Harriott May 2019

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14).

While recently reading Matthew 5, verse 14 stood out to me not only as a personal reminder but also as a picture of Rafiki Village Malawi. Rafiki Village Malawi is a small city literally perched on a hill in a suburb of Mzuzu City. Its neighbors “look up” to the Village to see what is going on over on the Village side of the fence; the many people who keep the ministry going operate like a small city. From guards, cooks, and cleaners, to Rafiki Mothers, teachers, and maintenance staff, it takes many individuals to make the Rafiki Village the community it is. Furthermore, a city on a hill cannot be hidden—it is a known place, it is obvious, and stands out to those around it—perhaps by prominence of position, or by reputation.

Rafiki Village Malawi’s reputation of excellence and Christian faith in action is known around Mzuzu. I clearly remember one parent, a Christian married to a spouse who followed the teachings of Islam, who desired for their children to know the Gospel and to know Jesus. This parent prayed faithfully for several years that God would make a way for their children to be taught the Bible. After hearing about the Rafiki Bible Study and Christian reputation of the school, this parent applied for all their children to attend. However, all the classes were full! It was about a year later, one by one, each child was finally able to enroll in the Rafiki School, and now each of those children know Jesus and are studying the Bible. It was a joy for me to see these precious ones come to school with eager smiles and excitement for learning. This story is just one of many from my time as Headmaster where our status of a literal “city on a hill” was used by God to bring students to the school and to Himself.

Sadly, my time at Rafiki Village Malawi has come to an end due to health-related reasons. I am now back home in Michigan, where God has already provided me with excellent health care, a car, a full-time job, and much more. His provision and blessings have been abundant. I am grateful for the clarity and direction He has given to me so I can be a light here at home. This means you do not need to continue supporting me as a Rafiki Missionary. However, there are still Rafiki Missionaries hard at work in Rafiki Villages that are in need of support! Please consider supporting the excellent work of the Rafiki Foundation or donating to Yeen-Lan Lam who is still shining her light in Rafiki Village Malawi. Visit the Rafiki website at https://rafikifoundation.org/ to learn more about how your donations can help continue this work.

Thank you for your many words of encouragement, prayers, and donated dollars over the last two years!

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