Kropf February 2021

“The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27).

Greetings from Rafiki Village Kenya. We had safe travels getting here and arrived January 17, 2021. At the writing of this newsletter, we have been here about three weeks. These three weeks have been full of adjusting to a different time zone, getting supplies for our home, meeting new people, and starting to learn and serve in our new roles. One highlight of our time has been getting to know the Rafiki Kenya missionary team. They have been so helpful and a joy to serve with. We both feel that the transition has gone very smoothly, and we are settling and fitting in well. Thank you for all the prayers for this. One struggle has been remembering everyone’s names and learning to understand the accent of the English here. Everyone does speak English but its not with the Northern U.S. accent we are used to. The people here are so kind and helpful and do not seem to mind that we are continually asking them their names, or to repeat what they said.

Del has begun the Plant Manager role. He has enjoyed getting to understand the nuts and bolts of this Village. One of the projects he has already tackled was fixing an electrical breaker in the main kitchen/cafeteria. He has also been supervising the hiring of new security personnel and working on scheduling the security staff. I have begun teaching a couple art classes at the Rafiki Institute of Art which provides courses in art for future teachers. It has been a joy for me to begin teaching art to these young adults, many of whom have never had an art class. I am also becoming familiar with the art classes in the Rafiki School as well. The Rafiki School operates a pre-K through grade twelve classical Christian school.

The vision of the Rafiki Foundation is to cultivate a multitude of godly contributors in Africa through Bible study and classical Christian education. This vision is carried out in each Village through five programs: Bible study, education, teacher training (RICE), orphan care, and the Widows Program.

One thing Del and I would like to highlight is the Rafiki Bible Study (RBS). Rafiki’s main goal is to help Africans know God through studying the Bible. The RBS is central to all we do at the Village. The cottages, classrooms, teacher training college, and even the national staff all begin each day with the Rafiki Bible Study. I have been attending the Bible study at RICE. This has been a blessing to me to study God’s Word every morning with the staff and students there. Del has been attending the morning Bible study with the Rafiki National Staff, which is some of the staff he oversees during the day. The whole Village is studying the book of Genesis. What a blessing it is to start the day out worshiping, studying God’s Word, and praying with your co-workers.

Rafiki Bible Study with the RICE students

The RBS lessons were developed by eighteen notable theologians, and are now available for purchase for schools, home Bible studies, and Sunday schools in both the United States and Africa. These small group studies can be used in a church, home, workplace, or college setting. If this interests you, go to the Rafiki Foundation website at https://www.rafikibiblestudy.org/ where they are available for purchase.

Thank you for your financial and prayer support. You are a big part of all that happens here, and we appreciate you partnering with us in this ministry.

Praises:

• We saw God’s provision, protection, and guidance as we prepared to leave for Nairobi. We had a lot of decisions to make and everything fell into place.

• We had safe travels to Kenya. We had an unexpected delay in Atlanta, but God provided all we needed there and were rescheduled to leave the next day.

• The Village has remained safe and good health has continued as all grade levels have returned to the school. The government allowed all the classrooms to reopen. The kids are all cooperating and wearing their masks.

Prayer requests:

• That our immigration paperwork would go through on time.

• God would bring the right buyer for our home in Indiana. Prayers for Nate and Joel as they juggle getting the house ready for showings including getting the dog out of the house and coordinating with their own work schedules.

• Our continued transition to living and working in Nairobi.

• That we all would grow in knowing God through studying Gods Word—and God would develop in us the passion to help Africans know God.

• New opportunities for the Rafiki Widows Program, and new ideas of product to make!

• For thirty new RICE students to enroll.

To donate or sign up for our newsletters go to www.rafikifoundation.org and select “Support our Missionaries”. To donate by check, send to the Rafiki Home Office at PO Box 1988, Eustis FL. 32727, with our name and missionary number (251) in the memo line

Sunrise at Rafiki Village Kenya

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