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Letter from Host

Dear Tony,

Just a little thought from us here in the central of London, as Naomi and I reflect on how the Lord is using EMMA to bless our people and the ministry of the United Liberia Inland Church.

Elder Tony, other then your profession, we would love you visit Liberia-Saclepea for gospel ministry.

Please read below

God’s Big plan

2011, at our All Souls Springboard meeting, when I spoke to Caroline and Henrietta I did not have in mind that God was about to do great things in the life of our gospel medical ministry in Saclepea. The conversation progressed to meeting

Richard, meeting at Tony’s home, and at each meeting what was central was not just the medical work, but the desire for these medical and nursing professionals to use their gifts and knowledge to advance the gospel in hearts and minds. Finally, the moment of reality arrived, when EMMA visited in 2013.

Moment after the trip, God’s big plan was unleashed. Loraine felt called to serve full time in Saclepea and Amanda, also felt a call for short-term service. Than there was a visit for feasibility study to Saclepea, Naomi and I had the opportunity to go with Amanda and Loraine.

2014 April, Loraine and Amanda had planned to return and start work in the clinic. As nationals we had planned to welcome our first western missionaries since the civil war. I had spoken to some central government officials, and the leadership of Nimba County to be part of the welcome team for our missionaries. But the trip was cancelled because of the outbreak of Ebola in March.

Loraine and Amanda had to wait. In June, they finally arrived in Liberia in the midst of the Ebola, and started work, training some of the local staff in lab and in disease control procedures. But not too long Loraine had to abruptly leave Liberia in August to return to UK as Ebola became a real epidemic.

Having given the snapshot, let me go on to tell you how EMMA had been a great God’s blessing for us. EMMA is God’s instrument with a vision of God and people, unlike the people in leadership in my homeland.

“Where there is no vision the people perish”

This is so true in Liberia during this Ebola crisis. The Ebola exposed the leadership of the country incompetence, corrupt nature, and lack of vision to build and invest in a health system for their own people. No government official and their family use the health system in Liberia, if there is one.

I have no medical experience, but I am familiar with the health conditions in the country. The majority of the people in Liberia have never seen a doctor or nurse in their in their lives. They use traditional doctors and witch doctors. Many women give birth in the bushes, behind houses and in the hands of traditional midwives who are not trained. As peace came to Liberia after a senseless civil war, through the help of our friends here in the UK and Ireland, we built a Christian clinic in partnership with the United Liberia Inland Church in Saclepea.

Liberia, as a nation completely stopped functioning in July this year. The news was very bleak, and Ebola was taking its toll on the nation, leaving in its trail hundreds dead and many more orphans. We praise God that in the face of the meltdown that our clinic has been a beacon of hope during this crisis. Loraine, put in place before she left, disease control procedures which the clinic staff continue to implement and amazingly God has kept all of them alive, as many professional medical personal have died from Ebola.

I am proud of the ordinary people in Liberia. The level of resilience and dedication they have shown in fighting Ebola. Our small dedicated staff in the clinic continues to serve and relieve people of malaria, typhoid, sexually transmitted illnesses, urinary tract infection, anemia, hypertension, etc. They continue to carry out vaccinations and serve pregnant women with the required medication and services.

The good news from Liberia is that, Ebola is subsiding. It is an answer to prayer, and please keep praying for the Liberian people. In the midst of all this, God has been working through our friends and EMMA to prepare for the challenges in meeting the health needs in Saclepea. Caroline Bennett, one of the doctors on the EMMA team , her Church has committed to sponsoring a a midwife in the clinic long term. This funding has been a great help, and we are in the process of appointing a qualified midwife. Ballyloughan Presbyterian Church, Northern Ireland, undertook the renovation of Loraine and Amanda’s house, and the property is now ready for their return. Helen, member of EMMA and Rock Baptist Church, Cambridge, has funded the transformation of the maternity unit. Our guest house has been built, only left to be furnished. We have been blessed, and God has been at work, while things are at standstill in Liberia. Transport is one of our major challenges, we have gathered some fundings, but still a long way to get all the monies we need for the car. Will you help? We need this transport as soon as Loraine and Amanda arrive in March/April 2015.

This year has been an emotional year for me. I cancelled two trips to Liberia, our friends, Rock Baptist Church and EMMA team and Ballyloungan Team also canceled their trips, all because of the Ebola. Currently, we found ourselves involved into relief work, our agriculture work has halted. All the young people we sponsor in school and college lost a whole year of education, and the future of food in the country is so bleak. These areas boil my feelings, as some of you have sensed it in my writing. I do not compare myself with Nehemiah, but he communicated something with his emotions to King Artaxeres (Neh. 2).

I have burden for the people of my country. It is a country that I have seen evil, and I believe that the grace of God is able to do immeasurable work of transforming the hearts of people and will restore the country in its true sense of God’s intended purpose. Please pray with us for those needs. We are so graceful to you and the Lord for all your prayers and provisions.

In the truest sense, EMMA is God’s gift to us and for the people in Liberia. Our prayer is that 2015, EMMA will plan to go to Saclepea, and also EMMA will open its official African office in Liberia.

Thank you never seems enough to you all for your continued prayers and support, but be reassured without them we would not be doing what we are doing. God has been good to us and kept us close to Himself. We wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy 2015. God Bless.

Daada & Naomi, and family