couple hours at night.  They have brought a lot of life to our home over the past couple of months.  They are Pendo’s new best friends and so good with her. We do a lot of reading together to help them catch up to their grade-level.  One of our best times together was traveling with the DCC basketball team to Casper, Wyoming for a Thanksgiving tournament.  They loved hanging out with the players on the bus, at meals, during shoot-arounds at the gym and especially in the swimming pool.  Some of our proudest moments have been during prayer and Bible story time. It’s a blessing to hear their genuine, child-like prayers and seeing them grow in their understanding of who God is. We don’t know how long they will stay with us, but it will likely not be long-term. We are trying to do the best job we can while we have them, knowing that some day they will hopefully be able to go back and live with their mom or dad.

Pendo has grown to be a well-behaved doggie; most of the time. :-) She brings us lots of joy and smiles. She is so great with the kids; a natural "kid's dog". Yet, she occasionally seeks out a quiet place in the house when the kids are home all day. We love her so much!

Joe is thriving in his roles as Athletic Director and Men’s Basketball Coach at Dawson Community College.  Last season, 2015-2016, the team greatly improved throughout the season, finishing 2^nd in the conference and reaching the Regional Championship Game before losing a close game that would have sent them to Nationals.  This season, they have gotten off to a better start and are currently 9-7 at the halfway point.  The team has had to deal with several injuries to key players, but has still managed to compete hard and has been in every game they’ve played, except one.  He enjoys the daily interaction with his players, teaching the game of basketball along with life lessons and, of course, he loves the competition.  His team is very diverse with about half of the team from Montana/Wyoming and other players from Colorado, Louisiana, Canada, Bahamas, Costa Rica and Australia. If you'd like to follow the season or even watch a livestream of one of their home games, check out the Dawson Buc's website.

One of the highlights from this past year was going on a 7 day cruise to Cozumel, Honduras and Belize with Joe’s family to celebrate his parent’s 50^th anniversary.  It was a special time to be with family and enjoy a new experience (1^st cruise) and seeing new places.  After the cruise we were also able to travel to Pennsylvania to visit Daneen’s family for a week.

We are both still serving as advisors for the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship on campus.  The regular attendance has been pretty low on a weekly basis, yet on the monthly meal nights and other special events, we typically attract 20-40 students (out of the 120 who live on campus). Despite being frustrated by the low numbers we know that many students have heard the Gospel in various forms.  We are trusting that God will help us identify and raise up leaders who will take initiative in reaching their campus for Christ this coming semester and next year.

We are not sure what is in store for us in 2017, but we expect there to be more changes and transitions; especially in our family life as we journey through foster care!  We continue to trust God to lead and guide us.

It seems like a long time since we have seen most of you! That's kind of a side effect of living in the middle of nowhere Eastern Montana. :-) Even if we haven’t seen you (or talked to you) in a while, please know that we love you, miss you and pray for many of you regularly.

God’s blessings to you in 2017! We hope the new year is filled with joy in your heart and that your hope is in Jesus our Lord!

Much love,
Joe and Daneen Peterson

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Christmas Update 2015

A new chapter in our life began on June 30 when we moved to Eastern Montana and both started working at Dawson Community College; Daneen as an Enrollment Management Specialist and Joe as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach and Athletic Director. We bought a new house and got a new puppy!

We really enjoy our new hometown of Glendive. It is a town of just 5,000 which actually suits us even better than we thought.  We like that there are only a few options to choose from. We have our two grocery stores, K-Mart, Subway and several locally owned restaurants and shops. It only takes 5-10 minutes to drive anywhere in town and there are frequent events happening and various things to do; plus you get to know people quicker in a smaller setting where you cross paths often. We also love that Makoshika State Park is right in Glendive which has great hiking trails within minutes.

We love our new home (built in 1927) with its big living room, great location and detached 2 car garage! We have plenty of room for visitors and trust God will fill our 3 extra bedrooms with children; in His perfect timing. And we really love our new puppy, Pendo, which means “love” in Kiswahilii. She is a Bishon/Poodle mix. Training her has required a lot of time, effort and patience, but she brings us so much joy. Her energy makes our home come alive. She loves to play fetch, tug-of-war and would lick our faces 24/7 if we allowed her to.

Joe has enjoyed getting back into the college basketball world, though it has been overwhelming at times. Since starting the job in June, he has hit the ground running with recruiting, scheduling, scouting, training, practice, involving the players in the community, overseeing their academic progress and much more. The team is 6-8 (win-loss) on the season and have been a good group of guys to work with. With a new coach, a new system and 10 new players, it has been a big transition, but the team is improving and ready to start conference in early January. Many people around town have frequently mentioned how excited they are that he has taken on this job and how great it is to have “Little Joe” back at Dawson.

Daneen has done a great job in her new role in Enrollment at the college; organizing Orientation, sending out weekly emails to the students, managing the front office and social media, initiating an Adopt-A-Buc program to match students with host families, and recruiting new students for next year. The traveling required for recruiting has been a huge challenge; though she enjoys interacting with the students and working in the college environment. 

We have also enjoyed reviving the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship on campus. Our college only has about 125 students living on campus and 200 students overall, yet around 12-15 students attend each week for worship and to hear God’s Word. Once a month we have a meal as an outreach and around 30-50 students attend and often stay for the guest speaker. We are thankful for the great support from a few local churches in providing the monthly meals. We have no idea of all that God is doing on campus through IV, but we know that believers are being challenged to grow in their faith and others are hearing the Word.

We are excited about what God has done in our lives and what He is going to do in and through us in Glendive.

Merry Christmas!
We wish you a wonderful Christmas and hope that you enjoy special memories with friends and family. We pray that you take time to reflect on the greatest gift of all; God sending His Son for us!

New Contact Info
Our new address:
613 N. Kendrick Ave
Glendive, MT 59330

Prayer Requests

1. Wisdom as Joe leads the basketball program; to build it with a foundation based on effort, attitude and teamwork. And to impact each of his players in a positive way.  
2. For God to bless us with children in His perfect timing.
3. For Daneen’s health to continue to improve, and for complete and total physical healing.
4. For the leadership of CGA and Suba Lakers to continue to step up; and for lives to continue to be transformed in Mbita, Kenya.

Glendive, Montana

Located in eastern Montana, nestled between rolling hills and badlands, Glendive is home to approximately 5,000 people. The town was originally established when the transcontinental railway was built through the northern tier of the western U.S. The railway is still a primary contributor to the local economy; mostly transporting coal and oil. The area is world-renown for it's dinosaur fossils. Glendive is home of the Foundation Advancing Creation Truth which runs the Dinosaur and Fossil Museum; which presents the truth of God's Word using the latest dinosaur and fossil exhibits. Paddle fishing in the Yellowstone River brings nearly 3,000 fisherman a year to Glendive. One of the world's finest delicacies, Yellowstone Caviar, is produced in Glendive as a product of the paddlefish. 

View from airport; Glendive town (in distance) surrounded by badlands

Main Street

Historic Bell Street Bridge

BNSF railway transporting coal

Makoshika State Park, Montana's Largest State Park

Makoshika State Park

Makoshika State Park, nearing sunset

Dawson Community College

Dawson Community College is a public community college established in 1940.  It's nestled between the banks of the Yellowstone River, Makoshika State Park and the city of Glendive, MT.
Mission: Provide affordable and open access to quality teaching and learning. 
Mascot: Bucky the Buccaneer 
Intercollegiate Sports (NJCAA): Men's & Women's Basketball, Baseball, Softball and Rodeo
Student/Faculty Ratio: 11:1

Main Hall and Administration Offices

Toepke Center (gymnasium)

Gymnasium 

Gymnasium lobby

Ullman Center; classrooms 

View from gym patio overlooking the dorms

View from campus

Making Decisions

A year and a half ago we made the decision to complete our commitment of serving in Kenya and return to America for the next season of our lives.  After making that decision, we would often wonder what we would do back in America.  Living overseas for 11 years made me [Joe] question my ability to get a job when I come back home.  We knew we both had immense and diverse knowledge, abilities, skills and experiences; yet we weren’t sure how that would translate to a job in the U.S. Whenever I had those doubts, I had to turn them over to God and remember that He is in control of my life, not me. Walking in faith always requires trusting the Lord to direct and provide!

Another step of faith occurred when we felt God’s leading to take a 3 month Sabbatical at the beginning of 2015 to take time to rest, recover, reflect and refocus as we transition back to life in America. This was a chance to refresh our souls! The idea of a Sabbatical didn’t make sense to us.  We thought we needed to find a job immediately and begin making money right away. That’s what everyone does—it’s how the world works! But we know that following God does not always look like what everyone else is doing and we are challenged to not follow the ways of this world (Rom 12:2).  Out of obedience, we set aside those three months. This was not an easy thing to do. We had no idea where or how we would find a job, live or provide for ourselves after our Sabbatical.  Again, we handed those doubts and fears to God and reminded ourselves constantly that He is in control! He knows what the future holds and sees the big picture while we see only a limited perspective.  We had a wonderful, restful, reflective and rejuvenating time during our Sabbatical.  In retrospect, it was much needed and we can’t imagine having jumped straight into work and normal life in America. We are immensely grateful for such a gift from the Lord and for all the ways He provided and cared for us during that time!

As we began searching for jobs (in late April), God proved himself faithful in our lives once again.  He provided several different opportunities in various fields and different parts of the country.  The job searching process is very tedious and tiresome; making calls, sending out emails, filling out applications, making different cover letters, adapting your resume and preparing for interviews.  It can be a roller coaster of emotions that changes from day to day, and sometimes hour to hour.  We were primarily seeking out opportunities for full-time work for Joe, yet Daneen had an integral part in the process.  She continually advised, edited and reviewed Joe’s job application materials and even performed mock interviews for him (she was much tougher than the real interviewers)! We make a great team!

The opportunities narrowed down to two job offers.  

#1 Dean of Athletics and Activities at a Charter School in Longmont, Colorado 
#2 College Basketball Head Coach in Glendive, Montana.  

Since we are currently living in Longmont, that job seemed to be the easier choice.  It would be ideal to stay in a place where we have established friends who we love and people who are like family. It provided a good salary and we love our church, along with the wonderful Colorado weather, mountains and a plethora of activities.  The Glendive offer had a lot more unknowns; it felt a bit riskier to move to a small town in Eastern Montana where we would need to endure colder winters and didn’t already have a large network of close friends and community.    

After multiple interviews and many interactions with both jobs, we ultimately felt more excitement and peace about the opportunity to work at the college in Montana.  There are many ways we see God moving in the small town of Glendive and within the college, and that excites us.  It was a very tough decision to make.  Through much prayer, wise consultation and a lot of faith... we know this is the direction God is leading us.  

In the end, we were both in total agreement that we wanted to follow God’s guidance and trust Him to provide for all the unknowns. We’re excited about our next adventure!

Our Next Adventure

When you take a new job and move to a new place we don’t often refer to it as an adventure.  It’s simply a part of life.  However, when you take a new job and move to a new place while you are following the Lord’s leading and fully trusting He is in control... THAT, is always an adventure!

Our new adventure will be in Glendive, Montana!

Joe will be the next Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Dawson Community College in Glendive, Montana. (Check out this press release.) 

I will be recruiting, training the team, overseeing their academics, fundraising for the program, promoting and doing everything else associated with running a college basketball program.  From my teenage years, I have had the dream of being a head college basketball coach.  I pursued that dream for 5 years after I graduated college (coaching at two NCAA Division I schools), but gave it up when I felt God call me to Kenya in 2003.  At the time, I knew I might be giving up my dream forever. It’s difficult to get back into any profession once you’ve left for many years, but it’s often especially challenging re-entering the coaching world.  When we returned back to America last year, I didn’t think I would get back into coaching. The life-style at the higher levels of collegiate sports is not ideal for a family. I told Daneen and others that I might consider coaching only if it were the right school and the right situation; ideally having the ability to lead my own team. When my former coach at Dawson retired the same week as we began looking for jobs, we had a feeling this would be a good fit for us.

We both really enjoy working with college-aged students.  We believe the college years are some of the best years of a person’s life and also some of the most influential. It’s the time when young adults are figuring out who they truly are, learning to become independent and many are searching for what life is all about and how they fit into this world. Some of our favorite times together in Kenya were interacting with CGA Alumni when they were home from college.

We are excited about the opportunity to be a positive role model for these students. Joe desires to build a basketball program which does much more than win championships. He sees his role of Head Coach as a mentor to 15 young men and hopes to teach them about work ethic, attitude, character and, when God opens the doors, the Gospel. Daneen is excited about being the Team Mom! We look forward to interacting with our men’s basketball team and hopefully the members of the other sports teams as well as the other students.  There is also a strong possibility for Daneen to work at the college. (Stay tuned for details.)

Glendive is a small town of approximately 5,000 people nestled among the rolling hills and badlands of Eastern Montana. Learn more about and check out some pictures of Glendive here. The college has around 400 students and 5 NJCCA sports; men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball and rodeo.  Coach Mast (the recently retired head coach) was my coach when I played at DCC back in the 90’s and has been the head basketball coach at DCC for the past 25 years.  He has the most wins of any college coach in Montana, so I am replacing a legend (read more).  Our conference includes mostly North Dakota schools and we will also play some non-conference games in Montana, Wyoming and possibly even Nebraska, Colorado and South Dakota. Check out some pictures from around the DCC campus here. 

Joe has already started working, especially trying to recruit players to fill out the roster and create a competitive team for next year.  This week we are heading to Louisiana to be the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) speakers at a basketball team camp with over 1,000 players.  We will have the opportunity to share our testimony and allow God to use that in the lives of these high school athletes.  And maybe... I’ll find a great player or two who wants to come to Montana.

We are currently looking at houses in Glendive and hope to move to Montana in early/mid July.  The school year starts towards the end of August. 

Our new adventure awaits and we’re excited!!!

Glenwood Springs

We love that our wedding anniversary and both our birthdays are within days of each other. It's a great reason to get away and celebrate. This year we celebrated our 2 year anniversary in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Glenwood Springs is known for it's natural mineral hot springs nestled between steep mountain sides which form a spectacular canyon. The canyon was especially green after a very wet spring. It was a perfect little get-away complete with rest, relaxation, hiking, yummy meals and soaking up the beauty of God's creation in Colorado...and riding on North America's Highest Altitude Roller Coaster at 7,100 feet! Below are some shots in attempt to capture the immense beauty!