In 1985, 20-year-old Ted Rabenold joined a neighbor-missionary and two other young men for a summer mission work-team to Tanzania, East Africa. The goal was to rebuild a collapsed windmill and tackle a few other construction projects. During his experiences, the Lord instilled a deep desire in Ted to return as a full-time missionary. In 1987 Ted earned a degree in Missions at The King's College in New York where he met and married Kimberly Poellot. Together they went to Tanzania that summer with other college students, and that visit confirmed Kim's desire to serve there. In 1988 Kim graduated from King's, and their first chld, Colton James, was born.

During college years Ted worked in construction in Pennsylvania and New York. His first assignment in Tanzania was to help build and oversee the construction of a Bible Institute at Mumba. He also prepared to do evangelism and outreach with local people. So in 1991 the young family departed Kennedy Airport for Dar es Salaam, made the 3-day trip inland and arrived at Tatanda where they lived until the 4-month Swahili language school began. During their pre-language school time they visited Mumba a week at a time to begin work there, living in a tent and bathing in the river. This exposed them a bit to the language and culture and Ted was able to consider plans for the Bible school buildings.

Upon completion of language school they drove to Nairobi, Kenya, where Kim gave birth to their second child, Sierra Yvonne. A few days later they traveled to Mumba and construction began. In 1992 the Grace Bible Institute at Mumba opened for its first students, the elders and leaders of the local churches and their wives.

In 1995 the family returned to the U.S. on furlough during which their third child, Savannah Danae was born in Pennsylvania. They returned to Africa in 1996 and construction continued on the various Bible school buildings. As Ted took the students to surrounding areas on weekend evangelistic trips, he realized that God was working in the unreached areas of the Rukwa Valley, a remote area to the east with no churches. Ted and Kim sensed that God wanted them to establish a witness there, so they began to share the vision of Reaching the Valley with friends and supporters of their ministry. In 1999 Ted obtained a parcel of land on which to build a home, and in 2001 they moved to begin  evangelism and outreach near the village of Kapenta in the Rukwa Valley.

The year 2007 brought a major change to the Rabenold family. Colton began college in the U.S. and Sierra entered boarding school, while Ted, Kim and Savannah continued serving in Tanzania. The family now lives in three different countries!



Grace Ministries International website about the Rabenolds: http://www.gracem.org/missionary.php?ID=21