March Update

March 2012 Riley Family’s Report for Liberia

                            Blog: liberiacalls.blogspot.com    Phone: 937-451-9809      E-mail donriley4@gmail.com

Thank you for your partnership in our family’s ministry.  The vision we believe God has called us to is that we would see a healthy church in every town and village of Liberia within our lifetime.  Most people in Liberia have no access to a church.  Most of the towns of Liberia are deeply oppressed by demonic worship.  The Devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy (JN 10:10).  I have seen this oppression with my own eyes.  God has come to set people free!  Last month, my heart grieved as I learned of one tactic of the Devil in Liberia.  Last week, I met with the president of Wordsower.  He told me that deaf children and children born handicap are viewed as a curse on a family.  If the family chooses to keep the child, that family is viewed as a curse on the community.  He told me that these children are often set outside of the town to die or they are sold into human trafficking.  This breaks my heart!  It brings tears to my eyes as I write!  The church must do something to deliver these people from the bondage of the Devil.  The Bible talks about the spiritual war that is going on around us.  We must be engaged in this battle for it is real and it is taking people into a Christless eternity.  This battle is what we were made for!  Christ came to give His life so that many will live.  We too are called to give our lives so that others may live.  We must take on the mission of Christ so that others may experience freedom.  This is a mission that is worth sacrificing for and dieing for.  All of my life I have asked God to allow me to be part of a great move of God.  When I am in Liberia, I feel like I am living and breathing the book of Acts.  What a privilege!!  We are truly blessed!!  

Family Updates:

- Last month, we showed our house 2 times.  Please pray that our house will sell.

- We realize that time is short.  We are trying to make the most of every moment we get with our extended family.  Last month, we went on vacation with Melanie’s family to Florida.  Thank you Tom and Andie for this wonderful trip and the wonderful memories we made.  We also spent time with my parents, sister and nephew.  Family time is our #1 priority now! We will miss you all deeply while in Africa!

- Last month, we spoke at two churchs about Liberia.  Praise God for these opportunities.  If you are interested in having our family speak to your friends, families, churches, businesses, etc. please let us know.  We would be happy to meet even with one person. 

- Last month, we continued to work on our investment property.  The house is close to being finished!  Praise the Lord!  Last month, the kitchen floor and cabinets were installed, and most of the walls received their first coat of paint.  

-  Update on Don’s (Prabhat) hearing:  Last month, Mel and I prayed about our son’s hearing.  We asked God if it was His will for Don to receive cochlear Implants.  We felt that God said no.  Obviously, this was hard news to swallow because every parent wants what is best for their child and every parent thinks they know what is best for their child.  This decision was confirmed when the implant team called us and told us that at this time Don is not a candidate for implants.  For now, our son will remain deaf.  I say for now because God is powerful enough to make him hear if it is God’s will.  A couple days ago, Don heard a bird singing for the first time with his hearing aids!  God must have a purpose for Don’s deafness.

- Last month, we put in place a team of people here in the US who will help manage our  ministry in Liberia.   Doug Billenstein will be our point person in the States.  When there is a need in Liberia, we will call Doug and Doug will contact the needed people to meet that need.  Doug will manage our investment property and manage all of our accounts.  Jeremy and Laura Burns will manage all shipments going to Liberia.  Jeremy and Laura have run a trucking business for years and are familiar with all the requirements for shipping overseas.  Heather Norton will manage all our communication needs.  She will manage our newsletters and blog.  I praise God for putting this team in place.  Thank you all for being willing to serve.  

-  Last month, we opened a checking account under Wordsower International.  We also opened a P.O. Box in Piqua where all our mail and donations will be sent.  We are now officially functioning under Wordsower’s tax-exempt status.  All donations for our family can be sent to P.O. Box 1648 Piqua, OH 45356.  Checks should be made out to Wordsower International.  Thank you for your partnership!  We are close to having all the funds we need to support our family in Africa.  We are short only $8,000 a year (roughly $670 a month).  God is good!  We are also in need of raising $20,000 to cover onetime expenses necessary for getting our family established in Liberia.  These expenses will go toward things like the construction of our family's room, air-line tickets, and other travel expenses.  In addition to these funds we are praying that God would provide enough resources to open two new hubs in two new counties.  Can you believe that $1,000 - $1,500 a month will fund a church planting hub that will start a church in every town and village in an entire county in Liberia?  We are praying that God would open the doors for two new counties to be evangelized and discipled.    

Prayer Requests:

1. Please pray that our house will sell!
2. Please pray that God would help us prepare our children for life in Africa.
3. Please pray for our family as we continue the process of surrendering our earthly possessions.  This is a joyful but hard journey.  For example, our children were sad when they learned that they will not be playing baseball this year.  It is easy to give away my possessions and the things I have treasured, but it is extremely hard to lead my children in their sacrifices.  GOD IS WORTHY!!!!

Update from Christian (8 yrs old):

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank You for joining our blog.  Here is what God has told me to take to Africa: BB gun, bullets, and legos.  Here is how God has told me to prepare for Africa: camp outside, hunt a lot, and fish a lot.  I am looking forward to hunting and helping people in Africa.  

Update from Grace (6 yrs old):

Hello, this is Grace.  I will tell you what God has told me to take to Africa: 3 baby dolls, the people from my doll house, and a special box I made with my best friend Katy.  I will tell you what the box means.  Man looks at the outside but God looks at the inside which is the heart.  The outside of the box Katy and I painted brown.  The inside we painted all different colors.  We cut out a heart which is red and we put it inside of the box.  I am looking forward to seeing our family in Africa, to helping people, to the hotness, and to cook.  I am not looking forward to the shots we get before we go.  Thank You for helping us in this ministry.  Bye, Bye.

Update from Tommy (5 yrs old):

Hi, this is Tommy.  I want to tell you about ministry at Africa.  Africa kills animals to eat and they eat monkeys and they kill all kind of animals and we eat all of them.  I am looking forward to hunting animals that I have never tasted before.  Hi Nanny.  I love you. Papaw, I love you.  Grandma and Grandpa I love you.  

Update from Prabhat (9 yrs old  This is my interpretation of his signing):

I am going to Africa.  I pray that God will help us with our mission in Africa.  We are starting to eat like Africans.  Mom and Grace have been cooking African food.  The food is good.  One day our friend Katy came over.  She helped us cook African food.  It was good.  Our friend Kim lives in Africa.  I want to go to Africa.  

Thanks again for partnering in our ministry!  I will send you this month’s updates from Africa when I receive them.  

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God Bless,

Don, Melanie, Christian, Grace, Tommy, Don (Prabhat)