August 28, 2007

 

Dear Friends,

 

This is a long over-due update.  As most of you know, I’ve been very busy, but I just had to sit down and send you some word.

 

I speak with Pastor Andrew Gombay in Liberia weekly.  Things there are better and continue to improve for the children of Esther’s Hope.  We still need more sponsors for many children.  If you know of someone who may be interested, we would be happy to send them information and talk with them.  Of course, you can also send them to the Esther’s Hope website – www.hope.victoriousfaith.com.   

 

Though things are getting better, life in Liberia is still a struggle for existence.   You’ll see more of what I’m talking about later in this letter.  First I want to share some remarkably good news.

 

Emanuel Quee, one of the Refuge Home children has had corrective surgery on one of his legs.  Emanuel was born with two club feet and walked unnaturally on the sides/tops of his feet.   His father brought him to the refuge home because he knew, with his deformity; Emanuel wouldn’t have a chance without a good education. 

 

The successful surgery was provided by Mercy Ships (a floating hospital that provides free healthcare to impoverished nations, like Liberia).   The Mercy Ship is currently docked at Monrovia’s port.   The surgery was performed a couple of weeks ago, but Emanuel went back to the Ship on Sunday to get some other therapy done to finish the job.  He should be released again tomorrow. 

 

This is a photo of his legs when we were there last January.  Now one of his legs is corrected.  They do not perform surgery on both legs at the same time because that would totally incapacitate him.  By doing one leg at a time, he can still get around on the other while the repaired leg heals.  That means that Emanuel will have to undergo surgery again to repair the remaining leg.  

 

The Mercy Ships doctors have already agreed to do the surgery in about 5 months.  However, by then the Mercy Ship will have left Monrovia and will be docked at Freetown, Sierra Leone, the nation bordering Liberia to the north.  Emanuel will have to travel to Sierra Leone and be there for a time for his surgery and therapy. 

 

Of course, Emanuel can’t travel alone, so a caregiver will escort him.  One of the Victorious Faith Refuge Home caregivers has been selected.  She is familiar with Freetown because she fled there for awhile to escape Liberia’s brutal civil war. 

 

I asked Pastor Andrew how much he estimates it will cost for their travel.  He said the passage will cost $222 per person, one way.  So just for the travel, it will cost $888 – that’s assuming the rates will not change between now and then.  Pastor Andrew didn’t give me an estimate on food and lodging but I’m guessing that we need to raise a minimum of $1,500 for this trip.  That’s a very small price to pay for this young boy to have his legs corrected  - in essence, to have his life redeemed – wouldn’t you agree?

 

If you can help out, please earmark your contribution to “Emanuel’s Trip”

 

It’s the rainy season in Liberia and this is a particularly bad year.  (I’ve included a news story about flooding in Liberia at the end of this message.)  On that note, and others, Pastor Andrew sent me this email early this morning….

 

Dear Rev. Pevlor,

 

Choice greetings in the name of the Lord.

 

I appreciate your devotion and commitment to praying for me and blessing the work that the Lord has placed in my hands on this part of the world.

 

By the grace of God, our prayers are fast receiving results to the glory of God in Jesus name.

 

The bible states that we overcome the devil by the blood of the lamb and by the words of our testimonies.

 

We used to buy water, but today we have a hand pump, the children were eating in their bed rooms with no where to seat, but today they have a dining and study room, the children were sleeping on a few mattresses on the ground but today, they are mounted on comfortable beds, etc., etc. These and many more that the Lord has done, I believe that another problem we have, can be taken care of by the power of God Almighty in Jesus name.

 

Please Sir pray for us that the same God who has shown us his mercy, will make a way in the following areas:

 

Monday morning, the swamp in front of the church, flooded in the entire compound (where the children’s school and library are) for the first time in the history of our being on that site. You can view the attached photograph. As of now, only [adults] can get around the church area.  This has happened all over the city, in fact, most of my [church] members have evacuated their homes at the moment in other areas of the city. This happens after every sixth year in this nation; But it had not been as bad as this year.

 

We strongly need your prayers at this time.

 

Another prayer point we have is that Schools will soon re-open, and I have 30 children to contend with in the area of School shoes, bags, books, tuition, and other School materials. Presently, the children are strongly after me to settle their School affairs. I also have a seventeen year old boy in the home (Osman Momo) who is the captain of their football team, he promoted in the ninth grade and should be taken the national exam this year. He is in a private School, and I need the funds to get him back to School by the grace of God.

 

Rev. Pevlor, I strongly believe, that the God who has started this good work in this ministry is well able to complete by the grace of God.

 

Please Sir, extend my regards to your loving wife and the church in Jesus name. The children say thank you and God bless you in Jesus name.

 

Pastor Andrew.

  

Let me thank you for your continued prayer and support for the children and caregivers of Esther’s Hope.  I will try to be more prompt with future updates.  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. 

 

Blessings,

 

Pastor Bill

 

 

 

Monrovia

 

Flooding has cut off piped water to a quarter million people in the capital, Monrovia, displacing hundreds of people and destroying or severely damaging homes.

 

"Our treatment plant is now in the flood [waters], which has affected the pumping of safe drinking water... into Monrovia," Hun Bu Tulay, managing director of the state-owned Liberia Water and Sewage Corporation, told IRIN.

 

"About 250,000 people would be without piped water considering the estimated population on Bushrod Island [western Monrovia] and central Monrovia who benefit from our services," Tulay said. He said he expected the plant to be up and running again by the afternoon of 28 August.

 

Heavy rains over the weekend caused flooding in Red Hill, Caldwell, Doe, St. Paul Bridge, and Gardnersville communities near the St. Paul River in Greater Monrovia and in the western part of the capital, according to the humanitarian office of the UN mission in Liberia, UNMIL.

 

Tulay told IRIN this is the first time in some 25 years the St. Paul River has risen to such levels.

 

UNMIL's Marcus Wleh, who visited Caldwell community on 27 August, told IRIN water levels were as high as two metres in some areas.

 

"It's serious. That was in Caldwell, which was not the worst hit."

 

On 27 August workers with the Liberian Red Cross Society travelled throughout the communities in canoes to assess the damage.

 

A team of UN humanitarian officers and government officials is scheduled to conduct an assessment in the affected neighbourhoods on 28 August, Wleh told IRIN.

 

Hundreds of displaced people were seen on 27 August walking from the flooded areas, carrying mattresses, clothes, dishes and other belongings. Many waited at the roadside for vehicles to take them to friends' or relatives' homes in other parts of Monrovia.