I read an article today that stated that the price of rice has risen 74% since March 2007. That is an astronomical increase, nearly doubling the price for the staple food for many places around the world, including Sierra Leone. For a place where many still live on a dollar a day or less, these rising costs are contributing to more malnutrition and hunger issues in an already struggling nation.
If you're interested in more information, the BBC gives a good breakdown on the rising costs of food around the world: The cost of food: facts and figures
Monday, April 21, 2008
Doctors forgo local practice for jobs in Africa
I thought this was a great article about a couple from Ohio moving to northern Sierra Leone to run a hospital. There is a huge need in Sierra Leone for medical professionals. For the full text of the article, click below:
"We just really felt called: 'This is what we're going to do,'•" recalled Dr. Karen Asher, whose husband is in Kamakwie getting guidance from the departing longtime director.
The Ashers and their youngest, Matthew, 14, plan to move to Kamakwie this fall after raising funding - $60,000 a year, including their combined salary of $17,000 - and finishing work in the Toledo area. In November, the doctors closed their Toledo family medicine practice after 14 years, although they still have patients in nursing homes and elsewhere.
By JULIE M. McKINNON
The Ashers long had planned to do full-time medical mission work, probably somewhere in Central America, after their three children graduated from college. But when Drs. Thomas and Karen Asher learned Kamakwie Wesleyan Hospital in Sierra Leone was in dire need of a director, their career-mission timing was accelerated by at least eight years.
"We just really felt called: 'This is what we're going to do,'•" recalled Dr. Karen Asher, whose husband is in Kamakwie getting guidance from the departing longtime director.
The Ashers and their youngest, Matthew, 14, plan to move to Kamakwie this fall after raising funding - $60,000 a year, including their combined salary of $17,000 - and finishing work in the Toledo area. In November, the doctors closed their Toledo family medicine practice after 14 years, although they still have patients in nursing homes and elsewhere.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
April Prayer Letter
Dear loved ones:
I (Laura) have been reading in Isaiah some recently, and I wanted to share a few verses with you that really struck me:
These verses share a promise new heavens and a new earth. It seems to be a two-fold promise—a promise of things not only in the afterlife, but also to the Jews in their return from exile in Babylon, to offer them hope of a new Jerusalem. What a beautiful picture these verses paint! My heart aches for a place where there is no weeping or death, a place where life will be rich and good, where none of our hard work will ever be in vain.
A few weeks ago, my friend Kim wrote to me to share some sad news. Kim lived in Sierra Leone for about 6 months last year, working in an orphanage near the city of Bo. While she was there, one of her main tasks was caring for an infant named Solomon; she basically became his adopted mom for those months. Solomon was small for his age and malnourished, but while loved and nurtured by Kim, he seemed to be growing and gaining strength. She returned to the US a few months ago, and Solomon continued to receive loving care from the other staff at the orphanage. However, on March 5, little Solomon passed away. They weren’t really sure why—it just seemed that his little body wasn’t developing properly and he didn’t have the strength to fight off a sickness that came his way a few days prior.
About the same time that I read the email from Kim, I received the news that my 97 year old grandfather had also gone to be with the Lord. My grandfather had been such a gentle, constant presence throughout my life, and his funeral was truly a celebration of his life. Grandpa had a story for almost every topic, and I always loved hearing him reminisce about his days growing up in West Virginia and working in Akron. At his funeral, though, I got to hear many other stories about my grandfather—stories about his faith, courage and love, stories about the countless lives he touched in his 97 years. Although we rejoice that he is with Jesus and no longer suffering, his passing has certainly left an empty spot in the family, especially for my grandmother, his wife of nearly 72 years.
On this one day, March 5, 2008, these two went to be with Jesus. On this day, I sat with my Bible, and read Isaiah 65, thanking God for these two lives and longing for that day when, like in Isaiah 65:20, babies like Solomon won’t die so young, and when a 97 year old grandfather will be considered a mere youth. Both Solomon and my Grandpa touched so many lives, each one in unique and profound ways. I am grateful that these two individuals have been a part of my life, and that I have been forever changed by knowing and loving them.
It is our continued hope and prayer for Change One that each person we minister among will be changed by encountering the love of Jesus. We hear constant reports of high infant and child mortality rates and short life expectancies for our Sierra Leonean brothers and sisters; we would love to see the day when Isaiah 65 could become more of a reality in Sierra Leone as well. We hope that we can play a part in this by helping to provide nourishing food, safe shelter, and life-saving medication to the poor in Sierra Leone, all the while praying for the Kingdom of God to come in that country!
Thank you for your continued prayers and support for this ministry. Thank you for changing one.
With love,
Keith & Laura
I (Laura) have been reading in Isaiah some recently, and I wanted to share a few verses with you that really struck me:
Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth…I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth…They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit…They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD. (Portions of Isaiah 65:17-23, emphasis added)
These verses share a promise new heavens and a new earth. It seems to be a two-fold promise—a promise of things not only in the afterlife, but also to the Jews in their return from exile in Babylon, to offer them hope of a new Jerusalem. What a beautiful picture these verses paint! My heart aches for a place where there is no weeping or death, a place where life will be rich and good, where none of our hard work will ever be in vain.
A few weeks ago, my friend Kim wrote to me to share some sad news. Kim lived in Sierra Leone for about 6 months last year, working in an orphanage near the city of Bo. While she was there, one of her main tasks was caring for an infant named Solomon; she basically became his adopted mom for those months. Solomon was small for his age and malnourished, but while loved and nurtured by Kim, he seemed to be growing and gaining strength. She returned to the US a few months ago, and Solomon continued to receive loving care from the other staff at the orphanage. However, on March 5, little Solomon passed away. They weren’t really sure why—it just seemed that his little body wasn’t developing properly and he didn’t have the strength to fight off a sickness that came his way a few days prior.
About the same time that I read the email from Kim, I received the news that my 97 year old grandfather had also gone to be with the Lord. My grandfather had been such a gentle, constant presence throughout my life, and his funeral was truly a celebration of his life. Grandpa had a story for almost every topic, and I always loved hearing him reminisce about his days growing up in West Virginia and working in Akron. At his funeral, though, I got to hear many other stories about my grandfather—stories about his faith, courage and love, stories about the countless lives he touched in his 97 years. Although we rejoice that he is with Jesus and no longer suffering, his passing has certainly left an empty spot in the family, especially for my grandmother, his wife of nearly 72 years.
On this one day, March 5, 2008, these two went to be with Jesus. On this day, I sat with my Bible, and read Isaiah 65, thanking God for these two lives and longing for that day when, like in Isaiah 65:20, babies like Solomon won’t die so young, and when a 97 year old grandfather will be considered a mere youth. Both Solomon and my Grandpa touched so many lives, each one in unique and profound ways. I am grateful that these two individuals have been a part of my life, and that I have been forever changed by knowing and loving them.
It is our continued hope and prayer for Change One that each person we minister among will be changed by encountering the love of Jesus. We hear constant reports of high infant and child mortality rates and short life expectancies for our Sierra Leonean brothers and sisters; we would love to see the day when Isaiah 65 could become more of a reality in Sierra Leone as well. We hope that we can play a part in this by helping to provide nourishing food, safe shelter, and life-saving medication to the poor in Sierra Leone, all the while praying for the Kingdom of God to come in that country!
Thank you for your continued prayers and support for this ministry. Thank you for changing one.
With love,
Keith & Laura
Saturday, April 5, 2008
2008 Ministry Updates
Sanitation Project: Toilets and bathing areas were completed recently in the Grafton war-wounded community. There was a great need for sanitary bathroom facilities in Grafton. In some areas, the latrines were completely filled and people had to resort to relieving themselves in drainage ditches that flowed throughout the camp. For our next project, we plan to dig latrines for a school that does not have any toilet facilities. Students and teachers are currently going into the bush to relieve themselves. We hope to help provide safer and healthier bathroom facilities for this school. All of these latrines will help prevent disease and encourage proper sanitation.
Micro Business Loans: Change One has distributed several loans to individuals and families in the Newton war-wounded community. Some of these businesses include selling rice or kerosene, weaving and dying cloth, etc. As these loans are repaid, new loans can be granted and the program can expand. We hope that the loans will help these families to have a sustainable income in the future.
Medical Team: We are planning a medical outreach trip in late August/early September. We are working with a group of nurses, EMT’s, and doctors that will provide medical care for the war-wounded and displaced-persons communities around Freetown. We are also hoping to do a training session for workers in local churches, equipping them with basic first aid and other fundamental medical skills. There may also be opportunities to offer training sessions in impoverished areas for parents on basic hygiene and health care for their children.
Grafton Houses: We are still waiting on the Sierra Leonean government to offer the Grafton community a land grant so that we can begin building houses. There are nearly 2,000 people in Grafton still living in tents and tarpaulin shacks that were provided by the U.N. nearly a decade ago. We continue to pray for favor with the government officials so that we can move forward with the construction of homes for these families.
Micro Business Loans: Change One has distributed several loans to individuals and families in the Newton war-wounded community. Some of these businesses include selling rice or kerosene, weaving and dying cloth, etc. As these loans are repaid, new loans can be granted and the program can expand. We hope that the loans will help these families to have a sustainable income in the future.
Medical Team: We are planning a medical outreach trip in late August/early September. We are working with a group of nurses, EMT’s, and doctors that will provide medical care for the war-wounded and displaced-persons communities around Freetown. We are also hoping to do a training session for workers in local churches, equipping them with basic first aid and other fundamental medical skills. There may also be opportunities to offer training sessions in impoverished areas for parents on basic hygiene and health care for their children.
Grafton Houses: We are still waiting on the Sierra Leonean government to offer the Grafton community a land grant so that we can begin building houses. There are nearly 2,000 people in Grafton still living in tents and tarpaulin shacks that were provided by the U.N. nearly a decade ago. We continue to pray for favor with the government officials so that we can move forward with the construction of homes for these families.
Prayer Requests and Ministry Needs
- Pray that the relationship between Change One and Pastor Menyongar’s team with IMC continues to be strong, as we partner with IMC on several projects.
- Pray for Pastor Menyongar’s wife, Mariama, who was in a terrible car accident in January. Both of her arms were broken and required surgical repair. She is improving, but we ask that you continue to pray for her full recovery.
- Pray for the land grant to come soon for the Grafton war-wounded community.
- Pray for the Jonathan House orphanage, as they are mourning the loss of baby Solomon. (See also the Jonathan House Blog.)
- Pray for the medical team, as we plan our curriculum and iron out the details of the trip. We also have a financial need of about $4,000 for travel expenses and medical supplies.
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