October Ministry Update from Liberia

By the abundant grace of God, we have come to the end of the month of October 2014! The fact that I am a Liberian who survived in the midst of the deadly Ebola virus that has taken many lives without my family and other ministry team members not falling prey, we are indeed profoundly grateful to God for His grace and to you for your prayers and support. Together, we can do more ministry!  (WE THANK ALL THE BELIEVERS AT THE CHAPEL, BELIEVERS CHAPEL AND HERITAGE AFLAME FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT IN EVERY WAY!)

We want to take this time once again to abreast you of what the Lord accomplished through our teams in order to help expand His kingdom, help transform and impact lives and communities holistically.

I. TRANSFORMATIONAL TESTIMONIES

• By the grace of God our local churches at Forestland, Palmview, Hilltop, Bong Mines, Kakata respectively were able to hold their three days of monthly fasting that serves as the spiritual background for what we do in the physical atmosphere
• The church at the 24th Street was able to carry on a three day revival meeting to help in the process of restoring the relationship of members of that church and community dwellers with God.
• A new cell group has begun in the Redhill Community near the OUA bridge area by Pas. Kayoko from the Walking in the light community church. A baptismal class is ongoing among 16 boys from that community.
• By the grace of God in our master plan to raise 100 potential and emerging leaders in the next 3 years, the Forestland had over three leadership trainings in furtherance of accomplishing that vision.
• Baptismal classes are ongoing at Hilltop, Whenney Town, Foresland respectively in order to help adequately disciple our new converts.
• The Lord also graciously blessed us with resources to carry on Ebola Awareness and anti Ebola materials to Cotton Tree, Buchannan and Palmview communities in October. Upon the distribution of the anti Ebola materials to Cotton Tree Community our ministry was given the go ahead to start a new church plant in that unreached and growing community. We are looking into training church planters to launch into that town next year.
• Through the grace of God, He used us to drill 3 new hand pumps in 3 different localities around Monrovia to provide safe drinking water to these communities in desperate need of safe drinking water. Key among them is the Rockhill Community. A community of over 2000 residents that is very closed to an over populated Ebola treatment center. Due to fear, residents could no longer go near a hand dug well where kids had to cross the street to fetch water. Praise God they don’t have to take that risk any longer.
• In partnership with the well drilling agency we usually contract here to help drill the hand pumps, we were also able to conduct 3 hygiene and sanitation workshops to residents in those communities. It was also in furtherance of the Ebola awareness campaign.
• The Lord accomplished the feeding of over 342 kids at three of our local churches. As you may well know most companies and institutions have skilled down their employees therefore making ends met has become a huge challenge in this critical Ebola ravaging situation. The need to still help is dire!
• We were able to mobilize receipients of the rice donations to hold an hour of prayer for all donors who have been donating to the Ebola stricken nations of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
• We also collaborated with our Food Assistance team comprising of different denominations in Liberia to provide bags of rice to 164 family heads comprising over 772 family members. The beneficiaries included pregnant women, private school teachers, the school of the blind, orphans, widows, Ebola survivals, the less fortunate and the poorest of the poor per se.
• Two wedding ceremonies were held in October among two of our young ladies. These are signs of maturity and growth.
• An associate Pastor has come over to join the Community Church Ministries. He has moved over from his old community and now dwells in a community where we want to start a new church plant next year.

II. MINISTRY CHALLENGES FOR PRAYERFUL AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT
There is no easy path in life and there aren’t short cuts when it comes to the things of God. Therefore we have many challenges that are standing our way, but with our prayers and partnership, we can overcome them as we have done over the years.

• The Ebola crisis has brought enormous challenges to many of our ministry projects and this has brought a dramatic setback to many of our late year plans. Pray that the alord contains it for us.
• We are having a challenge with resources too purchase 5 acres of land for new church plants in different localities we envision planting next year. By the grace of God, we have identified and trained the church planters to start these new church plants. However, without the acquisition of secure lands spots in these growing communities we will have a challenge starting those new church plants.
• We have a challenge to feed Ebola survivals, Ebola orphans and widow who have been destitute because of the Ebola virus. Most of these folks are highly traumatised and needs to church support. We heard that some aun agencies are involved in food distribution, but this doesn’t Erechtheum the grass rooters and these are the kinds of folks we have indentified and are caring for through our meagre resources.
• Our Lead Team members are always on the roads at different places around Liberia doing holistic ministries Please pray for the sustainability of our families and their safety.
• Please join us in plans for the construction of the local churches building projects at Island, Gracefield, Hilltop, Brooklyn, Walking in the Light, Cinta respectfully. NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR THE LORD! Amen!

III. MINISTRY UPCOMING EVENTS
Despite the Ebola crisis in Liberia, God isn’t waiting for that to end before He continues to build His church. The gospel must be preached!!’

• The CCM National Youths Conference
• The empowerment of the Forestland Females Empowerment Initiatives
• More hand pumps assessments
• By the grace of God when our nation has been declared free of Ebola by WHO, we are looking at hold our Annual Convention in February 2015.
• A day of fund raising is scheduled for November 16 to raise at least one cup of rice from every invitee in order to still help other Liberians who are challenged in feeding their families during the Ebola crisis.
• By the grace of God, due to the numerical growth occurring at Forestland Community Church, our Lead Team is working with the leadership at Forestland to launch a Teen’s Church by December 28, 2014. Most of the kids who have transitioned from the kids church to the main church aren’t involved with any ministry. Therefore, in order to get them to still be passionate with the ministries they were involved with at the kids church we are starting a new church for teens only.
• Plans to scout new church plant site opportunities opening in Bomi and Cape Mount Counties. A predominantly Muslim strongholds.

Thanks Saint of God. In closing, here is my question to you. If the Lord can not use this generation to reach the world for Christ, then which generation? If he can not use us now, then when?

– Jasper Williams