A Heart for Africa: Rosemary Jensen and the Story of Rafiki Book

In 1986, Rosemary Jensen, the former executive director of Bible Study Fellowship, and three companions saw the devastating effects of the AIDS pandemic in Africa. Knowing they had to do something, the travelers formed The Rafiki Foundation—an organization that started small, but has grown into a full-fledged, international operation serving people in numerous countries. This is Rosemary's story, complete with stirring photographs that bring Rafiki into sharp focus.

Publishers Weekly

The heart of Rosemary Jensen, former director of Bible Study Fellowship (BSF), beats true in this chronicle of Rafiki, the organization she founded to help the people of Africa. She and her husband first went to Africa as missionaries in 1957. Though they returned to the U.S. in 1966, they still had compassion for the troubled continent. In 1986, concerned about the devastation AIDS was causing throughout Africa, the Jensens and two others formed the Rafiki Foundation, which includes Rafiki Children's Centers that offer homes and education to orphans in countries such as Ghana and Uganda, and Rafiki Girls' Centers and Boys' Centers that offer core education and vocational skills. Rafiki Villages, now in five countries, have sprung up out of these endeavors. This small book, written by Jensen's daughter, offers an overview of Rafiki, its miraculous growth and the African countries in which it operates. It also features emotion-laden stories of children and young adults whose lives have been changed, and 75 color photographs. BSF participants will be eager readers of this inspiring story, as will anyone interested in Africa and missionary work. (Mar.)