Recently in Trip Plans & Reports Category

This year's serving trip to Liberia was an all-guys event, and the projects were scheduled accordingly. Clip Kniffin, Jim and son John Molenhouse, and David and son Seth Parker's plans for the 2 weeks included:

• Dave and Seth teaching addition woodworking classes for the Susie Guenter wood shop
• Repairing the merry-go-round well, and training the staff to maintain it
• Replacing the alternator on the Jahzjet van to get it running
• Clip doing some teacher training at ELWA Academy, and meeting with the Scholarship committee
• A trip to Buchanan to the other Susie Guenter orphanage, to install a swing set.
• Today, Jim, Dave Parker, and the ELWA team will be working in Bentol at the REAP WRT YEE Center, working on the Marian Schindler Building, completing the ceiling, the electrical, etc.

Here's a video describing the wood shop and what the team has been doing.

David Parker wrote on Facebook, "It's Saturday night, Jan 28th, we will leave for Bassa on Sunday about noon, with Jackie and Jeff Jr. as our guides. It's about a three hour drive. We will see the country school, and visit Jackie's pharmacy/clinic there. We will spend one night, and return to Monrovia on Monday evening. We will be eating lots of country chop, and no hamburgers. Last time we enjoyed some craw fish too."

Later, Dave's wife Cathy posted, "Dave just called from Bassa - a village about three hours from Monrovia. Wanted me to hear the singing around a fire in the Bassa language. ... Dave said that Seth winning a couple scholastic arts awards for two pieces of his pottery was worked in as a sermon illustration this morning. I said, "who was preaching??" And Dave said that he was. He said had a feeling that this might happen - so he prepared a bit from Romans 9 ... and sat in the back row. Sure enough he was introduced and invited to preach :)"

Today, Dave had the kids at the orphanage making "pinewood" derby cars (out of mahogany), and a track to race them!

Pray for the team, that they will finish strong, that they will be an encouragement to those they encounter, that God will be glorified in all they do and say, and for protection as they return.

Today we hear from Cherie Snyder Boyer. Cherie's parents, Ron and Gerine Snyder were missionaries with Open Bible, stationed in River Cess and in Sinkor. Cherie spent her first 5 years in Liberia, and it never her heart. We were privileged to have her join our team. As Dan Snyder said, "She's a breath of fresh air!"

April 7th, 2011

Well, I made it back! I returned this past Monday after a 22 hour journey. I can't even begin to explain what an amazing trip it was. I sensed God's presence with me the entire time and really felt the heart beat of God for the Liberian people. Though I had not been there since I was a child 30 years ago, I felt like I was coming home and I wasn't nervous at all. It was so peaceful.

Within an hour of landing, I found myself sitting in the new Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex stadium for the last night of the Franklin Graham Crusade. It was surreal to be in a stadium full of Liberians worshiping God and then even more to watch thousands walk forward to give their heart to the Lord. It is only through Christ that they will find hope and peace from all that they suffered in the war.

During my time in Liberia I was able to be involved in many aspects of ministry. On Monday I had the opportunity to visit the radio station that my uncle purchased just following the war. Through this station, Worship Liberia 101.7 they are having reports as far as Ghana of lives being changed for the kingdom of God.

Tuesday we did two children's outreaches. The second one was the one that impacted me the most. We visited the Susie Gunter Orphanage. At this orphanage there are 39 children. Two of them have special medical needs. I taught a short lesson and told them how each one of them is unique and God created them for a special purpose. I talked about snow, showed a picture of Kate (my daughter) playing in the snow and then showed them how to make snowflakes. They were amazed and I believe through this simple teaching they were able to begin to understand that just as each snowflake is different, each one of them is beautiful and unique too. When we finished the lesson we spent time just playing and visiting with the kids. We loved on them and showed them that we cared for them. We returned the following day to do a similar outreach while a women's conference was going on.

Since returning home to Chicago, my heart is broken for the children I met at this particular orphanage. The staff are struggling to feed the orphans and the special needs children have not received the care they need. Recently, some crucial support staff have been let go due to lack of funding. Please pray for the kids and staff that God would provide all their needs and that God would give me wisdom and creative ideas about how I might be able to help them.

On Wednesday and Friday I spent a lot of time at the hospital located on the campus where I was staying. I served in the maternity ward with the new mothers where I distributed 15 beautiful brand new baby blankets, several beanie babies and spent many precious moments holding newborns and talking with the mothers.

As I drove through the city I couldn't believe the condition the people were living and working in. Many homes are completely destroyed leaving nothing but the cinder block foundation with trees growing up in them. Homes are made from only corrugated sheet metal. The streets are lined with trash and vendors are jammed side by side selling produce, fish, jewelry, old clothes, underwear and anything else they can possibly sell just to make a little money.

There is a great need in Liberia. It is an impossible situation that only God can do a work through. I witnessed God do many things there as a child and during this trip too. I believe through prayer and trusting in Him and the willingness of you and I here in the U.S. we can and will see Liberia become all that God has intended. It was founded as a place of freedom for slaves who were once in bondage to start a new life. Join with me will you, in helping to see Liberia and her people restored to a future of freedom in Christ!

Love,

Cherie

You can follow Cherie on her blog, "Returning to Africa".

Regan Bliss is the youngest son of ELWA and ABC missionaries, Bart and Ruth Bliss. Bart was program director of ELWA Radio, and Ruth was the nurse anesthetist at ELWA Hospital, before they moved up to Yekepa in Nimba County to teach at African Bible College. Regan left Liberia when he was 15, and we were happy to have him join our team as he returned "home". Here are some of his thoughts about the trip.

I would like to say that I had a great time on this now-concluded trip to Liberia. I enjoyed the opportunity of getting to Yekepa to see ABC University as it is called now compared to when it was called ABC or African Bible College. (ed. note: I urge you to check out the Samaritan's purse link for a great article about its work at ABC and the dedication, complete with an excellent slide show).

Becky Chinchen who is the President's wife shared with me in a email before coming to be prepared for a change and yes, it was a definite change to a city that I would call the Shangri La of Liberia. While I was there one of the ABC Alumni who is on staff there told me that Yekepa went from 25,000 to now only about 5,000. I saw buildings that once where homes to families now over grown by the bush or trees, a mess hall that I went out to eat with my family overtaken by the bush, a pool that I learned to swim now devastated. I didn't get to see of all Yekepa, but I saw buildings that looked like were not even touched by the war.

In the midst of all this here I got to see the hope of a University education in a Christian setting by staff who are committed to teaching the Truths for Transformation in order to send out students that would impact Liberia for God. I also was able to:

• see a campus beautifully restored with the help of Samaritans Purse




• see staff that my parents taught



• meet new students



• see my home that I grew up in and to meet the staff staying in there now.

Most importantly, I appreciated being a part of the dedication or re-dedication of ABC as Franklin Graham spoke about having students come from there to teach and to even come back to the US to teach here in our educational system, in order to bring back formerly well-known universities in the US that were originally founded on Christian principles.

Following his return to ELWA, Regan's other highlights included his involvement with the Festival as a Special Counselor, especially sharing his favorite verse, Colossians 3:23-24 with two Liberians who had gone forward to receive Christ as their personal Savior. In addition, he was an outstanding clown at the Children's Festival!

On Monday he joined members of our team traveling to Bentol with Christine Norman, viewing the Youth Enlightment and Empowerment Center (WRT-YEE), and helping with activities for the local children.to be a part of the group that went to Christine's school to hang out and play with the kids. Other of Regan's highlights:

• Settling a fight between two kids that I didn't know I would need to get involved in.
• Seeing Monrovia not once, but twice.
• Visiting and helping at the Susie Gunther Orphanage on a couple of occasions.
• Attending two services at the ICM church. I can remember from when it was in the gym. Seeing Teen Time quiz lead by Dan Snyder.
• Going on the tour of ELWA Hospital to see what is going on there.
• Meeting Jacob Dolo, a long time employee who remembers well working with my Mom. Seeing ELWA radio and listening to an favorite old program, Bible College by Radio.
• Most importantly to coming away with seeing the needs of ELWA and also ABC University for staff, training, and the needs to keep a place running.

Thank you all for letting me be a part of this great trip. It was great to meet the older generation of MK's, along with the Nelsons and to hear some of the stories from some of you from your time at ELWA. Also to meet the spouses of the MK's. I have asked the Lord not to let Liberia leave my heart after what I got to see. I hope that this trip that I got to be a part of could be a spring board for future trips.

Thanks and may God richly bless you all as you serve him,

Regan Bliss

More of Regan's photos can be seen on his Facebook page, our EMAUSA Facebook Page, or at this link.

Greetings,

All of our team have arrived home safely in the US now and are trying to come back down to reality after such a blessed trip. Thanks so much for your partnering with us through your
prayers and financial support, making this trip possible.

It's hard to know where to begin when so much happened, ministry opportunities that we had planned and those that God just presented to us.

My first week and a half was spent working with one of my ministry partners, Christine Norman, who co-chaired the All Liberian Life Festival, sponsored by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, where Franklin Graham preached for three nights, which included a Children's Festival.

Highlights of this: Our team was trained by the BGEA to be counselors at the Festival. Anywhere from 18,000 to 24,000 attended each night and over 40,000 children attended the Children's Festival. Around 16,000 people professed salvation and are now being followed up by local churches. Medical teams treated thousands of people throughout the country, some for the first time in 25 years. God truly brought healing, spiritually and physically, to many people.

The rest of our trip was equally as busy. Two pastors on our team from Greenville conducted two days of evangelism training and strategic planning with Youth For Christ, the Evangelical Church Union of Liberia and the United Liberian Inland Church leadership - designed to reach Liberia's youth with the Gospel.

For discipleship, we started the process with YFC and several local churches and Bible Study Fellowship. The BSF West African Director came out to implement their Bible study program. Establishing this two step approach of evangelizing and discipling Liberia's young people has been my burden and my heart's passion for several years.

Also, our two pastors conducted three days of basic Bible doctrines training, we restarted the YFC teen time Bible quiz competition program, had three nights of youth rallies, ministered to former child soldiers, visited and ministered to several orphanages, schools, Awana programs, women's retreats, repaired and installed equipment, water pumps, air conditioners, etc. Many more Liberians gave their lives to the Lord through these ministries.

We had meetings to plan future ministry, as well. We met with the Liberian Baptist Seminary leadership in regards to partnering with a Southern Baptist seminary here in the US to provide help with needed Bible training for pastors. We also have camping facilities available and met with Liberia leaders to plan on taking a team to run a camping program. We also planned to provide a trauma counseling and counseling training. Additionally, we looked into the potential of helping Christine Norman's organizations, REAP, establish an agriculture training program for over 40 orphanages. And the BGEA evangelist, RV Brown, promised to return next year to work with YFC.

Additional blessings from this trip are that both Greenville pastors, Paul Flemming and Ken Forrester, who were on our team have committed to return and to take teams from their churches back to Liberia. They said the needs are so great its hard to know where to start and what to do. I challenged them to bring another pastor friend of theirs on each trip with them to get more churches involved. I will be taking a trip back with one of these churches next year. Also, the Lord worked in the hearts of the ELWA MKs who were there, and some of them have said they will be getting more involved with helping in Liberia.

All of our efforts are clearly designed to show God's love in action, to share His word with the hurting and needy in Liberia. I am so grateful that the Lord has chosen to use me in His service there. And I am honored that He has brought you along side of me, and our teams, as a partner through your prayers and financial support.

The results of this trip will continue to impact lives in Liberia for years to come, reaching
more people with His loving and healing Gospel, not just through our efforts but through those of Liberians with whom we were able to reach and train.

Thanks again so much for making all of this possible, for without you none of this would have been accomplished.

May God continue to use and bless you!

Dan Snyder

Our board president, Clip Kniffin, had a call from David Parker last week. He returned from Liberia Tuesday, flying into O'Hare airport during the record snowstorm that left 22 inches of snow, third worst in the history of Chicago. He had to park the car at a church and then took the train back to South Bend (the train had some challenges too, but they made it).

Dave was very upbeat about what was accomplished at Susie Guenter, and hopes that the woodworking shop and sewing center will provide ways for the orphanage to earn money in order to be self sufficient. Most of his time was spent building the open air workshop and setting things up, and he is already looking forward to going back next year to teach more of the woodworking.

Dave was driving with Jefferson in Liberia last week when Jefferson got quite excited that they had just passed someone weaving in their front yard. They made u-turn to go back and see this.

Dave had told Jefferson that he would like to find some weaving to bring home to his wife Cathy as she has been interested in weaving and tried her hand at loom weaving in a class. Jefferson was so excited to see this as he said he had not seen anyone weaving since before the war.

Cathy is in awe of this. Not only is the finished project beautiful - but look at this home made loom ... Ingenious!




Cutting off a "lappa" to sell to Dave. Equals about 11 yards.






Dave paid them more than their asking price for about 11 linear yards ... $20. The Parkers are thrilled to have this colorful art and symbol of the arts coming back in Liberia.

Hospitals of Hope is Christian medical missions organization that aims to improve the healthcare of the under-served, both locally and internationally. Their motto is "Showing Christ's love by healing bodies and souls", accomplishing this goal by using medicine as the medium to first heal the physical body and then using the Gospel of Jesus Christ to cure the soul.

They send both medical and non-medical volunteers, as well as students at various levels in their training, to serve at hospitals in Liberia (JFK and ELWA Hospitat) and in other countries. As well, they send medical supplies and equipment to hospitals and clinics in Kansas and around the world and equip missionaries, both short and long-term, with the supplies they need to provide quality medical care.

This summer, HOH (Hospitals of Hope) had a team of students from Wheaton College serving at ELWA Hospital in Liberia. When HOH staff traveled to Liberia in July 2010, they interviewed them about their experiences. Here are some excerpts from one of the interviews:

My name is Peter Wickwire, and I'm part of a group of three that has come to ELWA Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia for 6 weeks. We've had a blast so far. It's been about 4 weeks, and each week has given us something entirely different than the one before it.

I went to the OR to start with. I'm so thankful I went to the OR. It was a really good landing for me in the clinic. The OR is pretty much like the functioning ER, the functioning operating room. The first couple days were difficult to get settled into. I don't think they were used to premed students coming in. They didn't understand back then that we were really here to be taught, and then, using what we're taught, serve. It was really just watching people, shadowing from the corner, silently watching people.

Really, my "in" was that I watched a nurse folding gauze for surgery and wound dressings, and the next day, without them asking, I just got up and started doing it, and he's just like, "Oh, where'd you learn how to do that?" They kind of realized that we can learn, and so time went on and day after day I started doing more things, learning new things.

I saw a c-section one day. It was the first c-section I had ever seen in my life. The next surgery after that was another c-section, and they're like, "Okay, Peter, you're scrubbing on this one." I was like "What are you talking about?" but I ended up scrubbing on the surgery, and it was a really neat experience.

After the first week or so, I think they really picked up on the fact that really we're here to be taught and really here to just serve them, and they really started understanding that and utilizing that. Also, I think what helped was founding relationships with them and spending time just talking, and learning, and exchanging personal stories and life stories of how the war has shattered this country. It's good to hear their stories of what they had to go through. It kind of opens doors for you to be part of their lives.

I think one of the difficult things for me being in Liberia is this place is really so torn. The buildings you see when you're driving by are a living history of the war that happened so recently. It's hard to be in a country so full of pain and just coming out of that. It's a beautiful time, and yet it's a difficult time.

I think my favorite thing of being in the clinic has not been delivering a baby or stitching up patients but getting to know the Liberians and speaking Liberian English to them and joking around with them and them loving to see that I'm trying to learn their culture. People are really grateful.

This trip has been so beneficial to me as a premed student looking in the future to going into medicine internationally, to use it for furthering Christ and his kingdom, and I couldn't have thought of a better experience for me. They're kind of teaching me what it looks like to use the resources that you have, which here are very limited, to give the best health care possible. There is just such a pressing need for help in this country, and it was good to visualize that. It's a renewed fuel to the passion and fire I had to become an international physician. I really hope to someday come back and serve in a country like this, if not maybe here.

Bill Slater continues his report of their month-long visit to ELWA and Ganta.

ELWA Security:

We were rogued (robbed) as we walked down the road past the Studio one evening, (lost our cell phone, but no personal injury) which taught us a few lessons. We felt it was a good thing because it brought about changed behavior regarding our walking in dark places and notifying security of our adventures. ELWA Security has done a fantastic job in taking care of us and is trying very hard to keep residents safe as well as help the community as a whole. They have an attitude of caring which is refreshing. Of course, we are partial to John Vokpo ("LJ") whom we have known since he was a young boy playing with our sons. He takes his position very seriously and we are proud of him.

ELWA Services:

Judy was able to do a few things that hopefully will help ELWA/SIM. She had two screen doors built and installed in our temporary residence, G9. She also bought material and had curtains made, in addition to picking up a few rugs, bed linens, hangers and cloths. Judy hired two young men to cut grass, bushes and rake the yard. She also bought a shovel, a rake and two grass whips. During our stay the sink backed up and the kitchen septic tank had to be dug up, the roof leaks in two places and the kitchen faucet deteriorated and had to be replaced. The refrigerator finally stopped working after several attempts at repair. We were reminded of what it is possible to get along without.

Some of these are normal challenges of maintaining property in a tropical climate. However, it is obvious that ELWA/SIM needs both financial and personnel help with the property. Many roofs need to be replaced including the one where we stayed. Judy interviewed Rusty Laird (SIM Acting Services Director) who expressed his thankfulness for EMA's help and mentioned other needs such as the roofs. Rusty and his family leave in a week. We pray Alan Shea and other replacements will be able to come and help in this area soon.

ELWA property looks much better than in 2004 with the paved roads and the houses along the beach road well kept. We saw ELWA men working hard cutting the tall grass in the field by the Hospital. The property near SIM headquarters and the Studio could use some work such a removal of palm trees and rubbish on the ground. There are many rubbish piles here and there. We think ELWA needs a tractor that will dig deep holes for garbage and that there be a central garbage dump. A tractor is also needed to keep the high grass mowed.

It is good to see people moving about freely. There seems to be a national movement to clean up and many Monrovia streets are cleaner than we have ever seen them. Abandoned junk cars (known in the past as the "national flower") have virtually all been removed. The traffic is heavy at times but it is not as reckless as we remember it. There are many motorbikes now, ridden by young men carrying one or more passengers weaving in and out of traffic.

Ganta, Nimba County:

We were especially blessed to see so many old friends who survived the war and are back home everywhere we went. The reunions were just wonderful. We took a trip to Ganta, Nimba County, where we stayed with Joseph and Elizabeth Kilikpo (Bill's first hire at the ELWA Hospital Pharmacy) and Bill taught the Young Adults Sunday School and preached at the United Liberian Inland Church (ULIC) Sunday a.m. service. We had wanted to visit this church since we sent them hymnals a few years ago and they invited us to come whenever we could get back to Liberia. The church was packed and the congregation is building a beautiful new church that will be finished soon. It was good to travel up-country again. It took us a little over 5 hours to get to Ganta in the rain and 4 to drive home in sunny weather. Many mentioned the bad roads but we found the roads much better than we have ever seen them. All of the bridges are in good shape with no navigating two logs across a creek or river as we did in the 70's. There were sizable potholes in some places but that is to be expected during rainy season and there was construction going on to minimize these. We visited the new ULIC Bible College in Ganta and the EQUIP Ministry Headquarters as well as the Catholic Leprosy Rehabilitation center. We saw first hand the shop our friends are building to sell merchandise to help in sending their children to school. We saw a lot of innovative projects both in Ganta and the ELWA area, with people rebuilding their homes and doing business to provide for themselves.

Churches & Youth for Christ (YFC):

Bill also spoke at the Sunday services of the (ULIC) ELWA church (this church was a Bible study in John Geain's home when we visited in 2004 and is now in a building bulging at the seams), and the Christian Faith Center (CFC) on Bushrod Island. Additionally, Bill taught the book of Romans over a four night YFC-sponsored rally at CFC and led two seminars at a Saturday afternoon leadership training conference for YFC in Logantown. Bill also led the Hospital chapel service one morning. We attended the ICM church the second Sunday and Bethel Church the fifth Sunday. We heard excellent sermons and music.

We have been especially blessed and taught by Liberian Christians. The church is growing and alive. Many people appear to have a vibrant faith. The enthusiasm and passion in all of the services moved us to want to "lighten up" in our worship of the Lord.

General Comments:

We will carry home and profit by the example of Liberian believers especially Kedrick White, James Kesselly, Joe and Nene Wankollie and the ELWA Department Heads. Their patience, kindness, and leadership are surely the fruit of the Holy Spirit. We are thankful too for Ben Colby (pictured with his family) and Rusty Laird who run here and there keeping things in working order and meeting ELWA's functional needs.

One other strong impression was the willingness of Liberian Christian families to extend themselves to help others. Every home we visited has taken in additional people at great expense to themselves.

Many things happened on our last few days in Liberia. We went out to eat at P.A.'s Ribhouse with Kedrick and Florence White. The food was very good. If anyone reading this comes to Liberia, they should look for this restaurant! We had periods of great meals and then periods of peanut butter, popcorn and plantain chips supplemented with Coca-Cola and the bread Esther brought by. We walked a lot and Judy was sure she would lose weight but she doesn't think it happened. The periods of great meals slowed down that process. The people in Liberia seem to be eating a lot more fish and we really enjoyed that.

We connected with Clavenda Bright Parker (Pharmacist colleague from the past), and Dr. Walter Gwenigale the former Phebe Hospital Medical Director (now the Minister of Health) and we talked by phone to Mrs. Payne (Director of Nurses when we lived at ELWA). We didn't know Mrs. Payne was in the country or we would have gone to visit her orphanage.

Many people came to tell us good-bye. We are thankful to God for the opportunity to return to Liberia.

Bill and Judy Slater are en route to Chicago, and sent this report, written by Bill Slater. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did, and are challenge to continue in prayer for the ministry of ELWA, and ask God what your role might be. I hope you also have a new appreciation for the leaders of ELWA.

TRIP REPORT-ELWA, Liberia

BILL & JUDY SLATER

EMA-USA

JULY 1 - AUGUST 3, 2010

Judy and I were asked by Steve Kejr and Les Unruh to come to ELWA to help the ministry contingent on Kedrick White's approval. My responsibilities were to: (1) act as a consultant for both ELWA Hospital and ELWA administration; (2) mentor the Acting Hospital Administrator, James Freeman Garway; (3) encourage and support Kedrick White, ELWA Ministries Executive Director. (4) help newer SIM missionary staff to learn and understand the history of ELWA, from 1973-2004; (7) deliver a new short wave transmitter tube; (8) and, on behalf of John Corey, deliver a supply of MP3 players to Pastor Jeremiah Kollie.

By God's grace (and Judy's large purse), we were able to hand-carry the short wave tube and deliver it to the transmitter building. It was exciting to see ELWA short wave back on the air. On our first visit to Joe Wankollie's office, we met Pastor Jeremiah and delivered the players.

Over time and in various settings, we were able to share stories of events and people from 1973-1980 and our earlier short-term visits that we believe helped newcomers to better understand some of the history of ELWA.

ELWA Administration:

We both strongly believe that the financial and administrative processes and procedures that Mr. White is attempting to put in place are both necessary and correct and we affirm both his leadership and his heart for the ministry of ELWA. As a Liberian he brings together the cultural understanding of Liberia and the technical/administrative functions of the U.S. Coupled with this is a high level of patience and tolerance. He is courteous in meetings, allowing individuals to speak and listening to all views of a given situation. One of his key goals is to see staff come to an understanding of the needs of the ministry and the role that their good job performance could play in meeting them. We believe Kedrick to be a Godly man, intelligent, able to manage multiple responsibilities and many interruptions in an amazing way. We are sure God has gifted him and placed him in this position.

James Kesselly was unfailingly helpful to us during our time in Liberia with his experience and qualities of patience, humor and a Godly attitude. Judy interviewed James who spoke of the benefits of EMA's hosting social events and repairing the Administrative buildings as well as the educational scholarships given to children. At Kedrick's request, Bill developed a voluntary retirement form and an employee profile, intended to provide information on the various working positions at ELWA ending in the ability to produce meaningful position descriptions. We collaborated to compile and edit a first draft of the Employee Handbook for submission to the Board of Directors, to ultimately be adopted for the current ELWA operation.

ELWA Academy:

The Principal, Benedict Nagbe, "has his act together," and the school appears to be well run. Mr. Nagbe is also the EMA Coordinator of Scholarships. He and Judy interviewed several children who are receiving EMA scholarships using the camcorder and then took their pictures to update the EMA website. They traveled to some of the students' homes and had enjoyable visits with their parents or guardians. It is obvious that the scholarships are meeting a great need.

ELWA Broadcasting:

We listened to ELWA radio in taxis, in our bedroom (from our Liberian neighbor's back porch), and at various places on the compound. We were able to sit in on Kedrick's Sunday afternoon broadcast of music and public service announcements. Judy also interviewed Moses Nyantee for EMA USA. Moses seems to be doing a great job at the radio and has a positive, warm attitude. We enjoyed the programs and the announcers. Thank God for the radio that blesses so many. We did observe that there are a lot more secular radio stations in Liberia now than there were before the War.

ELWA Hospital:

The Hospital represents the most critical challenge in the dual areas of finances and personnel. I provided James Garway, the Acting Hospital Administrator, with a set of forms that will hopefully aid in his efforts to direct the day-to-day activities and also developed an In-service Attendance Certificate, and In-Service registration form, enabling staff to have verification of their attendance as part of their employment record. As part of my mentoring assignment, I had a number of conversations with James Garway, sharing administrative and management principles, offering suggestions, and encouraging him as he continues to develop in this challenging position.

The steps toward financial control and accountability (which will apply to the entirety of ELWA Ministries Liberia) that the Administration is initiating are both timely and necessary.

Despite the challenges at the Hospital, it seems that the continued availability of support from technically qualified and spiritually mature short-term missionaries is a good idea. Administration and the Board of Directors are reviewing options to address key issues at the Hospital. We are praying that their decision will bring about the needed and desired results. The hospital is in need of medicines, new equipment, various supplies and money. May God provide as He sees fit.

The rest of Bill and Judy's report will be posted in tomorrow's blog. We would love to hear from you, and welcome comments about our reports and blogs.

Dear Ones,

Thank God for a beautiful sunny day, a nice breeze and a good night's sleep.

Bill is at the hospital prayer meeting for two days in a row now. Thanks for your prayers. It takes awhile to get organized.

I was able to interview three EMA scholarship children yesterday, and then the video battery needed to be charged. We had charged it before we left home but it wasn't fully charged when we got here for some reason. So today I have two batteries and my little camera and we are going to some distant students.

We have arranged transportation to Ganta (shown as "Gahnpa" on the map) so I will start packing and preparing for that trip tomorrow. Bill agreed to preach/teach for four nights and Sat. a.m. for Youth for Christ when we get back from Ganta. It is a heavy schedule as he will be at the hospital in the daytime and with YFC in the evening. He is going to do the book of Romans using some of the material he used in Nicaragua with Campus Crusade awhile back. Please pray for us. We feel very inadequate but are trusting God and doing our best. I will talk with young women individually who come to me.

I have tried several times to send the small video I took of the transmitter guys and the new tube but I am unable to send it so I will do it when I get home. The station internet was in town being worked on and is now back but still not doing too well. I went to the internet cafe yesterday while Bill was in town and it was really precious the way security won't let me go by myself. Yesterday they took me there on a motorcycle with me holding my computer and bag. He drove so carefully. Then when we came back three of them walked us home. Bill had met me there by then. So we had them in for fufu and some freshly baked bread and jelly. Yummy. My friend Esther bakes me something nearly every other day. We have known two of the security guys and Esther since they were children.

Bill is back now so time for breakfast. I hope I will be able to send this today.

Please continue to pray for the hospital. Things are not good. Hey, Mark Neaman, we need you.

Love,

Judy

Then a text from Judy -- lot's of info crammed in a short message!

Judy Slater has called, and says, "I apologize for the comment about the hospital staff and request that it be removed."