Helping the Young to Join Hands With the Rest of the World

I want to but I hesitate to put up pictures of my grandchildren.  Yesterday a psychologist told our Sunday School class that predators weren't  likely to hurt those when parents and grandparents were pictured with the children, but I'm not sure I have pictures like that.  I wouldn't want for anything to put these precious ones in harms way.

So, I'll have to tell my story without visualizations. I hope you can picture these precious ones.  We had a 6 year old and 8 year for 5 days this past week, and among the many activities we all enjoyed was creating a STAMP BOOK of stamps from Africa that I have been collecting for a number of years now.

Cameroon
Democratic Republic of Congo
Kenya,
Malawi
Rwanda
South Africa
Tanzania  (even with one from Zanzibar)
Zambia

were the countries Sarah included.  Several days we added to our books.  We got to talk about the tension going on right now in Malawi.  Several times Bennett would suggest that we pray about the "war" in Malawi, as he called it.  We talked about the children in the Betty Jonah Orphanage in Liberia and explained why we didn't have stamps from Liberia.  We dreamed together about going together to Africa when "we are teen agers".   We learned about how big Africa is and where on the continent their countries were located.  We talked about hungry children, about needs for education. etc. etc.

As you see, these unplanned conversations were placing seeds in the minds of our future leaders, insuring that they won't see their own friends, familiar surroundings as all there is in this world.  They are beginning to know, to care and to pray for people they've never met.

We often speak of the power of prayer, and indeed that is our source of strength.  What if we made an effort to share with our children and grandchildren ON A CONSISTENT basis ways that they too can become children who care about "the world".


"For God so loved the world!"

We say this earth is not our home, but are we living too much like it is? What we do in an average day to assure peace and comfort here is not more important than the time we take to instruct and pray for people that are as real to God as we are. Is it good for us to stimulate one another to love and good deeds by reminding one another to reach out, to pray for creative ways we can be involved in "that world" out there so easy not to think about?

Priscilla needs her acceptance letter from Daystar University in Kenya.
She and Albert need more funds to live there this year. (It's a long distance between Liberia and Kenya)
Malue, his wife and children are ALL in school.  He wrote today expressing concern for all their school fees.  Malue is an exceptional young man with great leadership potential.
Armah doesn't know how he'll be back in school this fall;  he's run out of money.
Dave is trying to find a new job as he has a new wife and baby.
Samuel is recovering from surgery to fix the hands that were burned during the war in his country.
James' sister in DRC was in another accident that has hurt her knee after it'd previously been injured when she was shot during the war in Congo.
The Women of Purpose chapter in Ganta County in Liberia is beginning a sewing project.  They need trained teachers, a product to market, and those who will buy what they sew.

Get the idea of ways that we can pray?  Real people with read needs who worship the same BIG GOD that we do.  Let us join hands with them in prayer!

It IS a BIG CONTINENT!

Six US maps could fit inside of Africa. I have visited about ten countries, and will return to three in October. I know of a number of friends who have gone there since I went to Liberia, and then I talked the other day to my friend, Emmanuel from Liberia. He is in Seattle. He brought a young Liberian orphan here for hand surgery. That will take place this Thursday, the 20th. Please pray for Samuel! To read Emmanuel's emails is amazing. Oh, what we take for granted, BUT then to read the emails from Americans seeing Africa for the first time is equally thrilling. We all have so much to give to one another, and if we don't stretch ourselves, we will never know and grow and become fuller human beings.

Emmanuel Jonah brought Samuel to Seattle to have surgery
on his hands, damaged during the war
in his country.

The work to be done in Africa is daunting. How do I ask people to focus on our "little" passion, leadership training, when orphan work, church construction, AIDS treatment, water wells, etc etc are just as desperately needed??? And I haven't even mentioned church planting or the dangerous work one alum is doing in Northern Africa.  Some are working with AIDS patients and some are church planting. After being in Liberia and noting the huge toll war for 14 years had on children's opportunity to get an education,  I sense a need for more teachers on the continent.   I'd love to go back, and yet people like me aren't the answer to the huge needs.

So, I am being vulnerable here, telling you that I struggle with all the different focuses that are good and yet we are diluting the funds that could be given to leadership training. Am I thinking about this in an unhealthy way? Any of you help me?

I am still trying to grow through Africa!

P.S.  Today I got a gentle reminder from a friend  telling me that I can easily lose my "rest" by second guessing God and forgetting that He is SOVEREIGN, knows of all these needs and nothing escapes His notice or care.  He reminded me that I am just to be faithful to my calling.  I'm sorry I need rebuking but am thankful for those who do it gently!  May I live in His rest more and more!

Remember Ruth Paye from Liberia?

Name: Lokiah (WOP) Liberia Chapter/

read on to find out what Lokiah means

Ruth was a junior student at ABCU when I was there.  I even wrote about her and showed you her picture..   She's one of the "mature" students that already has a ministry.  Thanks to our interactions while I was there, Ruth has now established a relationship with EAFC.  This past week we got from her a DESCRIPTION of what the Ganta "Women of Purpose"  (WOP) chapter will look like, their focus.  Ruth's leadership is being felt as far away as Malawi, as another EAFC alumnae and PhD candidate under EAFC  is dialoguing with her.

Hope this thrills you as it has me!

Motto:      Positive Touch of the total being 

Vision

Lokiah envision quality women posted in diverse places of responsibility in post conflict Liberia working in partnership with their male counterparts and/or leaders in upholding biblical principles and precepts of Jesus for the holistic development of Liberia women. 

Mission:

Lokiah which means ‘love’ (WOP Liberia Chapter) seeks to provide holistic programs that will empower women in Liberia to live positive life in collaboration with Educating African for Christ (EAFC) for the enhancement of their lives. 

YEAH! from 1998 to NOW

Japhet Mchakulu from Malawi was EAFC's FIRST STUDENT.  In the year 2000 he received a masters degree in Communications from Mississippi College.  TEN YEARS LATER he was the chapel speaker at M.C.  TODAY I got an email from him that began like this:

Dear Mama Val,

First of all, thank you for praying for the 6th of July. The viva voce was quite successful. I have been awarded the Ph.D. pending minor corrections to the thesis which must be done in one month. This means that definitely I will be in Leicester until the 16th August. This means that everything regarding this Ph.D. will have been completed and closed by then. Then we can put this long running saga behind us and move on to other things. Thank you for standing with me and Mphatso during this time especially the last year when things were really getting difficult.

          Japhet had many set backs during this pursuit of the PhD.  The country of Norway funded MOST of this degree, but then time ran out, and he's really, really struggled with even money for air travel between Malawi and England.

Anyone feel led to help him?  In June, 2010 Japhet married Mphatso.  Wouldn't be great if we could offer a kind of wedding gift for this outstanding young couple who God used to begin the EAFC ADVENTURE?

As always, I remind you that you could give by sending a check to EAFC, PO Box 5303, Jackson, Ms 39202.  May God direct this and all the endeavors of EAFC as we seek to build on such a foundation as this!

Bear With Me, Please

OK,  I don't write daily like I used to.  That's probably a good thing;  everyone has LOTS they can read that's profitable, like the article I read today in the latest World Magazine.  I've read one article 3 times now.  After I've finally digested the meat of it, I might even quote from it in this blog.  Now, that Amy lady who wrote it  shared MEAT worth my time.  I wonder how much more I skip over that could have blessed my life if I'd taken the time to digest it.

  Whether we as friends are enriching one another by "Bear With Me" remains to be seen, but since you have read so far, will you bear with me a little longer?

The following is an email that we got today.   "Tears rolled down my chest" was an unusual expression to me.  I'm used to tears rolling down my cheeks, but not my chest.  But then it was a man who wrote this email.  I got the impression of STRENGTH, LARGENESS, MASCULINITY.  He really did want us to know that our act of partnering with his church was in his mind BIG.

I've been taking a dance class;  (now, I'm imagining your scratching your head wondering how I have made such a LEAP from the email that you will soon read from my Liberian friend to my DANCE CLASS)  But will you STILL Bear With Me?   In my dance class led by a director of arts and ministry in a local church here, we're going through a book,  Embodied Prayer.  Besides learning movements that fit worshipful music, I'm learning about metaphors, how God used earthy symbols to help reveal Himself to us.  When we put movement to these symbols,  the academic, heady knowledge, gets into our muscles, into our heart.

Now, I'm going to tie in the email from my Liberian pastor friend with the preceding paragraph.  "Tears rolling down his chest" was to me one of those metaphors.  I think I GOT IT!  I sense his gratitude;  his wonder at the goodness of God in providing opportunity for his men and women to be trained so that God's Kingdom can march on in Liberia.

Read the email and let me know what you think.  OK? Here it is:

Dear Val and the Educating African for Christ Family:

Tears rolled down my chest I as write these words of gratutude and appreciation to you and the EAFC Family.

Words cannot express our deep appreciation and thanks to you for accepting the applications of these young men and women as they equip themselves in different areas of their callings and giftings. This is in deed a new day for the church and these potential young people after many years of struggle to pay the fees and l;iving cost togeter in preparing our future leaders for the duties that await them. Kindly extend our thanks and appreciation to all members of the EAFC Family for identifying with a church that has experienced suffering nand difficult days for nthe past fourteen years of destruction.

This is indeed a new day with multiple blessings and we want to assure you that by His grace, we shall do all to keep our side of the obligation and responsibilities.

Onbehjalf of the ULIC-Ganta Congregations, we once again say thank you and may bthe Lord's favor and grace continue to direct and shine upon you as you partner with His people across the globe in equipping nthe leaders for today and tomorrow.

The ULIC Churhes in Nimba are in great tear this week after losing two poitential. leaders, one a Reverend by the name of the Late Moses Karnue who I am sure met with you during your stay at ABC  and another one a secretary to the Nimba Legislative Cuscus by the name of the late Mr. Mentee Menyean. This is while you could not hear from me almost six days since you sent the great news.

May the All-Knowing God continue to use us for His glory as we partner for the advancement of His kingdom.

In His Grace,

Christian and Zaye Zarweah

ULIC-Ganta Congregations