This year's team will be traveling to Ghana and Liberia. Please pray for our team while we minister to the people there. We will post details here upon their return.
January 2009
Les, Jackie, Kyle and Kelvin travelled to the Buduburam Liberian Refugee Camp and to Monrovia, Liberia in January 2009 for two weeks. During the first week they spent time at the camp enrolling students into schools, did rice and clothing distribution, distributed baby formula to moms with sick children, and visited our Bible school student at his university. The people at the camp knew the team would be arriving and had gathered at a local church to welcome them and to praise God! They were so happy that we have continued to keep our promise made three years ago to them to come back.
The following week the team went to Monrovia, Liberia where they visited IFEM Christian Academy, the school that Hearts for Africa has been temporarily sponsoring. There they distributed school supplies, some candy for the children, and had an orientation of the school with Mark and Nicole (school administrators). The teachers and students were overwhelmed by the gifts of books and supplies, as they currently have none of these things! While in Liberia, the team provided some ground training and computer training for Chris, HFA's ground worker in Liberia. They spent time learning about the Liberian culture from their host family and visited WACSN orphanage. The team found five of HFA's sponsored children who had relocataed from the Buduburam Camp and enrolled them into schools in the Monrovia area.
While in Liberia, the team felt the burden of Africa on their shoulders as the many needs of this nation to rebuild from its recent civil war is so overwhelming. Questions such as, "What is our calling in helping the poor and pointing them to Christ?" and "How can this be when North America lives in such richness and many of these people have but a mere existence?" and "How can we go back to our normal lives when there is so much unfinished work to be done here?" We can only do our part and realize that we cannot help everyone. We will continue to work what God calls on our hearts. . .
Thank you, everyone, for your support and prayers for us while on this trip!
Team 2009: Kelvin, Jackie, Kyle, Les
January 2008
Marsha, Skye, Terrie, Christal and Darren went to the Buduburam Camp in January 2008. They brought gifts to the sponsored children and enrolled nearly 30 children into school. These children were overwhelmed with thankfulness, knowing they would be going to school and would be blessed with a daily portion of food and fresh water. The team distributed donated shoes and clothes to the people, as well as rice. Eleven people were set up with small bussiness opportunities and were given the supplies they needed to start. These recipients were so thankful. One lady did a dance to God, held her hands in the air and with tears streaming down her face, she exclaimed, "Dance before God!"
Everyone was thankful that we were true to our promise that we made in 2006 and did not expect us to return. One boy, Micheal, reached out and grabbed Marsha's hand and said, "Auntie, I am so grateful to you. My momma and me pray that God would bring someone to help us on the camp. Camp life is difficult. My momma say God send you. She say that you and Jackie work hard to find sponsor family for us. Auntie, I love you." These are the kinds of moments that kept the team motivated and recharged.
Team 2008: Marsha, Christal, Terrie, Skye
January 2007
Nelson, Daryl, Korky, Marsha, Skye, and Sarah went to Accra, Ghana in January 2007 to minister at the Buduburam Camp. This was our first missions trip and the refugees were amazed that we stayed true to our word. We promised in February, 2006 that we would raise funds in Canada, then we'd be back to help.
"We spent our time talking with those on the camp. Hearing their stories again of the Liberian war and how they came to the Buduburam Camp, I found myself reflecting on my life and how there are days where I think my life is difficult. Do I ever need to get things into perspective!"
"But always in their conversations they thanked God for where they are now. Giving thanks when they have nothing. Their faith is much more than just a time to call out to God when they need Him. They live out what they believe in good times and bad times."
Several people donated hockey bags so we could carry along 12 bags of 70 lbs each of donated clothing, medical supplies, shoes and 300 lbs of dried food donated by the Gleaners. That alone fed 30,000 servings of nutritious food. Praise God! We served children food, bought mattresses and some construction material for those most desperate. We became more connected and in love with the people at the camp. The morning we left, we received many hugs and eyes filled with tears of thanksgiving over and over again. Most of them could not believe that "we would come back again" as promised on our trip in February 2006. They've received enough empty promises. "When you get back to Canada, please let everyone know we are grateful to God for each of them!" You are truly making a difference!
Team 2007: Nelson, Daryl, Korky, Marsha, Skye, Sarah
"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father
is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and
to keep oneself unspotted from the world." James 1:27
