March 2016 – Jane Hoadley

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and

intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

“Here at Rafiki I have gained so many things, but the very most important thing is the Word of God. The Bible study has changed my heart, my mind, and my behavior. And I will not be the same.”

This quote is from a speech made by Eunice, one of our first graduates of the Rafiki Institute of Classical Education teacher training program. We had the first graduation ceremony in the new Rafiki Advanced Learning Institute Building in December of 2015. As I write this letter the dedication ceremony is just about to take place. We are moved in, but as with all new buildings, there is still some “tweaking” to be done. We are primed and ready to expand, and we expect a whole new group of students to begin our program starting in April.

The first Rafiki School outside of any Rafiki Village has begun right here in Mzuzu, Malawi. It is the first of its kind in Africa. And the teachers are RICE graduates! It is such a pleasure to visit the school and see how the former students are applying their education. Wow!

I gaze at this teacher training building with a sense of awe. It houses the only full-sized gymnasium in Northern Malawi, with a stage for performances. The acoustics in the building are fabulous. The students at the secondary school performed the Hallelujah Chorus a cappella. I had never heard a choir sing this piece a capella, let alone such a young choir. What a way to glorify God! But the sense of awe is not just because of a building. It is what has gone behind the building—the vision to train teachers to teach with a biblical world view, the prayer and financial support that has been offered, and what the students who enter this program can expect: a well- rounded education with the framework of God’s Word surrounding and permeating it.

I also experience a sense of anticipation of what 2016 will bring. Will more people come to help with the effort of training teachers? How will God supply, I wonder. We have a marvelous building for music and art, wonderful equipment…but we need more help.

Dear friends and family,

So, would you please pray with me that God would send people to all of the ten countries where Rafiki is present, not just here in Malawi.

The RICE program, as most of you are aware, is not the only facet of what is going on here at Rafiki Village Malawi. My fellow missionaries are very busy helping this Village operate on a daily basis, which includes childcare, education, and a host of other duties. It is amazing to see this ongoing operation in action, and once again I am grateful for all the support that goes into it.

My own commitment was to end this coming July, but I have decided to extend my time here through December. I am so thankful to all of you for your support and now I ask you to prayerfully consider extending that support for a few more months. God has allowed me to see fruit from this ministry, and I am very grateful. I know that this work continues through His grace, and through a team effort. Thank you for being a part of it.

Blessings to all of you,

Jane Hoadley PO Box 1018 Mzuzu, Malawi EAST AFRICA

E-mail: hoadleyjl@hotmail.com

Missionary #222

P.S. From the Home Office: Jane is currently at 38% of the funding needed for her current term 2 (January 2016 – December 2017).

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