Friday, December 24, 2010

December Ministry Report

The mission of Jesus, “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance”. (2 Pet 3:9 NIV), is also our mission.

Wordsower Liberia exists for the purpose of going to all the villages and towns of Liberia to preach the good news, disciple, encourage and train existing churches and start churches. Most of the towns and villages of Liberia have no church. This month we made 26 mission trips, visiting 9 villages, the prison, 5 immigration and police stations, and the hospital. Many of the places we visited multiple times, our longest trip was 4 days, shortest a few hours. We printed and distributed 15,000 pages of teaching material and hundreds of Bibles. This month we baptized 26, 4 children were dedicated in Church services and 44 completed our extensive Bible study program.

Some great news! This month several churches were started by those whom we have trained that have taken the training to others. We have never, yet, even been to the villages. One of those villages is Jellue. Their congregation is healthy and growing, they have almost completed their Church building. We have never been to their town. Our investment in the Church building is about $10 for nails, all other material was harvested from the bush at no cost. Our goal of a Church in every village of Liberia can only be accomplished when those we disciple and assist in starting a Church can and will also disciple and assist others in starting Churches. We are beginning to see that happen.

It appears to me that there is an inevitable war ahead again for Ivory Coast, Ivory Coast boarders Liberia. Wars, as you know, here in West Africa are especially brutal and cruel. Blood Diamond is a good movie to watch to get some understanding. It is about the last recent war that was in Ivory Coast. Both sides of the factions are actively recruiting former rebel fighters from Liberia to join their forces. In one week there were confirmed 170 deaths, 90 cases of torture and 500 disappeared or were imprisoned without trial, I am sure the actual numbers are higher. UN and Liberia have increased forces along the border. The UN is struggling with refugees pouring into Liberia. In Harper alone, where we are starting our new branch, it was reported a while back that 13,000 refugees entered their area. Fortunately, Aloysius and Albert who will be assigned to Maryland both speak fluent French, the Ivorian national language. We have our Bible marking lessons translated into French. Also Christine, a French lady, will be arriving in Feb. looking to see how God will use her. We will probably start her in translating our other lessons and then pray about her spending some time in the new refugee camps. Our need is French Bibles. We have searched and cannot get them here in Liberia. You can get up to date information by Googling Ivory Coast.

This month we sent Albert to Monrovia to purchase equipment and supplies for our new start in Harper, Maryland County. We purchased a motorbike, generator, copier, toner cartridges and ministry supplies. Our original leave date was December 15th but I got Typhoid and/or Malaria. This time my recovery has taken longer. We are now schedualed to be in Maryland before Jan 1st.
Our team that will be in Zwedru has grown in spiritual strength and numbers. We have a very strong group here that are committed missionaries. They are excited that Albert, Aloysius, and I are leaving so that they can prove themselves.

Villages, towns and cities we have been working in:
Sino County: Pynes Town, Gbliyee, Titus, Gardoway, Putu Jadweodee, Saydee, Peace Camp (a gold mining camp) Greeneville, Qutatozon, Seetor, Karquekpo, and Cass Town. Grand Gheda County: Zwedru, Toe Town, Toffoi, Suahken, Julutuzon, Jaibo, Gorbowrogba, Kyne, Gbloue, Solo Inside, Solo Outside, Kohn, Gambo, Gboleken, Dolozon, Polar Village, Dian, Gbarbo, Franzaz, Gwenebo, Jargbeh, Pellelzon, three road check stations, Zeon, Kpae, Zarzar, Gleplay, Compound, Sinkon, Jarzon, Polar Town and the county prison. Montserrado County: Monrovia. River Gee County: Jarkaken, Tartiken, Geeken, Kanweaken, Putuken, Fish Town, Klaboken. Bomi County: Beh

Thank you for your prayers, donations and support,
Kim

December Expense Report

Assistance to the poor: $501 – Humanitarian assistance: including food (average cost is $1.50 a day for food), rent, home repair, etc.
$7 – Medical expenses (average treatment cost is $1.00 - $3.00)

Ministry expenses:
$24 – We fund a daily one hour local Christian radio program. The total cost is $24 a month
$874 – Paper, gas for the generator, pens, folders, Bibles and mission trips
$366 – Motor bike gas and repair
$74 – Pay for a teacher in a school we started. This is payment for November and December. What we pay a teacher for a month’s work I made in an hour in the US as a teacher.

Cost of supplies for our new branch in Maryland County:
(The money was specifically donated for this new startup months ago by a family in Ohio)
$825 – Motorbike
$345 – Generator
$460 – Copier
$300 – Toner Cartridges
$200 – Transportation to and from Monrovia for Albert and supplies
$5 – office supplies

Team food and house supplies:
$725 – Food and house supplies (close estimate). Our core team consists of 8 adults and 7 children. We regularly feed and house visitors from the interior and locals as needed from our house supply funds. That averages out to $1.60 a day per person to cover, clothes, food, candles, soap etc. Really our team uses less than that per day because we also feed others every day.

Construction of our permanent ministry center and housing:
$27 – Construction costs for our property.

$4,833 - Total for the month

Donations should be sent to:
Wordsower Liberia
16960 Sidney Plattsville Rd
Sidney, Oh 45365

All donations are tax deductible. A receipt will be sent in January. 100% of all donations go for the mission to the Liberians. None is used for me or administration. If you have any questions concerning donations you may call Tom Looker at 937-489-8090.

Thank you,
Kim

Thursday, December 2, 2010

November Ministry Report

The mission of Jesus, “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance”. (2 Pet 3:9 NIV), is also our mission.


Wordsower Liberia exists for the purpose of going to all the villages and towns of Liberia to preach the good news, disciple, encourage and train existing churches and start churches. Most of the towns and villages of Liberia have no church. This month we made 11 mission trips, visiting 4 villages, the prison, 5 immigration and police stations. We printed and distributed 7,260 pages of teaching material and hundreds of Bibles. We baptized 5, and 43 completed our extensive Bible study program.

We had an unusual month. For most of the month we did not have money, most of the time we did not have money for gas for the generator to run the copiers, or for paper or the bikes to go on mission trips. We were able to go on a few missions that were local or close to our base. We had many villages to visit and conferences to teach that were cancelled because of finances…But we also have great news! 536 pounds of desperately needed supplies were put on a ship for us. Much of them were purchased in November and the cost of the shipment covered (that is one reason our on-site finances were low). In the shipment are medicines, books, 2 desperately needed copiers, office supplies, Bibles and motorbike parts. We are very, very grateful to those who contributed time and money to make it happen! Thank you! They are scheduled to arrive the first week in January, we eagerly wait.

More good news: A young church we assisted in starting, in Jellu Town, is now constructing their church building. Franzay Town, a population of about 400, is remote and was also churchless. Last week we visited their recently birthed Church. We celebrated with them as they had their first communion service. In December we are scheduled to return for several baptisms. 500 students here in Zwedru have started and are actively working on a series of 12 lessons, called The Mail Box Club. Also we have started a new church here in Zwedru, last Sunday more then 20 attended.

Prayer requests: In December we are dividing our team, Albert, Aloysius and I are going to Maryland County to start a new branch. I will be with them for two months, they will remain. The trip, start and ministry are all going to be a real challenge. The road to Maryland County is hard and dangerous, taking two days. Motorbike drivers form caravans when traveling that road. Even caravans do not guarantee safety. Last week road rouges shot two riding one bike on that road, who were in a caravan, killing one and critically wounding the other (Aloysius and I will travel that same road on bike next week, Albert will follow later in a car with supplies). Also, they have discovered recent ritualistic child sacrifices in that county.

Villages, towns and cities we have been working in:
Sino County: Pynes Town, Gbliyee, Titus, Gardoway, Putu Jadweodee, Saydee, Peace Camp (a gold mining camp) Greeneville, Qutatozon, Seetor, Karquekpo, and Cass Town. Grand Gheda County: Zwedru, Toe Town, Toffoi, Suahken, Julutuzon, Jaibo, Gorbowrogba, Kyne, Gbloue, Solo Inside, Solo Outside, Kohn, Gambo, Gboleken, Dolozon, Polar Village, Dian, Gbarbo, Franzaz, Gwenebo, Jargbeh, Pellelzon, three road check stations, Zeon, Kpae, Zarzar, Gleplay, Compound, Sinkon, Jarzon, Polar Town and the county prison. Montserrado County: Monrovia. River Gee County: Jarkaken, Tartiken, Geeken, Kanweaken, Putuken, Fish Town, Klaboken. Bomi County: Beh

Thank you for your prayers, donations and support,

Kim

November Finance Report

Assistance to the poor:

$170 – Humanitarian assistance: including food (average cost is $1.20 a day for food), rent, home repair, etc.
$35 – Medical expenses (average treatment cost is $1.00 - $3.00)

Ministry expenses:
$24 – We fund a daily one hour local Christian radio program. The total cost is $24 a month
$247 – Paper, gas for the generator, pens, folders, Bibles and mission trips
$163 – Motor bike gas and repair, we have three bikes, we use them to get to the remote villages

Team food and house supplies:
$725 – Food and house supplies (close estimate). Our core team consists of 8 adults and 7 children. We regularly feed and house visitors from the interior and locals as needed from our house supply funds. That averages out to $1.60 a day per person to cover, clothes, food, flashlight batteries, soap etc. Really our team uses less than that per day because we also feed others every day.

$1,364 - Total for the month

Donations should only be sent to:
Wordsower Liberia
16960 Sidney Plattsville Rd
Sidney, Oh 45365
All donations are tax deductible. A receipt will be sent in January. 100% of all donations go for the mission to the Liberians. None is used for me or administration. If you have any questions concerning donations you may call Tom Looker at 937-489-8090.

Thank you,
Kim