Anica Pederson November 2021

Change has been the name of the game this past month! I moved from Nairobi, Kenya to the Rafiki Village in Moshi, Tanzania on October 23. It feels very similar, yet at the same time feels quite foreign. I have been so blessed by Laurie Eastup who is the only other long-term missionary here. I have already learned so much from her and she has been a great encouragement to me as well.

My new home

Rafiki Tanzania has sixty kids here ranging from fourth to eleventh grade. Our eleventh graders are looking forward to a big cumulative test at the end of the month. They then have two more years of schooling before university! Please pray for calm hearts and God’s wisdom during their tests.

The kids are also involved in horticulture projects around the Village. They can grow vegetables in our garden space and then sell them to the kitchen. The money they make is stored for them until they graduate. I asked one of our girls who grows eggplant what plans she has for the money and she said, “I want to surprise my mom with the money so that she can buy a hair salon.” I thank God for her kind, generous heart.

I have found myself back in the three libraries here: primary, secondary, and RICE (Rafiki Institute of Classical Education). Labeling, sorting, and shelving! I have also been able to meet with our Rafiki Mothers to develop a behavior-based reward system. Each cottage has to work together to get a reward at the end of the month. One of the mothers told me that she has seen the boys in her cottage show more initiative towards their cleaning tasks. Please join me in praying for a change in hearts and an eagerness for obedience for our kids.

We have a new early primary building that will house 100 new students next school term! Please pray for guidance as school interviews are happening in the next month.

The sound of children playing is the same at any Rafiki Village!

We are looking for a new group of RICE students to start next year as well. Please pray that God would lead excellent, excited candidates to start with us next year.

I am looking forward to meeting with our widows group here later this month to brainstorm new ideas! I am looking forward to the coming year getting to see what doors God opens as He continues to work His will in my life.

Please pray for:

- All 250 Rafiki Day Students to have sponsors and be fully funded soon.

- For generous giving to the Africa Expansion Campaign. Rafiki is entering a season of exponential growth. We anticipate the thousands that Rafiki is currently ministering to across our 10 countries will turn to tens of thousands. To meet these new opportunities, we are asking God for a 25% increase over Rafiki’s current annual budget which could increase Rafiki’s impact 10-fold.

Note : Rafiki is now able to accept non-cash gifts such as real estate or estate bequests. Contact Rafiki@RafikiFoundation.org for more information.

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