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pastorob's daily journal
I have recently been moved from one pastorate
to another.
Some of the pages embedded in this website tell a wonderful story.
Should you happen upon this webpage,
I hope that you will be challenged to help in
Liberia.
Big
Stuff over Time
We hav e
been working in a nation where your small
group could immediately implement
some aspect of
the
P.E.A.C.E.
PLAN:
That nation is
Liberia.
Liberia was the
first republic on
the continent of Africa
founded in 1822 by 12,000 freed slaves from America.
Some time
back, Rick Warren led his local church's small groups are being encouraged to follow these
steps.
1. Get Moving
2. Pray
Together
Stop and pray
right now that God would guide your small group as
you go through this pathway.
3. Select a
Country
(that's easy:
Liberia)
satellite shot of the property where the
sanctuary
was being built in 2003 and 2004 (Liberia)
4.
Travelers and Supporters
Small
groups usually have two teams that participate in
Global P.E.A.C.E. The Traveling Team consists
of those from the small group who get on the plane
and do P.E.A.C.E. overseas. The Home Team
consists of those who drop the Traveling Team off at
the airport, wave goodbye, and play supporting
roles. Both teams are vital to the overall
success of the small group P.E.A.C.E. trip.
Discuss who from the group could be part of the team
that travels in the next 12 months. The remaining
small group members will be the support or “home”
team for the first trip.
5. Timing
Consider the
best time of year for the traveling team to go. Past
experience shows the small groups who commit to a
specific time on the calendar are the ones with a
higher success rate. You could specify a season,
like spring, summer, fall, or winter, or a specific
month, or the actual dates of travel. The more
specific the dates, the better!
6.
Leadership
Determine who
in your small group could be the P.E.A.C.E. team
leader or the Co-Leader.
7. Tell
pastorob
pastorob@gmail.com
How might your small group be able to work the
P.E.A.C.E.
Plan
in
Liberia?
(see below)
P.
= Planting Churches
E.
= Equipping Servant Leaders
A.
= Assisting the Poor
C.
= Caring for the Sick
E.
= Educating the next Generation
P.
= Planting Churches
Pastor Richard Wesley planted this
church, the Greater Love Bible Baptist Church. It
first met in his home. Our
small church in Galt, California helped this pastor
build this sanctuary during wartime. Currently, the
United Nations has peace-keeping troops there as
elections will take place on October 11, 2005. If
your desire is to 'partner' with a local pastor,
your small group's trip to Monrovia, Liberia could
result in a wonderful, ongoing relationship with
this pastor (or another to whom he could introduce
you).
E.
= Equipping Servant Leaders
Pastor Richard Wesley and family
Pastor Richard Wesley,
President of the National Pastors' Fellowship
Conference, has had a burning passion for equipping
this war-torn nation's pastors for years. We have
sought help for him to realize his vision but need
some small group to come alongside him in this
endeavor.
CLICK HERE to
learn more
Another aspect of this point is to fight Corrupt
Leadership by encouraging conscientious involvement
in the upcoming elections:
watch and pray
A.
= Assisting the Poor
The ability to provide clean water for those
living at the Greater Love Children's Home has been
delayed by two failed attempts to dig wells. In both
cases, solid rock stopped the digging. A mechanical
drill seems necessary but costs much more than
hand-digging.
C.
= Caring for the Sick
It is hoped that this building will someday serve as a
neighborhood medical clinic. It is being built in
the Sinkor district of Monrovia, Liberia (as funds
are made available). Recently it has been used to provide a
form of housing for 12-15 individuals who were
living together until a fire burned down their
structure. This building still needs to be finished
and those with interests in 'caring for the sick' are being asked to get involved.
update:
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Click on this photo to see the slides of the
newly-opened Medical Clinic next to Pastor Wesley's
neighborhood church in Monrovia, Liberia. At this
point, the clinic is helping people on a small
donation basis.
Pastor Wesley asks that we pray for the future of
this outreach to meet the practical needs of people
in the Sinkor district.
Life expectancy at birth
male: 40
female: 43
Healthy life
expectancy at birth
m/f 33.6/37.0
Child mortality m/f (per 1000): 246/224
Adult mortality m/f (per 1000): 590/484
Figures are for 2003 unless indicated.
Source: The world health report 2005
E.
= Educating the Next Generation
In Liberia the only children who receive an
education are those who can afford to pay tuition
for private schools. Mike and Robin McCall (a truck driver and a
secretary)
went to Liberia in February, 2005 and stayed for one
month. Their only previous experience with teaching
had been for
Sunday School.
They lived at the Greater Love
Children's Home where Mike taught a Bible Story
nearly everyday. He also provided recreation
opportunities for the children. Since their return
to California, they have rallied others to provide enough
food and limited schooling for the
children who live at the home.
Liberia would be a great place for your small group
to make a major difference. Your short-term mission
would be helpful to build momentum to educate
children here.
Could someone please educate these 100
children in Liberia?
(click
here for slideshow of our progress)
Unemployment and
Illiteracy are both
at 80% levels
click here
for a recent report
In November of 2006
this team from Stonegate
Fellowship
in Midland, Texas went to help Pastor Wesley in Liberia
Liberia Well Water
3:08
Greater Love Home 1:29
click
here
and scroll down for the entire
adventure
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When
believers in other parts of our country
decided to raise funds to help Pastor
Wesley acquire a vehicle for his vital
ministries in Liberia. They designed a
webpage called:
Wheels for Wesley
(click
here)
I resigned from my decade-long pastorate in
Galt in order to follow through with the
pulpit search request from the church in
Auburn. Following is an open letter that
Pastor Wesley wrote to the saints in Galt
upon my departure.
 January, 2007
Dear Christian Friends,
Calvary's greetings.
It has been three years since FBC Galt has
faithfully helped the impoverished, indigent
orphans of the Greater Love Children's home
in Liberia. For this I am eternally
grateful.
I hereby humbly appeal to you to continue
the kindness you have shown over the years.
The 30 needy children that are currently
receiving Christian and academic disciplines
will continuously glean hope for the future
as you relentlessly stand with them.
Much has changed in their lives since your engagement with them.
Some could not speak
English and prayer to the God of Heavens but
now are speaking refined English as well as
calling upon the name of God.
Some had no
fatherly, motherly love but now they have
Christian love handed down from your hearts
through your generous giving to them.
Some were not in good health but now are
strong and healthy and some were shy but now
are bold in giving speeches at closing and
Christmas programs.
What a blessing!
What a great Christian foundation you are
laying for these kids as they will look back
tomorrow and remember how you helped them
got through life.
I take this time to thank you for faithfully
serving these children.
May God be with you all and bless the work
of your hands in this 2007.
Ministering His
grace,
Pastor Richard Wesley
Liberia Slide Show
If you click on
any of these frames below, you will be able
to see different slides that show what your
support has encouraged.
 This
slideshow documents the entire time we've
spent with Pastor Wesley...ending with a
captivating photo of 100 children attending
the school that has
been built at the Children's
Home.
 This
slideshow features photos that were taken in
February, 2004 during Pastor Rob's trip to
Liberia for the dedication of the new
sanctuary.
 This
slideshow chronicles the latest project: a
school behind the Sanctuary built upon a
foundation laid about ten years ago.
Click on this photo to see the slides of the
newly-opened Medical Clinic next to Pastor Wesley's
neighborhood church in Monrovia, Liberia. At this
point, the clinic is helping people on a small
donation basis.
 I
am excited to think
about what will happen
next with the Ultrasound
and Microscopes which
have arrived in Liberia.
While Joe was spending
his 80 days there, Al
Warren was brainstorming
about the Medical Clinic
they were building. He
procured the donation of
these items from a
Baptist Medical School
in Nashville, Tennessee.
It was picked up,
crated, picked up,
stored, loaded on
container, shipped
overseas, sitting in the
port, legal stuff,
resisting extortion,
release of conta  iner,
unloading, and delivery.
Thank you,
Denise Shumaker, Al
Warren, Rodney and
Gayle Edwards, Sunrise
Rotary, Jerry Yates,
and Virginia Parker
for making this happen.
What will happen next?!
Click on photo to
enlarge.
CLICK HERE
for AUDIO
Give Peace a
Chance in Liberia
Joe Patterson (19)
Experienced
God
in Liberia for
80 Days
Click here
for Devotional Schedule
click here
for Joe's letters
Click on photo
above to see where Joe was living:
80 Days with no running water, no TV,
no hot showers . . .
Click here
to listen to an audio clip with Joe
and Pastor Wesley--testing the new digital
recorder.
Pastor
Wesley writes:
"...This morning we had a wonderful time in
service. Please find attached a photo of
today's service."
click here
for more
Giants
in the
Land
I sought
permission
to
r eprint
the
article
which
mentions
our
local
church
and how
we came
to be
involved in
Liberia.
click
here
to read
the
article
in its
entirety.
click
here
to read
'Giants in the Land'
video-streaming of selected scenes from
Mike and Robin McCall's trip to Liberia.
 CLICK HERE
for
children chasing
bubbles
1:02
Mike had formed a
bubble ring out of an old guitar string, took
some soapy water and created an environment for
a fun slice-of-life.
Bible Story with
Flannelgraph
5:53
Mike teaches 'the Limbo'
1:23
Jumping Rope
1:11
We Wanna See Jesus
Lifted High
1:19
Do you know your
A.B.C.s?
:14
Abigail and Eunice Dancing
:41
The Wesley Family
1:08
Rick Warren's little church
adopted Rwanda.
Would you
take time
to
look at what they're doing,
then help
us with
our
assignment to reach out to Liberia?
Saddleback's P.E.A.C.E. Plan
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