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Monday, November 20, 2017

Weekly Missions Update 11-20-17

Every Disease and Sickness was Treated:


A week ago, we led our first mobile health clinic in a bush town named Denta.  When Jesus entered a town, He healed the sick and taught about the Kingdom of God.  Our clinics seek to do the same.  



Denta, a town of about 200 people, has a history of resisting the Gospel.  Though the town had a church, the church was far from being Christian.  The pastor and it's members participated in the dark demonic society.  During one of my early visits to Denta, this church gathered to welcome the town’s children back from the bush after being initiated into the demonic society.  These children walked to the cadence of a drum while being paraded through the town.  They wore hooded gowns and walked slowly with their bodies bent towards the ground.  The sight looked like something you would expect to see in a halloween movie.  
  


Four years ago, Cyrus and Orpah felt led to start a Christian church in Denta.  Every week, Cyrus walked 13 hours in and out of the bush to lead a Bible Study with five people as he struggled to start the church.  The town's people and the secret society fought against him.  The chief told Cyrus that he would never give land for the church to settle.  Despite many setbacks, Cyrus was faithful to his calling.  



After 3 years of ministry, Cyrus’ church grew to 14 members and the town relented, giving Cyrus this land to establish the church.  


We chose Cyrus' town as the sight of our first mobile medical clinic.  As we set up the clinic, Cyrus walked from house to house, handing out tickets to the sick.  After the town gathered, we thanked them for giving the church land to settle, we affirmed Cyrus' ministry, and we gave Cyrus the wonderful privilege of presenting the gospel to his entire town.



After Cyrus preached, the sick were called one at a time to have their vitals taken.  Medical charts were prepared and every patient was prayed over.  



Next, people were led to a waiting area behind the church where Cyrus presented the Gospel to them again, one on one.  Nine people gave their lives to Jesus.


Susan called the people into the church one at a time and treated every sickness and disease in the town.  




After Susan prescribed medicine, people visited our mobile pharmacy where they received free medicine and more prayer.  



By the end of our two day clinic, we had treated 104 patients.  We praise God for these victories:
-  Nine people gave their lives to Jesus.
- Cyrus' church's attendance doubled in size the Sunday following the clinic.
- Every sickness and disease in the town was treated.


45 of the patients we treated were children, 44 were adults, and 15 were elderly.  


Here were the diagnosis for the 45 children we treated:
40 were treated for worms
34 were treated for malaria
5 were treated for skin infections
5 were treated for UTIs
4 were treated for typhoid
4 were treated for scabies
1 child was diagnosed with an enlarged spleen
1 was treated for epilepsy

Random Pictures from the Mobile Medical Clinic:




















Thank you for your partnership in the Gospel.  Cyrus is one of our students at the Remote Bible Institute.  Like many others, he is leading his church through the Romans study that we taught last year.  Please keep Cyrus and God's church in Denta in your prayers.  Please also pray for these mobile medical clinics.  Pray that we will be able to host more clinics in towns and villages where we are training pastors. 

Scott Hoffman's visit:



Last week, Scott Hoffman visited us from the States.  Scott is one of the directors of His Safe Haven. I praise God for his partnership and the rich fellowship we shared!  In this picture, Scott is meeting with two moms of special needs children who who are supported through His Safe Haven's ministry. 


While Scott was in Liberia, we hired 4 men to start clearing the 10 acres of land that we purchased for our special needs group homes, medical clinic, and training center. 



After the land is cleared, we will make a driveway, drill a well and begin construction.  


Scott helped me begin to prepare for two missionary families who will join us in Liberia, early next year.  These families will work full-time in His Safe Haven's special needs group homes.  Upon their arrival, my time will be freed up to reopen the Bible Institute.  Scott and I looked for housing solutions for these missionaries. 



Scott spent most of his time in our group homes.  Here are a few pictures he took of some of our children.













Liberty Elementary School:


Scott visited our elementary school.  I praise God for giving us a strong start to this school year!  Here are a few pictures Scott took while at the school.







All the students at Liberty Elementary School come from families who are greatly impoverished.  Without a good education, these children have no hope for a better future.  Thank you for sponsoring every student at Liberty Elementary School!  You are changing one life at a time! 


Sponsorship Opportunities:


Susan:  $375 monthly
We are looking for a sponsor or a group of sponsors to pay for our new physician assistant's salary.   Your sponsorship would enable us to hire Susan long-term.  Susan's salary is $375 a month (Note: This is the same salary the government pays physician assistants who work in Liberi'a hospitals).  If you are interested in helping sponsor Susan's salary, please send me an email letting me know your intent.  My email address is don@hopeforhome.org. 



Christian: $40 a month
Christian's sponsorship is close to my heart.  Christian lives in our neighborhood.  When we returned from the States, I was surprised to find him missing.  After asking around, I learned that his parents had moved him into the bush because they could not afford to feed him in Gbarnga.  I am seeking to intervene in Christian's life.  Christian has a history of steeling.  One day, I ran out of my house when I heard a child screaming for help.  I found Christian's mother burning him with a hot coal.  He was hungry and had stolen food to eat so she was teaching him a lesson.  She forced him to hold the scolding coal in his hand and rubbed it on his face as a punishment.  Christian is still a thief.   Christian's academic performance in the past has been poor.  Yet my heart truly breaks for him.  I am seeking someone to help me intervene in his life.  The road he is traveling is not a good one.  Christian's older sister, Hannah, has agreed to allow Christian to live in her house. Hannah is my neighbor.  Christian needs your sponsorship because Hannah, is still in school and cannot afford to feed him.  $40 a month feeds, educates, and medically treats Christian.  If you are interested in sponsoring Christian, please send me an email letting me know your intent.  My email address is don@hopeforhome.org.

Liberia through Scott's Lens:
One of the things I enjoy most about having visitors is seeing Liberia through the pictures they take.  Here is Liberia through Scott's Lens.

Typical open air market

Public school near Gbarnga

Typical house

Taxi

New road leading to Monrovia

Typical Town

Home

Our hometown, Gbarnga

Woman selling popcorn in Gbarnga

Gbarnga and motorbike taxi

Gbarnga

Just up the road from our house

Our pharmacy

Cotten wood tree in Gbarnga

One of our grocery stores

Streets of Gbarnga.  Mothers carry their babies on their backs and loads on their heads.

Clothes laid on the roof of the kitchen to dry


Typical bush community


Selling produce


Transporting drinking water in plastic bags

Typical landscape

Transportation
  
Garage

Transportation

Most people travel by motorbike or by walking
  
Kokoyah Road near town


Kokoyah Road farther in the bush.  These logging trucks are very dangerous. 



Place to stop and get a Coke





Bananas anyone?

Cargo and supplies are shipped in these trucks

Transporting ceiling tile.  They also use these boards for chalk boards.

Bush road.  Children from the bush village running to greet us.

Very good bush road

Bridge
Prayer Requests:
1.  Please keep Liberia's presidential elections in your prayers.  The election is held up in Liberia's supreme court.  People are talking about the possibility if a transitional government.  Please pray for a peaceful transition of power.
2.  Please pray for new monthly supporters.  Our mission's monthly income has seen a sharp decline recently.
3.  Please pray for our elementary school.  Pray that God gives our teachers wisdom as they disciple our children.  
4.  Please pray for my wife as she home schools our children.

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