Honegger September 2025

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).

A little-known fact about Ethiopia is that it uses the Julian Calendar, which has thirteen months and is seven to eight years behind the Gregorian calendar. After Ethiopian New Year is celebrated in mid-September, we will be starting the 2018 school year! Endings are a natural time to reflect on the past, so I want to highlight some of the good gifts God provided us at Rafiki Village Ethiopia as we finished the school semester. Join me in thanking the Father of lights for these blessings!

We recently found out that all our grade six and eight students passed their regional exams, which is required to advance to the next grade level. Not only did they succeed educationally, but administrators from other schools commented on their respect and orderliness during the exams. We thank God for the virtuous character being cultivated in our scholars.

We hosted our first alumni day, a time where Rafiki resident graduates returned to the Village for fun and fellowship with the youth still living here. Before lunch, I held a Q&A panel where the graduates shared some of their experiences during their first year living outside of the Village. They spoke honestly about both the challenges and delights of having more independence, and exhorted their younger siblings to make the most of the opportunities Rafiki provides to learn valuable skills, develop relationships with godly adults, and be nourished both by good food and God’s Word. The day concluded with an afternoon of team activities planned by this year’s senior class.

Alumni answer questions and share about their experiences outside the Village.

Grade twelve students planned activities for alumni day fun.

The school year ended in early July and culminated in a graduation ceremony for our second class of seniors. During their last week at Rafiki, these students were intentional in expressing their gratitude to the mothers, teachers, missionaries, and other who loved, disciplined, and guided them throughout their years at Rafiki. On the eve of their departure, the new graduates led a goodbye devotion program focused on remembering God’s goodness in their lives and encouraging the remaining residents to do the same. Some of their reflections about God’s good gifts in their life were:

• “Mr. Doug and Ms. Carolyn helped show us the joy of worshipping God.”
• “Teachers and missionaries disciplined me when I had a bad attitude and now I see how it was for my benefit.”
• “I learned about the forgiveness of God through the Rafiki leaders.”
• “I got to learn the Bible daily and I have lifelong friends.”

And the list goes on! What a joy it is to see some of the fruit of our labor of loving investment into these students. To God be the glory!

Giving the headmaster’s speech at graduation.

Rafiki Ethiopia Class of 2025 on their senior outing.

Prayer Requests

• God’s wisdom, patience, and strength for the Headmaster, and a good start to the new school year this month.
• God’s guidance for the newest graduates (and the Rafiki adults helping them) to the best post-secondary education paths.
• The Sanders, a new missionary couple, to raise financial support and complete other needed preparations to arrive in Ethiopia in November.

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