Prayer and Praise from RVA 7th December 1999 From: Nate Hekman Tim Bannister writes a monthly column on www.rva.org. Since I haven't been able to line up someone to give us regular news updates this year, I asked him to give us a newsy column for December. The term has ended. I feel tired after every term, and each one seems like the busiest. Still, the term has been satisfying, and, on average, things have gone well. Oh, we had some suspensions, and no doubt some ticklish situations handled without my expertise, but on the whole, I'm pleased - even grateful. Here's a run-down of the final term of the 1900's... In athletics, we are simply the BEST. We won season tournaments in girls' basketball and boys' soccer. The soccer tourney ended with us beating Menengai in a shoot-out. In both soccer and basketball, I put the victories down to teamwork and great coaching (A nod to Barlow and Linton!). I don't know if I've ever seen the teams play with more heart. Even an opposing team coach remarked that the RVA athletes restored his hope for the next generation. Ditto for me. The student council, among other activities, put on an excellent harvest party (Hallowe'een-ish, but without the overtones). Lots of games, prizes, music, and snacks. Kudos to the Student Council for taking the initiative on that. It involved the whole school, no mean accomplishment for a K-12 institution. RVA really branched out this year with a production of The Pink Panther. Chad McCordic was a great Clousseau, Mike Arensen a wonderfully insane Dreyfuss, and Rebecca Sanchez the perfect femme fatale. Carole Linton and Sharon Brobst (staffos) were on top of things the whole time, and helped the students perform a sidesplitting production. It also gets my vote for the best costumes of any recent drama. One item of which I am particularly proud is RVA's famine relief effort, trying to come up with money for assisting schools and families in the area. Our dorm raised money by auctioning off abandoned items from the attic (Austin, we made most of the money on your stuff...). Stevenson Dorm raised money by having staffos pay them not to practice their band instruments on the front lawn. Many of you have obviously prayed for rain (it's raining as I write this, actually), but the shortages will last a while, so pray as we continue the effort. Many of you are on my heart a lot these days, particularly the Super Seven (you know who you are). It must be old age setting in, but at least it makes me pray for you a lot more. Here's a prayer for all of you - May God bless you this Christmas, with brand new wonder at the fact that our omnipotent God became an omnipotent baby, so He could meet us right where we are. Drop me a line! - Mr. B