The Rosie family is well and as busy as ever.  We want to take this time to write to you, and explain several items concerning our “missed” furlough.  As many of you know, the Rosie family usually returns to the States to visit family and to report to friends and supporting churches every four years.  We were due to hit the stateside roads running at full speed starting in August or early September of last year (2004).  That did not happen.  Some of you have written and expressed the fact that you miss our usual visit.  We miss being able to sit down and chat with you.  Several things have changed and we are finding it difficult to get to the States as a family these days.
          Let me try to explain.  Our children are much bigger and older these days.  Kit is now 17 and Havilah is 11.  As many of you know, we put both of the children into Rift Valley Academy (boarding school) in Kenya starting last September.  This means that the children are no longer home schooled, and we are stuck to a school schedule for starting and ending each school year.  Havilah is now back with us in Madagascar, but is not being home schooled.  She is attending the school where Stacy is teaching.  Yes, some of you know that Stacy is now teaching full time, as well as keeping up with all of the church and orphanage work that we are involved in on a daily basis.  Stacy accepted a job teaching at the American School of Antananarivo so that we could afford to pay for the plane tickets and tuition of both children.  Now that Havilah is back in Madagascar with us, she is a student at the American school.  As long as Stacy is a teacher at the school, we do not have to pay tuition for Havilah.  This is a great help, since tuition for students Havilah’s age is about $12,000.00 per year.
          Since Stacy, Kit and Havilah are “going to school” on a regular basis, we were not able to find time to get to the States last year.  Kit’s school even requires that the parents be present in Africa during the time Kit is studying, unless prior arrangements are made with the school.  Kit studies for three months and is off one month, and then he studies another three months before being off for another month.  So, with a schedule like this, there is not a three-month vacation during the summer that we could even come to the States.  The school where Stacy and Havilah go each day only has a two-month break for the summer (mid June to mid August).  When we come to the States to visit and report to churches (if we are going to make the rounds and see everyone) we need a minimum of five months.  Hopefully by now, you are starting to see our dilemma.
          We have not forgotten you, and we do have an idea about how we might be able to come to the States for a visit.  I (Barry) would be able to come to the States for the full five months.  However, since Stacy, Kit and Havilah are involved in school these days, they would only be able to visit the States for about one month.  This means that the churches that are closest to our families (Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and possibly Florida) would be able to see and visit with Stacy and the kids.  Barry would visit our other friends and supporting churches after the rest of the family returns to Kenya and Madagascar at the end of July 2006.  We realize that this is not the best situation since our family would be separated for four full months, but we see no other way of making things work right now.  We are still praying and looking for alternatives.  Any suggestions from you would be helpful as we try to work out a plan for a visit to the States.
          Since many of you have e-mail it will be easy for you to reply to this letter, but we still do receive mail through the regular post and would enjoy a letter from you.  In a nutshell, we are thinking about arriving as part of a family in June 2006.  Then in July being together as a complete family.  At the end of July, Stacy, Kit and Havilah would have to leave the States.  I would remain to continue reporting and visiting with our many friends and fellow Christians.  How does this tentative plan sound?  We realize that we will not be able to visit all of you as a family, but ask that you understand our present situation.
          We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued contributions to the Rosie family and the work in Madagascar.  We need your continued prayers, and ask that you petition the Father on our behalf as we try to decide what is best for our tentative visit to the States in 2006.  Many of you often mention how much you enjoy reading our monthly newsletters, and that you do not want them to stop.  Thank you for being so generous with your comments about the work, our family, and the things that we experience on a daily basis.  May, 

“the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;” and may, “the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.” (Num 6:25,26 NRSV)
 

Kit’s school break
          We are all three very excited about Kit’s coming school break.  He arrives in Madagascar on March 25, and will have a full month at home before returning for his last trimester of 10th grade.  He’s going for one week with the local missionary children’s youth group on a camping trip but after that, he’s all ours and we plan to enjoy him.
Visit from three generations of the Kee family
          The church in Madagascar, especially all three congregations in Antananarivo, eagerly await the arrival of three generations of the Doyle Kee family.  Doyle and Barbara, two of their sons, and two teenage grandsons arrive on March 18, and will work and play in Madagascar until March 29.  We are looking forward to their visit.  Doyle has long promised his grandsons a guided tour of his life and work which he does with so much love and care.  We pray that this trip will be a life molding event for both boys.  They will take part in visiting the churches, teaching His Word, and they plan a special few days with the lambs of Betikara in fun and games and in sharing hearts and lives. 

Milk for Malagasy Children. . .
. . . has suffered a temporary lapse since the end of January.  The problem is not because you do not do your share with the generous heart you have always shown to these children, but because milk has become a bit scarce in Madagascar in the last month.  My heart suffers for each child that knows we keep milk in the vehicles.  I hurt for the church children who still come to Bible class faithfully milk or no milk, and I suffer most of all for the three little tykes who sit outside our front door each afternoon waiting for their daily dose of calcium and vitamin D.  They’ve become so used to a drink of milk each day, and though they still smile and wait patiently, I know they wish the milk would come soon.  Barry stops weekly at the milk distributor asking when the individually packaged milk will be available.  We all hope it will come soon.  In the meantime, we are asking God to take it in hand.  We know that He can supply the milk if we just ask.
 

• Please pray for us as we continue to work and serve here in Madagascar.  Pray for our family as we strive to do His will on a daily basis.  Pray for Kit as he is away from us for nine out of twelve months each year as he studies at Rift Valley Academy in Kenya.
• Pray for His church in Madagascar.  Pray especially for the new addition to His family.  RASOLOFO is old as you can see by his picture, but he has many things to learn about following Him.  Pray for RASOLOFO and his wife Helen as they serve the Savior in the Ambohimarina community.  May they be a good example and a blessing to all who come in 

Hi,
          I have been very busy these last few days.  School has gotten very hard.  I have several projects, an English research paper and a large French project, and a very hard and large Bible project.  So far it has been very tiring.  I wish that school was over.  Only one month left to go.  So what’s happening over on that side of the world?
          I need a graphing calculator.  But, I have to have parental permission to get it.  I need it for algebra two.  My scientific calculator was lost in the packing up of last term because I didn't have enough space.  It would probably be better to get the calculator that I will need next term instead of buying an expensive one and having to buy another.
Love you,

Kit

P.S.  Reply as soon as possible.