Gozé September 2026

Last week, we finished our study in the Book of Acts. Throughout his missionary journeys in Acts, Paul exemplifies a boldness in sharing the truth of the gospel to whatever audience the Lord sets before him, “how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:20-21). Paul shares the Truth despite his audience, Jews or Greeks, and his location, in public or in someone’s home. In my three months in Liberia, I recognize how the Lord gifts me with opportunities to be bold in sharing the gospel with residents and day students in school or over a meal. I also, however, call to mind the moments where I fail to act upon these opportunities because of second-guessing someone’s response or my ability to choose the right words. Praise the Lord that His grace is sufficient even when I feel like I have thwarted the power of the gospel in my hesitations.

Exploring Kenya with other missionaries.

I have learned a little more about God’s grace for me as I live out my time here from the Rafiki Bible Study (RBS). The RBS offers up a doctrinal focus, a summary of the main truth evident from the reading for the week. For lesson sixteen of our study in Acts, the doctrinal focus informs how I am to think about boldly speaking the gospel to those around me, “The gospel cannot be stopped by any means of man.” This means that there is nothing I can do or not do in negligance to prevent the gospel from piercing the heart of an unbeliever if the Lord decides to save him/her. This reality comforts me as I reflect on my hesitations and it also encourages me to be more confident in speaking the truth no matter the response I receive. After all, if I cannot do anything to stop the gospel, I might as well help to carry it along to others.

Visiting church with missionaries from Rafiki Village Kenya.

Just this week, I attended an evening devotion in the senior boys’ cottage. After the devotion, a resident asked me why I decided to become a missionary. I gave my usual response—I am always on mission as a Christian, I am interested in Rafiki’s work, and I love classical education. I did not ask him anything in return because the topic changed soon after the question was asked. Later, however, I realized that I could have taken the time to ask the resident “What do you think of mission’s work? What do you think about Christ and Christianity?” Even though all the residents sit under preaching each Sunday and open their Bible for devotions every morning and night, not all the resisdents have yet personally professed their faith in Christ. Whenever I am confronted with opportunities to ask questions, I want to take advantage of them to prompt the residents to form their own beliefs about the world and its Creator. Even though I failed to ask him a question in response, I pray that the Lord uses that experience to make me a better listener and question-asker as I move forward. Please pray that the Lord grants me opportunities and the boldness to ask the residents what they believe and why. Pray also for the residents’ salvation, and for godly mentors to encourage them in their faith.

A sleepover flour fight with the girls.

In the day school, I have had some wonderful chances to connect student questions to God. I sat in the eighth grade history class this week and helped to lead a Socratic discussion with the students about the Roman Empire. We were discussing the definition of “intrigue” and connecting it to one of the emperors when one of the students asked me whether secrets were a good thing to keep or not. I was challenged by the difficulty of the question, but I was also excited that the student felt comfortable enough to ask a sincere question. As I stumbled through an answer to his question, I connected my answer to the importance of confessing sins and voicing supplications, secrets in a sense, to the Lord. It felt like a messy answer, and it was, but I think the Lord taught me more about myself from the experience than anything else.

Sunday lunch

In the fifth grade class, I coach the students in public speaking as they prepare a short skit for Recitation at the end of the term. One day, after rehearsing, I asked them what they thought they needed to work on as they prepare for Recitation. One of the students offered up the idea that she was nervous, and that her nerves prevented her from making her hand motions big enough for the audience to see. I asked her and the rest of the class why standing in front of an audience made them nervous. It was a gift to see how sincere these fifth graders were in admitting that they were shy and scared to stand in front of people. I then got to respond to their fear by sharing practical tips on how to be confident in front of others. What I wish I did was to remind them that their identity rests in what Christ has already done for them, and not in anything they can do for themselves. Also, the Lord challenges us to be bold in sharing the gospel, so we get to practice being bold in sharing our memorized speeches as preparation for when we give a defense for the hope in us.

The resident boys being silly.

Even when I fail to be bold in speaking the truth, the Lord still works to build up my relationships with these students, and He teaches me more about my need for Him.

As we finish up the first term of the school year, please pray for the missionaries and the teachers to become rested and refreshed by the Lord during their time off. Pray that the Lord might grant us missionaries’ boldness to lovingly remind each other, the students, the teachers, and the staff of the gospel when we face difficulties. Pray that the Lord will continue to teach me His ways as I strive to be faithful in my conversations and moments of fellowship with others.

Meeting with an Outreach school to introduce to them the Rafiki curriculum.

Learn more about Rafiki’s expanding opportunities.

Visit our newly designed website RafikiFoundation.org to learn how to:

Purchase the Rafiki Bible Study for small groups for your church or neighborhood
Serve as a missionary with Rafiki
Sponsor a child with the Rafiki Foundation to bring God’s Word and the best education in the world to some of the neediest children in the world in Africa.

Explore the Rafiki Foundation YouTube channel.

Visit (youtube.com/@RafikiFoundation) for videos from Rafiki children, teaching at our annual Enrichment conferences, and the teaching at our African classical Christian conferences.