Wednesday, September 7, 2011

August Ministry Report: "The people were overjoyed"

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

Our mission is that every village of Liberia will have a healthy church. Most of the towns and villages of Liberia have no church. We have worked in over 150 villages. This month we made 59 mission/ministry trips, visiting 63 villages, and other locations, going into 8 new locations. Many of the places we visited multiple times, our longest trip was 5 days, shortest a few hours. We printed and distributed approximately 12,900 pages of teaching material and distributed hundreds of Bibles. This month we baptized 40 and 26 completed our extensive Bible study program.

Several factors affect how many mission trips we can go on each month illness, injuries, and the availability of gas and money are some. Also, in August we called in all the leaders for 5 days of planning, training, and fellowship. We do this every 6 months.

We discovered a Liberian ministry, here in Zwedru that has a copy of the “Jesus” film and the reel-to-reel equipment to project it on a 6’ X 6’ screen. Lack of money and transport has kept them from showing it outside of Zwedru. We have united with them. For the first time it has been taken to an interior village. We took it to a church building dedication and celebration weekend. It was set up outside at night so the whole village could watch and even hear it in their own language. They loved it! At most, they have Gideon pocket Bibles that are hard for them to read and understand. This film presents the life, death, and resurrection of Christ as a complete story like they have never experienced before. The next day at the dedication service people were overjoyed, the testimonies and thanks were many. We baptized 4.

I see that showing this film is a great help in our work to evangelize, disciple and start churches. As it is, taking our partners and their equipment requires 3 motor bikes. We hate to use three bikes in one location because they are in high demand; other teams want to use them for mission. We are working on acquiring computerized equipment that will allow us to put everything on one bike. Presently we are in over 100 locations and hope to show it in each one.

In our county, Grand Gheda, there are three major refugee camps that house 10,000-15,000 refugees from Ivory Coast. In August, we taught 3 day trainings in each one. They are excited and are starting churches in the camps. They will continue training and preparing so they can become an army of evangelists, disciplers, and church planters when they return home. We will train as long as they are here.

A young refugee family attends a refugee church we helped start. They were both baptized last month and this month we had a wonderful wedding ceremony for them.

School has reopened. We have started, supplied and are sponsoring two schools in villages where we have started churches. This month: $35 went to teacher pay, $20 went to teacher training, $35 was spent to transport school supplies from Monrovia and $1,138 was spent on school fees for students. Average cost per student per semester is $40.

The internet in our county has been closed down for a month and may not reopen. This makes communication difficult. So, if you write me please be patient as you wait for a response.

Prayer Request: Many towns and villages in Liberia have no church, many existing churches have incorporated into their church the traditional religion, other existing churches have untrained leaders who desire to be trained. Our prayer request is that; “In Christ we who are many [will] form one body.” (Rom 15:5). And, as one body we will have the passion of Christ who said, “My food… is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.” (Jn 4:34). Our Father wants us, His church, to go to the ends of the earth, (Acts 1:8). He, “Wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Tim 2:3-4). Pray with us that as one united team we will work and pray together to see a church in every town and village of Liberia in our lifetime.

Donations may be sent to:
Wordsower International 16960 Sidney Plattsville Rd Sidney, Oh 45365

Thank you for your prayers, donations and encouragement,
Kim

Villages, towns and cities we have been working in:
Sino County: Bardoua, Cass Town, Chebioh, Cheboken, Deedo, Gbliyee, Gardoway, Greeneville, Jaytoken, Joazon, Karquekpo, Korjayee, Putu Jadweodee, Peace Camp (a gold mining camp), Pynes Town, Qutatozon, Saygbeken, Seetor, Saydee, Senquene, Voobadee, Titus. Grand Gheda County: Badou, Bah, Bargblor, Barte-jam, Bawaydee, Beezon, Beh, Boe, Boley, Border, Boundary, Chayee, Chebeh, Compound, Dian, Dolozon, Dougee Refugee Camp, Duo Town, Dweh, 48 mile, Franzaz, Garley, Gbarbo, Gbeyoubo, Gbloue, Gboe, Gboe Geewon, Gboleken, Gambo, Geeha, Gleplay, Gorbowrogba, Grady, Gwenebo, Jaibo, James’s Sayon’s, Jargbeh, Jarwleh, Jarzon, Jayteken 1, Jayteken 2, Jellu, John David, Jonesgbaye, Julutuzon, Karlowleh, Kohn, Kojayee, Konobo, Ziah, Kpae, Kyne, Kwebo, Nico, Panwolor, Pellelzon, Peter Saydee, Polar Town, Polar Village, Savah, Sentrodu, Sewion 1, Sewion 2, Sinkon, Sloman (a gold mining camp), Solo Inside, Solo Outside, Solo Refugee Camp, Steven, Suahken, Taye’s Village, Tiama, Toes Refugee Camp, Toes Town, Toffoi, Togbayee, Tojillah, Toueah, Tuglor, Varglor, Vleyee, Willie Jellu, Woloken, Wulu, Zarzar, Zeon, Ziulay, Zwedru, the county prison, three road check stations, and the county hospital. Montserrado County: Monrovia. River Gee County: Cheboken, Dweaken, Fish Town, Geeken, Jarkaken, Jaytoken 1, Jaytoken 2, Kanweaken, Klaboken, Podroken, Putuken, Sargba, Tartiken. Bomi County: Beh, Jaway, Joes Town. Maryland County: Cain, Cavalla, Gbolobo, Harper, Kablaken, Lexicon, Little Weleppo Refugee camp, Pedebo, Pleebo, Philadelphia, Refugee Village, Rubber Bag Camp, Siliken, Wuluplukredi, the county prison and the check station. Nimba County: Dialah, Graie, Guotoin, Kpaytuo, Tappita. River Cess: Gbee.

August Expense Report

Assistance to the poor:
$478 – Humanitarian assistance: including food (average cost is $1.50 a day for food),
rent, home repair, etc.
$21 – Medical expenses (average treatment cost is $1.00 - $10.00)

Ministry expenses:
$1,132 – Paper, gas for the generator, pens, folders, Bibles and mission trips.
$702 – Motor bike gas and repair, we now have 8 bikes (Gas prices range between $5.50 - $9.00
a gallon)
$1,238 – School related, teacher pay and training, student fees, and supplies. School has started.

House Construction:
$20 – We continue to do small construction on our place. We started painting the wood that is outside to prevent rotting.

Team food and house supplies:
$1,380 – Food and house supplies (close estimate). Our core team consists of 12 adults and 11 children. That averages out to $1.45 a day per person to cover, clothes, food, batteries, soap etc. Really, our team uses less than that per day because we feed others every day from the interior, refugees, and locals from our house funds.

$4,931 - Total for the month

Donations should be sent to:

Wordsower International
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