Sunday, October 7, 2012

"All had to come to see...for themselves..."


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; there are 8,700 villages and towns in 15 counties. 

This month we made 63 mission/ministry trips, visiting 52 villages and other locations.  We have started to work in 1 new village.  Many of the places we visited multiple times, our longest trip was 19 days, shortest a few hours.  We printed and distributed approximately 13,000 pages of teaching material and distributed hundreds of Bibles, 42 were baptized and 20 completed our extensive Bible study program.  We showed the Jesus film 4 times to 700-1,000 people.   We also did three, two day church planting training conferences.  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. 

Some highlights of the month

Praise God!  We received a large single donation of $6,500: $1,000 to purchase a new copier and supplies, $500 to print our manuals in the USA, and $5,000 for our construction project, which should be enough to complete it.

Two of our biggest weaknesses have been reliable clean electricity and good printers.  We usually print and distribute 8,000-13,000 pages of teaching material a month.  We have need to print twice that much but because of multiple problems we haven’t been able to.  Praise God, we have a new big generator in Monrovia that has been 5 months coming on boat and we have money to purchase a new copier in Monrovia.  Our hopes are that by November, roads willing, we will have everything here, running and be able to print 20,000 pages of material a month.

Our Jesus film video equipment went in a dugout canoe to an island.  The village on it is remote, isolated and churchless.  We showed the Jesus film in Grabo, their tribal language.  Wow, never has anything like this ever happened before; Jesus speaking Grabo on a big screen on our island!  All had to come to see and hear for themselves.  Laughter, cheers, clapping, screams and tears were expressed throughout the showing.  Astonished, they kept asking me, “How did Jesus learn our language all the way over here.”  I was told the village is hundreds of years old and that it was the first time a white man had every slept there.  They asked us to help them start a church.  Pray that their request will become a reality.

This is the rainy season.  The road from Monrovia, the capital, to us here in Zwedru has been down most of the month.  We can get over 50 inches of rain a month, mix that with dirt roads that have bad drainage and you get serious problems.  Our region ran out of gas for much of the month, gas was selling for as high as $16.66 a gallon but has now stabilized at $8.33 a gallon.  I refuse to pay over $11.11 a gallon; so several missions had to be cancelled because of gas availability.  Imagine paying those prices in the USA!

This month we taught 3, two day workshops, on church planting.  About 165 attended.  Most received our church planting/discipleship manual after the training.  There is a great need here for trained indigenous leaders to evangelize, disciple, start and lead churches.   

Bad news:  All but 2 of our 60 chickens died from disease in a couple weeks.  Good news:  We ate our fill of chicken.  More good news:  None of us are sick. J

One of our team leaders almost died this month from stomach ailments.  He was in the hospital for days on IV.  He lost much weight, but is now at home recuperating (PS - this happened before our chicken feast listed above).

Prayer requests:  Pray for our team.  Pray that they will passionately and fearlessly continue to go to the people preaching and teaching.  Pray for our team to see and stand against the schemes of the enemy.  We see how he is attacking us, trying to destroy our team and the mission.  Pray for our safety from disease, accident, human and satanic attacks.

All donations are tax deductible.

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, Deyankpo, Fanfin, Funnioh, Gbliyee, Gardoway, Greeneville, Geelor, Greft, 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, Sennajalh, 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,  Johban, 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, Ploe Bodee, Polar Town, Polar Village, PTP refugee camp, Sant, 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, Tubmansburg.  Maryland County: Cain, Cavalla, Gbolobo, Dakay, Dannis, Dibleken, Factory, Fish, Gboloken, 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, Puluken, Refugee Village, Rock, Rubber Bag Camp, Saydeken, Sawlowken, Saywonken, Siliken, Warteken, Weah’s Town, Wechoken, 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.