Please login to continue
Forgot your password?
Recover it here.
Don't have an account?
Sign Up Now!
Sign Up for Free
Name
Email
Choose Password
Confirm Password

Congratulations!
You successfully created your account.

Close this popup to continue.

Rafiki Foundation  |  God's Word at Work
MENU

Eastup March 2022

So far 2022 has been a year of growth! We now have a total of 355 students in our pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools. Of those, almost 120 of them are in pre-primary. You can imagine that at the beginning of the school year there was a fair amount of crying at the gate and a lot of training for the teachers to do. I am very thankful for the amazing patience and love that the teachers show to each student.


First day of school assembly for pre-primary and primary

School is absolutely exhausting for these new young ones


First day of school assembly for secondary

Now that we are a quarter of the way into the school year, the new students are showing great improvement. They are picking up English, learning the routines, and becoming comfortable with the environment. I even happened to catch one of our new 3-year old students leading his class in their morning routine of calendar, shapes, and colors. Quite impressive!


Jonathan leading his class in reciting the colors.


Pre-primary learning centers

One of the things that made such large growth easier and manageable was being able to hire fourteen teachers from our RICE teacher training program. They were trained in classical Christian education and observed in our schools for the entire 2021 school year. I was able to observe them doing practice teaching and interacting with others before hiring them for this school year. It has been such a blessing!


Our new Standard 1 teacher coming from the RICE program.

Our teaching staff has now reached a total of forty-three teachers. I struggled to find a place where we can all fit for morning Bible study and Thursday afternoon teacher training. Fortunately, the biology lab has turned out to be a great place to hold all of us. They are an amazing group of people to work with each day. They make me laugh, they cause me to think, they encourage me to grow, and they impress me day after day. It’s incredible to think of their individual stories and how God has brought each one of them here.


New and returning secondary teachers on the first day of school.


Rafiki Tanzania 2022 Teachers

Me with our secondary school headmistress on the first day of school

Our sports program has already taken off this school year. We have had friendly matches with other schools in volleyball, basketball, and soccer. Our focus this year for the coaches is to improve good sportsmanship and increase dedication and commitment. In these beginning games, it has been so encouraging to see our students cheering for one another and showing care for the other teams, while still playing their hardest.


Rafiki Secondary vs. Mawenzi Secondary


Rafiki girls basketball as the winners of the basketball tournament at a nearby international school

One of the highlights of February was our annual prayer gathering for the whole Village. I was absolutely amazed to look around at our students, teachers, kitchen staff, grounds workers, Rafiki Mothers, RICE students, and other support staff. My heart was full as we sang hymns of praise and prayed to God as our Guide.


2022 Prayer Gathering

As a fun event in March, I surprised my math teachers with a Pi Day celebration. What they thought was going to be a math training on March 14 surprisingly turned into enjoying pie while discussing how mind blowing it is that someone was able to discover this constant ratio of a circle’s diameter to its circumference. All part of God’s great design!


Happy π Day!

As we come to April, we are all anticipating the start of rainy season. The fields are planted with maize and beans, so we are ready when the time comes. Until then, I am greatly enjoying some beautifully colorful sunrises and sunsets on the mountain.


Sunrise on Mount Kilimanjaro

Thank you for your prayers, your care, your donations, your encouragements, and all other forms of support. God is faithful and mightily at work throughout the world to show His power and glory.

With love and joy.

Please click here for a printer friendly version of this newsletter.