Nickels September 2021

Greetings friends!

As of the writing of this newsletter, we are enjoying vacation in Illinois and Missouri. We pray that you are staying well during uncertain times and that this letter full of good news from Rafiki Tanzania will bring you joy.

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, not for men” (Colossians 3:23).

The school recitation at the beginning of June provided ample proof that Rafiki teachers and students are taking the above verse (our school motto) to heart. From three-year-olds to secondary students to parents and community members, we all gathered in the RICE auditorium to celebrate what God has enabled us to do in the first half of 2021. Among the highlights were informative speeches and songs on botany and the bones in the human body, presentation of awards, and a recitation of Whitman’s “ O Captain! My Captain!” by three grade level six students. Please pray that God will use the hearty work of Rafiki students to make them a multitude of godly contributors in their communities and country.

Pre-primary waiting for the recitation to begin

“So Abraham called the name of that place, ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided ’” (Genesis 22:14).

In July we finished our twenty-week Rafiki Bible Study on the book of Genesis. What a joy to dig into this foundational book with the teacher trainees in the RICE Program! While many of the stories were familiar, most of the RICE teachers had never studied the book as a whole. All of us found our faith challenged and strengthened as we read, discussed, and pondered each week’s lesson. Genesis 22:14 was one of our memory verses, and we all found it encouraging and applicable in these uncertain times. After memorizing this verse, we often found ourselves quoting it in the face of difficulty. Please pray that the verses we at Rafiki memorize will become permanent threads in the fabric of our faith.

RICE teacher trainees with faithful repeat short-term missionaries

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5, 6).

2021 is a year of milestones for us. Our oldest resident kids are turning eighteen, and our school will graduate its first form four class—the end of “ordinary level” secondary education in Tanzania. The next few months will reveal what comes next for each of these young adults: advanced level secondary, vocational college, or some other specialized training. Please pray that God will guide the students and Rafiki staff in making choices about their next steps that will be for their good and His glory.

Rafiki teens Irene, Victoria, and Beatrice—the future is bright!

Thank you so much for your love, support, and prayers for everyone who lives, works, and learns at Rafiki Tanzania. Thank you for partnering with us. God’s Word is at work.

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