Our Days Are Full and We Couldn’t be More Thankful!
Dear Friends and Supporters,
As the crisp fall air settles in and the trees burst into color, we’re reflecting on all the joy, milestones, and memories these past few months have brought. From back- to-school rhythms to fall adventures, our days have been full—and we couldn’t be more thankful for your prayerful support alongside us in this journey.
Let’s start with Harvey, who is so excited after saving up enough money from his chores to buy his very own Power Wheels Jeep! Watching him set a goal and reach it was a beautiful moment. He continues to grow in so many ways—he’s learning to read and gaining confidence with every word. One of his favorite things still is biking with the whole family, cruising through trails and hitting the little jumps with super speed.
Gibson is chatting up a storm these days—he’s forming sentences and constantly surprising us with what he understands and says. He absolutely loves when older kids are here on their time off to play and read him books, his favorite right now is Splat the Cat and Dora the Explorer. He’s also zipping around on his balance bike, though we’re pretty sure it’s almost time for an upgrade—he’s growing fast!
Baylor is hitting all the milestones in rapid-fire style! He’s now eagerly eating solids, giggling through after meal sink baths, and recently made some big leaps from sitting up, to crawling, and now standing! He watches his big brothers with anticipation of running with them soon, he is always smiling and soaking in their every move.
As, we’ve been learning something entirely new and fascinating: beekeeping! Shiloh’s bees have become our newest adventure; we are starting to peruse YouTube videos and learn how to best care for them. It’s a daunting, but exciting new experience we’re grateful to share together.
We were able to get away for a quick five-day trip to Arkansas early in October. Ryan has always wanted to take the kids to ride the trails in Bentonville, its essentially the “Disneyland of Mountain Biking”! Harvey was able to ride several of the green trails by himself, and Gibson and Baylor got to ride shotgun on Ryan’s bike and in the bike trailer behind Kimber’s bike. It was a blast, and we can’t wait to go back. Ryan and Kevin are already looking to see if there are any churches we can connect with to share about Shiloh’s ministry next time we are down there.
Many of you who have read our previous updates now about our mission of the month. September was Gobena Coffee and Lifesong for Orphans, we were able to take the Cohn kids to Gridley, IL to visit Kyle and Katrina at the coffee roastery and the headquarters for Lifesong. It was a fun two day trip and the kids were able to see a more tangible side of our mission of the month. (Kyle introduced Ryan to Kimber 14 years ago!) October is Pioneer Bible, and we got to do a zoom call with a couple who served in West Africa and now serve in France!
A huge thank you to everyone who came to our recent Open House event in September. It was such a joy to show you around the ranch, and to share what your support makes possible. Seeing familiar faces and connecting with new ones is always a treat for us. Seeing our supporters come on site and connect with the kids brings our hearts much joy.
This year has also sparked a love of bugs—yes, you read that right! The boys are fully immersed in a world of caterpillars, spiders, and flies. Oh my! With the cooler weather, we see new ones daily! We’ve been catching them, creating little habitats, and feeding them other insects. It’s fascinating, wild, and educational fun!
Ryan continues to pour into the kids during PE class, especially through teaching soccer skills that build both coordination and confidence. Meanwhile, Kimber has been teaching electives—most recently on how to make a bed properly (a valuable life skill!)
Thank you for your prayers, encouraging words, and your financial partnership. Your support is a vital part of our story, and we’re truly grateful.
Grace and Peace, The Starks