Update

Update

The Latest News from Victorious Faith Refuge Home and Esther's Hope

January 31, 2008

Dear Friends,

This is a long update…long overdue. The first part is a report from Pastor Andrew. He talks about Emmanuel’s situation (Emmanuel is back at the refuge home now.) and how the special funds for Christmas were spent.

At the end is an article about the Truth and Reconciliation hearings that are taking place in Liberia; an effort to bring to the forefront, the truth about the atrocities of their civil war. The article is not for the squeamish, so be warned. It reveals the demonic insanity Liberia is trying to recover from.

Remember to spread the word about Esther’s Hope to others you know who would be blessed by being a blessing to the needy children. There are many children who still need sponsors. We are happy to come and share the story of Esther’s Hope with any person or group who would be willing to listen. Directing them to this website could be helpful as well.

And, as always, we are thankful for your faithful prayers and support for the children of Esther’s Hope.

Blessings,

Pastor Bill Pevlor

Here’s Pastor Andrew’s report…

Dear Rev. Bill Pevlor,

We wish you, your family, and the entire Victorious Faith family in USA a happy and prosperous New Year.

The Lord is making a way for the work here in Liberia; Praise the Lord.

Emmanuel’s Issue:

We really praise the Lord for His favor in Emmanuel’ issue. Their trip was successful by the grace of God. He received a double appointment card (February & March) to stay in Ship for his surgery instead of in a hospital in Freetown Sierra Leone.

The African Mercy Ship has cancelled their long stay in Freetown Sierra Leone and has reduced their stay for about five days or more and then return to Liberia for the last time in their African program.

The change came about as a result of the latest Sierra Leone’ presidential elections.

Any nation where the Ship sails, they enter into a contract with them for a free port, free water supply, and if there is electricity, they also request for a free facility that is to enable them offer their free services to such nation.

They had already concluded all the paper work with the SLPP government that lost the elections in Sierra Leone, so the new government will take time to review their documents and renew their contract. That is why they will only be in Free Town Sierra Leone for few days instead of the 8 months as they had earlier anticipated.

The Liberia government then recently appealed to the administration of the African Mercy Ships to return to Liberia from Sierra Leone for the last trip to West Africa.

The Ship will leave few of their crew doctors in Sierra Leone to conduct few surgeries on patients in the government hospital in Sierra Leone.

But Emmanuel was fortunate to win favor from a lady who pleaded after his screening, that he return to Liberia and have his surgery done on the Ship instead of in a hospital in Sierra Leone. They will be here from Sierra Leone on Wednesday because his first appointment will be in early February.

Report on how the $500.00 USD for the VFRH kids was spent as their Christmas gift:

Though the cost of living is very high here in Liberia at the moment, I managed to spend $15.00 USD on each child. That is about $ 900.00 LD [Liberian dollars]. The cost of a good shoe for kids is $1,500.00 LD or $25.00 USD. But I tried to buy cheap but decent dresses and feet wares for each child. That was $15 x 30 = $450.00USD.

The balance $50.00USD was used to entertain them on Christmas day, specifically for their Christmas party. (We purchased Christmas children play toys for them, pop corn, candies, juices, and extra meal for that day.)

Please Sir, assure all those that contributed to the funds sent, that it really restored the joy in these children and they felt very good that day. May God bless you for adding to the lives of these children in Jesus name.

See from photo how I danced with them on day.

(Pastor Bill can you imagine, that rice is now $30.00 USD per bag in Liberia? Please pray for us)

As for the church, I want to be grateful to God for the increase of His anointing, grace, blessings, souls on daily basis.

Pastor Bill we are closely getting to a point where we will start having two services because the seats are insufficient for us especially on our combined services. Your prophesy some years ago is fast becoming a reality in Liberia.

Please continue to pray for us that as these souls are pouring in the ministry, God should provide us a means to maintain them and respond to their needs as a church of Christ.

Thank God I had this time and favor to forward this mail to you.

I bless God for you, and this New Year is an Extra-Ordinary turning point in your life and ministry in Jesus name.

Pastor Andrew

Here is the article I mentioned...

WE ATE CHILDREN'S HEARTS....

Pastor: We ate children's hearts

16/01/2008 11:55 - (SA)

Monrovia - An evangelical pastor described the atrocities he and his men committed during the Liberian civil war, including magical rituals that involved slaughtering children and eating their hearts.

Joshua Milton Blahyi spared no details on Tuesday as he told Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of his years with one of the most feared militias of the war.

Dressed in an immaculate suit, Blahyi, 37, said it was for the TRC to decide whether he should be given an amnesty or prosecuted.

"I am willing to go to court if necessary," he said. "And I will repeat just what I said here." The tale he told was a horrifying one.

In the days of Liberia's first civil war (1989-1997), he had led fighters from the feared ULIMO - the United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy - that backed the then president Samuel Doe.

Magical powers

It was Doe's 1990 assassination that sparked the orgy of violence that engulfed the country for most of that decade.

During the civil war Blahyi, known as "General Butt Naked", said he led a group of young soldiers who fought naked while under the influence of drugs. They were notorious for their cruelty and use of magic rituals.

A member of the Krahn ethnic group, Blayhi told how he had been initiated into a secret society at the age of 11 and became a traditional priest. His task became to protect all members of his ethnic group.

At the time, he said, he had magical powers that made him invisible.

"Having a special power, I was always a distance ahead of the rest of the fighters when we were going to the front. I used to capture a town first and then I call the rest of the group to clean up," he said.

'Jesus appeared to me'

Before an audience of some 300 people at the hearing, he recalled the atrocities he committed to maintain his magical powers.

"Any time we captured a town, I had to make a human sacrifice. They bring to me a living child that I slaughter and take the heart off to eat it."

He did not know how many people they killed, he said. "But for what I did, it is not less than twenty thousands," he added, breaking down in tears.

The hall, which earlier had rung to shouts of outrage at his account, fell silent. The turning point for him came in 1996, he said.

"A lady offered me her child for my sacrifice. After cutting up the child I divided the heart among my boys and myself.

"The blood of the child was still on my hand when Jesus appeared to me and asked me to stop being a slave."

It was this experience, he said, that prompted his religious conversion and his life since then, traveling the country preaching his version of the Christian message.

Blayhi had come to the TRC hearings of his own initiative. "I was told that TRC can recommend amnesty or prosecution," he said. But he said he was ready to face trial if need be.

- - Past Updates - -

September 10, 2008

August 16, 2008

June 17, 2008