God’s Faithfulness Through Every Move: Introducing CFNA’s Newest Staff Member, Stefanie Rabe!
/“God is with us everywhere we go. He doesn’t stay in the U.S. and watch from a distance; rather, He is an ever-present God, faithful Father, and the One who strengthens our souls.”
Editor’s note: CFNA’s newest staff member, Stefanie Rabe, explains how the cross-cultural experiences that she and her family have had have allowed them to engage on a deeper level with New Americans. Despite the constant shuffling and moving, Stefanie credits God for His faithful presence and allowing her family to see and experience so many different countries and cultures. We at CFNA are thankful to have Stefanie step into the role of Youth Enrichment Coordinator where she dedicates her time and talents to refugee children.
“So what brings you to St. Louis? Where did you live last? Where did you grow up? Where is your home?” Most of these are questions that we ask – or are asked – when we are in conversation with someone new to St. Louis.
For my family, the questions sometimes cause us to pause. When asked, “Where is home?”, my children might answer with a couple of locations or just one depending on which one you ask. For my husband and I, we would automatically answer, “Northwest Oregon” with a bit of sentimentality.
The reason for these varied responses is the numerous places we have called home over the past 31 years since my husband, Mark, entered Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Mark’s first call was to a “rural-urban” congregation in Oroville, California, where three of our children were either born or adopted. Here, we joyfully adopted our oldest, Noah (23), from Seoul, South Korea; our delight continued as Gabriella (21), and Julianna (20) were born to us in Oroville. In 2010 our family moved to Atemo, Kenya, where Mark served as a professor of theology. We have since lived in Albany, Georgia, and most recently Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This is where our youngest son, Matthias (14), considers home, even though he was born in Kenya.
In the many places we have lived over the years, we have been thankful to homeschool as it is one of the constants in life. Teaching and getting involved in our children’s activities either by cheering from the sidelines or occasionally assisting in some way has been a major part of my life. Our family has learned about other cultures as well as their living situations and lives whether in the U.S. or in Africa. Although the moves have been difficult at times, we continue to be reminded of what we have learned and experienced. More importantly, friendships can last overseas, and God is with us everywhere we go. He doesn’t stay in the U.S. and watch from a distance; rather, He is an ever-present God, faithful Father, and the One who strengthens our souls.
My son Matthias and I are at Christian Friends of New Americans because we have experienced what our refugee students are experiencing, and we want to continue building connections with African students and other internationals. We are thankful that God has brought us to CFNA, and I look forward to seeing how we can be a blessing to those who come through our doors.
By Stefanie Rabe
Youth Enrichment Coordinator, CFNA
