For the past several weeks, we have had visitors from the United States. I thought it would be fun to have them write blog posts, giving their perspective on all the Lord is doing here. Here is a post from my dad.
Update from Don Riley Sr.
Update from Don Riley Sr.
Greetings, this is Don Sr. from U.S., writing today from Denta, Africa where the team of 13-15 of us brought the mobile clinic. We traveled with Susan and Elizabeth, our two Physician Assistants, Mercy (our pharmacist) and Lucy (our lab technitian).
The patients sit in a circle of 120ish where we first present the Gospel of Jesus Christ through Cyrus, our interpreter. I had the privilege of presenting our purpose through medical help and especially taking the Gospel to the people.
Don went around the entire circle and took everyone’s temperature, looking for the very sickest to rush to the front of the line. We have a team of 5 engineers who are graduating this spring from Toledo University and wanted to give 6 weeks to Africa!
These 5 young Americans are helping take vitals before the sick see the practitioners.
They also shared the Gospel with every patient.
This clinic has a huge influence in the community and is done in the town church where Cyrus (Dons incredible super indigenous top man) is the pastor. By using the church as a site for medical healing, it raises the level of the church’s influence in the entire town to a level above the secret (demonic) society. The church brought healing! You are supporting the medical clinic which is serving in a local church chosen for its Biblical integrity. This brings people into the church! People’s lives are literally lengthened, giving them time to understand and accept the truth!
Eventually, after highly successful Mobil clinics, the preaching of God’s Word, and growth and development of the Local Gospel teaching church, the time comes to establish a school in the town.
From my perspective, we need more missionaries here to help shoulder the tremendous load of oversight and ministry that is presently carried by one man, Don. This ministry includes: the mobile medical clinics, the Bible Institute, the Group Homes for handicapped children, the child sponsorship program, and the establishment of Christian schools.
From my perspective, we need a missionary to Administrate the schools, which is a rapidly growing piece of the total ministry. We need a missionary to oversee medical clinics and all the medical activities of the total ministry. We need a missionary to oversee the child sponsorship program. We need a missionary to oversee church planting and Bible teaching throughout the ministry.
We need His Hands and feet!
On another note, we are building a town! We have enjoyed having 5 Engineers here from Toledo University who have staked out the properties for us. This includes foster homes that can foster up to seven special needs kids. The initial village includes 11 homes and is infinitely expandable. There will be another structure built with a therapy room for daily physical therapy, a kitchen with full time staff, and a dinning hall. Included will also be offices and a clinic. This plan will eventually include a state of the art hospital where outsiders can come for help with their special needs children and receive training in physical therapy and the care of these children.
The well is in the center of the courtyard. The well is 45 feet deep and hand dug! I was amassed at the bravery of the workers who climbed 45 feet into the earth by simple dimples in the clay walls for footholds! All of this was built this year.
We also host the Bible Institute in faithful churches that teach the Gospel truthfully and exclusively. I refer to the fact that the vast majority of Liberian churches blend some Bible with demonic tribal superstitions and witchcraft, meaning the Gospel is totally broken in their teaching. All church leaders are welcome to attend the Bible Institute and many have become Christians as a result of the teaching. They are expected to totally learn and be tested on the Biblical material presented. This month the Institute was taught by the 5 man team from America and they presented 1st John. Next month, I will be presenting the book of James. Liberia is 80% illiterate making the Institute essential!
Prince, the staff artist, paints pictures that help display the Biblical text. These pictures are used to teach Scripture and are sent home with the leaders that can pass the test over the material to be used in their churches. If they can’t pass the test they are not given material to take home, thus preventing false teaching.
One Missionary administrates it all, Don. I did mention that we need additional Missionaries and we need them now! As if this is not enough, church planting is a growing angst in the hearts of the team members. We have 2 leaders designated for this mission but right now they are needed at the work site, the group homes, the Mobile Clinic and the Bible Institute. I forgot to mention that every team member has a spouse and children and many, many additional mouthed to feed living in their small African homes. They have to walk to the community well and carry water for their households every day. They are all husbands, wife’s, dads, and moms and serugate parents to many, many! Most of their homes support more individuals than the family core within the home, for example, the staff member may have a spouse and 4 naturally born children of their own, but also has nephews, nieces, grand parents or distant relatives also living in and depending on the provisions of food and shelter in the home.
This ministry is exponentially productive. One Missionary is simply not enough! There is always a greater need for funding and sponsorship. Don won’t mention it but I will, I know it first hand! Everything is stretch and squeezed to the max! Ministry costs and it costs a lot! Each month the needs are far, far beyond the supply. Think of it as “buying” a soul if you must but in Africa they are easy to win by the bunches! America has a church on every city block. We are totally without excuse! Africa is ripe for the harvest and the Muslims are taking advantage of it. Let us light an ever burning fire in Liberia where we have a trusted and true Gospel spreading Missionary.
Did I forget to mention that we need a Land Cruiser that can get the job done. Then we will have two vehicles for Mobile Medical Clinic. This second car is also essential for transporting special needs children from His Safe Haven’s group homes. A mere $30,000ish. Need a pet project? We paid $1,000 for a starter for the present Land Cruiser, that has 200 thousand miles on it, that starter costs $94 in the US but corruption is huge here! Don’s a minister not a mechanic. The last two Mobile Medical Clinics we traveled by Land Cruiser and Dennis’s (Group Home Chef) Toyota car! Reference the picture of the road that little car traveled. Four wheel drive and a high chassis would just be sensible right?
I extend the love of Jesus and the opportunity to be a part of this enormously effective ministry. Fall in love with Africa! All are welcome!
Donald A. Riley Sr. (The Dad)
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