Dear friends and family,

It is that time of the month again, and we have news!!!

We had a really great Christmas followed by a nice holiday. We stayed at home and relaxed, did some day trips, took the kids sledding, built snowmen and played in the snow. My (DR) parents and brother and nephew came over for a weekend/week. It was wonderful to have them over, and Mya and her cousin had a blast playing together. Then in February, it was back to work!!!

ALECK
Aleck has been working on our personal website - updating it and redesigning it. It looks great and there is a lot of interesting stuff up there - not just our news but other articles and links that might be of interest to you. Please check it out. Our new url is: www.aleckcartwright.com

In addition to this Aleck has also been preparing/setting up the School of Design which is due to start in July. Aleck will be leading this school in order to train up someone else to lead it next year. This is the only school he is leading/being involved with this year, but he will still have interns to oversee. He is also in the process of setting up the Design school in Columbia which will run April through June. This is an exciting opportunity for him as this is the first of the schools he is pioneering/multiplying out from Burtigny. (Future locations are Nigeria, South Africa and Chile.) We are praying about whether the kids and I should go with Aleck. If all of us go, we will go for the whole 3 months. If only Aleck goes, then he will go for a month. Another thing to factor in as to whether the kids and I go is that I am hoping to do one of the remaining 2 schools for my degree in July next year, which is not only an added expense but it will be a very short turn around if we all go to Columbia for the 3 months immediately before the school starts. Please pray with us as we process the implications of this and whether going to Columbia is something we should all do or just Aleck.

Aleck has been trying to be more pro-active in developing his photography skills, and recently had an opportunity to go to a “Ball” to be one of the photographers for the event. He really enjoyed the experience as it taught him a lot. The guy he went with is an excellent photographer and was able to give him a few tips - which always helps. He had a variety of settings - different light settings, still life and movement, portraits and scenery. It was a great experience and it has made him hungry for more!!!!

He has also been very busy doing design work for our base as they prepare to go on a promotional tour to the USA. (See the “Pour Yourself Out” image above)

DONNA-RAE
My workload since being back has not been too bad - posting out diplomas, typing up degree plans and answering emails etc. Now things are back to being fairly mellow, with not too much pressure. It’s nice. However, the University of the Nations is having a workshops in September, in 4 locations - Ukraine, Switzerland, Egypt and South Africa. (These are held every 2 years and are aimed at further training staff and students in the UofN in various skills and inspiring them with a renewed vision, and a greater understanding of the UofN and its purpose.) There will be graduation ceremonies in each of those 4 locations. This means that students who previously have not submitted their request to graduate will start popping up all over the place and things will start getting really hectic trying to get all the paperwork done and diplomas signed. But I like it - for the most part.

When I don’t have much work to do, I am able to spend more time with the kids - doing craft things with Mya and playing with Micah, going for walks and visiting friends. I am enjoying being a mom, although at times find the constant change and adaption needed as your kids grow a challenge as I am very much a routine person. But I think I am learning. =:0)

I would really like to do the Humanities and Science school in July next year, here in Burtigny. This is my second last school towards completing my BA in Journalism: Mass Media. (The other one being Video Production and Field Assignment/Internship.) It seems perfect timing for me to do it as Micah will be 2 and Mya will be at school for part of that time which makes it easier for Aleck to be the primary caregiver. But in light of Aleck multiplying the design schools, we need to be extra sure that the timing is right. I certainly feel ready to engage my brain in a different more intellectual way again!!! =:0)

MYA
Mya is growing up so fast! She turns 4 in 2 days time!! She is very talkative; Loves to play with her brother and her friends and is VERY excited about going to school. (We actually haven’t told her she is going yet but somehow she knows and keeps asking if she is going to school today on the white school bus!) She loves to be around people and be outside riding her bike. She is a little extrovert! An opportunity recently opened up for her to attend a music class being run by someone training in the “Kindermusic” programme. She has loved it. She enjoys being there - probably cos her friends all go as well, but it combines two of her favourite things - people and music!

MICAH
Micah is super active. He is crawling and man! can he crawl!! He is so fast it is unbelievable. His 2 favourite things in the world - besides food and his sister - are the dishwasher and his little car which he pushes around the house (usually in circles through the kitchen, into the lounge/dining room and through the kitchen and so on.) He is very cute - a shy little thing, but once he knows you he loves to play with you. He is the introvert. Micah has also been at the “Kindermusic” class and it has been fascinating to watch his reaction to it. He really loves it and gets into it as much as a 10 month old baby can - he shakes the shakers and bounces up and down when the music comes on. It really is cute.,4

PRAISE REPORTS
Well we have several praise reports….
1. In our last email we said we needed our support to increase, well God has answered that prayer! Our support has increased by about a quarter of what we need. It is awesome!!!
2. For Mya’s birthday we had several ideas of what to get her, one being a scooter. (I had in my mind a blue one with “Finding Nemo” on it, but would settle for a blue one), and we were given one for her! Not only that, but it was blue with “Finding Nemo” on it.
3. I needed a battery for my laptop as my one was practically non-existent. I was given the money specifically for a battery.
4. We were given money to buy tyres for our car in January - and the tyres ended up being on sale so were less than what we were quoted.
5. We were given a little money specifically to treat ourselves over the holidays.

PRAYER POINTS
- One of the ways we can see to raise the income we need each month is for Aleck and/or I to do a paid design project each month. Aleck has done a couple of book covers which is an income of about 1000sfr / 890usd / £610per cover, which is about what we still need each month to cover most expenses. Please pray that God will open up the opportunities for us to use our design skills and bring in the necessary extra income for us in this way.
- We are trusting God for the money to go to the UK for my (DR) cousins wedding. Please can you pray about contributing to this. We have to RSVP by the 31st of March.
- Our car failed its expertise / MOT. In order to get it to pass the next one on the 5th May, we need 200sfr / 180usd / £120 to get it fixed. Please can you pray that God will provide the money for us to get this fixed.
- Whether or not all of us should go to Columbia next year in April, and if we do all go, how long should all of us go for - for example, we could all go for 6 weeks and Aleck stays for a further 6 weeks etc.
- Whether or not I should do the Humanities and Science school next year.

Well that is all our news for now. We hope you are doing well. We would love to hear what you are doing and where you are.

Thanks for your friendship and support. You are a blessing to us. We hope you enjoy reading our letters and sharing in our lives.

God bless.

Aleck, Donna-Rae, Mya & Micah