October 11, 2014

It has been a long time since I've blogged, but am going to try to get one done today.  I’m started several but never finished or posted. 

Me and Joe and the car I've been
blessed to be able to use.
Thanks STS!

As you probably all know, Liberia is in a fight for its life against the Ebola virus.  There are more reasons for the spread of the virus than you can imagine:  denial, people thinking they are invincible and Ebola won’t get to them, government chaos preventing supplies getting to critical areas, carelessness, traditions people refuse to change (such as the handling and burying of bodies of the deceased), dead bodies lying in communities for three or four days waiting for the Ebola team to pick them up ( and most times, they never come) so the community ends up with some sort of contact with the bodies and most end of dying as well, and on and on it goes.

The medical and hygiene supplies being sent in small increment by those making great sacrifices to help, sit at the airport or the port for weeks while paperwork is shuffled from government office to the other with rules changing daily.  There are no words to express the power of prayer in all these situations and to walk through it all in the power of God’s presence and peace! 

I recently posted several photos on Facebook of the events of the last few months. 

Here are a few of the special joys in ministry through which we have known God’s abundant provision and blessing:

1.      

Martha Freeman, RN and CSM at
Monrovia City Corps

Joanna Clinton, RN 

From Service to Servants and CM (Crazy Missionaries) I received thirty infrared thermometers and ten thousand medical gloves (12 cases with to distribute to clinics (mostly), hospitals and some organizations who have a steady stream of people coming and going and were in need of the thermometers and gloves. ( It is really important to know if anyone has a fever as this is the time when the disease is contagious.  Not everyone with a fever has Ebola, but they will also know if they need to seek treatment for malaria, typhoid or some other illness.  Wearing of medical gloves – especially for those in clinics and hospitals is so important as Ebola is transmitted through contact with bodily fluids. ) Many medical providers  - especially small clinics - are now willing to see patients with the help of these two items.  I just got some vinyl fabric to make aprons to give to some of the clinics as well – to help protect them.  Getting the thermometers released from DHL and the airport was a challenge and took more than a week to finally get the official papers of release.  Contacting the clinics, hospitals and organizations was such a humbling experience.  Nurses and Doctors cried and gave praise to God for the supplies.  One nurse is expecting a child and said that if it’s a girl, her name will be Pamela.  J  And it’s just because God grants me unique opportunities to be His conduit – His representative on behalf of His Kingdom and His faithful servants around the world.  It is such a blessing to be able to live under the shadow of the Almighty.

2.      

David & Goliath with
 Diana Davies Orphanage Kids

From Victory Praise Tabernacle Church – several bags of children’s clothing to share with the Diana Davies Orphanage.  Spending an afternoon with Diana, the children and staff was joy unspeakable.   We worked on the “David and Goliath” drama and had such fun with it.  (The one my brigades from Atlanta performed)

3.        I’ve received calls and letters from three orphanages and two organizations that work with the disabled who are desperately in need of clothing, so we are thanking God that even now generous hearts and hands are gathering clothing to send.  I often think of all the clothing we stockpile and then get rid of that is in far better condition than anything most people have in Liberia.  If only there was a bridge across the ocean…J

Sorting container items for recipents

Okay, the bulldozer was
on the container and I couldn't
resist climbing up on it

  Receiving, clearing and unloading a container from Service to Servants and seeing that the thirty four recipients of items on the container were contacted and received what was sent for them.  I got to meet the most wonderful people deeply involved in ministry that is changing lives in Liberia. 

5.     

Suzie Guenther Orphanage getting
Manna Rice from FMSC

  Helping distribute Manna Rice from Feed My Starving Children on behalf of REAP and Christine T. Norman.   Ministries receive the rice to feed children and use the feeding program as an opportunity to share Christ.  Many young people are coming to Christ and so many are growing in their knowledge of the Bible through this outreach.  As I read the reports that come in each month.   I have the privilege of hearing their stories and seeing beautiful pictures of happy children.  The process of preparing and serving the food is giving the older youth and adults a great opportunity to serve and grow in their own walk with Christ.  Unfortunately, we ran out of rice in August and are waiting for a new shipment from FMSC to arrive.  In the meantime, we trust God to continue to provide for every need.

6.      

Colonels Gabriel & Monica Kathuri
Capt. Bundu, Johnnason David
preparing supplies for distribution

The Salvation Army in Liberia has been busy gathering and distributing rice and other food items, buckets, chloride and soap for hand washing, and other supplies to Corps, hospitals, clinics and communities in the fight against Ebola.  The Monrovia City Corps recently had their own fundraiser to be able to purchase supplies and distribute them to Ebola hospital units.  Thank you, Salvation Army, for serving in this time of crisis.

7.     

  I spent a day with the people from Victory Praise Tabernacle visiting five villages and giving out Manna Rice, buckets with all the hand washing supplies, and clothing.  They visited several villages the week prior to distribution, determined which villages to pinpoint, met with local village chiefs the week prior to the distribution.  The teens from their church handled most of the distribution and we wonderful at interacting with the village people, taking time to talk with them, share the gospel and pray with people.   What a blessing to be able to go along with them!

8.   

CROPPS donation to ELWA hospital

    Visited ELWA hospital and Ebola unit with CROPPS to give them food and medical supplies that had been collected from seven or eight churches/organizations.  In this group, everyone talked about having some things to share but not enough to go out to do a distribution.  They decided to pull their resources and then go out to represent Christ as a united front.  The tendency is for churches and organizations to hold rather tightly to what their sponsors send and not share for fear of diminishing their support and sponsorship, so this will a big step forward for this group to loosen the reins a bit and step out in faith to share for the sake of the Gospel and the needs in Liberia.  God has blessed them all a thousand times over for their

                                                         faith venture. 

9.      

Hooking up new water pump

Connecting pump wires to the water tank

We are almost all finished with the water project at the CHQ compound.  In May the stand for the water tank that supplies water for six families caved in and cracked the water tank.  We wrote to THQ New York to see if they would help us with a project to build a new water tower, get a new water tank and pump.  We were able to complete the tower and tank in by the end of July and have now purchased an installed the new submersible pump with an automatic switch so the tank will fill when empty and switch off when the tank if full.  Thanks, THQ New York, your kindness is helping us with water for all these families (including me!).  Having a safe water supply is helping us keep safe while the nation fights the Ebola virus.

10.  

Disciples of the Cross - Liberia

Commissioning and ordination of the Disciples of the Cross session.  It was a blessing to lead the cadets in covenant week and attend the commissioning and ordination of fourteen cadets from Liberia and Sierra Leone.  Their commissioning weekend was very small and the Women’s Congress that was planned in conjunction with commissioning weekend has been postponed until March/April 2015.  Please continue to pray for these new Lieutenants as they face some unique challenges in getting to their appointments and ministering in the midst of a very frightening time in both their countries.   And we are praying that the International guests scheduled for the Women’s Congress will be able to join us the end of March 2015.

       Of course with commissioning comes changes of appointments. 

       Here's a picture of officers on their way to a new appointment. :)

Officers on their way to a new appointment

11.   The Command Band. 

I love the Command Band.  The guys (and now one young lady) are improving!  In June, we lost our bass player, Prince Appau, who returned to Ghana and our lead cornet player, David Oloruntoba, who returned to Nigeria.  The rest of the band had a lot of hard work ahead of them and they have risen to the occasion.  I was privileged to get Lavela to make them all a new uniform shirt and trousers thanks to the donations you send through my son, Bill.  The Education Department had some sashes they were not using, so we donned those as well for commissioning weekend.   Their instruments are in dreadful condition, but we manage with what we have and enjoy and appreciate the provisions of God. 

12.  

Teaching for Evangel Christian Seminary and serving as Academic Dean.  The last Saturday of each month I teach a small class of BA and MA Students (alternate months).   Because the university is small (around 75 students) and is registered under a church, we have been able to keep up with classes.  Most of their work is via independent study as well.  November 9^th we are having a small graduation as part of the Sunday morning service at Christ Mission Ablaze Evangelical Church – where we will honor seven graduates:  one MA, two BA, and four AA degrees.  Because the government has all the schools closed at least until the Ebola emergency is lifted (November 6^th), we have to be very careful to abide by the government mandate.  Several locations are doing a modified education by giving young people assignments to keep their minds working.  We are doing that at the CHQ compound as well. 

Bentol Community (where I serve as consultant to Mayor Christine T. Norman) is having it's own issues with Ebola.  I am been working with the Bentol City Mayor's office to get supplies to areas where there are Ebola outbreaks.  GSA (government) finally gave us some supplies for Low Cost Village where there has been several Ebola cases.  

Supplies delivered to Bentol from GSA

 

Thanks for your prayers and support in this part of God's Vineyard.  

This morning I was reading about Jesus and His disciples in a boat on the Sea of Galilee when a storm came up with such force that the disciples we sure they would all drown.  In the midst of the storm and their fear, they cried out to God, "Lord, Save us!  We're going to drown!"  Jesus asked them, "Where is your faith?" Then He calmed the storm.  

Ebola in Liberia has become for us like the storm at sea.  It has caught us off guard and we are crying out to God, "Lord, Save us!  This virus is filling people with fear and death is all around us!"  And Jesus asks us, "Where is your faith?"   And He is here to calm the storm in people's hearts.

I have to say that churches are full and in worship, there is a genuineness and refreshing that is powerful.  People are seeking to know Jesus and have the assurance of eternal life.  The fields are ripe for harvest.

Pamm McKee