Meet Ambo Kenny!

We never intended to adopt again, but as we prepare to leave Kenya, we are so thankful for the newest member of our family!

Baby Ambo

Earlier this spring our African partner churches and colleagues (Jonathan Mills, Carla Nelson, and Darrell & Laura Lee Bustin) gave us the unbelievable gift of a baby elephant.

Baby Ambo was found abandoned in the sticky mud

 of Kenya's Amboseli National Park in 2016.

Park rangers and members of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

rescued the malnourished elephant and brought him to be 

cared for at their rescue centre in Nairobi. 

With our partner's gift, the adoption will provide our little Ambo support and help as he grows up in the safety of the Nairobi National Park and cared for by the team at David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. We have visited Ambo several times over the past year, but the highlight was an opportunity we had over Easter to tuck him into bed and spend one-on-one time with our Ambo. 

As we leave, we are grateful to know that he is well cared for and that in a small way we are a part of the conservation efforts that will continue in Kenya.

Celebrations

Emma and Caroline at their graduation party

This past weekend, we hosted a graduation party with our friends John and Kim Gilmer for our daughter's Emma and Caroline. We are so thankful for the joy of watching these two young women growing up together at Rosslyn Academy. Both Emma and Caroline have shared a love for music, and theatre and over the years they have shared the stage in choir, musicals, and plays.

Earlier today, they went to school as Heinz Ketchup and Mustard for "Twin Day". We, unfortunately, don't have any pictures from their twin costumes, but we do have lots of pictures to share from their party!

Emma and Caroline cutting their cake

Caroline and Emma in Cake!

Ava about to eat Emma's fondant eye!

Mr. Garner photobombing

Celebration time!

Emma and Isaiah

Ava and Julia Enns

Nicole and Emma

Erica, Suzanne, and Rosemarie

Isaiah, Emma, Tristan, and Ava

Aaron sharing the "Dad's blessing" for Emma

Our friend, auntie Mel, praying a blessing over Caroline and Emma

It was very special to have our dear friend, Melanie McKee, pray a blessing over our girls. Auntie Mel has been a part of our family since we met in Emma's kindergarten year in 2006-2007. Not only was she a teacher for Emma and Caroline, but she has also been an extended member of our family.

Erica and Melanie

Congratulations, Emma!

Thank you for praying for Odisha

We want to thank everyone who has been joining us in prayer for our friends and partners in Indian where Cyclone Fani swept through Odisha this past weekend. The fierce winds of the Cyclone have killed at least 34 people in India and 15 in neighbouring Bangladesh.

In Odisha State, more than a million people were evacuated from their homes. Thankfully none of our partner churches or CBM colleagues were directly harmed.

We have had contact with our colleague Suraj Komaravalli, CBM team leader for India, who is very grateful for your prayers and asks that we continue to pray for those directly affected by the cyclone and for the ongoing response, especially in the community of Puri.

Praying for Odisha

School Children praying at our CBM partner church in Odisha, India.

Today we join in prayer with millions of people throughout Eastern Indian as they brace for the impact of cyclone Fani which made landfall minutes ago on the coast of Odisha State. 

This area is home to over 100 million people, many of whom do not live in homes built to withstand the winds equivalent to a category 4 hurricane (240 km/h). So far over 800,000 people have fled to schools, hospitals, and churches to find shelter. We pray for those who have not yet found refuge from the cyclone and for those who are already preparing to respond to the needs of their neighbours.

We also pray with our local church partners in Odisha. As Canadian Baptists, we have worked with the people of Odisha for over 145 years. We especially pray for our CBM colleagues Suraj Komaravalli, CP Raju, and Pradeep Babu Gara, who are serving these churches and communities in Eastern India.

Odisha, India