Nelson May 2018

Dear friends and family,

We will soon reach the three-year milestone in our work here at the Rafiki Village Ghana! God has been faithful and kind to us as we stepped into the life of this Village which had already been in motion for many years. At times the learning curve has felt like a roller coaster ride. We have made mistakes. We have cried out, “Help!” as new challenges arose. And, we have experienced the kindness of many people who were ready to help us navigate life here in Ghana. Please join us in thanking God for His faithfulness to this Village and our family. Please also thank Him for the fellowship of believers around the world who are united in His work.

A Village parade on Ghana’s Independence Day in March

One of the benefits of time is developing a history with the young people here and seeing them grow and mature. Recently, Andrea was blessed to have a young man seek her advice on how to handle an issue with a peer at school. After school, what a joy it was to have that young man run up to her and exclaim, “It worked!” Please thank God with us that we have this opportunity to impact the lives of these young people. Please also pray that our young people will seek the wisdom of God’s Word and the people He’s placed in their lives.

Our teacher college (RICE) program’s accreditation is in-process here in Ghana, so we are not admitting new students at this time. Delays in the process are disappointing, but thankfully we are already reaping a harvest from our RICE teacher training as our six former RICE students were recently hired in our schools. The new teachers have energized the schools with their enthusiasm, good training, and practicum experience which is now being utilized in a variety of classroom levels and roles throughout the schools.

Dozens of teacher candidates are being trained in this program in our Liberia, Nigeria, Zambia, Uganda, Malawi, Kenya, and Tanzania Villages. Imagine the exponential impact these young teachers will have when you consider that every teacher will impact their own family, their home church, and their future students. The expanding influence of excellent education is breathtaking. Please join us in thanking God for the privilege we have to train teachers for the next generation. Please join us in praying that the accreditation of the program in Ghana will soon be completed. Please also ask God to make a way for our Rafiki school curriculum and Rafiki Bible Study to be utilized by our church partners.

A couple of RICE students teaching a rhythm class

Through her RICE art classes, the student below has progressed from being someone who doesn’t think she can make art to having the ability to copy works by great masters.

Furlough is fast-approaching for our family, and we are making plans to spend time in Kennewick, Rapid City, and Colorado Springs. Please join us in praying that the Village will run smoothly while we are away for part of June and July. Please also pray that we will be refreshed as we reconnect with family and friends and set aside time to rest. Please also pray for our current needs for a RICE Dean and Plant Manager here in Ghana.

We thank God for you and your faithful support. Thank you for your faithfulness to our family and the work God is doing here at Rafiki Village Ghana.