Emanuel or Demon Child?

Ok, I am MAD!  Really MAD!

In Liberia, children with special needs are often viewed as a curse on a family.  If a family will not destroy their child, the family is viewed as a curse on the community.  

Two days ago, we moved Emanuel into the loving home of Augustine and Josephine.  Augustine and his wife are now experiencing persecution from their entire neighborhood.  The neighborhood has rallied to have Emanuel removed.  The neighbors call Emanuel, “demon child.”  Mothers are afraid that, “The demons from Emanuel will possess their children and will kill them.”  The community has gone to Augustine’s landlord and voiced their complaint.  The landlord approached Augustine and Josephine and told them that the child was not welcome in the house.  He said he didn’t want a demon in his house.  Augustine told the landlord that if the child goes, he goes and that Emanuel was now part of his family.  It is still unknown rather they will be evicted.  Please pray!

The story doesn’t stop there.  A friend of mine told me, “I don’t understand with the problem is, he passed the witch test.”  He went on to tell me that when Emanuel was a newborn baby his family tested him to see if he was a witch.  I asked him what was involved in the test.  He told me that they mixed together a special poison and had Emanuel drink it.  If he lived, he was not a witch.  If he died, he was a witch.  He couldn’t understand why the community wanted him removed after Emanuel had passed the test.  

Later, while expressing my disgust to another person, he told me that Emanuel’s feet where the way there are because of two reasons.  First, his mother must have been out late at night while the demons were about.  The demons must have entered the child at that time.  Second, while the mother was sleeping, the child must have left the mother’s womb several times to go out with the demons and then returned before the mother awoke.  Emanuel’s special needs are the result of his demonic activity.  

Please pray!  I have learned that the problem we are facing is not isolated to Emanuel’s family.  It is the mindset of the culture.  I fear for Emanuel’s safety. 

As many of you know, last month Melanie and I were made aware of the Baby Emanuel’s extreme need.  Baby Emanuel was born with his two legs bowed in, eyes crossed, and other physical and mental needs.  Emanuel is now 1 1/2 years old and his mother desires to go back to school.  Her plan was to “destroy the child.”  In Liberia, special needs children are often left outside the town to die or are thrown into a river.  Repeatedly, she threatened to abandon Emanuel or to “destroy” him.  While meeting with Emanuel’s mother and Grandfather, I learned that they viewed Emanuel as an “evil spirit that had visited their family.”  

In my last update, I told you that my friend was opening a home for special needs children here in Liberia.  I also told you that money had been pledged to cover Emanuel’s living expenses until the orphanage is opened.  Since that time, God has done two truly miracles for Emanuel.

First Miracle:
After several meetings with Emanuel’s family, Emanuel has been removed from his home and is safely in the loving home of my friends Augustin and Josephine.  When Augustine and Josephine learned about Emanuel’s needs, they immediately told me that they wanted to care for Emanuel.  This truly was a miracle because Augustine and Josephine are some of the poorest people I know.  Often their family has gone hungry in the past because their house was “dry” (no food in the house).  Augustine and Josephine felt called to care for Emanuel before they knew that they would be receiving financial support from the United States for his needs.  Due to Emanuel’s special needs, Josephine will be not be able to work outside her home so she is forced to be a stay at home mom.  The money they receive each month to care for Emanuel will not only meet Emanuel's needs, but it will also help meet their needs.  I praise God for his miraculous provisions!

Second Miracle:
There is a ministry in the States called, “Ray of Hope Medical Missions.”  Apparently one of you forwarded Emanuel’s story to Ray of Hope and Rebecca, the president of Ray of Hope contacted me. Rebecca said that she was extremely interested in Emanuel’s case and would like to work with us.  Praise God!  There is a very good chance that Ray of Hope will be transporting Emanuel to the United States where all of Emanuel’s medical needs will be met.  Emanuel will likely have surgery to straighten his legs and eyes.  While in the States, all his medical needs will be treated by the best doctors in the World.  After recovery, he will then be transported back to Liberia.  By that time, we pray the orphanage will be opened to meet his long term needs.

I am amazed at how God met all of Emanuel’s needs.  When Emanuel’s life hung in the balance, God was there.  God moved each of our hearts to do our part to help Emanuel.  The word Emanuel means, “God is with us.”  I pray that Emanuel’s story will remind all of us that God is with us.  There is no need to worry, God is always aware of our needs and He is always with us. 

Matthew 6:25-34 says, “Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable tan they?  Who of you by worrying can addd a single hour to his life?… But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”   

Duck Farming in Liberia Interview

This interview was written before Love got sick and died.

Dad: What is it like being a duck farmer in Liberia?

Tommy: It is like having a bird that can’t fly that you can train to do tricks.  One tricK i trained my ducks is to eat out of your hand.  Another trick I taught them is, I put rice on my foot and they will eat off my foot.  Ducks, I love ducks.  I’m going to give you the name of one of my ducks.  Love is the name of my duck.  Another duck is named Kim Duck.  I love you all.  That is the end of my duck interview.

Dad: Is it hard to raise ducks?

Tommy: Easy!  It is just $500 LD for one duck.

Dad: What do ducks eat?

Tommy: Rice, grass, weeds, bugs, and bread, and apples.  That’s all that we tried.  My ducks favorite food is rice and bread.

Dad: How many ducks to you have now?

Tommy:  I have 2 ducks.

Dad:  Will you buy more?

Tommy:  I think I will.

Dad: How many ducks do you want?

Tommy: 8 or 10, I don’t know.

Dad:  What is the hardest thing about raising ducks?

Tommy: It is to decide if I am going to give them Rice or not.

Hello!

Christian’s Update:

Hi Friends and Family,

I miss you all.  It is fun here.  One of our greatest treats here is apples and almost like chip-o-hoy cookies.  Two days ago me and Dad went to find oil for the soap business.  The view at the plantation was beautiful but we hit a lot of pot holes that threw my back in pain.  We have learned that Jessie is a very expensive monkey.  She will take the money out of our money container and eat it.  Jessie loves rice.  At first, she would not eat rice.  It is so funny that at one time she hated rice but now she loves it.  When we put rice in front of her she talks happy monkey language.  Sometimes she has a high pitched laugh that is really cute.  There is a fruit like thing that grows on a tree that is called bush cola.  It is pinkish red.  It is really bumpy on the outside.  It is Jessie’s 2nd favorite food.  Her first is rice.  Sometimes we will take the bush cola and put it in different places in the tree.  Jessie will then climb the tree and start eating.  It is fun to watch her climb.  Jessie is a real cuddle bug.  Jessie is a nice monkey but sometimes she bites.  I’ve been learning French and typing.  They are fun.  I can’t wait until I capture the castle on typer island.  I am hoping that when we go to refugee camps that we can understand what they are speaking and not need interpreters.  They speak French.  There is a baby boy whose legs are bowed in and the mother doesn’t want the child so we are trying to find a place where it can live.  The print shop came.  I am really thankful because it prints a whole bunch of stuff.  Our friend Lee came and showed us how to use the print shop.  I love you all.

Ovra - French for goodbye.

Christian

Grace’s Update:

Hi, God gave us a beautiful chimpanzee named Jessie.  She wears cloths.  She is very fun for our family.  Africa is so fun.  Yesterday, when I was on the motorbike coming back home, I was thinking to myself that I am blessed because God has been really good to us.   I used to think that being poor would not be fun.  I thought being rich would be fun.  I have learned that being poor is fun because God has brought the whole world to me.  I went to England.  I went to Liberia Africa.  I have fun playing games.  Our dog puppy got 7 pups but one died because a motorbike ran on it.  The other 6 have been pretty healthy.  We have a runt.  It is still alive.  We have one runt, we have 5 boys, and 1 girl which is black. 

Love, Grace

Tommy’s Update:

Hi, Tommy is here.  I love you all really, really, really much.  I can’t wait to see you.  I really love you.  Puppy got pups.  We got 7 but one of them died so now we have 6.  We got a chimpanzee.  I can’t wait to see you.  I love you all really, really, really much.  Bye.

From Tommy Boy

Don’s Update

A while back we got a Chimpanzee.  We also have a dog named Hope.  Hope has a really low bark that scares everyone who comes.  I love Puppy.  She has 6 baby dogs.  We had 7 but one got hit by a motorbike and died.  Once a stranger dog came on the property and tried to kill the pups but of course our dogs scared them away.  We hope that the pups will grow up and be big.  It is fun to have pups.  They are so cute.  Our friend Augustine has a monkey too.  It is really a small monkey compared to our Chimpanzee.  Tommy has a lot of ducks.  Our farms are getting big.  Christian bought a chicken.  It laid its eggs in our coal pot on our back porch.  Junior has a bird trap that is like the traps we have in the bush.  My toe hurts. 

Love Don

Letters from Mel - Happy New Year

Dear All,

Happy New Year!!  Well, I hope that you are having a great and wonderful new year!!  (I know many of you enjoyed the snow storm of the year.  I hope all of you are fine and doing well.)  It sounds as though it was a crazy storm because I have heard many stories.  If you have time, I would love to hear all of your “snow/ice/rain” stories.  Oh my, I almost completely forgot to tell you this story.  One day, during some of your extreme cold weather, I walked outside in my short sleeves and shorts to find that one of our dear friend’s, Sam, was walking around in his very heavy winter coat with his hood on.  I got such a kick out of it, that I took his picture.  I will try to have Don send it to you all.  It will give you a good laugh.

Well, our dear friend, Lee is long gone now.  I am sure that he is settled in at home once again in his normal routine.  We really enjoyed him being here.  They were able to get many printing press things in order.  Naturally, they ran into several problems but with the Lord’s help and a friend of Lee’s all is well and taken care of.  I also want to thank each and everyone of you for your cards, pictures, and gifts.  We really have enjoyed each and every one of them.  All of my family photo’s went above my “kitchen” counter.  All the “kid’s friends/cousins" pictures went on the wall in the back room next to the kid’s beds.  (Though, I want to remind you that I know many of you missed Lee’s coming - like ALL of our family - so I want to remind you that we have another friend coming in February.  Please get your pictures and Christmas cards to Doug Billenstein and he will be sure to get them to me.  And I will add them to our walls.)  It is so fun looking at all of our pictures.

School is back in session; though, much has changed about our school.  It was good because it really had become rather monotonous.  Right after Lee left, we added a nice back porch with a cement floor.  My Christmas present - the kitchen table - fits under it.  It is so nice.  We moved our chalk board outside under our porch and now it has become our “classroom.”  We all really like it.  We also have added a few subjects to our day like learning sign language and French and typing.  We also made a new schedule when we added those in.  The crazy thing is is that so far, we have not only finished all of it but have gotten done early.  (Though, our day, is somewhat tense at times.) 😊

I have to tell you this story.  It really breaks our hearts as a family.  There is a boy who has legs that bend in.  He can’t walk.  He is a yr and a half.  Please pray for his safety and that we can find a home for this boy.

My husband has been working very diligently for the past couple of months hoping to start a soap business.  His hopes are that it will bring our field leaders out of poverty and give them jobs.  He is also hoping that it will provide them with enough income that they will only need to work for 4 days a week and then also be able to still go on mission without needing to worry about their family’s needs while they are gone.  Well, it has changed from a Don “business” to our Family “business.”  We are all working together to make it happen.  The boys worked hard by making a cutting table.  Many cutting tables have been made but with much happiness this one works.  PTL!  The soap is made and  is put into square molds.  When it has cured enough, the molds are taken off.  Then, the large square mold is pushed through the wires on our cutting table.  It makes several long cuts all at one time - cutting down lots of time.  From there, the long tubes get cut down into actual soap bars.  Then each soap bar is stamped with our business name on 2 sides.  Our business name is Pure Life Soap.  (Of course, I am really biased; but don’t you love the name?!)  We are also putting our business name on 3 wheel barrows hoping that our field leaders can sell their soap out of the wheel barrows.  Please pray that our family business will turn successfully into the field leader’s business.

Oh, I must update you concerning our animals.  First of all, Jesse, our chimpanzee is doing much better.  First of all, I must ask this question.  What is Jesse’s favorite food?  Nope, I am guessing that most of you guessed bananas.  If you did, you are completely wrong.  In fact, I would say that is very low on her food list.  Well, unless, it is so old and smoochy that there is mold growing all over it.  Then and only then, will she be excited.  Oh, and even at that, her favorite part is not the banana’s inside but rather the skin.  Thankfully, though, we have learned that her favorite food is bush kola.  Once we get our hands on that, her health seems to return to normal.  Unfortunately, our favorite duck, Love, died this past week.  Much to the Liberian’s dismay we buried her in the ground.  She was very sick and did not recover.  (This was Tommy’s duck and he was very sad.)  Kimduck (Tommy and Grace’s duck seems to be sick with the same illness but we think that he may be improving, so we will see what happens.)  Christian is now a very proud owner of a hen.  As of right now, she is sitting (on our coal pot) on 11 eggs.  It is common to hear her grunting as Christian and Big Don enjoy petting her.  Today, Tommy, Grace, and Christian bought the family’s ducks.  So, everyone is back into the farming business.  While we are discussing animals, our dog, Hope is doing just fine.  He has really grown a lot.  He is now bigger than normal African dogs.  (But clearly, he is still not finished growing.)  Most people are VERY afraid of him.  We say that he has the 6th sense about people.  The people that we don’t trust, he does NOT trust at all.  However, we have to laugh, because he also does not trust small kids.  LOL!  Oh and Puppy’s pups are growing and are so cute.  (Unfortunately, one of them died in an motor bike accident.)  The pups love to play with Hope.  It is so cute because they run after him like they are so tough and bigger than him.  He runs away like he is afraid, but clearly he is just playing.   

Well, we love each and everyone of you!  Thank you so much for all your prayers and support!  We really, really appreciate it!

Love,

Mel (and the family) 😊

Updates

Update on the Bible Institute:

This past Monday, 24 students arrived at the Bible Institute.  They will be with us for the next two weeks. Please pray that God uses our time together to train these men and women to be sacrificial missionaries for His Kingdom.  In this class, there are men and women from far away counties where we are hoping to see the Gospel take root.  Next month’s Bible Institute class will be done in French.  It will be training Ivorians so that we can see the movement spread into the Ivory Coast.  I praise God for allowing our eyes to see what we see every day!  We are living the book of Acts!!  Exciting!  

Ivory Coast Update:

Please continue to pray for the Ivory Coast.  In our county of Liberia I believe there are more Ivorian refugees than there are Liberians.  There are signs that war may return to the Ivory Coast.  Last week, several Ivorians who had previously returned to the Ivory Coast came back to the refugee camps.  They say that they believe people are gathering together again to fight against the government.  The effects of war are devastating on a country and its citizens.  War kills many innocent people and makes widows and orphans.  Please pray that peace would come to the Ivory Coast.  

Baby Emanuel

Please pray for Baby Emanuel.  He is 1 1/2 years old.  He has legs that are bowed in, crossed eyes, and an odd shaped head.  A little over a week ago a pastor friend of mine asked Melanie and I if we would adopt this boy.  His mother is a single mom about 18 years old.  She no longer wants the child so she can go back to school.  In Liberia, handicapped children are viewed as a curse.  Many of them are thrown into the river or are secretly killed. 

Last week, I made Emanuel’s need known to friends in the States.  Next month, a friend of mine will be coming to Liberia to open orphanages for handicapped children.  His ministry targets saving the lives of children like Emanuel as well as rescuing children out of human trafficking and sex slavery (These are serious problems here in Liberia).  My friend will be living with us on the base for a few months as he gets acclimated to Liberia.  He is working with Wordsower to start this orphanage.  Wordsower is the larger mission agency that our ministry Wordsower Liberia functions under.  

The director from Wordsower has said that he would give $75 a month to a Liberian Christian family who would be willing to care for baby Emanuel until the orphanage is opened.  Yesterday, Melanie and I met with Emanuel’s family and told them about this possibility.  Emanuel’s family is eager to get rid of Emanuel.  In fact, they seemed disappointed that we did not take Emanuel with us when we left.  The mother of Emanuel, threatened to abandon him this past week.  

Melanie and I feel the Lord leading us not to rush the process of removing Emanuel from his home but to let the process happen quickly.  We believe God wants to both meet the needs of Emanuel and of his mother.  Each time we meet with Emanuel’s family we experience the Lord presence ministering to the family.  Yesterday, they told us that they believed that Emanuel’s disability was caused by “an evil spirit visited them.”  We read from Ps 139 and were able to help them see that Emanuel was knit together in his mother’s womb by God to be exactly the way he is.  God does not make mistakes.  Emanuel is not a mistake.  He is perfectly made by God.  

I have been able to share the story of how God used my brother’s down syndrome to help mold my heart and the hearts of many others.   We also shared that God desires to use Emanuel to help mold their hearts.  Here is my prayer:  I pray that we would be able to find a family who will be eager to care for Emanuel until the orphanage is opened.  We are now looking for that family.  We will not tell the family until after they agree to take Emanuel that they will receive money from the States to support them ($75 a month is a lot of money in Liberia.  For some it would be like winning the lottery).  I pray that God will open all the doors needed for the orphanage to be opened.  I pray that the Lord will work in Love’s heart and that there would come a time when she will give her heart to Christ and will be reunited with her precious son.  

December 2013 Report

December 2013 Riley Family’s Update from Liberia

Blog: liberiacalls.blogspot.com  E-mail donriley4@gmail.com  Webpage: wordsowerliberia.com  Address: P.O. Box 1648 Piqua, OH 45356

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 12 counties; there are 8,700 villages and towns in 15 counties. We made 71 mission trips, visiting 90 villages and other locations and we made many other local mission trips. Some of the towns we were in multiple times. We went into 8 new communities. Our longest mission trip was 2 weeks the shortest a few hours.  7 were baptized and 40 completed our extensive Bible study program. The Jesus film was shown 5 times, in their dialect, to over 1,700.  Several factors affect how many mission trips we can go on each month; illness, injuries, availability of money are some. 

Some highlights of the month

Our printing presses and the will of God: The printing presses now housed and in operation in Zwedru are an example of God’s will and man’s obedience and not man’s vision and determination.  Throughout the whole adventure God put in place people who sacrificially obeyed. They were not doing it for their own glory, nor to receive thanks from another, nor because they were asked to do it by another person.  God spoke and man simply obeyed.  We have what we have because it was the plan, purpose and will of God.  It has been a trill to participate and watch it unfold. 

The obstacles were daunting they appeared as impassable, unmovable mountains.  Yet, all the obstacles crumbled and the timing of each event was perfect.  It was as if there was no human director but the orchestra played a perfect symphony.  It truly was an act of God.

Another devil is baptized:  We have worked in Old Solo for 5 years.  The demonic society religion that once ruled the town has long since died out.  But, the devil of the town always resisted giving his life to our Lord.  I met him in the hospital.  He had almost died from malaria.  Again, I shared the gospel with him. This time he repented, he was baptized and changed his name from Devil to Blessing.  Wow!  The kingdom of God in Liberia continues to grow!  Heaven rejoices! Rejoice with us.

Click here to view a video on the printing press.

The local devil and the town Quiepa: The Devil (the name given to the demonic leader of a local satanic society) of Quiepa has a long history of total dominion of that region.   Through fear and violence he rules.  The law of Quiepa for many years has been that the name of Jesus and the meeting of Christians are only allowed from Saturday evening till Sunday evening.  The rest of the time belongs to the devil and his society. 

One of our teams went into the town for the first time.  They presented themselves to the pastor of the only church and to the town chief.  They then went throughout the community introducing themselves and inviting them to an open air service.  While speaking with the people they discovered that the assistant town chief was the head devil, that the town chief was in a high position in the society and that the pastor was also a part of the society.  The pastor would regularly go worship and sacrifice with them, then come out and “repent” before going back to leading the church. 

The town chief told them that they must not talk about Jesus.  They ignored him and continued to invite and gather the people.  A large crowd gathered and they taught them as the society leaders fumed in the background.  After the teaching the devil was furious and ordered them to pay a fine of one sheep or be dragged into the Zoe Bush (that is their place of worship, sacrifices and punishment).  Our team said they had no money and even if they did they would never give them anything ever.  The society continued to threaten them.  Our team responded, saying that their death would only be a blessing, that they had no fear or concern for their lives. The team leader told the devil to look in her bag.  She showed him two dresses and said that he should use one of them for her burial.

As God would have it, later that evening the head devil’s wife was having trouble in labor, mother and child death is common during delivery.  The devil panicked, went to them and begged them to come and pray for his wife and child.  They went into his home, spent time with the woman and prayed for a safe delivery.  Praise God, the delivery went well; mother and child came through without any problems.  

Later that night the devil, in secret, came and spoke with them.  He said that he had never wanted to be the devil but that he had inherited the position from his deceased father.  He wanted them to pray for him.  He wants to leave the society but is scared that they will kill him if he does.  He invited them to return and start a real church.  When they return he wants them to teach every day for 3 weeks.

The town’s people are in agreement and are excited.  Several have started our Bible marking training and want to attend our Bible Institute, others want to be baptized. 

Often when we enter a demonic stronghold as this one is and it is the devil himself who comes, seeks prayer, confesses and invites the team to return.  God is before us, beside us and behind us.  It seems the only thing missing for a sweeping revival in Liberia is Holy Spirit filled trained workers to be sent.

Our team reminds me of Jesus, Himself.   “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.  When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matt 9:35-38.  Please be in prayer with us that a great trained army will rise up and go to their people.

The Trislers:  Lee and Sandi Trisler came on December 22 to

set up our presses and train us on how to use them.  Right before they came Sandi fell on ice and received a concussion.  The concussion was serious.  She has lost her sense of smell and some hearing.  We felt that the long hard road to Zwedru would be dangerous for her so she flew back on Christmas day.  Lee and I proceeded to Zwedru.  He worked continuous to set up the presses and teach us to be pressmen.  Mission accomplished press shop is now in operation.  He returned on January 6^th.  Thank you, Trislers.  Be in prayer with us for Sandi.  Pray for a complete healing of her body.

Chimpanzee: What! A chimpanzee?  Yes, we acquired a female baby Chimp.  I took her to the Liberian FDA to see what should be done with her.  The FDA possesses her but gave me permission to raise her till she can be re-introduced into the wild.  She is a lot of fun!     

Donations may be mailed to:

Wordsower International                                                                                                              

P.O. Box 1648                                      
Piqua, OH 45356

All donations are tax deductible.  A receipt will be sent at year’s end.  100% of all 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, Gardoway, Gbalawin, Gbliyee, Geelor, Greeneville, , Greft, Grigsby Farm, Jalay, Jaytoken, Joazon, Joe Village, Jokoken, Judu, Kakpo, Karquekpo, Katuzon, Kilo, Korjayee, Kuwait Gold mining camp, Neinplikpo,  Nyennwlejen, Paul, Pellkon, Pokpaken, Putu Jadweodee, Peace Camp (a gold mining camp), Polay, Pratt, Pynes Town, Qutatozon, Saikas, Saygbeken, Seedubo, Seetor, Saybaken, Saydee, Senquene, Sennajalh, Swenpon, Tarta, Titus, Voobadee, Wiah.  Grand Gedeh County: Army barracks, Badou, Bah, Banana ,Bar, Bargblor, Barte-jam, Bassa, Bawaydee, Beezon, Beh, Bellyalla, Bently Mining Camp, Best, B’hai, Tarway, Billibo, Boe,  Boley, Boplue, Border, Boundary, Brown, Chayee, Chebeh, Chebeor, Compound, CVI gold mining camp, Deplay, Diah, Dogbar, Dolozon, Dougee Refugee Camp, Doubah, Duo Town, Dweh,  48 mile, Franzaz, Garbo, Garley, Gbakah, Gbarbo, Gbarzon, Gbayea, Gbeyoubo, Gbloue, Gboe,  Gboe, Geewon, Gboleken, Gborabo, 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, Krah, Ziah, Kpae, Kyne, Kwebo, Ma Esther, Menyeah, New York gold mining camp, Nico, Old Pohan, Panwolor, Pellelzon, Penokon, Peter Saydee, Pineapple village, Ploe Bodee, Polar Town, Polar Village, Pokor, PTP refugee camp, Queboe, Sant, Savah, Saycon, 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, Techiensla, Tiama, Tobolee, Toes Refugee Camp, Toes Town, Toffoi, Togbayee, Tojillah, Toueah, Tuglor, Varglor, Vleyee, Whybo, Willie Jellu, Wlagbo, Woloken, Wulu, Zarzar, Zaiyee, Zeon, Ziulay, Zuabah, 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 County: 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, Gougartwo, Graie, Guotoin, Kpaytuo, Miller, Noway, Sarlay, Tappita, Towah, Unification, Venn, Wontoe, Yiteepea, Your Peg, Zarwulugbo, Zautuo.  River Cess County: Darhga, Gbee.  Grand Kru County: Baclaville City, Baclaville Check Point, Bewan, Boniken, Camp Spin, Company Camp, Doubbo, Gbarken, Iron Bridge,  Kladipah, Leaceco, Solokent, Woelowinken, Wropluken. Bong County: Bucannon.  Grand Bassa County: Baccoline, Goah. 

Christian’s Update:

Hi Friends and Family,

I miss you all.  It is fun here.  One of our greatest treats here is apples and almost like chip-o-hoy cookies.  Two days ago me and Dad went to find oil for the soap business.  The view at the plantation was beautiful but we hit a lot of pot holes that threw my back in pain.  We have learned that Jessie is a very expensive monkey.  She will take the money out of our money container and eat it.  Jessie loves rice.  At first, she would not eat rice.  It is so funny that at one time she hated rice but now she loves it.  When we put rice in front of her she talks happy monkey language.  Sometimes she has a high pitched laugh that is really cute.  There is a fruit like thing that grows on a tree that is called bush cola.  It is pinkish red.  It is really bumpy on the outside.  It is Jessie’s 2nd favorite food.  Her first is rice.  Sometimes we will take the bush cola and put it in different places in the tree.  Jessie will then climb the tree and start eating.  It is fun to watch her climb.  Jessie is a real cuddle bug.  Jessie is a nice monkey but sometimes she bites.  I’ve been learning French and typing.  They are fun.  I can’t wait until I capture the castle on typer island.  I am hoping that when we go to refugee camps that we can understand what they are speaking and not need interpreters.  They speak French.  There is a baby boy whose legs are bowed in and the mother doesn’t want the child so we are trying to find a place where it can live.  The print shop came.  I am really thankful because it prints a whole bunch of stuff.  Our friend Lee came and showed us how to use the print shop.  I love you all.

Ovra - French for goodbye.

Christian

Grace’s Update:

Hi, God gave us a beautiful chimpanzee named Jessie.  She wears cloths.  She is very fun for our family.  Africa is so fun.  Yesterday, when I was on the motorbike coming back home, I was thinking to myself that I am blessed because God has been really good to us.   I used to think that being poor would not be fun.  I thought being rich would be fun.  I have learned that being poor is fun because God has brought the whole world to me.  I went to England.  I went to Liberia Africa.  I have fun playing games.  Our dog puppy got 7 pups but one died because a motorbike ran on it.  The other 6 have been pretty healthy.  We have a runt.  It is still alive.  We have one runt, we have 5 boys, and 1 girl which is black. 

Love, Grace

Tommy’s Update:

Hi, Tommy is here.  I love you all really, really, really much.  I can’t wait to see you.  I really love you.  Puppy got pups.  We got 7 but one of them died so now we have 6.  We got a chimpanzee.  I can’t wait to see you.  I love you all really, really, really much.  Bye.

From Tommy Boy

Don’s Update

A while back we got a Chimpanzee.  We also have a dog named Hope.  Hope has a really low bark that scares everyone who comes.  I love Puppy.  She has 6 baby dogs.  We had 7 but one got hit by a motorbike and died.  Once a stranger dog came on the property and tried to kill the pups but of course our dogs scared them away.  We hope that the pups will grow up and be big.  It is fun to have pups.  They are so cute.  Our friend Augustine has a monkey too.  It is really a small monkey compared to our Chimpanzee.  Tommy has a lot of ducks.  Our farms are getting big.  Christian bought a chicken.  It laid its eggs in our coal pot on our back porch.  Junior has a bird trap that is like the traps we have in the bush.  My toe hurts. 

Love Don