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Greetings in the name of the God who is the only true source of peace and to the one who is crowned its prince!!
THE LIBERIAN SITUATION
As we hear from our friends and coworkers in Liberia, we understand that the first wave of demonstrations passed without major event, neither in conflict nor in resolution.
This week now begins a week of more demonstrations. We are before the Father on behalf of all involved. We ask you do the same. These all seem to be focused in certain sections of Monrovia, the capital city; and a hundred miles from where Fair Shake Village is focused. Yet, the economy continues its downward spiral so the challenges continue anywhere and everywhere throughout the country. It is a great comfort that our Father is not limited by political boundaries, mandates nor policies in accomplishing what will bring Him glory. So, it is Him we serve and will continue to do so.
So many of those who we know in Liberia are facing such challenges as: no pay for over three months, a devaluing of the Liberian dollar (from 140LD to 1USD a year ago to 202LD to 1USD today!) and a serious doubt that there is a brighter future. Indeed, these are troubling times.
HEALTH NEWS
The last check-up (although delayed for one reason or another) brought the news that after two years the bladder cancer has NOT returned!!! Father, we thank You. Now we can wait a year before checking it again. The active surveillance of the prostate cancer will still require blood work every six months but there is basically NO CHANGE. We will wait for the next blood work before returning to Liberia. All good news!!
WHILE WE ARE HERE
We like to plug into ministries while stateside so next month we head to Utah to work with Utah Valley Church. The fact that five of our grandchildren and daughter and son-in-law are there makes that work even more joyous. We also get to fellowship with a Liberian church in Salt Lake City while we are there!!! So we never allow our hearts to be far from His Liberian children, wherever they are.
At the end of October we start heading to the Midwest and the ICOM gathering in Kansas City in November. Let us know if you would like for us to share with any of you in the late fall in the Midwest and we’ll see what we can work out!!
WORK TO BE PROGRESSING SOON
Because of your help, while we are stateside, the work on the Gathering Center will continue. Funds are now available for doors to be made and hung, screening to be finished and ceiling framework put in place. This is because you have responded with prayers, purpose and pocketbook (Yes, I am a preacher so I have to alliterate). We are still approximately $30,000 away from completion and first furnishings for the Gathering Center. Next up? Seven classrooms for the school!
HOW YOU MAY HELP FOR SUSTAINABILITY
One of the things we are doing while stateside is recruiting volunteers. Here are a couple of needs for short term volunteers related to making Fair Shake Village sustainable:
- Computer networking short term. Once we are at The Gathering Center at Fair Shake Village, one of the ways that addresses the needs of the community is a copy center/internet café establishment. We would specifically need help in setting up the internet café part of this.
- Agricultural assessment short term. We need someone with the agricultural experience to assess our land and its usage for various agricultural training venues (i.e. fish farming, cash crop possibilities, local family gardeners best-method training).
Anyone who has these gifts and the means to help us with this, please be in touch!! These would be need to be in place before spring next year.
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