Monday, February 6, 2012

"Aren't we human?"

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 in 5 counties. This month we made 72 mission/ministry trips, visiting 92 villages and other locations, going into 11 new locations. Many of the places we visited multiple times, our longest trip was 16 days, shortest a few hours. We printed and distributed thousands of pages of teaching material and distributed hundreds of Bibles. This month we baptized 18 and 44 completed our extensive Bible study program. Several factors affect how many mission trips we can go on each month; illness, injuries, motorbikes repaired, the availability of gas and money are some.

“Jesus went from village to village…He had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So He began teaching them many things.” (Mk 6). Jesus said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” (Lk 4:43). Sadly 2,000 years later if His physical presence was here in Liberia He would speak the same words. Jesus said to His disciples and says to us, “Go and do likewise.” “He called the 12 to Him and sent them out two by two…They went out and preached that people should repent.” (Mk 6)

We are training and sending indigenous missionaries into the villages to evangelize, disciple and start churches. Those discipled and those in our churches starts are taught to also go and reproduce. We work and pray to see a Holy Spirit fire, out of human control, a wildfire of evangelism, discipleship and church planting. Our primary tools are prayer, fasting, and holy lives. Other tools are Bible distribution, training material, preaching and teaching, solar powered MP3 players with the NT and sermons loaded on them, and the Jesus film in 22 local languages that we project on a big screen (well on a bed sheet). We have 8 motorbikes that our trained missionaries use to minister from village to village.

Some highlights of the month:
One of our missionary teams went into a new village, presented the gospel, had a worship service, and distributed Bibles and training material. The villagers were overwhelmed with gratitude. They begged the team to return to assist in their church start. One man asked as the team was leaving, “How long has Wordsower Liberia been in Liberia?” The answer was, “three years.” His response, “What took you so long to get to us?” Others from villages where we haven’t been request us to come, they say, “Aren’t we human?”

One man we have been discipling said he knew of a churchless village that wanted us to come. Zeon has a population of 380. They had not had a church service for 20 years. When the team arrived the chief, elders and others eagerly received them. They met under a tree for worship and teaching. At the end of the teaching, on their own they stood to pray for forgiveness and salvation. The team prayed with them and for the sick. They also distributed Bibles and training material to the literate. The chief and elders promised to have their own service the following Sunday. We are excited to return to disciple and assist in their new church plant.

Rebels and rumors of war! We live close to the Ivory Coast/Liberian border. This month one of our teams was ministering in a gold mining camp. 75 Ivorian rebels came into the camp looking for trouble and recruits to return to fight. They were captured and put in prison. Fortunately, this prison is full of our well trained eager disciples of Christ. The rebels all arrived to the prison without shirts. We purchased and distributed shirts for all of them. There are as many as 10 to a hot cell about 15’X 5’, the size of an average bedroom closet. Another one of our teams was ministering in a border village, and across the river in Ivory Coast they saw armed rebels patrolling. In the refugee camps, here in Liberia, rebel recruiters look for fighters to return with them.

Pynes Town was once the national stronghold of Satan in Liberia. The church we started there is doing great! The Devil and his disciples had disappeared for over a year. Recently a government official came and brought out the Devil and his disciples once again. The pastor said, “We will see. You are a challenge to God.” The government official died, and since then the Devil and his disciples have not returned. The church also reports many healings from prayer.

The Jesus Film: We have been showing it in the villages we have been working in. Last weekend we showed it one of the refugee camps. Someone counted 600 adults watching and there were more children than adults there.

Prayer Request: I see our enemy working hard to destroy our team and the mission of  “a church in every village”. Pray for us that we will see the schemes of the enemy and are able to stand against him.

Thank you for your prayers, donations and encouragement,

Kim

“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
C. S. Lewis.

Villages, towns and cities we have been working in:
Sino County: Bardoua, Bilibokee, Cass Town, Chebioh, Cheboken, Deedo, Gbliyee, Gardoway, Greeneville, Jaytoken, Joazon, Jokoken, Karquekpo, Korjayee, Pokpaken, Putu Jadweodee, Peace Camp (a gold mining camp), Pynes Town, Qutatozon, Saygbeken, Seetor, Saybaken, Saydee, Senquene, Titus, Voobadee, Wiah. Grand Gheda County: Badou, Bah, Bargblor, Barte-jam, Bawaydee, Beezon, Beh, Bently Mining Camp, Billibo, 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, PTP refugee camp, Savah, Sayubo, 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, Whybo, 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, Dakay, Dibleken, Harper, Holegrn, Judy’s, Kablaken, Lexicon, Little Weleppo Refugee camp, Old Lady, Olegravic, Pedebo, Pleebo, Philadelphia, Refugee Village, Rubber Bag Camp, Siliken, Weah’s Town, Wuluplukredi, the county prison and the check station. Nimba County: Camp 1, Dialah, Graie, Guotoin, Kpaytuo, Tappita, Zarwulugbo. River Cess: Gbee.