Tokpah May 2024

Greetings from Liberia! After a brief trip to the U.S. this spring to attend meetings at our Home Office and visit family and friends, both Christie and our fellow missionary Julie are back once again at the Village. While Julie and Christie were gone, Peter was busy holding down the fort. He has continued taking classes toward his Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and missionary training classes.

Five students just finished their time in the RICE teacher training college in March and are now eligible to graduate with an Associate of Arts Degree in Classical Education. We will hold graduation later in the year, most likely between Christmas and New Year’s, for a group of about twenty to twenty-five students who will have finished their course requirements by that time.

It has been a blessing having Winston, one of our high school graduates, work at RICE as he waits to attend university. He received high marks on his national exams and is interested in being an attorney. He monitors quizzes and tests and does other administrative duties. What stands out about Winston is that he always has a smile on his face, is dressed professionally, and has a humble spirit. Whenever asked to do a task, he politely says, “Thank you,” and is earnestly pleased to do whatever he needs to on his job. He is the product of an excellent classical Christian education here at the Rafiki Village Liberia.

Winston

In other news, we were thrilled to hear a good report about two of our RICE graduates who had moved three hours away to teach in a rural part of Liberia. It was a significant decision for Lee and Kieh to leave their family, friends, and comfort zones and move to an unfamiliar place. The Gbarnga Mission School has adopted the Rafiki Education System, and the two men have been instrumental in implementing a new curriculum system and the Rafiki Bible Study. God has worked dramatically in both of their lives. While studying the Bible at Rafiki, both came to Christ and were baptized. When it became known that this rural school was looking for teachers, they prayed and felt God was calling them to leave all they knew and, like missionaries, go and work in a new place. Another crucial element of the implementation at this school has been for existing teachers to attend a short training session in our Village. Earlier this year, Peter was able to help with that training, and the school will be sending a few more teachers for an upcoming training session in May.

Kieh and Lee

Please pray earnestly for staffing at RICE. We are looking to hire nationals with a Master’s Degree in Education as lecturers. This is necessary as we will soon be accredited to offer a Bachelor’s Degree. In addition, we hope to get four volunteers to come on a short-term mission trip to help with some teaching in our college for ten-week periods. Please consider if God calls you like Lee and Kieh to leave your comfort zone and come for a short-term or long-term commitment. You will be blessed!

Thank you so much for your prayers and financial support. They are a daily encouragement.

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