Hanging out with Johannes

Richard:

In his life before children, Richard ran half marathons every so often and ran 10 km races frequently. Now he chases children and turkeys (in that order). Richard is Project Manager for the Health and Wellness Center in Kigali,  a ministry that provides health care for those living in urban poverty in Kigali. In his spare time, he gardens, grows food for our growing family and plays Settlers. He is also the official chauffeur for our kids to go to school…early in the morning, because school begins at 7 am!

Jocelyn and Johannes

Jocelyn:

In her life before children, Jocelyn enjoyed sleeping. Not so much anymore! In her spare time, she bakes bread, makes yogurt, and catches babies…Yes, and of course she is at home with 4 kids! She enjoys figuring out how to do things here in Rwanda, with resource constraints, especially in the kitchen. Life is different but good. Jocelyn loves her garden…from roses, to cannalilies (and a new callalily!), from red peppers to basil. Thank God for a husband who is a horticulturist!

Two lovely sisters!

Danieke:

Danieke is a voracious reader, especially of Nancy Drew books! She loves animals, including turkeys and flying termites, which suits her well for living in Africa. On safari, she was in her glory with Zebras, Giraffes, Baboons and Velvet Monkeys! Danieke is also a budding artist and paints beautifully. We enjoy her many creations!

Marijke:

Marijke is a social butterfly. If there’s something exciting happening, she’s the first to know! She loves playing outside and herding turkeys, which also lends itself well to living in Rwanda! She enjoys riding her bike and exploring the area around our compound. She has recently been introduced to Nancy Drew by her older sister, so we’ll see where that leads!

Matthijs can be found outside most of the time!

Matthijs:

Matthijs is our intrepid explorer, knight, pirate and “digger”. If we were ever needing to escape the dungeon of a castle, he’d be our first pick to get us out! In Africa, he enjoys bamboo sword fighting with whomever will play, swinging on the swings in our yard, and chasing his siblings, usually while screaming at the top of his lungs. He’s not a fan of Kindergarten most days, but goes for the fun of being with other kids. He can herd turkeys, which is a skill that may serve him well in the future!

African style

Johannes:

Johannes is a busy toddler, having just learned how to walk at 20 months! He’s unstoppable now. He enjoys chasing kittens and turkey and being the center of attention. His more recent development stage is exhibited in his ability to walk over to pick up a shoe and smack the “Baaaaaahhhh” (bug) he has seen on the tile floor (usually a termite or beetle). His hand eye coordination is unrivaled. He also LOVES to eat. Especially Bananas… which suits us in Rwanda, where we have the greatest bananas ever!