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ELWA/SIM missionary, John-Mark Sheppard, is a Bible translator; who has been busy translating the books of the New Testament into the Manya language. The Manya are a group of roughly 100,000 people living in Liberia and Guinea and they are almost entirely Muslim, with just a handful of believers in Jesus. Early this year, John-Mark completed the first draft translation of the New Testament. He is now revising the translation with a variety of people, including Christian pastors and Muslim Imams to make sure the translation communicates naturally in their language and is also faithful to original text. He is hoping to complete the New Testament by the end of 2021.
This was not a written language before he began working there but he has worked with native speakers to develop a writing system. He now runs a literacy program, training hundreds of men, women, and children to read in their own language. It’s been exciting for them to see young men and women reading fluently in their own language and encountering God’s Word for the first time. The Sheppards generally like living in Liberia but have had some challenges recently. There have been several cases of what people call “Jungle Justice” in their local town. When someone is caught stealing, people shout “rogue” and the thief is chased, caught, and mercilessly beaten by a mob, usually to the point of death. This happened one Sunday morning. John-Mark went out to intervene, but it was too late. The mob had beaten him with cutlasses and drowned him in the muddy pond nearby. John-Mark pulled the young man from the water, called the police, but he died a few minutes later with the crowd shouting with glee with what they believed to be justice. The very next day in a nearby village, another young man was caught stealing a $10 mobile phone. The mob chased him for over two miles until they caught him at the top of a hill near the Sheppard's house. John Mark went with their house security guard to see if they could intervene before the man was killed. After securing the kids in the house, Sara walked to the end of the driveway to see if she could hear anything. The mob was marching the thief across the small field near their house, coming straight towards her! The man’s shirt was soaked in blood and they were kicking him and beating him with large sticks. Sarah noticed that many in the mob were their very own neighbors as well as the construction crew working right down the road. They were taking the man down to the river near their house to drown him. As they got near, they stopped and Sara begged them to have mercy on this man’s life in the same way God has had mercy on all of us. John-Mark called the police and calmly stood by the man as the construction workers wanted to stone him. He encouraged the violent, heated mob to please stop and go back to their homes or work. He told them that they had inflicted enough violence and that this man didn’t need to die, that the police would come eventually. Amazingly, the crowd slowly dispersed, leaving the young man to wash in the creek and wait for the police. Sara writes, “Needless to say, these experiences were really traumatizing but we know that God works all things together for good. And through a series of things that I don’t have time to explain now, I realized that God was leading me to show mercy and grace to the very construction workers that we had asked to show mercy to that rogue. Frankly, I was really reluctant. Just seeing their orange workmen’s vests around the community was a trigger, but I couldn’t help but wonder if they had ever experienced grace, or if they knew about God’s love for them. And so, I baked several loaves of bread and three days after the incident, I walked to their working place and thanked them for the mercy they showed that day. To say they were stunned is an understatement, but they warmly welcomed me and invited me to come back anytime. So, I started a Christian-based trauma healing group with these 14 guys, the very perpetrators of that Jungle Justice. They were incredibly enthusiastic and have stopped by the house to share the various ways the counselling group has helped them. In the final lesson, we discussed how we could release our offenders because God has forgiven us and when we release our offenders, we can live peaceful lives, free of anger and bitterness. One young man shared how he was now ready to forgive his stepmother for casting a spell on his birth mother that had supposedly caused her death. Some expressed regret over the violence they inflicted on the rogue. Many wrote prayers asking God to forgive them and to change them into the men that God wants them to be. And I realized that I, too, was at the point of forgiving these guys for the hurt and trauma they caused me. God is truly the great Redeemer! “ EMAUSA would like to introduce you to Moses Gwole, pastor of the International Church of Monrovia located on the ELWA campus.
Pastor Moses’s personal story is one of sinfulness, remorse, sorrow, and finally an awakening to God’s call on his life. Moses was born in Maryland County, in Liberia, West Africa, in September 1956. Because his father served as a pastor, Moses was exposed to the gospel at an early age. His father’s death at age 14 affected Moses deeply. He strayed from his Christian teachings. He started to hang out with a bad set of friends. He got deeply involved in drugs and alcohol and resorted to crime to support his drug habits. Moses’s older brother tried to help Moses by getting him a job in the Bong Mines in Bong County. But Moses left the mines and headed to Monrovia in search of “freedom.” In Monrovia Moses was blessed by his marriage to Ida in 1983. Sadly he continued his bad habits. Moses has said that his wife would have been justified to leave him, but she chose to pray for him every day. Clearly the Lord was at work in both Ida’s and Moses’s lives. About 4 years after his marriage Moses was working at a rice and cement depot. Missionary Daniel Scott came to the depot and asked Moses if he was saved. Moses said yes because he had grown up in a Christian home. Daniel explained to Moses that it is important to read the Bible and follow its teachings. For the next two days Daniel came to the depot to speak to Moses more about biblical teachings. These conversations with Daniel Scott became a turning point in Daniel’s life, for he felt guilty, filthy, and ashamed. He broke down in tears and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior on November 16, 1987. Daniel continued to guide Moses in his Christian walk. Despite the interruptions in his ministerial training caused by the Liberian civil war, Moses persevered. During the ceasefire in 1992, he began attending the International Church of Monrovia (ICM). He attended the Evangelical Bible Training Center and got a diploma in biblical studies in 1996. However, the civil war resumed in April of that same year, and most people left Monrovia and went upcountry into the bush. Later that same year Moses and his family returned to the Monrovia area. In 2008 ICM called Moses to serve as the Senior Pastor. Moses enrolled in the Monrovia Bible College and graduated years later with a BTh. Degree. Today Moses continues to serve as the Senior Pastor at ICM. He and his wife are blessed with 5 children all of whom are serving the Lord. He also provides counseling and prays for patients at the ELWA Hospital. The Evangelical Seminary of West Africa (ESWA) is now just 18 months old under the leadership of Dr. Rick Calenberg. The seminary is located near ELWA junction, only a few miles from the ELWA campus in Paynesville. ESWA’s objective is to offer a complete graduate school program of theological studies leading to the students receiving a master’s degree in divinity (MDiv). Rick hopes that ELWA will serve the English-speaking students in West Africa for many years and will provide them with the theological training that is needed to serve their congregations. ESWA’s challenges are many. Rick and his team are raising the funds to build the campus. In addition, the administrators are setting up administrative systems to manage this graduate school. At the same time, there are now about 40 students enrolled at the seminary. The 1st graduation is now scheduled for June 2021. The quote shown here represents the enthusiasm and the desire of the students in pursuing their studies at ESWA.
ESWA Student Testimonial "In a very short space of time, my personal and ministry life is taking a definite shape. ESWA (Evangelical Seminary of West Africa) is the best thing that is happening right now in the Liberian Christian Community. I have never been involved in a very high intensity study culture as compared to the time I have spent in ESWA. The seminary is not just featuring highly credentialed lecturers but also a balanced gospel view with a high view of Scripture. I can say without a reservation that my soul has found a theological home. I am becoming a better pastor because of what you are doing with us at ESWA. I am grateful." The ambition and drive of these Liberian divinity students motivates the EMAUSA Board to support the construction of the ESWA campus. In our 2020 fundraising goals EMAUSA pledged to raise ($50,000) to assist in building its campus. Wouldn’t you like to participate in this program to encourage these divinity students and to assist in the construction of the ESWA campus? ESWA's vision “To glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by producing Godly servant-leaders for West Africa; to serve the church, fulfill the Great Commission and transform the world. (Matthew 28:18-20).” ESWA is the only interdenominational, evangelical graduate seminary in Liberia. Lee Sonius, EMAUSA Director, recently visited Liberia in person to provide guidance on the construction of the new ELWA radio tower. The existing tower, standing 350 feet high, is about 60 years old and in poor condition. Before the new radio tower can be erected, the cement foundations must be laid and the cement cured. Lee partnered with Kyle Shropshire whose family has constructed radio towers in the United States for many years. EMAUSA, with Kyle's expert assistance, expects to complete the tower's construction in late 2021 or early 2022. In addition to seeing the tower foundation completed, Lee visited with ELWA missionaries and saw all the ministries we support. This included the hospital Malnutrition program, ELWA Academy where we sponsor 60 full scholarships, the radio station and the progress on the building of the new International Church of Monrovia on the ELWA campus. Lee said, "The Covid-19 pandemic slowed projects down but they running full speed at ELWA now." While in Liberia, Lee was able to see the progress on the construction of the new sanctuary being built for the International Church of Monrovia (ICM). This new church will provide new and needed space for the Evangelical Church of Liberia (ECOL) staff to congregate and have their meetings.
Merry Christmas “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27) In the United States and in Liberia, "Peace" would probably be the last word to describe 2020. COVID-19 worldwide and elections in our country have not instilled peace as the world understands it. How does the world view peace? The world’s peace is circumstantial. This peace is totally external and can be taken away in a moment of changing circumstances. A diagnosis from your doctor, the loss of a job, a past due bill you can't pay are all circumstantial peace killers. Remove these problems and you are peaceful again--waiting for the next time you are not. But Jesus’ peace in the verse above is altogether different and has nothing to do with circumstances. It passes all understanding (Phil 4:7). Jesus tells us that God is in control and he loves you. He tells us that "...In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) |
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