July Update

July Report:

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 300 villages in 10 counties; there are 8,700 villages and towns in 15 counties. This month we made 56 mission trips, visiting 44 villages and other locations and we made many local mission trips.  We went into 8 new villages.  Many of the places we visited multiple times, our longest trip was 14 days, shortest a few hours.  We printed and distributed approximately 5,300 pages of teaching material and distributed hundreds of Bibles, 42 were baptized and 20 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.

Some highlights of the month

Video: I just completed a short, must see video on the construction of the Bible Institute.  You can view this video from my blog: liberiacalls.blogspot.com or on youtube: http://youtu.be/05-vl25_ENg

House Church in Zwedru: Last month, I told you the story of the birth of a house church in Zwedru.  Praise God for what He is doing.  Our group has grown rapidly and now has multiplied into 2 groups.  Last week we had 50-60 people in attendance.  Once the leaders have learned how to make disciples in their neighborhoods, they will begin to go on mission to start house churches / discipleship groups in other towns and villages of Grand Gedeh County. 

Sino Road: Will you please join me in praying for the 13 towns and villages located on Sino Road.  I have been focusing much of my energy on evangelizing and getting to know these towns and villages.  My prayer is that the leaders from the house churches in Zwedru will become missionaries who will bring the Gospel and discipleship to these towns and village.  After reaching Sino Road, we will turn our attention to River Gee Road (see map).  Some of these towns are hard to the gospel and are strongholds of the Devil and the Devil’s Disciples (witchdoctors).  Pray that God opens the door for the Gospel and that home discipleship groups will be started in every town.

Accidents: (Written by Kim Smith) Bikes are dangerous on these trails and dirt/mud roads.  The mud is slick as ice, dust is blinding and the mud holes deep.  One of our men, Sherman, was on the motorbike and hit a car because he was blinded by the dust.  It almost killed him.  The accident stripped all the skin down to the muscle over his arm and shoulder and badly broke his leg.  He lay in the hospital for 4 1/2 months.  He was just released but has much recovery ahead.  The bone in the leg was probably shattered, it has not healed and he cannot walk.  This county has no x-ray machines.  The next county has one but no bone doctors. Now that he is released we will try to get his leg x-rayed. 

Another one of our men, Abednego (pictured to the right), just had a motorbike accident and badly broke his foot almost a compound fracture.  Now all hospitals are on strike from not being paid by the government for months.  He is staying with us (currently he is homeless a storm took down his house).  A country “doctor” (a carpenter by trade and has no formal medical education) is manipulating the foot trying to align the bones.  No pain killer!  Imagine the having the bone moved around without pain killer.  Poverty in a third world country is very painful and causes people to be unnecessarily handicapped making strong men, disciples, invalids.  This is a hard sad country. 

Bible Institute:  Praise God all 8 buildings are complete, the project finished!  $17,400 was donated for the project and we spent $17,470.  A few hundred dollars of the construction money was also used to buy 25 mattresses and sheets, 30 heavy duty plastic chairs and 7 benches.  We are blessed, excited and appreciative.  Adult literacy classes are now in session. This weekend we will have our first wedding in it.  On August 18 our first Bible students arrive for their 2 week training.  From this facility missionaries and teachers of adult literacy will spread throughout Liberia and West Africa.

Report from our Branch in Maryland: “We have started doing ministry intensively in Grand Kru County. During July we visited six new towns which include its capital Baclaville City.  The six new places are: Solokent, Baclaville City, Baclaville check point, Iron Bridge a town that really needs a church, the Company Camp, and Kladipah a mining camp that the team walked an hour plus to get to.  Two towns we visited last month in Grand Kru and we went to a second time this month; are Betwan and Douboy.”

Conferences:  We did two 2 day conferences in Sinoe County.  One was for disciples we are training and the other was for church leaders.  Their response a week after we left, “We need 200 more Bibles and send more lessons we are out!”

Prayer requests: The government is still financially unstable.  The national health care workers have not been paid in months and have gone on strike.  The hospitals and clinics have closed; the seriously sick, injured and dying are being turned away.  Pray for a stable country, a hungry country is an unstable country.  Pray for our injured disciples.  The harvest is growing, the territory is expanding, so pray with us for our lord to recruit more laborers into this harvest field. 

There is much more I could report on but I will stop at that.  I have a blog.  You can sign up to receive email updates from my blog at liberiacalls.blogspot.com.  I try to update the blog throughout the month with testimonies and pictures from Liberia.  I hope you enjoy reading my posts.  You can also check out our webpage at wordsowerliberia.com.

Sincerely,

Don Riley

Donations:

Donations may be mailed to:

Wordsower International

P.O. Box 1648

Piqua, OH 45356

Donations may also be made online by going to our webpage: wordsowerliberia.com

All donations are tax deductible.  A receipt will be sent at year’s end.  100% of donations go to the mission for the Liberians and Ivorian refugees.  None is used for me or administration.  If there are any donation questions, you may call Doug Billeinstein at 937-459-6412.

Villages, towns and cities we have been working in:

Sinoe County: Bardoua, Beatuoken, Bilibokee, Charlic, Cass Town, Chebioh, Cheboken, Dagbe, Deedo, Dejila, Deyankpo, Fanfin, Funnioh, Gbliyee, Gardoway, Greeneville, Geelor, Greft, Jalay, Jaytoken, Joazon, Joe Village, Jokoken, Judu, Karquekpo, Kilo, Korjayee, Kuwait Gold mining camp, Nyennwlejen, Pellkon, Pokpaken, Putu Jadweodee, Peace Camp (a gold mining camp), Polay, Pratt, Pynes Town, Qutatozon, Saygbeken, Seetor, Saybaken, Saydee, Senquene, Sennajalh, Titus, Voobadee, Wiah.  Grand Gedeh County: Army barracks, Badou, Bah, Bargblor, Barte-jam, Bassa, Bawaydee, Beezon, Beh, Bently Mining Camp, Best, B’hai, Tarway, Billibo, Boe,  Boley, Boplue, Border, Boundary, Chayee, Chebeh, Compound, CVI gold mining camp, Deplay, Diah, Dolozon, Dougee Refugee Camp, Duo Town, Dweh,  48 mile, Franzaz, Garbo, Garley, Gbakah, Gbarbo, Gbayea, Gbeyoubo, Gbloue, Gboe,  Gboe Geewon, Gboleken, Gambo, Geeha, Geeyah, Gleplay, Gorabert,  Gorbowrogba, Graddeh, Grady, Gwenebo,  Jackson, Jaibo, James’s Sayon’s, Jargbeh, Jarwleh, Jarzon, Jayteken 1, Jayteken 2, Jellu,  Johban, John David, Jonesgbaye, Juahzon, Julutuzon, Karlowleh, Kohn, Kojayee, Konobo, Ziah, Kpae, Kyne, Kwebo, Ma Esther, New York gold mining camp, Nico, Old Pohan, Panwolor, Pellelzon, Penokon, Peter Saydee, Pineapple village, Ploe Bodee, Polar Town, Polar Village, PTP refugee camp, Queboe, 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: Bannerville, Jacob town, Monrovia, New Georgia, Pipeline.  River Gee County:  Cheboken, Dweaken, Fish Town, Fish Town Prison, Geeken, Jarkaken, Jaytoken 1, Jaytoken 2, Kanweaken, Kaytoken, Klaboken, Myoken, Podroken, Putuken, Sargba, Sweaken, Tartiken, Tuaken, Wartiken.  Bomi County:  Beh, Jaway, Joes Town, Tubmansburg.  Margibi: Army barracks, Bovclay, Brown, Dolos Town, Harbel camp 7, Kpuyah, Mazoe, Naway, Sherflin Barak,Takata. Maryland County: Cain, Cavalla, Cavalla Konukridi, Gbolobo, Dakay, Dannis, Dibleken, Factory, Fish, Gboloken, Halfgrayway, 7 locations in Harper, Holegrn, Judy’s, Kablaken, Kings, 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, Pular, Pulla, Puluken, Refugee Village, Rock, Rubber Bag Camp, Saydeken, Sawlowken, Saywonken, Siliken, Spring Hill, Warteken, Weah’s Town, Wechoken, Wholegrayway, 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.  Grand Kru: Baclaville City, Baclaville Check Point, Bewan, Boniken, Camp Spin, Company Camp, Doubbo, Gbarken, Iron Bridge,  Kladipah, Leaceco, Solokent, Woelowinken, Wropluken.

Updates from Family Members:

Update from Christian:

Hi, It is fun here.  I am getting used to life here.  For the first time in a long time, yesterday I was bored.  The food is spicy here.  For the first time I burnt my tongue off of spice.  Some of my favorite games here are marbles and touch.  Today, I almost won marbles but I lost.  Sugarcane is very good.  Everyday Junior, Godtime or Samson deliver our rice and soup, which is a spicy-watery thing.  The soup has different taste to it.  Today, Kim left for Monrovia with some people that came from the United States.  They translate the Bible into different languages.  Last Wednesday, Dad and I went on mission into the interior.  When we got to the first town we were going up a hill and the piece that goes inside the motorbike that holds the chain on, broke.  We had to push the bike back home.  I love you all.  Goodbye. 

Update from Grace: 

Hi, we have swings.  They are planning on making a sandbox and teeter-totter.  We have palm trees here.  It is hotter than the hottest place you have ever been in the USA.  I have baby dolls and legos.  That’s about it for the toys I have but it’s all right.  Normally, we play touch.  When we moved here, the car was so tight that all the kids were sitting on people’s laps.  We were so squished.  The food here at first was very spicy but now I love, love the soup.  If I had no soup on the rice, I would not eat it.  I love the soup.  It is my favorite of them all.  The boys like to go hunting.  I like to have my baby-doll, Sally on me always.  We now have the generator on, charging phones.  We do homeschooling.  We have lots and lots and lots of pineapple plants that are growing.  There are plenty, plenty, plenty of bananas here.  My favorite fruit here are bananas.  Our Bananas here taste better than the ones in America.  I have tons of friends.  I have so many that I can’t name them all.  There are beautiful butterflies here.  You can find them at least once a day.  Normally you see them about 10x a day.  Butterflies here are very, very beautiful. 

The Bible Institute is all done.  We used it for a wedding for Augustine and Josephine.  I love Africa.  I wish I could never go back to the US because I love it so much.  I want to someday teach my friends how to play duck, duck, goose.  I love my home.  This place is the only place that I want to be.  Most of our motorbikes are broken down so we only have one motorbike that we can use.  Our printing press is coming, we finally got enough money for it.  It will come here sometime.  All of our friends are very nice here.  Here, the pineapples grow on bushes and they don’t grow on trees.  I love to pick peanuts.  Yesterday, was my first day picking them.  I love them.  It is very beautiful here. 

When you go on a walk you can see the beauty of the world.  I have never seen anything this beautiful.  It is the beautifulliest place in the world.  Today, we are eating bean soup.  This is my favorite.  This place is a miracle.  I love this place.  This place is just amazing.  We are also teaching people to read for free.  A lot of people have given their lives to the Lord.  This is the best place I could ever be at in my entire life.  I love this place.  I love my home and I love my house.  This is the only place that I want to be at.  The houses here are different.  If it is a small family, they all squeeze into one room.  If it is a large family, like 6, they have two rooms.  I wish they would make small houses in America because I love it small.  The sky is very beautiful.  At night you can see the stars better than in the United States because they are brighter.  This place is the best place I could ever be at in my entire life.  I bet when I grow up I will wish I could come back.  This place is very fun.  I love my friends very much.  You might think this is a little crazy but we sweep the dirt outside our house everyday.  We sweep the leaves.  Our yard is mostly dirt.  There is only a little bit of grass.  We have seen many miracles here.  Kisses and hugs, I am sending to all of you.  Goodbye.   

Update from Tommy:

Hello, I love you very much.  My favorite food is bean and noodles.  Monkey is my favorite meat.  Touch is a game that you run on the line and one team gets slapped.  Today is a pretty day.  We have plenty of banana trees.  We have swings.  I like to play marbles.  I have a lot of friends in America and in Africa.  I love you very much.  I miss you very much.  Goodbye.

Update from Donny: (Pray for Don.  He is missing USA).

In USA I have family and friends.  I love them all.  I love Grandma, and Grandpa Riley.  I love Nanny and P

apaw.  I love Gi, Gi.  I love my cousin Kaiden, cousin Isaac.  I love my huge family in the USA.  I love all people.  I love cousin Autumn and Nathan and aunt Chris.  I love Miss Katy, and Allison.  I have fun here.  I have fun with my family.  We have friends here.  I have fun with my friends.  I like to go to Florida.  I like to swim in Nanny and Papaw’s pool.  Florida is hot.  There is a pool next to Nanny’s house in Florida.  It is cold.  There are swings at the park in Florida.  My friends Doug and Janet went with us to Florida before we came to Africa.  Grandma Riley visited us as well.  I am in Africa now.  Love you, Goodbye.

Wordsower International: Liberia Branch

July, 2013 Ministry Expense Report

Ministry expenses:

$1,527 – Paper, gas for the generator, pens, folders, Bibles, mission trips feeding, etc.

$536 – Motor bike gas and repair, we have 9 bikes (Gas prices are between $5.50 - $11.00  

a gallon). 

$141 – We have two schools that we pay the teachers.  We pay each teacher $50 a month, there are two teachers per school.  Money was also used for other student needs 

Assistance to the poor:

$717 – Humanitarian assistance: including food (average cost is $1.50 a day for food),                                      

rent, home repair, etc.  

$127 – Medical expenses (average treatment cost per person is $1.00 - $10.00.

Bible Institute construction project:

$2,409 – Finished!  All 8 buildings are complete, the project is over.  We spent a total of $17,470. The site will be used as a Bible school for the bush spiritual leaders and disciples.

Team food and house supplies:

$1,380 – Food and house supplies (close estimate).  Our core team consists of 13 adults and 17 children.  That averages out to $1.53 a day per person to cover, clothes, food, batteries, soap etc.  Really, our team uses less than that per day because we feed visitors every day from the interior, refugees, and locals from our house funds.

$300 – we rent a house in Maryland County it costs $100 a month

$2,409 – Total spent that has been designated for construction.

$4,728 – Total spent on ministry and missions.

$7,137- Total for the month.