Ketcham/Kumera Sep 2019
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all He’s done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV).
Dear friends and family,
Have you ever tried to do this? That first part of the verse is very challenging, especially if you have 52 kids and more than 30 are teenagers! Sometimes it’s hard not to worry when you are helping to educate and train more than 120 community students and 46 staff. It’s hard not worry when you’re responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of more than 60 acres of land and 18 buildings. It’s hard not to worry when one of your kids has seizures and there are fewer than 5 pediatric neurologists in a country with a population of more than 100 million people; or when a neighbor who is taking care of an 11-year old girl who is physically disabled but has never had the opportunity to go to school begs you to let the girl start in the Rafiki pre-school. Sometimes it’s hard not to worry about the country’s ethnic tensions, political instability, hazardous roads and reckless drivers, frequent electric and internet shutdowns, etc.
But, wait, we are given the antidote to worry in the second part of the verse: PRAY about EVERYTHING, THANK Him for what HE’S done. That’s what makes the first part of the verse possible. God is holy, sovereign, loving, good, and all-powerful. He knows what needs to be taken care of and He does it. Not only that, but He gives us indescribable and undeniable peace in our hearts.
Tekle and I have learned this valuable lesson over and over again in our multiple roles as Village Administrator, Facilities/Plant Manager, Headmaster, ChildCare Manager, and Finance Manager with Rafiki Ethiopia. God has done immeasurably more than we have asked or imagined, not just in us but in the lives of the resident children, community students, staff, and volunteers.
Rafiki Village Ethiopia staff
What He Has Done
The things God has done, both great and small, are too numerous to describe, so here’s a quick list of a few
– Provided a generous donor who wants to purchase a new vehicle for the Village (our current ones are 15 years old and in need of constant repair)
– Facilitated the process for Rafiki to be permanently registered as a charity in Ethiopia without having to renew the license every 3 years
– Provided our schools with excellent teachers as well as favorable inspections by government officials—our pre-primary is ranked #1 in the area and the primary is in the top 4!
Grade seven students presenting about their own Ancient Greek City-State
Ancient Greece project
What He Is Doing
Our children in grade 5 and higher have just returned from spending 3 weeks visiting with their extended families. The experience helped them not only become more familiar and comfortable with their culture and family, but has also taught them to appreciate how God has richly blessed them by bringing them to Rafiki.
Meklit and Adonay with their cousin and grandmother
Now most of the children are eagerly and voluntarily taking on more responsibilities around the Village—working in the garden, mowing lawns, watering plants and trees, cleaning the tractor, helping in the kitchen, cleaning the dining hall, tutoring younger students, helping in the school libraries.
Zerubabel and boys working at the schools
Many of the older children are maturing in their faith and starting to really think through their beliefs and what that means for the kind of choices they make in their lives. But this is also happening with some of the younger kids too. Let me share a conversation I recently had with Meseret, who is 9 years old. One Saturday morning while taking a short break from her chores, Meseret leaned against me and said “Miss, I want to be a pilot when I grow up.” “A pilot?” I asked, looking down at her. “Why?” Meseret quickly explained, “I want to make enough money so I can build a village like this,” gesturing broadly with her arms, “And I will go around town and if anyone is begging on the street—I don’t think anyone should do that—if they are big like you I will give them a job and tell them about Jesus. And if they are small like me, I will educate them. I want to be a headmaster!”
Meseret
I think God has big plans for this little girl!
What We Trust He Will Do
We ask you to join with us in praying that God would accomplish great things here in the coming months. Please pray that:
– New missionaries Girum and Tigist (and their two children) would be on the field in Ethiopia by January 2020
– Amy would have wisdom as she writes a new comprehensive project agreement for Rafiki’s work in Ethiopia (one that includes RICE) and that the various government bureaus would approve it
– The Rafiki moms and missionaries would have patience, love, and wisdom as they raise teenagers
– God would bring talented and qualified teachers to establish a thriving music and art program in the schools; also that construction of the senior secondary school would begin in the next 6 months
– There would be peace and stability in the country
Planting coffee trees with Rafiki Mothers Ebise, Tigist, and Birhanie
Thank you for partnering with us, for loving us, for supporting us, and for praying for us. We are privileged to serve with Rafiki and we hope you will continue to help us do so!
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