Koepke November 2022

“I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving” (Psalm 69:30).

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas from Doug and Carolyn in Jos, Nigeria!

Thankfulness

We have many reasons to be thankful this Christmas season and here are a few.

• We celebrated our first communion service at a nearby community church (pictured above).
• We continue to thank God for healthy children and a peaceful community.

A picture of our school children on the sports court

• Thank God for our twelve orphan high school graduates that attended a combined Bingham graduation convocation in Abuja. Cephas earned a Bachelor Degree in Industrial Chemistry; Joanna earned a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration; Israel, Magdalene, and Paul all earned Bachelor Degrees in Sociology; Deborah (top of class) and Lydia (top of class) both earned a Bachelor Degree in English; Blessing earned a Bachelor Degree in Economics; Joy earned a Bachelor Degree in Accounting; Miriam, Eunice, and Ruth all earned Bachelor Degrees in Mass Communication.

• We also thank God for Joseph, Kefas, and Josiah, who recently graduated from Bu-Tech school and will be beginning a 1-year maintenance internship at Rafiki in January 2023
• Our Rafiki Village could not function without the skills and dedication of our Rafiki Staff. Their hard work on our new elementary school football pitch has made it possible to have football tournaments with neighboring schools. We are blessed with bright security lights, loud alarm sirens, and dedicated security guards who keep us safe. We also have clean water and well-kept grounds thanks to our highly skilled maintenance crew. We have fairly regular electricity and a generator for when electricity “takes a holiday.” We have 355 students who attend school each day. The dedication and care our teachers give them is priceless. Each student receives a nutritious breakfast and lunch. Our talented cooking staff work hard to serve those meals hot and on time. We have 21 resident orphan students who live on site, under the love and care of Rafiki Mothers and one Rafiki Dad. And another 62 graduated children who are attending various schools of higher education.

Football game on the new pitch

• Our 21 resident orphan children are doing well.
• Twelve of our children took baptism instructional classes at their church. Their names are Tabitha, Blessing, Abigail, Godiya, Ndidi, Tamar, Mika, Michael, Pererat, Rachel, Chukwudi, and Jonah. They will be baptized on December 10.
• The ladies at Women of Hope and Threads and Light are grateful to God for providing meaningful work that enables them to provide for their families. Both groups of ladies are currently working on orders for Rafiki Foundation. More of their beautiful sewing projects will be coming soon! Visit https://store.RafikiFoundation.org to see what is available now for purchase at the Rafiki Exchange online store.

Prayer Requests

• University of Jos is officially not on strike, but the lecturers have not been paid and have not returned to lecture. We have told our students to stay home with their families until we know lectures are underway. 17 of our children attend this university.
• Pray for Paul, Miriam, Eunice, and Cephas who recently graduated from Bingham University and will be participating in a 1-year mandatory National Youth Service program out of our local state.
• Pray for our older residence house boys. They haven’t been respectful to their Rafiki Parents Tongdyen, Damchi, and substitute mother Nankyer. Pray for their hearts to soften and for them to grow spiritually.

Please also pray that the Lord will provide more Rafiki Missionaries and more day student sponsors so that we can bring Bible study and classical Christian education to more needy children . Perhaps He is calling you to be the answer to one of those prayers? Visit www.RafikiFoundation.org to learn more.

“Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true) and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord ” (Ephesians 5:8-10).

May you rejoice in God’s light this Christmas!

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