McMahon Oct 2019

Dearest friends and family, 

There have been many recent happenings concerning myself and my partnership with the Rafiki Foundation in Africa. 

This summer, I spent two weeks in Eustis, Florida for Survival Camp at the Rafiki Home Office. The time was spent with a team of six other new missionaries preparing our hearts for the mission field, learning about the vision and policies of Rafiki, and working in the warehouse to mobilize books for the various libraries in the Rafiki villages. The last day, I was commissioned as a Rafiki missionary and signed on for my initial two-year term. The whole time, I was encouraged by the unwavering love and support the Home Office staff has for all their missionaries both here and abroad. God also used the time to renew confidence in my call and have peace in making my first overseas commitment. 

Now time for some exciting news! I know now that I will be going to Ethiopia for my first assignment, hopefully leaving by February 15th. This Village has never had a long-term music teacher and the current staff members are very excited to have me. I will also get to share in other everyday operations required to run the orphanage and school. To clear any confusion, at one point I did think I was going to go to Tanzania. However, Rafiki found that my skills and talents are more needed in Ethiopia. No matter what, I’m flexible and happy to go wherever God wants to send me. 

Moving forward, I require the funds to live and serve overseas. My goal is $80,000 for the first two years in donations and pledges, with an additional $5,000 in one-time costs. Currently, I am only about 21% on the way to being fully funded. Have you already considered supporting me in this venture? Now’s the time! Take a moment now to visit the Rafiki website to make a one-time or recurring donation. Visit the link below to give one-time or recurring gifts and to sign up for email updates just like this one—https://rafikifoundation.org/missionaries and enter my name. Any size gift is welcome. You may also send your check to the Rafiki Home Office at PO Box 1988, Eustis, FL 32727 with my name in the memo line. All donations can be tax-deductible and are greatly appreciated.

Additionally, please pray for me as I set out. While I believe all the way to the bottom of my heart that this is exactly where God wants me to be, I still have many difficult decisions to make and actions to take. Please pray for:

– My goodbyes to all of you dear ones—that every moment spent together would be precious as I wrap up life on the North Shore/in the U.S. It is certainly not easy to leave you! 

– Balancing all of my responsibilities here during the last few months in the U.S.

– Visas, paperwork, and all other necessary details to move overseas.

– The staff and children who are already at the Rafiki Village in Ethiopia.

Last but not least, I want to thank you all for your continued support in getting me to this point. I am humbled by your enthusiastic generosity to send me to Africa. God has used each one of you to confirm my own call through your prayers and financial sacrifices. I truly couldn’t do this without all of you, but I wouldn’t want to even if I could. It means so much to me to know you all have a part in my ministry. I pray God blesses all of you just as you have blessed me. 

Thank you!

A recent photo of the children at the Rafiki Village in Ethiopia

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