Pederson Dec 2019

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus”
(1 Thessalonians 5).

The New Old Way conference

We hope this finds you thankful for all the Sovereign Lord of creation is doing in every sphere of your lives. One of those spheres, because you are receiving this newsletter, is the ministry of Rafiki’s work in Africa. We also hope this finds you thoughtfully seeking how you will give this Christmas season in appreciation for what God has given us in Christ Jesus.

There are five spheres in Rafiki’s work in Kenya for which we are very thankful. The first is the Widows Program. A new group recently invited Julie to observe their handiwork and to know of their spiritual growth through sharing of the Rafiki Bible Study (RBS).

The second sphere is the Rafiki Bible Study (RBS). It has helped us in our daily study to know more about God and ourselves as we studied First and Second Thessalonians, First and Second Timothy and Psalms 45-56. New this year is the home discussion page available to parents. One father shared how helpful it is for their family devotions, but that their son does not always engage. I told him it is ok, he is only three years old!

The third is our OrphanCare Program. Twelve new resident graduates are on their way to becoming independent and establishing themselves with their extended family. We hope they will be able to join post-secondary courses.

We now have sixty-seven children living at the Village and thirty-plus in various programs of study and work. The fourth is our school. We continue to grow through the positive reports of our parents. We are thankful for fifty new students registered for 2020 giving us a total enrollment of 324 in preschool-Grade 12. In addition, there is a wait-list of over forty more.

The fifth program is the Rafiki Advanced Learning Institute, which includes the Rafiki Institute of Classical Education (RICE) where we train teachers in the methods of classical Christian education. Currently all but one preschool and half of our primary teachers have completed the RICE course. In April, thirty RICE graduates will sit for a required government exam that will finally give them teacher certification.

God in His grace gave Rafiki a wild idea in 2018 to host a classical Christian education conference in Kenya. We started talking to people and so many said “Yes,” that Rafiki said, “Yes, let’s do it!” The date was set for November 5-7, 2019 for what we believe was the first classical Christian education conference on the continent of Africa.

It required countless meetings with our partner university who co-hosted the event. It was thrilling to host Rafiki staff and national teachers from other Rafiki Villages. We also had church leaders from many of our partner denominations attend.

Five fabulous, gracious, generous, classical educators from the United States came to teach, share, and stir up all who attended. The conference ignited a spark that veteran AIC Pastor Kamau identified this way, “I know what you are doing. You are waking up a sleeping giant that is Africa.” That is an overwhelming thought!

Listening to the speakers and engaging in conversations helped many put the pieces together. A church leader remarked, “The government curriculum will never be able to accomplish what we are historically called to provide in our church academies.”

A high-ranking government official who is an ardent supporter of Rafiki’s Education System (RES) noted that “we have lost our way and Rafiki will help us give the education to our children that will help them become contributing adults.”

After a tour of the Village and our school buildings, one of the conference speakers noted, “You already have what many classical schools in the U.S. do not have. This is truly remarkable what God has given to Rafiki in ten countries.”

On the same day, Karen Elliott asked David, “Are you doing this work because you have to or because it is meaningful?” Not at first noting her sarcasm, he responded, “Are you joking? I pray that every Christian educator would have the same opportunity we have.”

It requires perseverance and trust in God’s providence. We first approached the Ministry of Education in 2014 asking for approval of our school curriculum. We are back again this time with the full support of our five church partners.

With a united voice we have once again asked for approval and permission for each denomination to open three pilot preschools. It is a very small beginning, but it is loaded with opportunity.

Prayer requests:

• Pray for our church partners to lead the cause with a united voice.

• Pray for approval of the RES.

• Pray for full cohorts of RICE students.

• Pray for fifteen strong pilot schools taught by RICE graduates.

• Pray for a transformed Rafiki school with teachers committed without reservation to the classical methodology.

• Pray for Rafiki graduates to lead lives that exhibit Christ-likeness in all things.

• Pray for committed widows groups.

Just imagine hundreds of church schools offering daily Bible study and a biblically integrated curriculum to thousands of children!

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas from warm and sunny Kenya!

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