"As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God." 1 Peter 4:2
Back in the '80's at a Bible Study Fellowship Retreat (I think it was in March) I heard for the very first time the vision of Rafiki. Rosemary Jensen the Executive Director of BSF at this retreat poured out this amazing plan from God on the care of widows and orphans. I was spellbound. I remember too Janet Pinkney, in charge of the Children's Department at the time (if you don't mind me going down memory lane) was "assisting" Rosemary with her red laser pointer, pointing out the different buildings that would be on site, while Rosemary spoke. Not distracted with the "pointer" poor Janet did not know how to use (we all laughed) my heart was beating. I wept, and I prayed, "How could I be involved? Commit to prayer? For sure. Give? Absolutely...but LORD one day, could I go? Can I go LORD? Send me."
I visited the Rafiki headquarters years later in San Antonio and not to many months ago, I got to visit Rafiki now with headquarters in Florida, my new home state. I will be leaving on July 16, 2011 for two weeks for Rwanda. I get to go!! I will be a pair of hands to the Rafiki overseas staff [ROS], Mike & Vicky Koch. Vicky was at that same retreat, and she and hubby, Mike have been serving with Rafiki for YEARS now!
This past year, I have been hit like never before by the overwhelming number of widows and orphans. In Africa alone, I read AIDS results in over 45 million orphans in Africa. Countries are losing their civil servants, their doctors, their professionals -- dying due to the disease. In one region, where they lost 300 teachers in one year, 260 of them were due to AIDS. Zambia is losing 2,000 teachers a year, many because of AIDS and they are only able to replace them at a rate of 1000 teachers a year.
When asked how he copes with having so few resources to tackle immense suffering of orphans, Dr. Bob Jensen (husband of Rosemary) responded: "Would I stand back and say, "I can't save them all? No. I would save what I can. We must not be overwhelmed by our sorrow for so many, that we don't help the few we can. You save what you can, you reach out for even more, and you encourage others to do the same."
Rafiki Foundation is on a rescue mission - to rescue at least a few thousand orphans from among the millions. Rafiki has established Rafiki Training Villages in ten African countries...deliberately located in the poorest English-speaking countries in Africa [Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia]. The villages have living facilities for 180 orphans in each village:
--To rescue them from physical death by starvation, disease and neglect.
--To rescue them from spiritual darkness by teaching them to know the God of the Bible and the Lord Jesus Christ.
--To give them a quality academic education, life skills and vocational skills and
--To try to motivate them to lead Africa's next generation.
...with the hope and prayer of Rafiki they will become Christian leaders in politics, education, business, science and the arts...and to be leaders in their homes and in their churches.
I read recently a quote from Richard Stearns, President of World Vision, "THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY I KNOW TO REPLACE A TEACHER, A FARMER, OR A NURSE: YOU MUST START WITH A CHILD AND CAREFULLY NURTURE AND TEACH THEM UNTIL THEY BECOME WHAT GOD HAS GIFTED THEM TO BE. I'M AFRAID WORLD VISION KNOWS NO SECRET SHORTCUTS FOR THAT."
That is Rafiki.
Is your heart beating? Would you pray for Rafiki and me too? As in all service for the Lord, the primary need is prayer.
Rafiki #1963/Barbara E. Hoffman
The Rafiki Foundation
Attn: Shirley Harbrick, Missions Dept.
PO Box 1988
Eustis FL 32727
www.rafikifoundation.org
