Praise God after I arrived back in Kenya Donna and I received our work permits. We are incredibly grateful. There are a couple more straight forward administrative steps that we have already started to become official alien residents in Kenya. We are told that these last steps are easy, pray that what we have been told is true.

I had a wonderful time escorting my mom back to USA, spending time with my family and spending time with Donna’s family. Thank you very much for your prayers. The trip back with my mom was close to flawless. The airlines did a great job having wheelchairs available at all the airports along with helpful staff who knew how to navigate the ins and outs of the airports. It was delightful and fitting to spend time with family in the USA. There were some great times of fellowship and conversation.

Donna has started helping (two mornings a week) at a school called Helping Hands (www.helpinghandsofkenya.com) that works with children who have disabilities. The main goal is for her to help the staff and teachers improve their service to these children. Pray for her as she works with Helping Hands.

In our last newsletter I talked about my project: What it Says, What it Means and Why You Should Care which explains the importance and significance of TWR’s Statement of Doctrinal Position. Your continued prayers for this will be appreciated.

My mom has had a great time here in Kenya. Praise God with us that she was able to see a good number of things and that she has been healthy while here. As you know from previous blogs, I am traveling back to the States with her and will be spending some time with my family and Donna’s family. Your prayers for our travels would be appreciated.

Alyssa, who just arrived in Kenya, is a friend from New Mexico who is staying with us in Naivasha as she works with a ministry to those who have AIDS. Alyssa will be in Kenya for two months and we are very excited to have her around. Pray for her as she serves those with AIDS.

Please continue to pray for our work permits. It appears that the process is close to being done. Pray that this is true and that the last steps can be completed.

Paul’s mom (Rosie) has made it to Kenya, she traveled with Donna who was returning from visiting her family. Rosie has enjoyed her grandkids in their native habitat. In addition, she has been able to see a few other animals in their natural environment. Praise God with us that her journey and trip so far have been good (other than the delayed arrival of one bag) and pray for the rest of her visit in Kenya (and the delivery of the bag that has yet to make it to Kenya).

Family and friends meet Jesse. Jesse meet family and friends. Jesse is a female ridgeback / mutt mix that we picked up at the Kenya Society of Protection and Care for Animals (the Kenyan equivalent of the pound). She is incredibly well behaved and loves to be around people. So far Jesse’s favorite thing to do is to visit the kids at RVA where she receives lots of attention. Jesse’s one idiosyncrasy is that she will not fetch a ball. She prefers fetching rocks, fetch Kenya style.

Our move to Kenya has cost about $7,000 more than we planned. Used cars in Kenya are very expensive plus the power steering went out in the vehicle we purchased two weeks after we got it. As they were working on the power steering they also found lots of suspension problems. If you would like to help with this you can send a check to TWR, PO Box 8700, Cary, NC 27512 put “Paul & Donna Cox Transfer Fund” on the memo line. To give via credit card please call TWR at 1.800.456.7897 and ask to make a gift to the Paul and Donna Cox Transfer Fund.

In the past couple of weeks the team at the Benin Transmitting Station (BTS) has had some personnel challenges. These challenges have been a strain on the whole team in Benin. The team would appreciate your prayers. Please pray for discernment and wisdom on the part of the leadership team. Pray that the team would be able to keep their focus on God, bring glory to His name and accomplish His tasks in the midst of these challenges.

Simon Burdett is responsible for BTS. You will remember from my April 12 blog (https://www.cox-net.com/prayer_blog/?p=409) that he was recently named as the interim Africa Regional Support Services Director (RSSD) after the departure of the previous Africa RSSD. In addition to the normal transition issues facing Simon, he will have to help deal with these personnel challenges. While Simon is an African who has extensive experience and expertise with African cultures, he is not familiar with the Benin culture and context. He would appreciate your prayers for insight, understanding, wisdom and resolution.

Many of you have been praying for our work permit. Thank you for these prayers. God has yet to grant us the work permit and our current visas will be expiring soon. In order to get a new visas we will have to leave East Africa. Along with this, Donna’s father (James) continues to face health challenges. We do not know how much longer the Lord will tarry his return or how much longer the Lord will wait before calling James home. But these two things have percepitated a trip to the USA for Donna. Please pray for Donna’s time with her family and her travels. (As much as Donna will want to see many of you, her time in the States will need to be spent with her family.)

When Donna returns from the States, my mom (Rosie) is going to return with Donna and visit us in Kenya. Rosie’s health is good right now and if she is ever going to make it to Africa to see us now is the time. Praise God with us for Rosie’s health, the opportunity to travel with Donna and her courage to visit her grandkids in their native habitat.

I will return to the USA with my mom. This will give her someone to travel with and give me a chance to have some time with James, Donna’s family and my family. In addition, if our work permits are not finished by the time Rosie leaves I will also renew my visa.

Thank you for praying for Micah Joy’s surgery and thank you to the many people who emailed and sent Facebook messages. We thank God that Micah Joy’s surgery went well. Her surgery was delayed by four hours and the waiting helped teach us patience. Micah Joy’s recovery is going well. She just is not chewing or saying much.

I know that this has been said a number of times, however, we are incredibly grateful to be closer to our kids. Praise God that we are able to be in Kenya at this time.

Donna and I are still waiting on our work permits. Please pray that these would be granted soon. There are a number of things that are waiting on the work permit. Two major things that are in a holding pattern are opening a bank account and shipping our belongings which are still in Benin. While we have borrowed and purchased enough to “get by,” it is frustrating when we need something that is sitting in a box in Benin.

Our other disappointment has been that the vehicle we purchased needed some work and it is taking a while to get the parts. We were hoping to do some exploring while our kids are on break and this has been hampered with our vehicle in the shop. Pray that right parts can be found and installed in a timely way.

Thanks for your prayers and support.

Errata for April 12, 2014 blog:

The position discussed is correctly called Africa Regional Support Services Director and it is abbreviated RSSD. The blog stated “Simon Burdett has been named as the acting DARSS.” The blog should have stated “Simon Burdett has been named as the interim RSSD.” Apologies are offered for any confusion or offense this may have caused. Obviously we are still a bit confused. lol

Today (April 14, 2014) Micah Joy is having her wisdom teeth removed in Nairobi. This is the first of a number of procedures that she needs for her teeth and jaw. The procedure is being performed by a Kenyan Oral Surgeon who trained in London and is the Chairman of Division of Surgery at one of the best hospitals in Kenya (where the surgery will take place). We are thankful for a doctor who is competent for this procedure and good hospital. Your prayers for this would be appreciated.

Much has happened since my last communication. I have started to write a number of times but decided to wait in the hopes of having more clarity on the situation before writing. At this point we are not sure when there will be more clarity hence here is the latest.

There are many changes happening within TWR in Africa. One of the very significant changes is that Sharon Diehl has left Africa. Sharon was the Director of Africa Regional Support Services (DARSS) and was my boss when I was the station director in Benin. Sharon reported to the International Director of the Africa Region. Simon Burdett has been named as the acting DARSS and will report to the Vice President of Global Operations. Simon would appreciate your prayers.

At this point I am unsure how these changes might impact Donna and I. Your prayers for the region and how Donna and I might be impacted would be appreciated.

For those of you who missed the print version of Donna’s and my March newsletter the electronic version can be found at www.cox-net.com/pdf/2014.03_Cox.pdf. In it you will find some more about our move to Kenya and what is happening with the kids.

As always please know how much we appreciate your prayers and support.

Donna and I are settling in Kenya. The operative words being “are settling.” So far we have a lovely rental house, a used vehicle, a refrigarature, a washing machine, a TV and some basic furnishings that our landlord is providing until we can purchase our own.

On Saturday Donna and I spent the day at an RVA soccer tournament, Miriam plays goalie. It was great to be with our kids, their friends and other parents. We truly praise God that we are closer to our kids.

I am making my first trip in my new role of Director of Discipleship (and yes I do wish I had more time to settle before traveling). I am in Johannesburg for leadership training and meetings with my new boss and the team I will be on. The next two weeks will be critical to the start of my new role. While I am in South Africa, Donna is continuing the settling process.

Praise God with us that we are closer to our kids. Pray for us as we continue to settle. Pray for my meetings the next two weeks.