Allinder Dec 2019

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Greetings from Rafiki Village Zambia!

As we come to the end of another year, we will begin seeing lots of end-of-year lists like “Top 10 Movies of 2019” or “Top 10 Best Selling Books of 2019” or “Top 10 Songs of 2019” or… well, you get the idea. I do not have space in this newsletter to share “Top 10 Rafiki Village Zambia Highlights of 2019” so I will limit myself to the “Fab Four Highlights.” So here they are, in no particular order:

Highlight #1: The Rafiki Widows Program in Zambia was jump-started! As you know, Rafiki works with widows in partner churches in all ten countries by selling their hand-made craft items at the Rafiki Exchange in Florida or online at rafikifoundation.org. By purchasing their items, you are helping these women support themselves and their children. The widows in Zambia are making beautiful cloth items like Christmas ornaments, luggage tags, and cosmetic bags. If you are looking for unique and meaningful gifts for Christmas, check out the widows’ products, you will find something for everyone on your list!

Widows showing their products to the Rafiki Zambia Village Administrator and Home Office Staff

Highlight #2: First RICE graduation! The Rafiki Institute of Classical Christian Education (RICE), Rafiki’s teachers college, had its first graduation in September this year. It was held in conjunction with our partner church university, Justo Mwale University, and it was a day of great celebration as the RICE graduates in their caps and gowns received their diplomas. Our primary school has hired three of these graduates and we are extremely pleased to have them on our faculty.

RICE graduate now Third Grade Teacher (look closely—she is behind her students!)

Please pray that the partner churches in each country will use these well-qualified new teachers by starting classical schools in their church schools.

Highlight #3: The Rafiki Bible Study (RBS) now has a home discussion lesson for day students and the RBS adult studies are now available in the U.S. Our school children are blessed daily by the RBS which has been written by highly qualified theologians, pastors, and scholars. Our day students get the double blessing of the home discussion lesson so they can share at home. They also have the great gift of personal Bibles given to all students in Grades 3, 6, 9, and 12 through the generosity of the Rosemary Jensen Bible Foundation. When we have visitors to our Villages and they see how wonderful the RBS is, they often ask how they could get it when they are back home in the U.S. Now we can tell them they can order it from https://www.rafikibiblestudy.org/#/. And so can you!

Grade Level 9 students with Bibles from the Rosemary Jensen Bible Foundation

Please pray that the RBS will be used to share the Gospel and draw individuals closer to God, wherever they may be.

Highlight #4: The first classical Christian education conference in Africa! In November this year Rafiki hosted The New Old Way, the first such conference featuring some of the most highly-regarded speakers and writers in classical Christian education. Teachers, headmasters, missionaries, RICE deans, and church leaders from all ten countries that have Rafiki schools attended this three-day conference which was uplifting and inspiring.

Rafiki staff from all 10 countries and Home Office at the classical Christian conference in Kenya

Please pray that this conference is a turning point for education in several countries in Africa.

And a bonus highlight: I am concluding my ninth two-year term with Rafiki—that is 18 years in total! All of this is due to your financial and prayer support. With your help and God’s enablement, I will begin my tenth term in 2020. I am deeply grateful for your support making that possible.

Merry Christmas. Happy 2020!!

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