Results of your Christmas Giving!

Thank you for all the Christmas dreams you made come true!  Here are pictures of people you touched this Christmas season.

Thank you for sponsoring Elizabeth's children!

Without your intervention, these children would be in an orphanage today!  Thank you!  

Thank you for sponsoring Prince!

Thank you for sponsoring Emily.

Thank you for sponsoring Michael!

Thank you for sponsoring Vera!

Thank you for sponsoring Joanna!

Hannah is in the process of being released from the orphanage.  Thank you for temporarily sponsoring her until a permanent sponsor can be found!

Seneta is in the process of being released from the orphanage.  Thank you for temporarily sponsoring her until a permanent sponsor can be found!

Lincoln is in the process of being released from the orphanage.  Thank you for temporarily sponsoring him until a permanent sponsor can be found!

Other children you blessed:

Christian's life was heading down the wrong road.  His family could not afford to feed him and send him to school.  Due to his disobedience, his mother gave up on him and sent him into the bush to cut palm for a living.  Cutting palm is very dangerous!   Christian had to climb reeds to the top of palm trees to harvest palm nuts.  Many people fall while cutting palm and are badly hurt, paralyzed or killed.  Christian's future looked bleak.  Thank you for sponsoring him and bringing him back home to our community!  He is now in school and is at church every Sunday.  We have a long way to go but thank you for entering the fight with us to see Christ formed in his heart!


Thank you for providing milk for Awalayah's baby for the next 2 months!

Thank you for fully funding our medical staff for one year!

The medical needs in Liberia are huge!  Many people live deep in the bush where there is no medical care.  I knew many of them were sick but I did not realize the magnitude of their needs until we started leading mobile medical clinics.  Can you imagine half of the people in your town being sick?  Unthinkable right?  Sadly, sickness is the way of life for those who live in the bush!

In addition to leading mobile medical clinics, our medical staff is responsible for keeping all 168 of our sponsored children healthy.  


Susan is our Head Physician Assistant.  Thank you for fully funding her salary for one year!  


Elizabeth is our newest Physician Assistant.  Thank you for adding her to our team!

On behalf of many in Liberia, we want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  May the peace of Christ rule in all our hearts as we celebrate Jesus's birth!  

Missions Update 12-13-17

Making Christmas Dreams Come True in Liberia Africa:

Have you ever been asked to carry children to an orphanage?  There are very few things in life that will get my attention quicker than being asked that question.  Please take a good look at the children in my car.  These 5 children and their 6 siblings were orphaned when their mother died 2 years ago.  At that time, the children were split in three directions.  My friend Elizabeth took 3 children, Elizabeth's sister took 5 children, and 3 children were sent to the orphanage.  Two weeks ago, Elizabeth was crying as she told me that her sister was no loner able to care for the 5 children since her new husband no longer wanted them.  Elizabeth asked me if I would go pick up the children and carry them to the orphanage.    

Our mission tries by all means to keep families united.  The best solution for orphaned children is their extended family members.  After meeting with Elizabeth and her husband, Rufus, it became clear that they love these children but cannot afford to raise them. 

I need your help.  Liberia is one of the poorest nations in the world.  Jobs are almost nonexistent.  Though Rufus and Elizabeth are educated, they are unemployed.  Currently, Rufus and Elizabeth have taken in 8 of the 11 children.  My heart breaks for the 3 children who still live at the orphanage.  I am doing everything in my power to raise the money needed to reunite these children with the rest of their family.  Will you please help me find sponsors for all 11 of these children?  This need is too large for our family or mission to meet without your help.  

Sponsorship is $40 a month.  As I spoke to Rufus and Elizabeth about child sponsorship, Rufus said, "I would walk 200 miles and back if that is what it took to express my gratitude."  Elizabeth is a trained Physician Assistant.  Elizabeth does not want to receive help without working for it.  Elizabeth has offered to work full-time for our mission in exchange for the children's sponsorship.  That means that your sponsorship will not only change your sponsored child's life but it will also touch numerous lives through Elizabeth's hands as she serves in our mobile medical clinics in remote towns and villages where there is no medical care and as she helps keep all 168 of our other sponsored children healthy.

If you and your family are looking for a Christmas project to do together, will you consider helping me find sponsors for these children?   

Elizabeth's Children who have been Sponsored:

Praise God, Emily is sponsored!

Praise God, Vera is sponsored!

Praise God!  Joanna is sponsored!

Praise God! Prince is Sponsored! 

Praise God!  Michael is Sponsored! 

Elizabeth's Children who are not sponsored but are living at her house:

Marthaline is 11 years old.

Princess is 12 years old.

Vera D. S. is 13 years old. 

Elizabeth's children who are still living at the orphanage:  

Hannah is 8 years old.

Seneta is 9 years old.

Lincoln is 12 years old.

Please send me an email if you are interested in sponsoring any of these children.  My email address is don@hopeforhome.org.

Bible Institute:

Preparations are being made to reopen the two Bible Institutes on Kokoyah Road.  Since returning to Liberia, my time has been consumed with opening our new elementary school, overseeing our special needs group homes, and overseeing our child sponsorship program.  Sometime between January and March there will be two missionary families joining us in Liberia.  Their coming will free me up to begin training pastors again.  

The Remote Bible Institute trains pastors and church leaders who live in remote towns and villages.  One of the greatest challenges we face is Liberia's high illiteracy rate.  To help overcome this problem, we have a full-time artist who helps us translate the Bible into pictures.  Last year, we taught the book of Romans.  This year we plan to teach the 4 Gospels.  

The Garden of Eden

We will start this year's teaching by giving a brief overview of the Old Testament.  We want to our students to understand how the Gospels fit into God's overall redemptive plan.  During this overview, attention will be given to Jesus' work throughout the Old Testament and the various Old Testament prophesies about Jesus.  

After giving an overview of the Old Testament, we will teach an introduction to the Gospels.  Have you ever wondered why there are four books in the Bible that tell the story of Jesus' life (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)?  Wouldn't one book have been sufficient?  Look at the above picture.  Notice there are four people who witnessed the accident.  Each of these people observed the accident from a different perspective therefore their testimonies will be slightly different.  If you listen to all four testimonies, you will have a clear understanding of what took place.

The same is true regarding the Gospels.  Matthew wrote his gospel to the Jews and portrayed Jesus as their Messiah.  John Mark wrote his gospel to the Romans and portrayed Jesus as a suffering servant.  Luke wrote his gospel to the Greeks and portrayed Jesus as a perfect man.  John wrote his gospel to all the citizens of the world and portrayed Jesus as God.  By studying all four gospels you come to understand that Jesus that was our promised messiah who lived as a servant while being fully God and fully man.

One of the greatest challenges we face as we draw the Gospels is determining what the characters should look like.

 Our artist naturally draws every character to look Liberian.  For example, compare the picture he drew of Mary to the picture he drew of Jesus.  As much as possible, I am encouraging Prince to draw the characters to look historically accurate rather than Liberian.  We are in the process of editing Mary so she will look more like the picture the picture of Jesus.  If we are successful at drawing the Gospels to look historically accurate, we can post our lessons online and other missionaries from various cultures around the world can use them in their context.  Please keep this project in your prayers.  

Pictures from Last Week:

School uniforms arrived last week!   

Our teachers are doing an excellent job training your sponsored children!

Thank you again for sponsoring all the children in our school!

The sign for our school was completed last week.

This picture was taken on the way to church last Sunday.  Grace, Tommy, Melanie and I sit in the front.  Christian and Don sit in the back.  See if you can find Christian and Don.  

Sunday morning worship.

Cyrus has been leading a team of 5 men to clear our land.

We own 10 acres.  When the land is cleared, we will build a small road leading to the future location of our special needs group homes and training center.  

The moms at our special needs group home are doing a great job raising our children.

Patience is learning to walk.  

Prayer Requests:

1.  Please remember Liberia's presidential elections in your prayers.  Everything is still held up on the court system.  Please pray for a peaceful transition of power. 

2.  Please pray that we are able to find sponsors for all 11 of Elizabeth's children. 

3.  Please pray the Lord gives us wisdom as we write lessons for the Bible Institute.

4.  Please pray for my wife as she home schools our children. 

Making Christmas Dreams Come True in Liberia

Will you help us make 26 Liberian children's Christmas dreams come true?

Elizabeth's Christmas Wish:

Rufus is standing on the left, Elizabeth is kneeling in the front.  All 11 children are in this picture along with 2 of Elizabeth's 3 biological children.  

Tears ran down Elizabeth's face as she shared her family's tragic story.  Four years ago, Elizabeth's sisters died, leaving 11 orphaned children.  At that time, Elizabeth took in 3 children, her other sister took in 5 children, and 3 children were sent to the orphanage where Elizabeth visits weekly.  Last week, Elizabeth's sister informed her that she was no longer able to care for the 5 children that she had taken in.  Heartbroken, Elizabeth came to me and asked me if I would help her transport these children to the orphanage.

While meeting with Elizabeth and Rufus, her husband, I learned that they love these children and want to raise them but cannot afford to.  Their Christmas wish is to be reunited as a family.  

While meeting with Rufus and Elizabeth, Rufus said, "I would walk 200 miles and back if that is what it took to express my gratitude."  Elizabeth is a trained Physician's Assistant.  She does not want to receive help without working for it.  Elizabeth has offered to work full-time for our mission in exchange for her children's sponsorship.  That means your sponosrship will not only change your sponsored child's life but will change numerous people's lives through Elizabeth's hands as she serves in our mobile medical clinics in remote towns and villages where there is no medical care and as she keeps all 168 of our other sponsored children healthy.

Will you please help me find sponsors for all of Elizabeth's children?

 

Name:  Prince S.

Age:  8 years old

Grade:  K2

Monthly Sponsorship: $40

Praise God!  Prince is sponsored!

Name:  Emily S.

Age:  6 years old

Grade:  Will start school next year

Monthly Sponsorship: $40 

Praise God!  Emily is sponsored!

Name:  Michael S.

Age:  12 years old

Grade:  3rd

Monthly Sponsorship: $40

Praise God!  Michael is sponsored!

Name:  Vera S.

Age:  11 years old

Grade:  3rd

Monthly Sponsorship: $40

Praise God!  Vera is sponsored! 

Name:  Joanna S.

Age:  11 years old

Grade:  4th

Monthly Sponsorship: $40

Praise God!  Joanna is sponsored!

Name: Princess S.

Age: 12 years old

Grade: 6th

Monthly Sponsorship: $40

Name: Vera D. S.

Age: 13 years old

Grade: 3rd

Monthly Sponsorship $40

Name: Marthaline S.

Age: 11 years old

Grade: 3rd

Monthly Sponsorship:  $40

Sorry for the bad picture.  Marthaline was sick with malaria when I took this picture. 

Name: Lincoln S.

Age: 12 years old

Grade: 3rd

Monthly Sponsorship: $40

Name: Seneta S.

Age: 9 years old

Grade: 2nd

Monthly Sponsorship: $40

Name: Hannah S.

Age: 8 years old

Grade: K1

Monthly Sponsorship: $40

Joseph's Christmas Wish: 

During Liberia's Ebola crisis, tragedy struck Joseph's family, killing many of his children and leaving most of his grandchildren orphaned.  Though Joseph was an old man and unable to work, he took in 7 of his grandchildren.  During the past few years, our mission has supported Joseph's family from our general budget.  We need to move Joseph's family from our general budget to our sponsorship program.  This would be a tremendous blessing to Joseph and to our mission.  Joseph's Christmas wish is for the necessities of life such as food, clothing, housing, medical care, and schooling for his grandchildren.  We have already found a sponsor for 1 of Joseph's grandchildren.  If we were able to find 4 more sponsors, we would be able to make Joseph's wish come true.  Will you please help me find sponsors for these 4 children. 

Name: Shadrach Y.

Age: 13 years old

Grade: 1st

Monthly Sponsorship: $40

Name: Mitchell Y.

Age: 12 years old

Grade: 1st

Monthly Sponsorship: $40

Name: Reuben Y.

Age: 5 years old

Grade: K1

Monthly Sponsorship: $40

Name: Blessing Y.

Age: 8 years old

Grade: K1

Monthly Sponsorship: $40

School Sponsorships:

One of the greatest gifts you can give an impoverished family for Christmas is a high quality Christian education for their children.  Without a good education, their futures look bleak.  This year, we opened our first school.  We pray we will be able to open many more in the future.  Will you please help us find sponsors for 10 more children's schooling?  Their sponsorship will pay for their schooling and medical care.

Name: Mary C.

Age: 11 years old

Grade: 1st

Monthly Sponsorship: $12

Name: Jerry C.

Age: 15 years old

Grade: 1st

Monthly Sponsorship: $12

Name: Cyrus T.

Age: 13 years old

Grade: 1st

Monthly Sponsorship: $12

Name: Diarus T.

Age: 11 years old

Grade: 1st

Monthly Sponsorship: $12

Name: Ellen K.

Age: 12 years old

Grade: 1st

Monthly Sponsorship: $12

Name: Yelist K.

Age: 8 years old

Grade: 1st

Monthly Sponsorship: $12

Name: Teresa F.

Age: 7 years old

Grade: K1

Monthly Sponsorship: $12

Name: Martha F.

Age: 8 years old

Grade: K2

Monthly Sponsorship: $12

Name: Amelia W.

Age: 9 years old

Grade: K2

Monthly Sponsorship: $12

Name: Richard F.

Age: 12 years

Grade: K2

Monthly Sponsorship: $12

Short-term Sponsorship:

Awalyah's Christmas wish is on behalf of her newborn son.  Awalyah does not have money to buy his formula.  Will you help me find a sponsor who will cover the cost of the baby's formula for the next 6 months?        

Monthly Sponsorship: $50 

Length of Sponsorship: 6 months

Praise God!  2 months have been sponsored!  

Two months ago, our mission stepped out in faith and hired Susan to be our full-time missionary physician assistant.  Her job is to keep all 168 of our sponsored children healthy and to work in conjunction with church plants to lead mobile health clinics in remote towns and villages where there is no health care.  Since hiring Susan, she has done a superb job at caring for our sponsored children and has treated 230 patients in two remote villages.  We are looking for monthly sponsors to cover the cost of her salary.  We are paying Susan an average salary for physician assistants in Liberia: $375 a month.

Praise God!  Susan's salary is fully funded!   

Sponsorship Details:

Child Sponsorship:

Our Child Sponsorship Program seeks to find orphaned children who are destitute, in danger of death, or in danger of human trafficking and place them in a Christian family.  Your sponsorship provides everything your child needs (food, clothing, housing, schooling, medical care).  Every 3 to 4 months, our mission will send you updates with pictures of your child.

Monthly Sponsorship: $40

School Sponsorship:

Our School Sponsorship Program seeks to provide a high quality Christian education for impoverished children.  Without a good education, these children have no hope of a better future.  Twice a year, when grade cards are issued, we will send you updates and pictures of your child

Monthly Sponsorship: $12

If you are interested in sponsoring a child, please send me an email letting me know your intent.  My email address is don@hopeforhome.org

You can donate online at liberiacalls.blogspot.com 

or by sending checks to:

Hope for Home Ministries

P.O. Box 393

Troy, OH 45373

Please write the word "Liberia" and your child's name on the memo line of your check.