We had roughly 50 days to visit family and friends spread out among various states such as Florida, North Carolina, and Illinois. Although these visits often involve a lot of driving and sleeping adjustments, it was well worth it to be able to tell people in person about the big news of Audrey's pregnancy and the exciting news of our first child come January! As we write this our baby is around 19 weeks old and set to be born in La Paz on January 25th, 2025. Praise God for this little blessing that will surely bring a big change to our lives. Here is a video of Mark surprising the high school students with our big news during the opening chapel on the first day of school on August 7th.
It is extremely exciting to think about parenthood and the new excitement headed our way come January. Until then we would appreciate all your prayers and support as we seek to prepare for what feels like the un-preparable. We know the best thing we can do is trust in the Lord, His sovereignty, and control over everything, and so we ask that you join us in this prayer. We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to visit people back in the U.S. and tell them in person. So many people showed us hospitality and kindness, and for that we are extremely grateful. It was truly an amazing opportunity to see so many people, go to baseball games, eat delicious food, and celebrate Audrey's graduation with family and friends.
After returning to La Paz on July 21st we jumped right into New Teacher Orientation, which Audrey is in charge of leading. Eventually we started the school year on August 7th, with some new opportunities and challenges for Audrey's 5th year and Mark's 6th year at Highlands. Audrey is now the full time Guidance Counselor, and as a result is required to teach the College & Career class that we offer to juniors.
In planning and discussing this opportunity at the start of the year it was decided that the best way to do this was to have both of us co-teach it together in order to allow Audrey to adjust to teaching a class. You know what they say, "two Kreiss's are better than one!", and if you count the baby then that is a lot of Kreiss brain power. After a month of co-teaching we both agree it is a great thing to be able to do together and is a blessing to be able to share with each other.
Both of us continue to lead our own discipleship groups with around eight students in each group. Audrey is continuing as the head of the Member Care team as well, and will step into the head of the National Honor Society. Mark continues to teach high school social studies, which includes his two electives, Intro into Sociology and Latin American Studies. He is also in charge of the Student Council and will continue to coach the basketball team and build off of last year's success. One of the first big events that the Student Council helps lead and organize is a Highlands tradition of bench painting. Each grade has a bench and at the start of the year they come together to paint their benches, which will sit outside the classrooms on the high school porch. It is a good way to bring unity and see the students' creativity come out.
As we start the new school year and transition back to our La Paz lives we are reminded of how important our relational ministry is both with the students and the staff. Please pray that we can continue to seize every opportunity to relationally connect and through those relationships model Christ and preach the Good News. So much of our ministry in the Highlands community is based in encouragement, mentorship, and discipling. Pray that the Holy Spirit works mightily in making us aware of the opportunities to speak truth and build up His kingdom. Pray also that we can both manage things wisely through this pregnancy and navigate all that comes with it as Audrey plans to give birth in a foreign country and continue to work and serve while pregnant. Mark, in not being pregnant, has had some good opportunities already to connect with his students and support one of them at his boxing match. Another weekend he went with the other guy teachers up to a hiking spot called La Muela (the molar). Relationally things are going well and we ask that you continue to pray for both of us in these ways as we seek to serve given the circumstances and opportunities God has provided us.
Lastly and with great sadness, we report that we had a student pass away while playing soccer back in June. This student was set to begin his junior year and tragically experienced a cardiac attack unexpectedly and passed away. Please keep the Highlands community, and specifically his junior class, in your prayers as this is still something that is affecting many that were close to him. It has rattled our cages as well as we head back to school without him. We as a school held a memorial service to remember him at the end of the day on our first day back. We trust all things to God, and pray things like this might open the eyes of many to the fragility of this life and the need for them to accept Christ into their lives now.
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