Martin Sep 2018

Greetings everyone!

Well, I’m five months out from my last surgery. I’m thanking the Lord, Rafiki, and all of you for letting me take care of this. The results have been remarkable. Last week I woke up and my arms were sore. I haven’t been sore like that in probably ten years. Anything I did with my arms affected my neck so I couldn’t do much of anything when it came to physical labor or athletics. That’s not easy for a very active person. I found myself doing a little more each week until I did enough to be sore. That’s when I realized what a difference the disc replacement surgery made in my life. I still can’t do everything I want to do but I’m getting there. A physical therapist told me the weakness in my arms was impressive. Never heard that before! Now I’m getting stronger day by day. I’m so grateful. Thank you all for your continued support and prayer. I don’t know what’s next but I would like to share some things you have helped to accomplish.

The Rafiki Foundation is in ten countries in Africa. Here are some highlights from several countries.

Shalom, from Rwanda shares biblical truths with his father every night

The father of one of Rafiki’s community students ran into one of his teachers in the market. He said he can’t get over the change in his son as a result of his son’s education. “Every night he comes home and grabs the Bible and teaches me a new truth. I never knew any of what he is telling me!

A maintenance employee, also an elder in his church, says, “I never worry if they call on me at the last minute to preach. I am always prepared because of our Bible study at work.”

A troubled and troublesome little boy kneels down and asks God to forgive him of his sin. God’s Word at work.

Senior Secondary School art class in Uganda

When given the opportunity (which doesn’t often come to orphans in the third world) gifts and talents come pouring out. Things you would never expect from children who were rescued and given opportunities to learn about God and to be educated from a biblical worldview. It makes a difference.

The Rafiki Foundation gives opportunities to widows and orphans, the educated and the uneducated, the rich and the poor. They provide the Rafiki Bible Study that encourages and equips people to know the Lord and serve Him in various ways. They provide opportunities for widows through the Rafiki Widows Program to have meaningful work and the ability to provide for their needs and the needs of their children. They provide a Christian and classical education in the Rafiki Education Program to the students who sit in class as well as to the teachers who teach them. They provide a formal teacher training college called RICE (Rafiki Institute of Classical Education) that is preparing teachers to serve in Rafiki Schools as well as church schools. They also provide a home in the Rafiki Orphan Care Program to over 800 orphans, many of whom would never have survived had there not been a place for them to go.

Widow in Kenya beginning a glass bead bowl

Lastly, they provide a place to serve. One very impressive thing is how much can be done with so few. There are so many opportunities to serve. If you are curious contact The Rafiki Foundation at www.rafikifoundation.org. Someone there will be happy to tell you about the opportunities that are available.

“And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation” (Acts 17:26 NASB).