Eastup Jul 2018

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16).

Dear friends and family,

Thank you for the encouragement and prayer many of you have provided me since my last letter and during this time of transition and preparation. On July 20, I completed the two-week Survival Camp at the Rafiki Home Office in Eustis, Florida. It was an enriching time of learning more about what Rafiki is doing in Africa, working with an amazing group of new friends, and being inspired for the work that God has given me.

Our days were filled with activities such as:
• Learning about Rafiki’s vision and mission
• Studying the Bible
• Serving at the Village Administrator meeting and Enrichment Week
• Cataloging 10,000 books for the libraries in each of the 10 Rafiki Villages
• Cooking with limited ingredients
• And much more!


2018 Rafiki Survivors with Rosemary Jensen, Rafiki Founder, and Karen Elliott, Rafiki Executive Director

At the end of Survival Camp, I received the long awaited answer to my most frequently asked question, “So which country are you going to?” The answer is…I have been commissioned to serve as the Headmaster of schools at the Rafiki Village in Tanzania!


Rafiki Village Tanzania with Mount Kilimanjaro in the background

The Headmaster role is similar to being the principal of a school. I will be overseeing the preprimary, primary, and junior secondary schools in the Village. The mission of these Rafiki schools is to provide students with an extraordinary education using integrated curriculum, pedagogy, and culture that is both Christian and classical in pursuing truth, goodness, and beauty in all spheres of life. The intended outcome is equipped learners with the desire and the skills to develop into independent godly contributors who impact their communities and country for God’s glory. I am overjoyed at this opportunity to use the abilities, training, and experience that God has given me to meet a great need for education and for knowing the Lord in this beautiful country.

There are a total of 203 students attending the schools that I will oversee, of which sixty are resident children living in the Rafiki Village Tanzania and 143 are day students from the surrounding community. I have the privilege of supporting and developing the twenty-three national teachers who work in the schools so that they are able to provide the students with a rich learning environment while growing in their own knowledge of the Lord.

As in all of the areas where Rafiki serves, the need for orphan care and education in Tanzania is great. Will you please consider being part of this work? As you are led, you can be involved by supporting me in prayer and/or investing financially so that I am able to be in Tanzania and begin working by the end of September. I will be sending out prayer cards soon so that you have specific prayer points. There are multiple ways to invest financially—online through my page on The Rafiki Foundation website, by mailing a check to The Rafiki Home Office with my name and missionary number in the memo line (#239), or by calling the Rafiki Home Office to set up payment. You can choose whether you would like to do a one-time donation or pledge to give monthly.

Also, please consider mentioning my story to your friends, family, prayer groups, Sunday school classes, and church missions committees. I would be grateful for the opportunity to come speak to you, your friends, and church families about Rafiki’s vision and God’s call in my life. 

Blessings,
Laurie Eastup