Pederson October 2024
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6-7)
The growth continues!
In our June newsletter, we shared about fruit beginning to emerge from labors with our partner churches. One line stated that “we have only scratched the surface.” Read how God continues to give the growth.
The Africa Inland Church (AIC) held its annual National Pastors’ Conference October 8-10. Our Outreach team presented and shared the resources we have available to the church: school curriculum, Bible study, Sunday school lessons, and commentaries.
AIC has twenty-eight Bible colleges around the country. They offer a two-year diploma in Theology for students who will become much-needed pastors for this large denomination. We recently hosted twenty-three of the principals to discuss how the Rafiki Bible Study (RBS) materials and commentaries could be used at the colleges. Pray for united deliberations as they work to develop a comprehensive common curriculum to include the RBS for all twenty-eight schools.
A firm foundation
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kenya (ELCK) is making intentional steps to implement Rafiki materials in their churches and schools. Three important decisions were recently made by the Secretary General after visiting Rafiki and attending the October 2023 New Old Way Conference. First, all current ELCK schools are run by the government and cannot support the church’s desire for Christian education. Second, the ELCK needs to start over with new schools using the Rafiki Classical Christian Curriculum. Third, send the Education Secretary and four teachers to RICE for training in classical Christian education. This has resulted in identifying five buildings in Western Kenya that will host the new schools in January 2025. The Education Secretary and four trained teachers will oversee each school. If you are interested in giving towards Rafiki’s Curriculum and Bible Study for these schools, you can give to the Kenya Village directly by visiting https://RafikiFoundation.org/project/kenya-village-ministries. You can support a classroom for $500 as noted in the Rafiki Report.
Cultivating the soil
There is a stirring in the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA). For the past six years, Education Secretary Rev. Lucy Waweru and David have held many conversations about the Rafiki Bible Study and Rafiki School Curriculum. She recently informed us that the church-sponsored schools are looking for better material to use for the required Christian Religious Education (CRE) course which is taught three days a week. Grade nine curriculum focuses on Genesis, grade ten focuses on Luke, and grade eleven on Acts and Jeremiah. We shared a copy of the high school Bible study lessons with two PCEA schools of over 1,000 students. They were amazed by the depth of content and immediately asked for the whole study. We are in the process of making these lessons available to 400 secondary schools! The Moderator was able to visit the Home Office in Florida in September and now has a greater vision for how Rafiki can support the PCEA with much needed Rafiki Bible Study and support materials. Pray that the RBS will be used well and for growth in faith for teachers and students.
Secretary General Rev. Ngeiywa and Rev. Obare
Leaps of faith
Two Anglican Church of Kenya diocese heard through God’s grapevine about Rafiki and our materials. They came with little knowledge but left with a great desire to implement everything! We had one group come for additional observation and discussion and they left ready to prayerfully try. Mr. Lucy, their volunteer Education Secretary, has the vision and the faith to keep them moving forward. Praise God for this type of leadership! Pray for teachers who are able and willing to use the materials well.
Growing interest from schools
Julie and her assistant, Serah, have been actively visiting schools that are using the RBS and Rafiki Curriculum. It has been a sweet time to see teachers who are eager to teach the Bible and are diligently doing it well! One school teaches it through junior high and has all of them in groups outside before school officially starts.
Schools using the Rafiki Curriculum and RBS
We also spent three days visiting schools in Western Kenya. One school has three teachers that went through the RICE Program.
Western Kenya
They are providing a firm foundation for an education that integrates a biblical worldview into every lesson. Pray for Julie and Serah to be able to plan and prepare for much training in November.
Rafiki Institute of Classical Education
We have three cohorts of diploma students (thirty) and one cohort of certified students (thirteen) learning classical Christian education by assisting in morning classes and studying classical pedagogy in the afternoons. After two terms of study, the 1C Cohort is thrilled to be in the classroom practicing teaching. One student commented, “I’m so nervous, but everything I am learning works! And the class teachers are such good role models and mentors.” Pray (already) for a full cohort in January.
One more graduating class
The school has grown to over 400 students! Our senior class of 2024 includes ten residents. They finish the school year on October 25, and then sit for three weeks of rigorous National Exams. This class is finishing their time at Rafiki in good standing. Their biology teacher is a Rafiki graduate and after completing his BS, returned to teach at Rafiki. This being his first class, he has mentored them for four years and has requested to take them on a picnic for one last hurrah! Pray for God to bless their efforts with good results and they will walk in faith.
Teacher Curtis and Form Four Class
Praying for missionaries
Pray, yes! For you and for others to hear the Lord’s calling to serve on the field.
Pursue, yes! Dare to contact the Home Office and request an application. Julie and I did in 1992, but it was five years until we were on our way to Madagascar with three little ones.
Plan, yes! But don’t worry about the details. Remember Proverbs 16:9, “The heart of man plans his way,but the Lord establishes his steps.”
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