Robertson Jan 2019

“And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail” (Isaiah 58:11).

I am writing to you from beautiful Malawi! I have come here for a few weeks to support the missionaries before returning to the Home Office. There were many things I had forgotten about living in Africa since I have been in the U.S. this past year. Like how an afternoon without electricity doesn’t inhibit the work in the Village in any significant way, and how the rain comes down so hard and fast that it quickly fills the ditches and rushes downhill like a stream. It is good to be here for a while and share in the work!

Last evening I spent an hour with the children remaining in the Village during the school break, while many of the older ones are visiting their extended families. We talked about focusing our eyes on God’s promises to keep us from being distracted by the things of the world. When I asked them which of God’s promises they are the most excited about, the first child shouted out, “a big house in heaven!” I appreciated the candid answer.

Rafiki Village Malawi children

These days the promise that I am most excited about is that God will sustain His people and give us strength. Did you know that this year we will be getting the results back for forty-one of our graduating seniors across three Villages from their national exams? These exams will determine whether they qualify for university, but whatever they score and whether or not they receive a Rafiki Scholarship for furthering their studies, they will be going out of the Rafiki Village and into the wider world. In addition, six young women who are in university on a Rafiki Scholarship will graduate with their bachelor’s degrees this year!

One of the ladies about to finish her degree is Joy John. I got to know Joy when I moved to Nigeria; she was one of the students in our first graduating class there. What always impressed me about her is her spiritual maturity and dependability. She is serious about her faith and does an excellent job of looking out for the younger Rafiki grads who followed her to the same university. Joy came to Rafiki back in 2003 because her parents had died, and her extended family could not care for her. Now, many of her cousins and siblings have grown up and found stable jobs so she has a great family network. Joy will be graduating with a degree in Accounting (one after my own heart), and I cannot wait to see what the Lord will do through her.

Joy  John

As all of these young people enter new environments and seek the path that God has for them, there will be many struggles. They will face pressure to leave behind their Biblical world-view and morals to become more like the world they enter. How can these young people endure this pressure and continue in the faith? “ Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts ” (Zechariah 4:6). Will you pray for them?

As always, I am very grateful for your support in prayer and funds. May God be your strength!

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