Gardening

Our Rafiki children really do like working in the garden. They have just recently made their own plots and have assigned days for tending to their plot. I like their work ethic.

CLOUDS PASSING BY

By Jane Shyru

Today I feel like saying yes
to blue skies
kites flying high
even children asking why

Today I watched a tiny bird fly
And heard him sing
Just celebrating his winds
Cutting a swan across the sky
Passing the clouds by

I wish I could fly
And that these silent tears
Were only clouds passing by
They say another day or so
This pain will go

Oh how can I know?

Teen Poet: CHICKEN DINNER

By Joel

Mama, don’ do it please
Don’ cook dat chicken fe dinner
We know dat chicken from she hatch
She is de only one in da batch
Dat them mongoose didn’ catch
Don’ bother cook her fer dinner

Mama don’ do it please
Don’ cook dat chicken fe dinner
Yuh mean to tell mi yuh feget
Yuh promise her to we as a pet
She not even have a chance to lay yet
An yuh going to cook her fer dinner

Mama, don’ do it please
Don’ cook dat chicken fe dinner
Don’ give Henrietta da chop
Aha tell yuh what
We could swap
We could get you another one from de shop
If yuh promise not to cook her fer dinner

Mama, me really glad yuh know
Yuh never cook Henny fer dinner
An she glad too ah bet
Oh gosh
Mi suddenly feel upset
Yuh don’ suppose is somebody pet
We eating now fer dinner?

MY HEROES

Dr. Amy Luedemann and Barbara Johnston

Meet Dr. Amy Luedemann and Barbara Johnston, my heroes. Amy is a pediatric dentist and with Barbara's help these ladies set up a dental clinic in our village and offered dental services for our Rafiki children, teachers and national staff. They did a fantastic job. Their cottage was right next to mine which made it easy for me to deliver children and check on progress. I was amazed at how they graciously served all who came. Most were anxious or even terrified to be seen by a dentist. Kenyans don't have access to dental care and as a result advanced decay and brown teeth are common. I witnessed dramatic results as Barbara and Amy worked together to turn brown teeth white again!! I hope I don't forget one of our ladies reaction after her appointment with the dental team. She was smiling and laughing with a group of ladies around her. When I joined them, she told me she used to never smile or laugh before, because her teeth were so embarassing. She was now enjoying the new freedom to smile !!! Our teenagers whose teeth were in bad shape are smiling big smiles.
I took my Primary 3 students for their dentist visit. They learned proper toothbrushing with the Puppet named Chompers. I realized how these children have become like my own, as I watched over them them at our dentist visit.
These ladies cleaned teeth, filled cavities and pulled even wisdom teeth ( the biggest teeth I've ever seen}. Hooray for these two courageous ladies who on their own came and willingly gave their time and talents to help others. Barbara has returned home. Amy is packing her dental instruments to travel to Uganda tomorrow. She will be offering her services at the Rafiki village there. She has already served in Malawi and Nigeria.

My students watching the first classmate from the door. They were a bit nervous about what was going to happen.

Everyone present was called in to view this students tongue. Amy showed us his tongue that only few in the world have. On the surface of his tongue are shapes that move around. REALLY!!!!

More of Barbara and a student. The procedure is to have patients lie on a mattress and receive dental work. Thanks Barbara for working tirelessly for days......

This is Amy with one of my students. She had never been to the dentist before. Amy relieved her fears and did a lot of dental work for her.

All our students did the pink dye test. Amy painted this pink dye on their teeth. They brush and the dye that remains shows them where they are not brushing. We had a lot of pink teeth. There is much room for improvement here.

Here is Amy with Chompers the frog to demonstrate proper toothbrushing techniques. Every child got a new toothbrush. We hope their toothbrushing will improve.

One of my students getting an upclose look at his teeth. Mirrors aren't as common here as in the States.

I asked her why is she in Africa, when she could be in the US where life is alot easier and alot more lucrative.


She told me, "my heart goes out to serve those who have so little. There are only 60-80 dentists in all of Kenya. Most have no opportunities to receive good dental care and the needs are tremendous. It is most rewarding to show the love of Christ through providing dental care and God's touch to the people here." I was there one day and Amy asked me if I remembered the scene from "Chariots of Fire ' when Eric Little told others that he felt the pleasure of God when he was running? She said "today, as I am taking care of the people here, I too feel the pleasure of God" . There is nothing better..........

Star Students

These are photos of my star students. We call them Primary 3 which is equivalent to third grade in the states. These students are so eager to learn. They love to be read to and ask to stay in at recess to keep going!! How can I refuse? We are aiming for the goal of reading 100 books on their own before this semester is over. We are over half way there!

I love my work here.

This is one of my star students. He is working on a spelling sort.

This is one of the surprises I had not expected. These Primary 3 students love books that I read to my children when they were young. I get to read some of my favorites. Do you recognize The Little Engine that Could? They loved it.

" And the little blue engine said,,, I think I can ...I think I can.... I think I can....." I always loved this story. Such a happy and helpful engine.I want to be one too!

We completed this book together in class. I loved doing the animal sounds. My favorites were the geese and Charlotte. They loved it. After finishing the book I borrowed the "Charlotte's Web" movie from Rosslyn Academy. They enjoyed it immensely. Templeton stole the show. They had never seen so many of the images portrayed in Charlotte's Web. They learned many new things like a barnyard with a haystack, slop, ferris wheel, county fair and the blue ribbbon first prize. They tasted bacon for the first time. We learned about spiders and how they survive. It is so fun to expand their world.

This was a first in our school. We made a Charlotte's Web banner with a spider web and spider made out of pipe cleaners. Posted are the students writings with facts about spiders for others to read.

Students in their art class. This teacher is very talented and a real gift to our students.

New Address

I wanted to point out the mailing address has changed.

Lewis Taylor Family
Rafiki Foundation Kenya
P.O. Box 25372-00603
Lavington, Nairobi Kenya
EAST AFRICA

Mini Mission overview

Several people have inquired about the short term trips to visit us. Joe Baucom sent this great overview of the process to one such family. I thought it would be helpful to some of you.

From your friendship with Lewis and Melody you probably have a lot of information about the work of Rafiki in Africa; but if I may, I would like to give you an overview of what we do there. Rafiki has orphanages [villages] in ten countries on the continent, located in Kenya, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia. All are countries where the needs of orphan children are truly overwhelming due to HIV/AIDS, Malaria, poverty, war and famine. All countries are English speaking.

There are approximately 85 full time missionaries called Rafiki Overseas Staff [ROS] serving in our villages; with around eight more who are raising their support to go full time. A full time ROS will serve from two to six years. As well, each year, we send out from 175 to 200 short-term missionaries called mini-missionaries [MM’s] who serve for two weeks or more in various areas in a village. Two weeks is the average time for a MM to serve, but you may serve longer if your schedule permits.

In each village, we provide help in three principal areas.

1. Childcare: The sheltering, feeding, clothing and loving of orphan children in a Godly environment. Currently, we have approximately 400 children under the age of nine living in our villages with more coming each month.


Our mission is to raise and education the children God has entrusted to us to be Godly leaders in their own country. We do not place our children for adoption.

2. Education: Our program provides a classical preprimary, primary [grades 1-6] and secondary [grades 7-9 and 10-12] education. Our school curriculum, designed by Rafiki, meets all educational standards and requirements of the host country. An education is provided to each child living in the village and is also offered to teenage boys and girls living in the surrounding communities at no charge.

3. Medical: Daily health care is provided to the children and to the national staff. Quarterly, at six of our villages, we conduct a 10 day community medical clinic for those living in the surrounding communities who do not have heath care. During a clinic, the medical team will
often see 1,000 patients or more. Medical personnel come from the U.S. to assist.

This year, we've started adding dental health clinics. To date, we've had a dental clinic in Uganda and one was just completed in our village in Jos, Nigeria; and in late August and September, a clinic will be held in our villages in Malawi and Kenya.

A Rafiki village is around 50 acres of schools, cottages, homes for the ROS and MM's, a medical clinic, dinning hall and laundry. Many villages employ several dozen from the local communities to help in a variety of areas.

As I'm sure you've learned from Lewis and Melody, short-term [mini-missionary] servants with all kinds of skills and interests are need throughout a village. The ongoing success of our work in Africa is very much supported by the incredible service of so many brothers and sisters in Christ who serve short-term each year. Serving in a Rafiki village is a life changing experience and as a result, many return year after year to serve again.

To prepare you for your service in a village, Rafiki has a one time training program requirement. This is a Friday evening and all day that Saturday at our home office in Orlando, Florida. It is a wonderful time of fellowship and well worth the time necessary to attend. Friday evening is dinner at the director's home to meet her, the Rafiki home office staff and the others there for training. The cost of the training is your airfare to and from Orlando booked by you and a $150 training fee. The training fee covers your transportation cost to and from the airport in Orlando, all food and hotel for two nights.

The 2008 training dates before summer are: February 8th-9th; March 7th-8th; April 11th-12th or May 2nd-3rd. At the training,you will learn more about the issues in Africa, Rafiki's response to them, why and how and how important you will be to the work there. I have attached an mini-mission application. If interested in the September or October training or at another time, please complete an application for each of you, and e-mail or direct mail it back to me with the training date you're interested in and I will schedule you.


The cost of a trip to Africa and a Rafiki village will depend on how long you stay in the village. On average the cost for a two week stay including airfare, visa, insurance, tax and room and board is approximately $3,600. Spending money and the cost of a safari is separate. [A safari in Kenya is around $600 and from personal experience, an adverture worth every cent.] I know the trip is a large amount, but I have had the wonderful opportunity of working with so many who have agreed to serve for two weeks or longer. Every one started with zero, had the same concerns you have now; and not one failed to have exactly what they needed to go. Based on my experiences, I believe that if God wants you there, you will have what you need to go. If you are faithful to work hard to raise the funds you need, God will be faithful to you [Psalm 145:13]. I can also suggest some ways you can go about raising your funds. You will need a passport and shots.

This web site: http://s149.photobucket.com/albums/s68/kdggdk/Rifiki/ has photos of the Rafiki village in Kenya; and a safari. A group of five from our church returned from there in June. Three of them had medical training and served during the community medical clinic; and two served as teachers.

I hope I've given you some good information about Rafiki and answered all your questions; and given you a sense of just how much you are needed in a Rafiki village.

Please don't hessiate to let me know you have other questions any time; and if you would like to attend the training.

Serving for the glory of the Lord,
Joe Baucom
Rafiki Area Representative
joebauc@aol.com

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Matthew 9:36-38

Follow Link to see lots of Pictures

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13456810@N07/show/

Bone Man Pictures

Blog update from Lewis

I really enjoy the work and lifestyle here. Today we attended church in Kenya, enjoyed potluck lunch then home for relaxing afternoon at home. I sit by our kitchen window enjoying a cool breeze, laughter of children playing outside, getting ready to host Rafiki visitors for dinner. We have a team here conducting 2 week med clinic. It is very stimulating to meet new friends from US who come here to serve.

Monday morning I will drive our kids into Nairobi for school, back to Rafiki village where I will begin taking over the Purchasing department. Afternoons will be spent meeting with our teenage students, helping with vocational arts programs and encouraging our VA teacher, Gabriel Kagiri. I believe he is the most important employee we have. As a young college grad, he is a passionate teacher and strong role model for our 16-20yr old students.

Friday Gabriel took me to meet a prospective jewelry supplier. Girls in our VA program make jewelry for resale at Rafiki Exchange in US. We buy cowbone precut and sanded. We "interviewed" Michael whose production facility consists of a cutting blade spinning from 1hp motor nailed to a post, wired to open unwrapped live wires hanging from utility pole. Cowbones at his feet, Michael cuts raw materials then finishes at his home. We walked to his home in the ghettos of Njeru. Open sewage ran down the dirt path to his door. We pushed open a steel door to courtyard with laundry hanging, women and children gathered outside the open air courtyard. Michael approached a heavy metal door, unlocked it and welcomed us in to a steel box about 10ft. by 10ft. A sheet divided the room with bed on one side and table and chair on the other. One window was open for circulation and light. In this small room he paints and finishes cowbone jewelry. Each Saturday he takes his goods to the large mall in Nairobi and sells from booths set up in the parking lot. Rings and earings for 20 ksh (about $0.30). After he pays rent and other randomly assessed fees, he may make enough for a few meals each week.
Gabriel and I decided to become his new customer and buy raw materials from him weekly. I was so inspired to share the conviction with Gabriel of helping local vendors. My investment in Gabriel will bring return in the lives of our 16 Rafiki students. Today that's why I am in Kenya:-)
Lewis

Kids with Kids - Mel's Picks