We've Moved

We've moved!! 

Both literally (Kigali, Rwanda) and digitally (we have a new blog).

Keep up with all the comings and goings of the Davenport clan: 

http://davenportsonmission.blogspot.com/

Difficult Goodbyes and Anticipating Reunions- by Eric

On March 29th we purchased 6 one-way tickets to Rwanda with our credit card. This was done in faith seeing how at the time we had barely begun to receive funds, but we felt complete peace in the decision. Our confidence in His calling us to Kigali and in His ability to provide all that we would need allowed us to proceed.  

Our thanksgiving to Him is being poured out! Two churches and 12 individuals/families have partnered with us, including 6 monthly partners.  It all adds up to us being fully funded through May 2016!  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!  Any additional funds we receive will go towards expenses for June 2016-May 2017.  A big 'Thank You' to all of you, our community of faith, literally scattered around the globe. Thank you for your prayers and support.

We have six days remaining in China. Each of us are processing the approaching transition in different ways. Waves of excitement, sadness, anticipation, and heartache take turns sweeping over us.  The reality of saying goodbye to our life here has hit Brinson and Aiden pretty hard in recent days.  Wendy and I are so very thankful for their excitement for what is next in Rwanda.  Without that anticipation it would be pretty tough on them.  They are excited to see family and friends this summer, and excited, even though it's hard to visualize, life in Kigali.  But these three years have been huge for them and they will truly miss it.  We're encouraging them to fully feel whatever it is that they are going to feel, and we're visiting special people and places one last time.  

Pierce has been talking about going to America and seeing all his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins nearly nonstop for about 6 weeks.  He is stoked and ready to go!  He's packed and repacked his clothes and toys many times in recent weeks. Sheldon too is excited but he isn't quite as verbal about it.

Wendy and I are busy finishing classes and exams, saying goodbye to dear friends and passing along our work to others who will remain this summer and next semester.  Although it isn't fun to leave friends who we've had so many good discussions with and have seen come so far, we know that it isn't our work but His.

  

In keeping with Davenport tradition, we made a last minute stop to the ER. 

Sheldon broke his wrist while rollerblading.

Our whirlwind five weeks through America begins soon. We'll hit California, Florida, and Texas. Lots of doctor, vision, and dental visits, hugs and reunions, debriefing and reporting await us. Then we'll get packed up and move our family to Africa.  

Our God is big and our God is good, all the time.  It's an honor to be His children and follow His lead.

The Davenport Clan

Good Times and Good Friends- by Eric

 Hard to believe this is our last semester in China. Here's a quick look at life these past few weeks.....

Having dinner in our home with a student and his parents. They were really excited to see and taste western food. We made a Thanksgiving style meal and they were blown away by the various seasoning and spices we used. Chinese cuisine typically only include 3 or 4 spices.

Our Saturday evening group.

An incredible evening. We had 6 of Pierce's former nannies over for dinner. He was a bit unsure and standoffish, but they were overjoyed to see him again. It was really good for us to observe the love and concern they showed for him upon seeing him again for the first time in six months.

Pierce enjoys sitting quietly next to me as I teach and talk with students.

We're really gonna miss these guys! I've been meeting weekly with these young men for a very long time.

Our friend Nancy is simply indescribable. She's a hoot.

 Nancy's "fox face."

The Brother Alliance enjoying an early Spring afternoon at a stream. All four are in their element out in nature.

We got to catch up with a dear friend who showed back up in Shiyan for a short time after being gone the past few months. 

Rwanda here we come!! - by Eric

As our time in China begins to draw to a close, we're looking ahead with much excitement to what’s next for our family. We've treasured our time in China, along with her people and culture.  We’re thankful for the numerous opportunities HE has given us to reach out within our community and campus.  We’ll miss China dearly along with our friends and family here.  With all of the things that will be hard to leave behind, there have been challenges as well. Having lived in Central China for three years now, one of these is that our children are quite isolated.  Our boys have had 2 English speaking friends each year during our time here.  Additionally, homeschooling four boys on the fifth floor of a high rise is not for the faint at heart. Even with that being said, we have come to feel that our hearts and God’s desire is for us to continue serving abroad.  So we have been in fervent prayer about our next chapter; one that provides the opportunity to continue serving the Kingdom but also provides different options for our children. God has been very good and has presented us with a wonderful opportunity that answers so many of these and other specific prayers.

We are thrilled to share with you that our family is moving to Rwanda! I've accepted the role of Spiritual Life Coordinator at the Kigali International Community School and will start at the end of July.  Since taking a three week family mission trip to Zambia in 2009, we have had Africa on our hearts.  Brinson and Aiden have felt a longing and connection to the continent and have dreamed of moving there. This seems like a perfect fit for our family and we are so thankful to the Father for sending us this way!  The opportunities this provides for all 6 of us are exciting.

Zambia 2009

Wendy will once again be able to use her medical training and passion for the fatherless in countless ways, ways that have been closed in China.  She's been coordinating with a midwife who works closely in a nearby village and plans to serve alongside her.  She also plans to serve in a local orphanage and/or through foster care.

 

Zambia 2009

Equally as exciting, all four boys will go to a highly diverse, American styled school.  Although KICS serves students from over 30 countries, 40% of the students are Rwandan.  The school has a unique role as it reaches out into the community, shares Christ's love with students of various religions, and provides an American styled school for missionary kids in the surrounding area, allowing missionary families to stay on the field rather than return to their native countries for their children's educational needs.  Many of the students are the children of those working in the numerous embassies present in Kigali, the capital city.  I'm excited to have a voice and influence in their lives.

Zambia 2009

You may remember Rwanda as the sight of a horrific genocide in 1994 which shockingly claimed the lives of nearly 1 million people in 100 days.  Although this haunting history still lingers and impacts the lives of Rwandans, a beautiful new story is being written, a story marked with reconciliation, forgiveness, and renewal.  Our family is eager to play a small role in this emerging story and help connect Rwanda's story with the ultimate source of reconciliation, forgiveness, and renewal.  

All employees at KICS are missionary-educators and therefore raise most of their financial support.  So we find ourselves joining the ranks of countless missionaries before us in asking His people to help provide financial support for what He has planned to do through us.  We're needing to raise $20,000 by July to purchase airline tickets, medical insurance, and other one-time expenses.  Then beginning in August, we'll need $1,600 each month.  

From a human perspective this seems overwhelming. However, we feel perfect peace in His leading, and as we have experienced previously, when He leads He also provides.  

When Paul was faced with the task of raising monetary support he encouraged Christians with this promise: "You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." This is absolutely our family's prayer and hope, that God will receive thanksgiving and praise through the generosity and provision of His people. 

And so, we're asking you to please pray and consider supporting our family financially as we move to Rwanda. As you've heard many times before from many different sources, every little bit helps.  Furthermore, even though this is a strange time of year to be raising funds, if you think your church or organization might be interested in partnering with us, please pass on this information or let us know.

We're receiving funds through the Sunset Avenue Church of Christ. Checks can be made out to Sunset Ave, memo line: Davenport-Rwanda, and mailed to:

Sunset Avenue Church of Christ
600 Orchard Ave
Madera, CA 93637

Much love from the Davenport clan

Eric, Wendy, Brinson, Aiden, Sheldon, and Pierce

Lately...(it's been too long since our last post)

Wowser! Has it really been 4 months since our last post?! Reading back over my last entry is a jolting reminder of how far He has led us as a family in such a short time- although, as is usually the case, it didn’t seem so short in the midst of it.  Pierce is doing fantastic now. The rough (really rough) first 6-8 weeks are quickly fading out of sight in the rearview mirror and we’re basking in his beautiful true-self as it emerges more each week. We’re so very thankful for the glorious future He has planned for him.  Pierce is a joyful, smiling, silly, adjusted member of the family. He still has his stubborn, disobedient moments each day (don’t we all) and is still working on being gentle with his words and body. We find ourselves saying, “let’s try again” numerous times each day as we try to gently correct and redirect him, but overall he’s working through things that most 4 year olds are being trained in. {Pierce is 6 but developmentally he’s closer to 4}.

As the last step in the adoption process we traveled to the American embassy in Guangzhou a few weeks ago to get Pierce’s visa for entry into the States this coming summer.  During his medical exam the physician and social worker asked what his disabilities were. Upon hearing that there were none, they questioned how he was labeled “waiting child” by Beijing last spring. Quick reminder: if Pierce hadn’t been labeled “waiting child” last May then his folder would have hit the worldwide system then there would have been virtually no chance of us being matched with him. That’s why EVERYONE, even our own agency, told us for over a year that it simply wasn't going to happen and we needed to be realistic about it. A classification of “waiting child” is given to children who might be harder to find adoptive parents for, either because of health or age. Wendy told them he was labeled this way because of his age. They appeared puzzled and said that children must be 9 years old before they’re classified as such. They got on the phone and called our provincial capital to verify and seek clarification. Now mind you, Pierce’s adoption is final, so there was no danger in anything being reversed. The physician and social worker spend each work day doing the exams and filing the proper paperwork for international adoptions, and they had never heard of such a thing before. They were just baffled by it. We weren’t.  Pierce’s adoption into our family was directed by the King of Kings.  He moved mountains, changed hearts, and cut red tape to bring us together. Nothing was going to stop Him, not even technicalities in the system.  This somewhat humorous exchange was a great reminder of our Father’s care and sovereignty. We continue to give Him praise and honor and thanksgiving for all He did! For over a year, with tears and many sleepless nights we pleaded, questioned, and ultimately surrendered the whole process to Him as we waited in faith. Now that it is over we want to ensure that our thanksgiving is at least that long- but in reality it will be for eternity! I praise you Father and love you dearly. You are faithful and you are good in all you do. Through all our worries and questions you had it all under control and your timing was perfect. Thank you for your patience and grace.

One more bit of praise. In total, Sheldon and Pierce’s adoptions cost $45,000. That’s about $45,000 more than we had. J Many of you supported us in prayer and in finances to bring these little guys home. We thank you and we thank our Father for being our provider. It’s simply beautiful to watch a segment of the Kingdom unite together to accomplish something eternal. We are eternally grateful.

This will be our last semester in China. We’re praying through our options for what is next, but want to finish strong here.  We welcome back the students and begin a new semester in 10 days after enjoying several weeks of rest and renewal during the winter holiday.  It will be good to see our dear students again, although each semester we are saying goodbye to more and more precious friends as they graduate and move on.  Several students who spent many afternoons and evenings in our home left at the end of last semester. This semester will be different without them, but He continues to put new people in our path.  More to come……..Grace and peace.

Here's a quick video of Pierce singing his and Sheldon's favorite song: