Dafoe Oct 2019

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

RICE Graduates

Greetings faithful friends and family,

Are you as amazed as I am at how time flies? Or how it is warped in your mind? It seems to me that it has been a very long time since I wrote to you, when in actuality, it has only been about three months! So much happens in just a few months making me feel like it has been at least six months! I could go on and on telling you about the daily challenges, victories, and situations we have faced and enjoyed over these past months. However, I will try to focus on one wonderful event we were pleased to celebrate.

Rafiki Village Zambia celebrated its first annual Rafiki Institute of Classical Education (RICE) graduation ceremony with cap and gown on September 20. The RICE Program began in this Village in April of 2015. This teacher training college’s goal is to train qualified men and women to become excellent primary school teachers in partner denomination Christian schools throughout Zambia.

RICE students are educated with a Christian classical curriculum that prepares them to face the challenges of today’s ever changing educational environment. At RICE, it is affirmed that God stands at the very center of all things and each course is taught from a biblical worldview. The students are exposed daily to God’s Word in devotion, Bible study, theology classes, and in seeing the integration of God and His Word in every aspect of human history, politics, art, music, science, math, and communication. Also, the students learn how to integrate the Christian perspective in every lesson they teach in their practicums at the Rafiki Primary School.

New sign in front of the RICE building

Our Rafiki School has helped train these prospective teachers and has also benefited by hiring the brightest and best upon completion of RICE and acquiring their teaching certificate from the Teaching Council of Zambia. Will you please pray God will place the rest of the well-trained teachers in strategic places throughout the church schools in Zambia?

Missionaries, Karen and Richard Farrand, have been the acting deans of the program this year. They will be returning to the U.S. in December/January. Perhaps God is calling you to help educate teachers? If so, please consider looking at the opportunity available through Rafiki! Click here to learn more

In writing you, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a little about our children in the Village. We are very proud of one of our young men in ninth grade. He took part in a national math competition earlier this year. Just this month he was invited to an awards ceremony in the capital city of Lusaka. Salvio Daka was recognized as number 62 of the top 100 out of 40,000 students taking the math exam!

Salvio

On a personal note, I was blessed to see and hug my big grandson, Briden! Briden was privileged to join Teen Missions on a well-drilling project in northern Zambia in July. Another grandson, Caleb, was also on the continent in July doing eye clinics with Teen Missions; however, he was in the neighboring country of Malawi and we had no opportunity to meet.

Grandson Briden

As we manage the RICE Program with 40 to 50 students, the Rafiki school with 75 of our resident children and 162 community students; 88 national staff (teachers, maintenance, groundskeepers, cooks, Rafiki mothers, cleaners, laundress); maintain 20 buildings—please pray for wisdom, strength, perseverance, love, and joy! I can’t take for granted health, either! Please pray God will continue to sustain my and my fellow missionaries’ health.

God bless you for your faithfulness in prayer and financial support!

In service to our One and Only Savior!

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