I can hardly believe so much time has passed! Geoff and I have been married for over 5 months now, and I've been so out of touch with all of you!! I'm trying to balance my time well with all the new blessings and joyful responsibilities in marriage, and I can definitely do better with keeping in touch with so many who are dear. We do truly appreciate all the love, support, and prayers from everyone.

Geoff and I are loving married life, with all of its joys, busyness, challenges, and growth. God's plan for marriage is wonderful, and so worth waiting for!

Geoff has been accepted into Physician Assistant school in our area, and we are thankful for that. We've grown close to brethren here, and are glad we don't need to move far away for Geoff's school. Next month, we will be moving closer to Geoff's school, but, thankfully still pretty close.

We've been busy with more Bible studies than we can keep up with! That's a nice problem to have! We had a superb class on evangelism during the first few months of our marriage, which was such a help in approaches in evangelism and having the courage and determination to get out and do it.

On Tuesday's, there's a study with other young Christians on Romans, and that's been helpful and a great way to get to know others from the church here.

Every other Tuesday, there is a Bible study for the women from Campbell Road, on women of the Bible. I've been learning from it, and getting to know other women from the church better.

Every other Thursday night, there's a great Bible study with several families on whatever pertinent topics we need. That's been wonderful! There's so much openness, deep study of the Word, and growing together, as we seek to see what the Scriptures say, not just discuss what we've always thought.

Friday mornings,one of my Titus 2 women leads a study for several of us young ladies, and it is wonderful!! She teaches on marriage, child training, and other helpful topics. I'm learning so much and need this vital encouragement to be a better wife (and in future, Lord willing, mother).

My sister Elizabeth came to visit us not too long ago, and that was fun, getting to catch up and spend good time together. Next week, we plan to go to Arkansas to visit my family and friends there, and then head to Washington D.C. to visit Stephen and Amber and several others. We're trying to visit family and friends before Geoff gets really busy and tied down with school.

So much has been going on that it's hard to sum it up! We went to Wisconsin to see and introduce Geoff to a few more family members and friends. We've had lots of good time with brethren,from here and other places. I've been trying to learn how to manage time and money more wisely, which is more involved than I realized. :) Geoff has been doing a lot to prepare for school. We've been doing some reading together to help us as a couple and in our walk with God.

I'm loving the church here. They've been welcoming and warm, connected, and active. They gave us a shower recently, which was so thoughtful and a blessing to us.

I hope all of you are doing really well! Our God is good!


Love and Blessings, Sarah Knapp

To our Pleo-friends,
We're excited to tell you that Geoff and I are engaged! We're so thankful to God! Geoff asked if I would be his wife as we strolled along on our property. As a little girl, I had this picture in my mind of getting engaged as we walked on our property, and walking up to tell the rest of the family. How sweet that it happened that way! He knelt down to ask me, and I got a little teary eyed with joy and intense emotion. I extended my hand for him to put the ring on my finger as I said, "Yes... with all my heart." It was very sweet and simple, and I think we're both still comprehending this amazing, wonderful change in our lives, as we plan for our marriage. We plan for our wedding to be on November 1st at my family's place.

I love the engagement ring Geoff chose! It's a silver band with "Love" and the Hebrew characters for "Hesed" engraved on the outside. Hesed is special to us, because we studied it pretty extensively a couple months ago, and it's one of the words in the Old Testament for "love", "loving kindness", "mercy." It's used often of a covenant love, an unconditional, a faithful love, it shows mercy, and looks out for the best interests of the other, regardless of the circumstances.

Upon hearing of our engagement, we had many varied responses. These are a few. :)

"Have you told Dual?" (Dual is a cousin who, when he first met Geoff and I, he asked if he should run Geoff off.)
"God is good!" (I heartily agree!)
"Does she know? Is she sober?"
"We are a democratic family and a little clannish. The whole family is going to take a vote for whether or not they approve of you marrying. Everyone gets one vote, but Papa and Nony get veto power. So, Geoff better be on his best behavior." (In jest, of course.)
"Aren't you so glad you waited?!" (Her song for us has been "In His Time," and it's so fitting.)
"It's about time!"
"I'm so happy for you! You've waited a long time for this. Enjoy this time."

Geoff prays for us faithfully that we would glorify God with our lives together, and that He would prepare us to be husband and wife. He prays for strength to keep each other in purity as we wait for marriage. We both often praise God for this wonderful relationship and for allowing us to be together. God is SO good!
I've been visiting Dallas a lot recently, as you might have guessed, and it's been so sweet getting to know brethren there. We've had several opportunities to share some of our recent Bible studies with a few older couples there and have received some great wisdom and encouragement. Most of Geoff's family came up to Dallas last weekend, while I was there, and we got to spend time together cooking, shopping, and talking about wedding details. Geoff has also been visiting me here in Arkansas quite a lot in the last few months, and I'm enjoying him building relationships with people who are dear to me. We're planning to live in Dallas after we get married, and may be there for close to a year before moving somewhere else when Geoff plans to start Physician's Assistant school. He's applying to schools in several locations; so we're not sure where we may wind up. :)
Recently, we've had fun ordering our wedding rings, working on bridal registries, designing invitations, and planning out wedding garments for us and our bridal party. It's a fun flurry of activity as we plan our wedding in about 2 months!
May God richly bless each of you!

Love,
Geoff and Sarah

P.S. We have a new Pleogroup that we are going to use to help share some of our plans and updates. Just ask one of us and we will invite you to be a member.

For all my anti-eminent domain friends

Zimbabwe election: Your stories

With just days to go before the second round of the presidential election in Zimbabwe, violence seems to be escalating.

Reports of intimidation against opposition supporters have included severe beatings, murders and sexual violence.

But Zanu-PF, the ruling party of President Mugabe, denies these reports, blaming the violence instead on the opposition MDC, led by Morgan Tsvangirai.

In the first round in March, which was relatively peaceful, Morgan Tsvangirai gained about 120,000 more votes than Robert Mugabe but still not enough to avoid a run-off, according to official results.

BBC website readers in Zimbabwe tell of their recent experiences as the vote approaches. Their names have been changed to protect their identity.

As I write this message police officers are queuing to vote using postal votes. There is no way one can vote for Morgan Tsvangirai because seated on the voting table in Masvingo is the senior commissioner flanked by the assistant commissioners. They tell you 'vote for our father Mugabe' and show you where to put your X. Even police officers who were not registered voters were registered after the 29 March elections. I was surprised to see my name and many more others appearing and giving me a constituency. Observers should visit centres where postal ballots are cast because this is rigging at its best. Please let the world know about this forced postal voting.
Tendai, Masvingo


I am a student in my final year of university but I wonder if I will finish my degree. There are rumours of a war breaking out regardless of which party wins. My uncle, who resides in a small town called Chiredzi, fled the country and is now in exile in South Africa. My neighbour who was an independent candidate for the House of Assembly is also in exile. Many people in my parents' social circles have also left for S Africa. But my dad is being stubborn and refuses to go into hiding. What kind of a country is this? There is such greed and such cruelty. I do not see our nation ever being truly independent as long as Mugabe or his party is in power. They are doing exactly what the regime of Ian Smith regime used to do. This kind of oppression is worse because it is brother against brother.
Kennedy, Chiredzi

I am very disturbed by the situation in my country. What we need is divine intervention because we tried our best by voting for the president we wanted, but now we are being killed, harassed and tortured for exercising our rights. The world should condemn Mr Mugabe and his government for taking the people of Zimbabwe for granted. Only God knows what will happen next.
Chris, Harare

Against the background facing us especially in Masvingo province's Bikita district, it is inconceivable that the elections will be free and fair. Here a bloody reign of terror has been unleashed on us such that we have resorted to hiding in mountains and other areas for the sake of our security. There is maximum brutality here as Zanu-PF militias step up their whacking of the MDC supporters with the direct help of a few deployed soldiers and local Zanu-PF supporters.
Michael, Masvingo

This is a nightmare. If anyone were to call this environment conducive to free and fair elections, one must question their sanity. We had three people killed yesterday (one said to be the driver of the MDC MP elect) and now ZANU militia and soldiers have put up road blocks and if you don't show your support for Mugabe by chanting slogans, you will be severely beaten. They have even gone as far as stopping staff buses and beating up workers on their way to their jobs. Mugabe surely is the devil and these demon friends and supporters of his are ruthless! Powerless as we are, I feel we are heading towards a massacre like the one in 1985-7 and it's a big ask but the international community has to help us. We need help!
James, Kadoma

I live in an upmarket suburb of Harare and even here the Zanu-PF youths have moved in en-masse. They have taken over a piece of wasteland where they drink the local moonshine and smoke 'mbanje' before patrolling the streets, carrying hammers, pangas and other assorted weapons, insisting that any person going about their daily business go with them. After they've gathered up enough people (to refuse results in a sound beating) they take them back to the wasteland and make them sing patriotic songs and chant Zanu-PF slogans for hours. If you don't do this with enough enthusiasm you are threatened and beaten. People are terrified.
Jane, Harare

The violence just needs to stop. Zanu PF and MDC thugs have taken over and are abducting and killing each other at will. This is not an election, it's a murderous campaign of senseless killings which will achieve nothing. We are on the brink of absolute anarchy and we shudder to think whether we will be able to retrieve the country from where it is being taken to. God help us.
Farai, Harare

The whole thing has gone out of hand and without intervention we are sitting ducks waiting to be picked off one by one. The elections should not go ahead, they are an excuse for bloodshed. We have been summoned for a meeting in Seke, Unit M - we expect hell if we go but if we don't go its worse. From a town dominated by MDC less than a month ago to not even one opposition supporter in sight, we must be a bunch of spineless Africans. I'm scared for my family!!!
Joseph, Chitungwiza



Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/7465347.stm

Published: 2008/06/20 15:14:52 GMT

I must apologize for my obvious neglect of so many people in recent months. Though I am often absent either in body or in mind, my love and affection is still with all of you. If you can forgive me, then I have a request of you. Please rejoice with me and give me your prayers, for my time spent, so often absent from you, has not been without profit. Rejoice with me for I am courting a lady of excellence who has been a precious and lovely gift from God.
I have been courting Sarah for a little over 3 months now and I have great hope for obtaining the wonderful favor of the Lord in her. While courting is something new to me, I have very quickly been amazed by the many blessings and comforts that have come to me, not only from Sarah, but also from this very method of pursuing her with purity and intention. Together we have sought a relationship that is right, honorable, pure, and praiseworthy in the sight of our Lord, and in doing so we have found something truly lovely and gracious. It takes no great effort to provoke my mind to dwell on these things often.
From the very beginning of our getting to know one another I have prayed not for us first, but for the will of the Lord to lead each of us in paths of uprightness, peace and purity; knowing that what is of greatest benefit is for Sarah and me to grow in his will and according to his good pleasure. Despite me, I have been given the great joy of getting to know Sarah better and to share and grow with her on a daily basis. I have been striving to grow in my leadership skills and in my vision for the path ahead.
I appreciate the encouragement and godly wisdom that we have received so far and I would count it a blessing to hear more.
I will share with you two small notes that I wrote last year while observing Sarah, and hope that I don't embarrass her too much.
- "I have no greater confidence in finding a Prov. 31 woman than in Sarah"
- "She has one of the greatest observable capacities to love of all the people I know"

We would both greatly appreciate your prayers.

May God continue to lead each of us, to show us His goodness and His wonderful mercies, as we learn to lean on him with the full conviction of our faith and the whole love of our hearts


Sarah Calvert