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Page last updated: 8/10/2008
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"Expect great things from God; attempt great things
for God"
William Carey
Missionary and Bible Translator to India
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We are back
from Liberia
The
trip was a good one for multiple reasons.
I’ve updated the daily journals through Friday (the rest is just
the flight back). Carl was able to
come home with us. I still need to
load pictures for the last 2 – 3 days but the journals are there for you
to read. Thanks for taking this
trip with us.
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Update on
Liberia Trip
Due to internet problems this is the first update
since we left Brussels on Sunday, July 28th.
I’ve updated the website pages regarding the trip
which you can see by clicking here. The trip over was good, the trip to the
Children’s Village was tough (13.5 hours). But the visit with Shadrach Saywon and
the other Children’s Village staff was excellent. It’s hard to express the joy that came
from watching the first 6 12th graders being honored
yesterday. My challenge to the
community was that one day a president of Liberia would have graduated
from this school.
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7 in Route
to Liberia for the First 12th Grade Graduation of Willie N.
Wylie Children’s Village.
Started with a common effort by Shadrach Saywon and
Carl Hadley, the Children’s Village has grown by a grade per year until
the first 12th grade class will graduation this year.
You can follow this trip using the Trips to Liberia:
Current link at left or by clicking here.
Please note that, unlike prior trips, there will be
no updates from 7/30 – 8/4 due to being in an area with no cell or
internet access.
Our approximate schedule
while in Liberia is as follows:
Arrive Monday, July 28 at
7:20 pm
Travel to Sinoe County
Wednesday, July 30
Revival services Thursday,
July 31 – August 2
High School graduation
Sunday, August 3
Travel to Monrovia Monday,
August 4
Depart for Atlanta,
Friday, August 8
Arrive home Saturday,
August 9
While we are in Monrovia
you can reach me on my Liberia cell phone by dialing
011-231-665-2187. You can also reach Robert Cuppah at any time (he
is not going to Sinoe County) by dialing 011-231-655-3223.
While
we are in Sinoe County you can reach us by Satellite phone by dialing
008821621805769. You will likely have to provide some sort of
payment information such as a credit card in order to make this call.
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New Vehicle
Shipping Pricing Guide has been added
to the container shipping area.
Use the Container
Shipping Information link on this page to read the updated
information.
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FIRST
PASTOR’S BIBLE STUDY TOOK KIT DISTRIBUTION
On Sunday, June 29, 2008, the first Pastor’s Bible
Study Tool Kit distribution was held in Harbel, Firestone, 37 miles
outside of Monrovia , Liberia , West Africa . The one hour short program
was held at the campus of the Trinity Bible College , starting at 4:00
P.M. Liberian time.
During
the program, a total of 25 senior pastors from 25 different churches were
the first beneficiaries. The enthusiastic pastors expressed their
profound and heart-felt thanks, gratitude and appreciation to both Living
Water Community Church of Vancouver and Service To servants-USA for
bringing them these wonderful resources. They promised to faithfully use
the books for preparing themselves and equipping their respective
congregations.
Rev. Cuppah (see more pictures
here)
A special thanks to John Farness of Living Water Community
Church, Richard Morris of STS-US and Robert Cuppah of STS-Liberia for
bringing this very important project into existence.
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God
uses the military trucks even before they reach Liberia
We’ve secured several military dump, tractor and 2.5 ton
trucks for use in Liberia. Part of
our plan is to sell most of the 2.5 ton cargo trucks in order to pay the
shipping of the dump and tractor trucks to Liberia (cost of shipping one
is approximately $10,000). So
while we were waiting a neighbor asked if he might borrow a couple to
have for his small son’s birthday party.
They had a military themed party and allowed the children to play
in the trucks. Here’s the good
part, they didn’t bring gifts for the birthday boy, instead they brought
gifts for soldiers in Iraq. After
the party they were able to send over a number of items to U.S. service
men and women in Iraq. So even
though we have only sent one of the trucks to Liberia, they are still
finding use while we wait for funding.
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Crown
– Liberia holds conference in Buchanan
Our
own Robert Cuppah lead a team of Crown – Liberia facilitators as they
provided a 2 day financial training conference for 190 pastors in
Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
Rev. Cuppah asks that
you please keep them in your prayers as they prepare to conduct two
seminars per month for the next three months—June, July, and August.
These events will take them to some distant places inside Liberia.
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Dr.
Rick Sacra visits STS office
You just never know who will show up here at the
office. Today one of the Clark
Iron and Metal employees came to my office to say that someone was down
stairs with some items for Liberia.
When I walked down it was Dr. Sacra, medical doctor at the ELWA
Hospital in Liberia. He is
visiting friends in Bristol, TN (or VA depending on which street you are
on) and brought over a van load of medical items for the hospital.
Dr. Rick Sacra with
a ultrasound machine bound for Liberia.
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May
2008 Container on its way. Track
it here.
With the quality help of AFC Express, we are able to track
the containers through the shipping lines. Below is a link and the container
number you will need to do this.
Website Link is http://www.delmas.com/UK/html/accueil/cadre.htm Container # is INBU4864005
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Two Generators Given for Liberia
Stacey Bellflower and Lon Von Kohn with 1 of
the 2 new generators Lon is graciously donating for ministry use in
Liberia
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May
Shipping Container full and leaving today
The May container is
completely full with over 750 packages/items. It will go to the
rail yard today to be placed on a rail car. From there it will go
to Savannah to be placed on a ship. The ship will sail to Rotterdam
where the container will be transferred to a smaller ship headed for
Monrovia. Please be in prayer for a smooth journey and that every
single item on board will bring Glory to God.
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Leadership
Training for our Liberian Board of Directors
Included in the shipping container leaving tomorrow
(Thursday) are leadership training items for our Liberian Board of
Directors, helping to keep our commitment to their ongoing development as
servants in God’s Kingdom. Each of
our 13 directors will receive “Execution: The Discipline of Getting
Things Done” and a 2 gb USB Flash Drive containing over 60 teachings from
12 Stone Church of Lawrenceville, GA.
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Pastor’s
Kits
Early on in our travels to Liberia it became evident that
most pastors did not have even the most basic of libraries, many only a
Bible. So John Farness and Living
Water Church (www.livingwatercc.org)
of Vancouver, WA, asked to head up an effort to provide Liberian pastors
with a set of “must have” study helps.
You will see below what a typical kit looks like. If you would like to sponsor a kit for
a pastor the cost is approximately $150 delivered to Liberia. You can contact Service To Servants at info@servicetoservants.com.
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Robert
Cuppah, Thelma Brownell Cato & Sam Reeves on the newly purchased,
from Mrs. Cato, Congo Town property
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Fire
on Their Feet – The story of the SIM Missionaries of Liberia’s heroic
service to the people they loved during the overthrow of President Samuel
K. Doe by Charles Taylor. This online
story provides an inside look at what missionary life can be during rough
times but also shows the extreme love that causes those called by God to
sacrifice for those they are called to serve.
Approximately 150 pages in length, click
here to begin a journey into the horror of ethnic rivalry and the
beauty of God’s love.
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Service
To Servants has a home in Liberia!
Dear friends, after a year of searching God has allowed,
through the kindness of Thelma Cato, for us to have a physical presence
in the Monrovia area. Today,
Thursday, May 1, 2008 the final legal paperwork was processed and we took
possession of a one acre lot in Congo Town immediately across the street
from the Atlantic Ocean.
We want to stop and first of all thank God for answering
our prayers for a permanent home in the Monrovia area. We asked for three major blessings from
God this past year. 1) A permanent home, 2) a Liberian board of directors
and 3) to get our business ventures started. As of today God has answered the first
two of our “asks” and we believe He is preparing to answer the third one
during the next few months.
Secondly, we want to think Mrs. Thelma Brownell Cato. An African-American who married a
Liberian and lived in Liberia for 20 years. She has a love for her adopted country
and made available this property at a price we could afford to pay. She could have received more money from
others but chose to support the ministry at the expense of her own
personal gain. God was kind when
he brought Thelma into the STS family.
This property will provide a number of tools for STS to
use to reach the nation of Liberia for Christ. First it will provide a permanent
office location. Second it will provide
space for a training program.
Third, it will provide a home for visiting STS guests from the
U.S. and within Liberia. Forth it
will provide a location for one of the ice production facilities. Fifth it will provide a location for an
unloading dock with storage for the containers that are sent over
The one acre lot has two 3 bedroom block houses which are
structurally sound but which will require major renovations. Both will require new roofs, complete
interior renovation, windows, painting, etc. Yet the ability to start with
structures already in place is a true blessing. The lot is partially walled but, for
security purposes, it will be necessary to fully wall the property. See pictures of the
property here.
Hopefully Rodney Edwards, during his upcoming May 3-19
trip, will be able to supply more detailed pictures and descriptions of
the property.
So while we are VERY excited, it’s time to immediately
push the land and building into the background and ensure that Christ
remains in the foreground. We now
have one more tool to use in bringing glory to Christ’s name in Liberia.
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Rodney Edwards to visit Liberian May 3-19
Rodney will be leaving for Monrovia Saturday, May 3rd
and will return to the U.S. on May 19th.
The primary goals for the trip are to:
1. Work with Robert
Cuppah and the Liberia Board of Directors to move more of the day to day
control of the ministry, as well as the longer term planning and
“ownership” to the board. After
all, they are much more familiar with the opportunities and needs in
Liberia than those of us on the U.S. side.
2. Start up as many of
the business enterprises (2 ice production facilities, generator sales
and trucking) as possible.
3. Meet with key governmental
leaders to determine the opportunities to establish construction
equipment, truck transportation and road building businesses through
promotional opportunities with companies and investors within the United
States in partnership with Liberians.
A link is provided at the upper left of this page to track
the daily activities during the trip and to allow you to know how best to
pray for the goals of each day. You
can also find it here.
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Devotions of a Servant
Believe it or not, Service To Servants has
published a book! The book is titled "Devotions of a
Servant" and includes the first year's devotions written by board member
Richard Morris and include the encouragements and prayers of Beccy Lanier
along with over 100 photographs of Liberia, primarily by Gayla Edwards.
 Richard and Beccy have
recently completed the first year of weekly devotions primarily designed
to encourage and educate our friends serving God in Liberia.
If you would like to order a copy of this
200+ page book please connect through the following link and place your
order. You will be charged only what the book publisher charges
plus shipping. There is no profit to Service To Servants or anyone
else involved. We believe that it will serve as a great coffee
table book and as an inspiration to those who read from it.
View
and order the book here
This book would
make a great gift and a great Liberia conversation starter.
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Next
Shipping Container date has been set!
The cut-off for receiving items into
the STS docks for the next shipment is May 30, 2008. The shipping information is as follows”
Goods received by STS until: May 30,2008
Container to Nashville Rail Yard June 4, 2008
Arrival at Savannah port June 6, 2008
Leaves onboard ship June 9, 2008
Arrival in Le Havre, France June 21, 2008
Arrival in Monrovia, Liberia July 13, 2008
(These dates are only ESTIMATES so
don’t send any ice cream on this one)
We have the ability to receive and
store your goods so send them as early as possible. The container is loaded on a first come
first served basis. We have not
run out of room on a container yet but we do come close at times.
Make sure you read all the instructions
and use our shipping labels. Drop
shipments are fine but there are special instructions for those.
See all the instructions here.
Thanks for caring about Liberia.
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Container Shipping Instructions have been Updated
For all who have shipped or may be
shipping with us in the future, please review the revised container
shipping documentation found on the Container
Shipping Information link on the left of this page.
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First Truck Leaves for Liberia
The first of several 2.5 ton all wheel
drive trucks left for the Port of Jacksonville on December 28th.
If the truck clears through customs, the truck will sail on
01/08/08. Please pray that the truck will be cleared through the
port without delay. After the truck is cleared for export we will
pray for each step of journey – safe ocean travel – arriving and clearing
the Monrovia port – service to God’s Kingdom in Liberia – God’s
Glorification.
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Section Added with Quality Maps of Liberia
It can be hard to
find good detailed maps of Liberia.
So as we find good maps we will make
them known here. You can also
get to this section under the Resources area in the menu links about.
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Section Added to Make Known Personnel Needs
In keeping with our logistics service (moving
goods, people and funds into Liberia and information out) we are opening
an area on the website where we will list the personnel needs of
ministries serving in Liberia.
There will be short-, medium- and long-term positions listed. Some will provide some funding while
others will require the volunteer to provide for his/her complete needs.
Please make this information available to those in
your church and Christian community.
God is moving in many people’s hearts and a position on this list
may be just what He has prepared you or your friends to do.
You can access this
page here, through a link on the left side of this page or through
the “Resources” section of the website shown in the menu bar above.
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5 Board Members Currently in Liberia
We are home and the travel journal is finally up-to-date. Please complete your review of it as
much was done over the past few days.
Thanks for your time and your prayers.
On Saturday, Nov. 3rd, Beccy
Lanier, Matt Elsberry, David Bearchell and Rodney & Gayla Edwards
left for Monrovia on a 14 day trip.
See the trip goals and follow the daily happenings (plus see
pictures) here.
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Atlanta Dinner Meeting with Liberian Workers
On October 22 four board members hosted
a dinner at MaryMacs restaurant in the heart of Atlanta for Thelma Cato,
Issac Wheiger and Jessy & Calandra Togba-doya. Thelma, and African-American, was
married to a Liberian and lived in Liberia for 20 years until his
death. She is working to help us locate
property of an office and residence.
Issac is the head of the Wesleyan Church in Liberia and assisted
in the first Crown conference there.
Jessy is a Liberian and together with his African-American wife,
serve God as missionaries in Liberia.
Here’s a picture of everyone at the afternoon meeting and meal.
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November Container Shipment Drawing Near
The
next container to leave for Liberia will leave our docks at Murfreesboro,
Tennessee on November 15th.
All materials should be received no later than the 12th.
Please
see our shipping
page where specific information is available and contact us at shipping@servicetoservants.com.
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Living Water Community Church Sponsors Pastors’ Kits
On
Wednesday, November 3rd we were notified that Living Water Community
Church of Vancouver, Washington had committed to provide Pastor’s
Resource Kits to pastors in Liberia who would not otherwise be able to
secure quality Christian reference books.
These Pastor’s Kits will provide 8 time proven, quality reference books
which will provide Liberian pastors with the tools to better equip their
congregations for worship and service.
Each kit will cost approximately $100. An initial investment of $1,000 has
been made with a monthly $300 additional commitment.
Included
Materials:
A. The MacArthur Study Bible
B. Strong’s Exhaustive NASB Concordance
C. Nave’s Topical Bible
D. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and
New Testament Words
E. The Moody Bible Atlas or Holman Bible
Atlas
F. Knowing Scripture by RC Sproul
G. Mathew Henry’s Concise Commentary
H. Developing the Leader Within
You by John Maxwell
Thanks
to Elder John Farness and to the members of Living Water Community Church
for their wonderful gift of knowledge.
If you or your church would like to join with Living Water in
providing these reference libraries to Liberian Pastors please contact
John Farness at farness@livingwatercc.org.
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5 Board Members Travel to Monrovia Beginning Nov. 3
Beccy
Lanier, David Bearchell, Matt Elsberry and Rodney & Gayla Edwards
will travel to Monrovia, Liberia beginning November 3 and will return on
November 15th.
The
primary goals for this trip are to finalize the STS Liberia board of
directors, plan the coming year’s efforts with Robert Cuppah and the new
board, assist with 3 days of Crown training courses, prepare for the
startup of 4 new business efforts and continue to develop the
relationships that God provides to us through His favor.
You will
be able to follow the trip on a daily basis through the website using the
link in the upper left of this page.
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STS Continues to Assist R.E.A.P Help Children
Restoration
of Educational Advancement Programs (REAP) is a Liberian organization working
to provide children and young people with the opportunity to receive the
educational benefits necessary for the disadvantaged youth to achieve
their full potential as they mature spiritually, emotionally and
physically.
STS
Chief Operating Officer Robert Cuppah is working with key REAP staff
members to ensure that government property made available for an Indigent
Children’s Village is legally transferred to REAP’s control.
David
Bearchell, Jr. is also developing the website for REAP and has secured
the domain www.reap-liberia.com
and should have initial pages complete soon. This website should help make known the
great work that is being accomplished and provide opportunities for
others to provide support.
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AFC Worldwide Express Assists in Logistics
On September 17th David Bearchell and
Rodney Edwards were privileged to spend time with Glenn Henderson,
president of AFC Worldwide Express (www.afcexpress.com), and Warren
McArthur, vice president international sales and service, at their
Kennesaw, GA headquarters.
Glenn and Warren are actively contributing their
extensive knowledge of local and international shipping with STS as we
attempt to operate the logistical side of the ministry in the most
effective and efficient manner possible.
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Another Crown Financial Ministries Conference
On Friday, August 31, the First Crown Pastors’
Seminar was held in Kakata City, Margibi County, Liberia. A total of 90
persons participated in the one day seminar. It was organized by Crown
Financial Ministries-Liberia in collaboration with the Full Gospel
Ministerial Fellowship of Kakata. It was such a wonderful time as many
testified that this was the most balanced and thought provoking teaching
they have heard. Little did they know that God has financial principles
for His own people. The training started at about 10:15 A.M. and ended at
about 5:30 P.M. The team from Crown-Liberia was made up of three
facilitators and two assistants.
By the grace
of God, on Saturday, September 8, 2007, the Crown-Liberia team will
be in Tubmanburg, Bomi County, to also conduct their first Crown Pastors’
Seminar.
It is a
privilege for Service To Servants to partner with Crown – Liberia to
bring the biblical teachings of financial integrity to the wonderful
Christians in Liberia.
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Much is Happening
Things are hopping in our world
right now. Here’s a few that you
can be praying/praising with us about.
§ First “all STS”
container arrived and out of the port.
§ STS is actively
seeking a permanent location in Monrovia.
§ First STS ice
business can start as soon as a location is secured.*
§ Second container is
set to ship out Sept. 13th and it will be full. This will be our 2nd ice
business.* Included on the load are
5,232 school notebooks that have been purchased so far plus other school
supplies. It’s not too late to
provide school supplies for this trip.
§ Generator sales and
service business should start by early November pending a location. STS is to serve the Generators for the
Gospel project in Liberia.*
§ Military truck is
set to ship out at the end of September.
This will be our first transportation business.* Read the following All Africa news site
article to understand the important part this can play in helping the
people of Liberia: http://allafrica.com/stories/200708210469.html
§ Five STS board
members will visit Liberia in November.
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