Nelson November 2024

“Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods” (Psalm 95:2-3).

Out of the blue, a Rafiki teenager thanked Andrea for all we are doing to help her. It was an unexpected encouragement from a demographic not renown for gratefulness. What a blessing! Please thank God with us that some of our youths have learned early in life the wonderful blessing of practicing gratitude.

We look forward to writing our November update. It is an opportunity to give you a glimpse of the many ways we see God doing His work here at the Rafiki Village in Ghana—and we are grateful! Please thank God with us for the following...

Salvation and growing faith

• God has called us out of darkness into His glorious light!
• Daily we have the opportunity to study God’s Word. In 2024 we studied 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, and we will begin studying Mark.

Family

• Our latest church home is a blessing in many ways. The preaching is biblical, the fellowship is sweet, the location is less than a thirty minute drive from the Rafiki Village!
• Ian and Grace are thriving at Liberty University and growing in their faith.
• Through Scott’s mom’s decision to stop driving, a car became available for Grace and Ian to use at school.
• Our parents and extended family are in generally good health.

Meaningful work at the Rafiki Village

• We are grateful that a new missionary joins the Ghana team in November—Mollie Mitchell.
• We are thankful for the faithful team of national staff we have who are employed as teachers, caregivers, cooks, grounds keepers, maintenance, security, and more.
• Three of our former resident orphans graduated from university with excellent grades, are currently in the midst of their compulsory national service, and are growing in their faith!
• Our school is growing! We started the new school year in October with 324 students, which includes an added class of third graders.
• Andrea is grateful for a recent opportunity, while in northern Ghana, to catch up with one of our young men who completed university in 2020. He is one of ten former resident orphans who have completed university degree scholarships!

Partnerships in Rafiki’s mission

• The Methodist Widow’s group in Bolgatanga did a beautiful job fulfilling their first basket order. In fact, the baskets are selling so well that we placed a second order in June, which is completed and will soon wind its way to the Home Office in Florida.
• Maryland Christian Classical School was opened in the town near the Rafiki Village here in Ghana. Mary, a former Rafiki teacher, and her husband are energized about classical education and are excited to use the Rafiki curriculum in the school. They also have grand visions of opening a classical Christian school in every region of Ghana.

This season of thanksgiving ushers in the Advent season, which gives us the greatest gift for which to give thanks—our Savior, Jesus. Please thank God with us for his inexpressible gift (2 Corinthians 9:15).

Preschool students recently went to each department within the Village to say “thank you” for the role they play

Andrea is grateful for the start of our church’s ladies’ fellowship group

We are grateful for our kitchen manager who cooks excellent meals and is willing to teach the resident orphans to cook and bake

Our grade three students are grateful to the Rosemary Jensen Bible Foundation for the Bibles they received at the conclusion of the school year

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