February 2013

December 2012 found Stan Olsen, CEO, back in Liberia making arrangements for the clinic’s groundbreaking with Rev. Chris Kowula, Kuwaa Mission Field Director and Darlenston Coldheart, Contractor.  Despite heavier than normal rains this past rainy season we were able to start the transportation of 120 bags of cement shipped from Monrovia to Fassama by commercial vehicle, a 12+ hour trip.  From Fassama the bags are transported by motorbike 3 hours to Kondesu.  The actual construction begins this month when Cindy Bye arrives.

Stan met with the Liberian office of UNICEF and obtained a booklet entitled “Community-Led Sanitation”.  The goal of this approach is to get the villagers to recognize the need for “them” to take the lead in cleaning their villages of feces which contributes to the contamination of surface water, causing several different kinds of illnesses one of which is eye infections in the children who play in the dirt and play with the animals who get into everything.  The Mission is praying for funds to enable us to start this project during our visits next dry season.

Stan also was able to meet with Mrs. Malai Goutro Gbogar, the newly elected Representative for the Belle District of which the Kuwaa People belong.  She appears to be very concerned about the plight of the people as evidenced by her recent travels on foot thru the “bush”.  We are very hopeful that she will be able to enlist additional governmental assistance for this area.

We have long wanted to establish an income generating program within Liberia to generate funds and to provide employment opportunities.  Establishing such a venture would ultimately would make the work projects and people self-sufficient.  As such Stan met with several logging company representatives to see if we could set up a “Woodmizer” sawmill at their center of operations in the bush.  Several were supportive of the idea but only one was located near enough to Monrovia to make it feasible.  Unfortunately, we discovered the government recently instituted a moratorium on all logging due to “issues” with the issuance of permits.  We are praying that the issues will be resolved with both the companies and various people within the government.  Until these issues are resolved our sawmill plans are on hold.

Two years ago I visited with the international NGO ChildFund and had explained our desire to establish a clinic in the Kuwaa Area.  ChildFund was, and still is, involved in healthcare in Gbarpolu County in which the Belle District is located.  I informed the Director that we were starting construction, and he was very excited.  ChildFund will work with the county health department to try to staff and supply the clinic.   ChildFund has agreed to pay the salaries for the first 3 years!

Please consider making a donation to help to make the opening of the clinic a reality in the near future.  Your prayers and donations make the work possible.  The Kuwaa people and the Mission’s Board of Directors thank God for you, our partners in mission.

Your brother in Christ,

Stan

PDF Prayer Letter Link

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2.   Make out check and send to:

       Bethany Lutheran Church,  1340 8th Street,  Slidell, LA 70458

1.   Go to the Kuwaa Mission Website at www.kuwaamission.org:

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The Kuwaa Mission
c/o Bethany Lutheran Church
1340 8th Street
Slidell, LA 70458