We have recently finished the 24’-25’ school year and would love to share some personal updates and ministry highlights from this past semester!
Our Home
God has truly blown us away with providing such a wonderful home for us. We love our new space and feel like it has really helped us rest. We love the fresher air and slightly cooler temperatures (even a degree or two makes a difference!) that come along with being in a more mountainous area. We love the windows and the amazing views that remind us of God’s beautiful creation. Every day when Mia Joy wakes up in the morning, we look out the window and she always says “wow!” We love the little outside area and go out regularly after dinner to play with chalk and bubbles. Thank you for praying with us as we searched for housing. God answered and exceeded our prayers.
Injury
Grady tore his ACL while playing basketball at the end of April. He will need to get surgery at the end of July, and the recovery is expected to take about 9 months. Injuries are tough, mentally just as much as physically. It’s sad that he can’t keep up with Mia Joy for now, but she knows that Dada has an “ouch” on his knee and she even enjoys helping him with his physio exercises. Please pray for Grady’s diligence in doing his exercises, for Britt to be a helpful support to him, and for Mia Joy as she adjusts to playing with her Dada in new ways for the next little while.
Saying Goodbye
Saying that we live in an international community is often synonymous with saying that we live in a transient community. However, up until now, we haven’t really had to say many difficult goodbyes as we were the “new” ones. This is the first year where some people who we have become good friends with are moving away. Two young families who came to the Philippines around the same time as us, another family who had helped us adjust to life in the Philippines, and a teacher who had taught Grady in high school are all leaving Faith Academy. We are thankful to have had the opportunity to say goodbye and cry and pray and share stories together before the end of the year. We are thankful for these special people God has brought into our lives, the friendships we have been able to make, and that goodbyes with believers are never permanent.
Ministry Update
Faith Academy’s media and communications team put together this little recap video from the 24-25’ school year. Feel free to check it out here!
Baptisms
We got to witness 8 baptisms at Faith Academy, praise God! One of the senior girls who was baptized was coached by Britt on the Swim Team and was in Grady’s AP Research class. Click on the link below to see a recap video of the baptisms.
Student Mentorship Meetings
This semester, the grade 11 Bible class has an assignment where students choose a mentor to meet. We have had the privilege of beginning mentorship relationships with seven grade 11 students, some of whom are not Christians. A few of Grady’s mentees wanted to meet up more often than what was required of them. We got to have conversations on the topics of forgiveness and reconciliation, identity in Christ, healing (from an abusive relationship, another with past abuse), depression and anxiety, anticipating and managing transitions, family and friendship struggles, apologetics, and living life as an act of worship to God. One student that Grady has been meeting on almost a weekly basis, after struggling with his faith and wondering if he believed in Jesus or not confessed that he does! It truly is a privilege to journey alongside our students and be a part of what God is doing in their hearts and lives, all the while partnering with what God is doing in the world by supporting missionary families.
Coaching
Britt continued to coach Swim Club from December to May. Swim Club was open to students in grades 3-8, and a few high schoolers volunteer coached too. A few highlights of Swim Club were discipling the high school coaches, helping to develop the swim program, building fundamental skills in the younger kids, and showing the younger kids how sport can be a way that they can glorify God. Britt was amazed at how, even at a young age, the swimmers were thinking deeply about faith and sport. At the end of practice we often practiced gratitude. One day a 4th grader said, “I’m thankful that God designed our bodies in such an amazing way so we can swim.” On a different occasion Britt asked a different 4th grader why she swims and the girl said, “I swim because I like to express myself through the water… and my mom says that I’m hyper and it helps me get out my energy! Ha!”
Teaching
One highlight for Grady this year has been teaching his AP Research students. We hope to share more personal stories in a future update, but all thirteen of his students were able to complete their research projects on time, give their presentations, and submit their papers. Students completed research in several fields including, artificial intelligence, 3D printing, biology, sociology, education, maternal health, and sports analytics. In their final class, each student was able to articulate how the research they conducted helped them understand the world better, which in turn helped them understand God better, the world that He created, and their place in it. It is such a privilege to work and learn with students who are brilliant and challenge the teacher!
Summer Plans
Grady’s parents currently serve as missionaries in Japan and have done so for over 30 years! They have decided to retire in September of this year and leave Japan. So, we’ve decided to spend all of June and some of July with them to say goodbye to Grady’s childhood home. Please pray that this would be a sweet time of reflecting on the past but also making new memories as a family. Britt will also be preparing to teach a new course, Human Anatomy over the summer as well.
Thank you so much for your prayer and support. It really means a lot to us! Please let us know if we can be praying for you in any way.
Much love, Britt and Grady
