Sunday, May 13, 2012

"Recovering the bike would only be a miracle of God..."


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 200 villages in 8 counties. This month we made 61 mission/ministry trips, visiting 98 villages and other locations, going into 7 new locations.  Many of the places we visited multiple times, our longest trip was 14 days, shortest a few hours.  We printed and distributed 10,000 pages of teaching material and distributed hundreds of Bibles, 36 were baptized and 35 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. 

Highlights of the month:

Dk, one of our founding core team members, received an urgent call that one our village church leaders was very ill.  He took our newest motorbike to bring the leader back to Zwedru for treatment.   On the way he saw two men broke down on the side of the road.  He stopped to help.  A third man came out of the bush with a pistol.  They told him to take them to where they wanted to go.  After driving with three on back for hours into the night they had him stop in a remote region on a bridge made of logs. They shoved him into the creek and started beating him severely with sticks, boots and fists until he went unconscious.  They shoved his unconscious body under the bridge.  Sometimes it may be weeks before a car can pass on a road, even fewer will drive the dangerous roads at night, but by God’s grace, sometime after midnight, a car overheated and stopped on the bridge.  A man went down to the creek for water and found DK still unconscious under the bridge.  They took him to the nearest clinic, woke the owner, and had him treated.

DK had broken ribs, bleeding from the mouth, lacerations and deep bruises, yet he was determined to retrieve the bike.  After two days he was able to find two Liberian National Police and another man who were willing to try the impossible: search for the bike.  They were also in search of a car that had been hijacked a few days earlier.  Liberia is sparsely populated with many trails and dirt roads that crisscross for hundreds of miles going to thousands of villages throughout the country.  The thieves had a two day head start and could be anywhere.  Recovering the bike would only be a miracle of God.  They divided into two motorbike teams going from one trail to another, from one village to another searching.  After hours they entered an isolated village and told the story to the chief.  He said he thought the bike was in his house.  There it was!  It had been wreaked, key broken, flat tire and out of gas.  The chief said three men had pushed it to him and said they would return with a mechanic.  They had not returned yet.  DK and the bike are now home.  His ribs and lacerations healing and the bike back in service.  Praise God, He returned the bike and Dk alive.  The end of the story could have been much different.  

Stanly Wright went with one of our teams on a 4 day mission trip.  While in Batijen, Stanley’s old friend, Bobby came confessing that he had been, “running from the things of God”, and wanted to surrender his life to Jesus Christ.  “I have been in the Dark World and want to come out”, he said.  They did a prayer for salvation and Stanley spent time with him teaching about Christ and salvation.  The next morning Bobby said he was going to Zwedru.  Stanley and team took their motorbike on to One Man’s Village to teach.  One Man’s Village is one of many churchless villages where we are starting churches.  As he was teaching a bike driver came and reported Bobby had just died in a motorbike accident with a car.  Stanley stood there with tears of joy that the man was now with his Lord and Savior and that our Lord had used him to unite the two.  “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Rom 10:13-15). “Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them.” (Jude 1:22-23)

Two of our powerful leaders have been relocated to work in Bomi County, home of the Gola tribe.  The Gola people are labeled an “unreached people group” by the Joshua Project.  They will work with a church we have started among the Gola and will also go into new regions to evangelize and start churches.

Prayer Request:  The gates of Hell shudder, Satan is fighting mad.  Pray for courage and boldness as we go into new regions and pray for the safety of our team. 

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, Beatuoken, Bilibokee, Charlic, Cass Town, Chebioh, Cheboken, Dagbe, Deedo, Dejila, Fanfin, Funnioh, Gbliyee, Gardoway, Greeneville, Geelor, Jalay, Jaytoken, Joazon, Jokoken, Judu, Karquekpo, Kilo, Korjayee, Kuwait Gold mining camp, Nyennwlejen, Pellkon, Pokpaken, Putu Jadweodee, Peace Camp (a gold mining camp), Pratt, 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, Best, Biah Tarway, Billibo, Boe,  Boley,  Border, Boundary, Chayee, Chebeh, Compound, CVI gold mining camp, Dian, Dolozon, Dougee Refugee Camp, Duo Town, Dweh,  48 mile, Franzaz, Garbo, Garley, Gbarbo, Gbeyoubo, Gbloue, Gboe,  Gboe Geewon, Gboleken, Gambo, Geeha, Geeyah, Gleplay, Gorbowrogba, Graddeh, 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, New York gold mining camp, Nico, Old Pohan, Panwolor, Pellelzon, Penokon, Peter Saydee, Pineapple village, Polar Town, Polar Village, PTP refugee camp, Savah, Saylee, Sayubo, Sentrodu, Sewion 1, Sewion 2, Sinkon, Sloman (a gold mining camp), Solo Inside, Solo Outside, Solo Refugee Camp, Sowaken, Steven, Suahken, Taye’s Village, Tiama, Toes Refugee Camp, Toes Town, Toffoi, Togbayee, Tojillah, Toueah, Tuglor, Varglor, Vleyee, Whybo, Willie Jellu, Woloken, Wulu, Zarzar, Zaiyee, Zeon, Ziulay, Zwedru, the county prison, 4 road check stations, and the county hospital.  Montserrado County:  Monrovia.  River Gee County:  Cheboken, Dweaken, Fish Town, Fish Town Prison, Geeken, Jarkaken, Jaytoken 1, Jaytoken 2, Kanweaken, Klaboken, Podroken, Putuken, Sargba, Tartiken.  Bomi County:  Beh, Jaway, Joes Town.  Maryland County: Cain, Cavalla, Gbolobo, Dakay, Dannis, Dibleken, Factory, Fish, 6 locations in Harper, Holegrn, Judy’s, Kablaken, Lexicon, Little Weleppo Refugee camp, Middle town, Nekpachelu, Nemelken, New half and Whole Graway Towns, Old Lady, Olegravic, Pedebo, 4 locations in Pleebo, Philadelphia, Poceken, Pulla, Refugee Village, Rock, Rubber Bag Camp, Saydeken, Saywonken, Siliken, Warteken, Weah’s Town, Wuluplukredi, the county prison and check stations.  Nimba County: Beatwo, Camp 1,Dialah, Fienney, Freeman, Glalay, Gonkopa, Graie, Guotoin, Kpaytuo, Miller, Noway, Sarlay, Tappita, Towah, Unification, Venn, Wontoe, Yiteepea, Your Peg, Zarwulugbo, Zautuo.  River Cess: Darhga, Gbee.