Newsletter 7/21/10

Dear Family and Friends,

As the beautiful Rwandan sun sets on our time at Rafiki Village Rwanda we look back and praise God for the privilege and blessings the Lord has given us in knowing and loving these wonderful Rwandan people. We will miss many dear friends as well as our dear mama's and precious children here at Rafiki Village Rwanda.

As difficult as it is to leave Rwanda we so look forward to a new village, new friends and new children in Zambia. Those we are leaving and those we will soon meet will ever be in our prayers. It does not matter so much the physical place we are located as long as we are where the Lord desires us to be...."not my will but thine O Lord." We know God works all things for good to those who love him.

We thank God for each of you who have partnered with us here in Rwanda. You are vital to this ministry, our support team and to us and we pray you will make the transition to Zambia with us. We trust God that our hearts are big enough to love another village full of wonderful mama's, children and ROS teammates.

We ask for your continued prayers as we travel to Zambia and adjust to life there. May we continue to witness the wonders of the Lord's love, His work and His provision as He equips us to serve with joy unspeakable. Also please pray with us for the new team in Rwanda as they settle in to a new village, new language and learning many new things. And for these children as God continues to work great things in their lives.

Here are some photos from the past couple months here in Rwanda.

Ken & Bev with all the Rafiki Rwanda children, Mama’s, Aunties and the New Team members.

Kitchen staff that Ken has been working with.

Mufasha and Bebito, they are siblings and two of our newest children.

Bev with Juliet and Jen. Juliet was our house helper and is now working as a teacher’s aid in the school. Jen is Juliet’s sister.

Sam is the assistant to the village director and nearly like a son to us.

Thank you for your continued support and may God bless you. Much love,

Ken & Bev

May Newsletter

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up do you not perceive it?" (Isaiah 43:19)

Dear Family and Friends,

What a delight to see how God’s children have developed over the past year. It hardly seems possible that it was nearly a year ago when our first children came to call Rafiki Village Rwanda home. We are so blessed to have the privilege of being a small part of their lives.

Bev’s teaching of the eleven children in the Three Year Old Class and the Kindergarteners has been the delight of her heart. In our last newsletter the Three’s Class were learning to use binoculars. The Kindergarten lesson in April included memorizing the poem “Grandmother’s Glasses” for an In-School Recitation held on April 28th. It was simply amazing how much better you can see to read when wearing spectacles!

Ken and Sam have made many trips to the villages in Bugesera District doing background inquiries on possible new children coming to Rafiki. After weeks of interviews, paperwork and medical exams nine children will be coming to live at Rafiki on May 10^th. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

As part of personnel restructuring Ken has taken on the kitchen oversight duties. Only God knew that Ken’s Culinary Arts training back in the 60’s would come into use 40 years later. New equipment has been added to the kitchen, thanks to a generous donor, which will make life a little easier for the kitchen staff to be able to put out more meals in less time.

Special thanks for the generous donations for playground equipment. Very soon the children were having an absolute wonderful time learning to slide and swing for the very first time. Also we thank the donors for funding earmarked for the drilling of a well for the village.

One last news item is we are being transferred from Rwanda to Rafiki Village Zambia. We are sad to leave these dear children and the friends we have made in Rwanda, but as we pack for this move we are looking forward to the new challenges God has for us in Zambia. If God has touched your heart with a burden for these Rafiki orphans and you would like to help keep us on the field please contact the Rafiki Home Office with your donation or pledge. Our name and ROS # 176 has to be on the paperwork for pledges and donations to be appropriately credited to our account. We are ever grateful to God for your love, prayers and support, which undergird as we serve the Lord with Rafiki.

Pray for-

· Mama’s and children as they adjust to a new team of ROS.

· Sam, Ken’s Assistant, as he encourages the new village director and team.

· Nationals to continue to work well, mindful of safety and with integrity of heart.

· Each ROS transitioning, those who leave and those who come to Rwanda.

· As we prepare to hand-off our responsibilities here in Rwanda.

· As we adjust to a new village and new responsibilities in Zambia.

·
All who are preparing to come to Rwanda will be excited and blessed of God.

Praise God for-

· The time for overlap of ROS to afford a smooth transition

· He is the Blessed Controller of all things, His will and His ways are perfect.

· Our time in Rwanda, the privilege to know and love these precious children and people.

· The opportunity He has given us to serve here.

· You who uphold, encourage and support these children, this work and us as we serve in the name of Jesus.

Lovingly in Christ,

Ken & Bev

The Journey continues

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 NIV

Dear Family and Friends,

There have been many changes come about the past two weeks. Our minds have been in a stir, as have our hearts. We have gone thru all the stages of grief as these changes have affected us deeply. However, as we have sought the Lord in prayer, we see that God’s will is often not our own. Though we may not understand we see this as coming from His hand at this time. Our hearts are deeply rooted in this village and with these dear children and Mama’s. We have come to love the nationals in Rwanda and have developed deep friendships here with them, not just those in the village but also those in the surrounding communities. We assumed the Lord would keep us in Rwanda until He decided to take us home, either to the states or to Heaven. However, that is not His plan.

The restructuring of Rafiki personnel is necessary due to the need of placing training people in specific key areas in Africa. These people will facilitate godly training with the implementation of Rafiki Biblical School Curriculum for use in national, Christian and private schools. This has tremendous possibilities to reach literally millions of people with the Word of God. Praise be to God.

We have been advised that we will be moving to Rafiki Village Zambia. We have not been given a definite time for this move but have been assured it will occur within the next three months.
Our current team members will also be experiencing changes with Cricket Meyer moving to Uganda, Tim & Patty Yoss to Kenya and Annemarie Kelly has chosen to return to Texas.

Please be in prayer for the Mama’s and children as they adjust to an entirely new team of ROS (Rafiki Overseas Staff).

Please pray the nationals with whom we work and know will continue to work well, mindful of safety and with integrity of heart.

Praise the Lord, as there will be time allotted with overlap of ROS to afford a smooth transition of duties and responsibilities.

Please be praying for ASSIMWE Sam, Ken’s Assistant, as he bears a heavy load as he encourages the new village director and team to life in Rwanda with cultural adjustments, language barriers and the management of the village after we leave Rwanda.

May transition be smooth for each ROS, those who leave and those who come, as they adjust to new surroundings, countries, language, co-workers and team mates. And please uphold us in prayer as we prepare to hand-off our responsibilities here to those coming after us being transferred from other Rafiki Villages.

May all who are preparing to come here be well advised, excited and blessed of God. Realizing they too leave a piece of their heart in the village they are leaving.

Prayer for us as we adjust to a new village and new jobs.

We Praise the Lord that He is the Blessed Controller of ALL things and His will and His ways are perfect.

Praise the Lord for our time in Rwanda and the privilege to know and love these precious children, Mama’s and nationals and for the opportunity He has given to serve here.

We Praise the Lord for you who uphold, encourage and support these children, this work and us in so many ways exhibiting the love of Christ Jesus.

Witnesses for Him,
Ken and Bev

February Praise and Prayer Requests

RAFIKI VILLAGE RWANDA

Village

Updates

PTL we have our new additions to the water storage tanks and now have over 80,000 L on hand

when they are full. This helps us with our short-term goals of having adequate water supply.

Construction is continuing on Ephesians and Philippians (Cottages 5 & 6); refurbi

shing Philip (Guest House) from temporary kitchen and dining hall back to a Guest House.

Preparing a playground area and equipment for the children.

Will be moving the school from Galatians (Cottage 4) to the second half of Dining Hall (Elijah).

Praises:

· Continuing construction on cottages 4-5-6, (Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians)

· Completing construction on the second side of Elijah, the Dining Hall. Which will serve as temporary classroom area.

· For the donations to complete the playground equipment for the children.

· Donations that provided for the addition of 2 new 10,000L water tanks. This helps with the short term solution to our village water issues

· For the funds to refurbish Philip, the Guest House

· We are thankful for all those who support Rafiki through prayer and giving. We ask the Lord to mightily bless those who give sacrificially.

Prayer Requests:

Please pray for:

· Unity, health and safety for village team, national workers, teachers, mothers, assistants and ROS, All working together for the glory of God.

· Funding for new primary school and a duplex for additional ROS.

· Funding to drill a borehole for water on our village .

· That we would find an adequate supply of water with a borehole on the village

· The Lord to send two additional ROS to Rafiki Village Rwanda; Specifically, a teacher and construction manager.

· That the Ministry of Finance will approve Tax-free status for Rafiki Village Rwanda

· The Widows Program will become operational in Rwanda.

· Our workers to maintain a high standard of work performance and loyalty to Rafiki’s goals.

ChildCare/Medical Program:

Updates:

Praises:

· The children are growing physically, spiritually and in their understanding and ability to use English.

· Money for playground equipment was donated. The children are imagining what it will be like to play on slides and swings that up until now they’ve only seen in picture books. Having watched builders and maintenance men climb ladders, the children are eager to have a ladder of their own to climb up the slide.

· God blessed the children with another month of good health.

· Pediatrician, Dr. Elaine Tan, will be here for annual check ups March 1-3.

Prayer requests:

Please pray for:

· The Rafiki children to come to know Jesus as their Savior

· English speaking applicants for additional Rafiki mothers, substitute mothers, mothers’ assistants and kitchen/laundry staff who love the Lord and have hearts for serving Him and His children

· MiniMissionaries to share in the work and the blessings

· Good discipline resulting in joyful obedience

· God’s guidance in choosing the next children to become part of the Rafiki family from the many orphans in Rwanda

· Health, strength and safety for the Rafiki children and staff

· God to be glorified through His Word at Work at Rafiki Village Rwanda

Education Program

Updates

Praises:

· A national teachers’ aide

· Provision of a temporary school

· Our children

· Uniforms for all the children

Requests:

Please pray for:

· That our students will have a clear understanding of the gospel and accept Christ as their Savior

· For wisdom in training our newest national staff member, Patrick

· That Patrick will assimilate quickly and well

· For the means to build a permanent facility for our school

· For wisdom to teach and shepherd our children

· That our children will continue to grow in their understanding and use of English

· That our newest children will learn English quickly

Feb 2010 Newsletter

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you….”John 13:34 (NIV)

Dear Family and Friends,

Here it is the staring of a new year in Rwanda. The year 2010 hardly seems possible, it even sounds strange to say it. We are so blessed to be starting it here in Rwanda, serving the Lord with the Rafiki Foundation.

This New Year has started with a surprising burst of activity. The first half of our new Dining Hall is finished and operating. We serve three meals and a snack each day to twenty four precious gifts from God, along with their Rafiki Mothers and Aunties. As you may remember we have had six children’s cottages started but only three of those finished and operating. Praise the Lord we have received funding to finish the next three cottages, to complete the second half of the dining hall, to outfit our guest house and to build a playground for the children.

Bev is teaching eleven children in our class of three year old Pre-K’s. She is also team teaching the afternoon Kindergarten class with our Education Director, Anne Kelly. The children continue to increase in their knowledge and use of English. We are amazed how fast they learn. Bev is able to acquaint them with many new and wonderful things. Many that we simply take for granted, like the use of binoculars. While out on a nature walk the boys were fascinated that they could see a red bird in a tree far up the hill with their (paper) binoculars. Upon closer visual exam after “adjusting” their binoculars realized it was a man in a red shirt trimming the tree branches. Much discussion ensued. On another such outing little Marie, the youngest, excitedly exclaimed, “Auntie Bev, I found a weef ! I found a weef!” (leaf)

Ken has had many days of chasing paperwork for with the New Year comes the renewing of VISA’s, Work Permits, NGO registrations and Green cards. As always, leading the daily national Bible study is the highlight of his day.

There was also time to take the Kindergarten class for a field trip to the farm. Everyone had a grand time, including Ken.

We have heard God’s call to serve for the next two years in Rwanda with the Rafiki Foundation and we ask for your prayers. We are short of our needed support and are now at 67% of our total for two years. If God has touched your heart with a burden for these Rwandan orphans and you would like to help keep us on the field in Rwanda, please contact the Rafiki Home Office with your donation or pledge. Our ROS # 176 has to be on the paperwork for pledges and donations to be appropriately credited to our account. We are ever grateful to God for your love and prayers which are such encouragement as we serve in Rwanda.

Lovingly in Christ, Ken and Bev

Back in Rwanda

We are in Rwanda and so loving being back "home". Had a scramble this morning and it was not our eggs!! haha Sitting around in Kenya eating breakfast and talking around 9 :30 AM and Ken gets a call from SOS and they tell us we have a flight to Rwanda that leaves at 12:30. YIKES !!! He told them we were not sure we could make it as we were over an hour from the airport and would have to get a driver from Nairobi to come out to get us at the Rafiki Village and take us to the airport but assured them we would try. Fortunately we only had a back pack each and Ken had a carry on with his computer. He was still on the phone with SOS and I went to the bedroom and started throwing stuff in my bag. Ken was trying to print out our tickets on the antique computer and never did get them printed. Edward, our driver that we used the most of the time while in Kenya, came and he made a dash for the airport. I sat in the back and prayed as buses came at us from both sides, cars careening around us (and us them), pot holes in the road and forging through huge mud puddles and Edward driving in and out and around traffic like a professional race car driver. He was very good and has remarkable defensive driving skills. Not to mention courage and nerves of steel. SOS called us when we were about 15 minutes out from the airport and said they would call again in half an hour or so to see if we made the flight. The Lord was surely making our way as we weaved thru city traffic, got stopped by the road police upon entrance to the airport, then were waved on when saw we only had bags in the trunk. We had no idea where to go to check in but Edward was alert and took us to the right entrance, found a parking place and helped carry the bags to the entrance. What a delightful young man and a Christian. We were so late arriving that there was not a line as we checked in at the desk, went thru security as no line and at customs we just walked right up to the agent, found the gate upstairs and we had 10 minutes to spare, went to the gate and sat for awhile and then off we went. It was just so amazing. God definitely went before us !!! Felt so bad as we were getting into our seats on the plane and the folks from the Rafiki Village called us...we left in such a hurry that did not have time to hunt anyone down to say goodbye but Ken did call the village director to say we were leaving as we left the village. Such dear folks!!! So had a nice flight form Nairobi to Burundi and then on to Kigali. Tim picked us up at the airport and we were home by 3:30PM.

Was so cute as the kids were out playing and all of them were waving and hollering as we drove up the road. Soon after we arrived Ken & Tim went to Nyamata and I scooted to the cottages to say hello to the Mama's and children. They were so excited to see me..oh how my heart was so blessed. So many smiles and big hugs and full of questions. One little girl screamed to the other children as I approached the gazebo "LOOK EVERYONE, AUNTIE BEV IS COMING!!!" All the kids rushed over to greet. Little Emmanuel who is three years old said "Auntie Bev, I prayed for you. Are you OK now?" He was so sweet and I assured him I am now OK. (OK as I'll ever be.)

Letter

Earlier today I received a message from a Christian organization listing all the stores that do not wish to say MERRY CHRISTMAS or use the word CHRISTMAS in their promotions... and I was getting very upset and ready to complain to those stores... THEN... I received this message... which reminded me of the real SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS... This is a beautiful letter about Christmas and whoever wrote it is absolutely right! Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Letter from Jesus about Christmas -- 
 


It has come to my attention that many of you are upset because some folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival.

However, I do appreciate being remembered anytime. 
 


How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own.

I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth,just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. 


Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town. 
 


Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8. 
 


If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list.

Choose something from it: 
 


1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time. 
 


2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them. 
 


3. Instead of writing to the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up.

It will be nice hearing from you again. 
 


4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here.

Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them. 
 


5 Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her. 
 


6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile;

it could make the difference. 
 


7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families 
 


8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary-- especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name. 
 


9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you. 
 


10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence.

Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.


 
Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court.

And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love

and remember ...


I LOVE YOU, 
 JESUS