Richards November 2023

“Truly He is my rock and my salvation… I will not be shaken… He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, you people… for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:6-8 NIV).

Malawi has lots of rocks, of all types. Some are scattered across our campus, causing havoc for the grounds crew. Some are massive granite blocks like mountains. Some protrude out of Lake Malawi as rugged desert islands with scrub bushes clinging on for dear life. As the Malawi missionary team continues to serve here near the end of dry season, I am meditating on David’s description of Jehovah in Psalm 62: A rock, immovable, strong, a place of refuge, able to save, and trustworthy. We have had occasion to practically experience these comforting attributes of our Lord, especially His trustworthiness.

Contemplating Elephant Rock

Jay descending Elephant Rock

Trust in Him at all times, you people

Miss Anna—I will not be shaken!

Recently, we took a fun day to visit Elephant Rock, a large granite massif a little south of us. By “visit” I mean scale the beast to the top, and then rappel down it. We trusted in hand and foot holds to get to the top, and then in ropes and carabiners to get us down safely. And we trusted in a leaky wooden boat and local guides to get us safely to and from a rocky island—which sported many wave-washed slippery surfaces—out in Lake Malawi. Jay trusted in the Lord’s protection to scale a stone pillar in Rocky Mountain National Park during our recent furlough. But most of all, we trust in our Rock to guide, direct, draw near, and protect our children, students, and staff as well as our Missionary team.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Lake Malawi Desert Island

For God is our refuge

Recently, four day students and twelve of our Rafiki residents graduated from secondary school. During the ceremony, our guest speakers—church partner officials, Headteacher Anna, and Jay—exhorted them to make Christ their Rock and prayed over them, entrusting them to their Mighty Fortress.

Class of 2023 with parents, Church officials, and friends

A few weeks later, as some of the graduates began life skills classes while awaiting vocational, college, or university placement, we celebrated with Dumisani and Shadreck as they obtained their certificates in crop planning and management from Crown Ministries. We have already hired them part-time to help us plan and manage our next annual crop plan to feed our residents. During this course, there were many biblical applications and opportunities to share testimonies; and our young men were strengthened in the unshakable knowledge that God is their Salvation and Refuge as they begin a new phase of their lives. Praise be to our Rock!

Dumisani and Shadreck

And as our teachers college (RICE) prepares for what we trust will soon be government accreditation as a campus of the University of Livingstonia, we graduated the last of our legacy students with diploma-equivalent certificates in classical Christian education pedagogy. All three were hired immediately into our Rafiki pre-primary and primary schools where they will shepherd young souls toward faith in the Lord of their Salvation.

RICE graduates

We continue to stand in awe at the work God continues to do in this poorest region of one of the poorest countries in the world. He proves to be the Refuge for all who call upon the name of Jesus, even for the destitute and fatherless. We see transformed hearts and joy as pre-schoolers sing “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” as teenaged orphans surrender to their Rock, as teacher college graduates testify to His trustworthiness as they assume leadership of their classical Christian education classrooms. And we encourage you, our faithful friends and supporters to declare with us, “Trust in Him at all times, you people … for God is our refuge!” Amen and Amen.

Prayer Requests

• That every one of our children will embrace the love of Christ and be placed permanently in the palm of His hand.
• For new Missionary May Nealey that the Lord will provide full funding and that she will join us soon.
• For the Lord’s favor in gaining government accreditation of our teachers’ college.
• Praise! All resident permit applications have been approved: for current and new missionaries. His is Trustworthy!

Soli Deo gloria!

Thank you for partnering with us in this work.

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