July 2015 Prayer Letter

 

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July 2015
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Last month I had the privilege and opportunity to represent the Kuwaa Mission at the biennial International Lutheran(LCMS) Women’s Missionary League convention held in Des Moines, IA. Two years ago, board member Lolitha Shepherd and I attended the convention in Pittsburgh, PA.  I met many of the same women and shared the good news of what the mission has accomplished in the past two years: completion of the medical clinic in Kondesu; completion of wells in 14 of the 16 villages; and the VBS conducted  in our former village of Belle Baloma several months ago with over 120 children attending. Together we praised the Lord for what has been accomplished.

I also shared with the convention delegates and visitors   the current project of our Mission.  We are raising funds to help the Kuwaa people to have easier access to the medical clinic from many of the remote villages by building and/or repairing log and plank bridges. These bridges are built for motor bike and foot traffic only at this time. They  will also provide easier access for the farmers to transport their rice and other farm produce to market.

Since the early 1970’s the Kuwaa have had portions of God’s Word and in 1988 the complete Kuwaa New Testament in their own heart language was printed and distributed. The Word of God has been sown, nourished and we have seen the bountiful harvest of souls brought to Christ. Since 2009, the Kuwaa Mission has been involved with the Kuwaa people in helping them to rebuild their lives and villages after the 14 year destructive Liberian civil war. We will, with God’s provision and with the prayers and financial support from our faithful partners carry out this mission and ministry for the Kuwaa. Please consider a donation at this time for the bridge-building projects which begin this November.

Among the convention delegates that stopped by our display was Lopu, a young Liberian woman living in Delaware. We had met in 2013 at the Pittsburg convention. She entered and won the drawing for the book, “Mighty Be Our Powers,” written by the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Leymah Gbowee. Leymah is a member of the Lutheran Church in Liberia and was a leader of the women in Liberia  bringing an end to the civil war.

Na mama o, tegbele gbaa.  (Thank you all very much) on behalf of   the Kuwaa people for your continuing prayers and financial support of the Kuwaa Mission. God bless you all.

Ed Stelling

 Donations can be given in two ways:

1.   Make out check to: The Kuwaa Mission  (send to Bethany Lutheran Church (see below))

2.   Go to the Kuwaa Mission Website at www.kuwaamission.org:  use PayPal to make a one time or automatic monthly donation

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The Kuwaa Mission:  c/o Bethany Lutheran Church,  1340 8th Street,  Slidell, LA 70458 www.bethanyslidell.org
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June 2015 Prayer Letter

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June 2015
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June Prayer Letter by Cindy Bye

I went for a long walk this morning in the Bull Mountains in central Montana.  It was a beautiful warm, partly cloudy day with just enough breeze.   I ended up going much further than originally planned.  I headed towards a treed knoll across the neighbor’s pasture.  Then I saw a ridge off in the distance and wondered what was on the other side.  I was inspired by a walk a few weeks ago with Stan, our CEO.  He wanted to climb a nearby ridge.  I am thankful for the inspiration that he gave me.

We don’t always end up in life where we thought we were going.  We sometimes head in one direction and get diverted by an obstacle.  Sometimes we use our intuition and the path appears before us.  It’s not usually a straight path.  It has lots of bends, hills, and valleys.  But if we listen
to our intuition, it will get us where we are intended to go.   
I think about this as my term on the Board of the Kuwaa Mission comes to a close.  I initially signed up for a trip to Africa to help people get clean water.  I’m an environmental engineer, and I wanted to use my God-given talents to serve others.  I heard Rev. Dick Thompson speak about the Kuwaa Mission at my church in Anchorage, and I knew I had to go.  I didn’t know that it would lead to spending about 9 months in remote villages over 6 years, and getting to known and to love the Kuwaa People.  I was fortunate to see several wells dug, see a clinic built, and
do some sanitation training.  The highlight was doing Children’s Bible School with 106 kids.  It was wonderful to go back year after year and see the improvements in my Kuwaa friends’ lives.

This morning, I thought about the many miles of walking along the well-traveled paths between Kuwaa villages.  I felt that if I just walked a little further this morning, I could look over that distant ridge and see the village of Kondesu or Lowuma.  I’d see the women and children drawing beautiful clean life-giving water from a well, instead of from the river.  I’d see people at the Kondesu Clinic being treated for malaria and getting vaccinations, instead of walking for another 11 hours to the Fassama Clinic.  I’d hear the children singing, “Jesus Loves Me”, as they learned in Bible School.   All of this became part of my life, because I listened to God’s calling.

Three Kuwaa Mission Board members will complete their terms at the end of June: me, Ed Stelling, and Ron Morgan.  I hope that their journey with the Kuwaa People was as satisfying as mine.  I thank them for their service on the Board.  We will continue to volunteer for the Mission, but we are turning over the Board positions to 4 new members.

Welcome to Karen Kuhnert of North Pole, AK, Carol Norquist of Anchorage, AK, Diane Stelling of Lake Forest, CA, and Karen Voris of Eagle River, AK.  

The Board usually meets by teleconference call, but every 2 years, we meet face to face.  We recently met in Red Lodge, MT.  These meetings are necessary to share our enthusiasm for the Mission, make long term plans, and take care of business issues as a non-profit corporation.  
We enjoy fellowship together and pray for guidance in steering the Kuwaa Mission towards God’s end goal.  It is not a straight path, and there are lots of hills and rivers to cross, but we know that with God all things are possible.

           Heavenly Father, we thank you for the work you have done through us to help the Kuwaa People.  We ask that you will continue to guide us.  Be with our new Board of Directors, all of our volunteers, and our contractors to improve the lives of the Kuwaa People.  Be with the Kuwaa People and keep them out of harm’s way.  We hear your call, oh Lord.  Make straight our pathway.  In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.  Amen.

 Donations can be given in two ways:

1.   Make out check to: The Kuwaa Mission  (send to Bethany Lutheran Church (see below))

2.   Go to the Kuwaa Mission Website at www.kuwaamission.org:  use PayPal to make a one time or automatic monthly donation

PDF Version

MS Word Version

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The Kuwaa Mission:  c/o Bethany Lutheran Church,  1340 8th Street,  Slidell, LA 70458 www.bethanyslidell.org
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May 2015 Prayer Letter

Kuwaa Mission-May 2015 Prayer Letter

 

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May 2015

40 years ago, May 1975, 105 Kuwaa people were baptized into Christ Jesus in Konjade where the Rev. Richard Thompson & family lived and worked as missionaries.  The Christ movement started there and spread to other Kuwaa towns.  Peace and joy reigned.  In 1989 that came to an end.  The Kuwaa people suffered under the various rebel groups during the 14 years of civil war.  Their homes and villages were destroyed.  Their farms burnt and looted.  In 2009 the Kuwaa Mission came into existence to help the Kuwaa people find peace and joy again.  The mission planned to focus on helping the people help themselves.  The goal is to help them rebuild the infrastructures of the villages.  The first priority of the Mission was to help the villages dig their own wells.  Too many children were dying because of bad water.  The Mission also helped build a medical clinic in Kondesu.  The clinic will help the people of several towns.  The mission held workshops to train the people about the advantage of drinking and using good water and how to care for the wells and filters.  Workshops were also held to train teachers, and they were held to train church leaders about teaching children and adults Bible stories and religious material.

Plans to start building and rebuilding bridges and roads are now underway.  It won’t be cheap but desperately needed.  Better roads will definitely help the Kuwaa people.  One of our volunteers has donated $6,000 for this project if the Mission matches his funds.  The Board of Directors is asking you to pray about this need.  The more funds received by the Mission means more roads and better bridges.

The work will be much easier and cheaper if a road system is developed in the chiefdom.  More villages can be reached and helped.

I must give a big “Thank You” to all of you who are praying for the Mission and the Kuwaa people and to all of you who are supporting the work program.  The work cannot go on without your help.  I also want to give a special “Thank You” to all of you who have volunteered to help the Mission here or in Liberia.  The last “Thank You” goes to the Board of Directors who have maintained the work of the Mission without much help from me this last year.  Keep up the good work.  God has blessed your work.

Current and Ongoing Work

• Building and Repairing Roads

• Providing Wells

• Providing Water Filters

• Providing School, Student & Medical Supplies

• Build and repair Churches and Schools

• Providing Bibles and Teaching Materials

• Providing Training Workshops (Bible, sanitation, medicine, etc.)

• Providing Scholarships

• Liaising with Government & Non-Profit Organizations

• Finding and Sending Volunteers

• Promoting the work of the Mission

Your brother in Christ’s love,

Rev. Dr. Richard Thompson, co-founder of the Kuwaa Mission

 Donations can be given in two ways:

1.   Make out check to: The Kuwaa Mission  (send to Bethany Lutheran Church (see below))

2.   Go to the Kuwaa Mission Website at www.kuwaamission.org:  use PayPal to make a one time or automatic monthly donation

Word Version

PDF Version

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The Kuwaa Mission:  c/o Bethany Lutheran Church,  1340 8th Street,  Slidell, LA 70458 www.bethanyslidell.org
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April 2015 Prayer Letter



Kuwaa Mission-April 2015 Prayer Letter


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April 2015

Resurrection Hope!

At this Easter season I am reminded that as God’s people in Christ Jesus we are a people of HOPE.  And hope is what the Kuwaa Mission brings to the people of the Kuwaa villages in Liberia.  Through projects funded by your generosity we are able to continue the vital work of building bridges, digging wells, constructing medical clinics and sharing the Good News through Vacation Bible School with the Kuwaa village children.  Thank you for your continued support of this important work.  We are grateful for your generosity and encouragement.

Ways you can support the Kuwaa Mission this Spring…

Kids4Kuwaa Noisy Offerings

Have you held a Noisy Offering in your congregation?  At St. Mark Lutheran Church in Anchorage, Alaska we collect a loose-coin offering on the every 5th Sunday (4 per year) for the Kuwaa Mission.  Children collect these offerings during our regular offering time in metal paint cans.  The congregation is encouraged to “make a lot of noise” as the cans are passed and coins are contributed.  Of course we accept “quiet” money too.  In this way in 2014 we were able to raise over $1000 for the mission and we are confident this year we will raise even more. 

Noisy offering are also great for VBS and Sunday school.  Kids love giving and collecting the “noisy” coin offerings and are proud to contribute to the mission that makes it possible for the Kuwaa children to have safe drinking water and access to medical care.

Won’t you try a Noisy Offering in your congregation?

Buy a Print

We are offering two beautiful prints for sale by well-known artist Marilyn Beth Hughes, previously of Billings, MT.  Ms. Hughes has paintings in many places around Billings, including the Yellowstone Art Museum.  

Prints are high quality (geclee).  Neither are framed.  They are all numbered and sell for $75 each. Normal shipping is $9.99.  

 

You may order prints by contacting board chair

“Pounding”.  Size is 7 3/8″ x 14″.

“Who are You?”  Size is 8 3/4″ x 10″.

As we mentioned in last month’s newsletter, a friend of the Kuwaa Mission donated $6000 for bridge building/rebuilding work.  We need to raise another $6000 to complete the project.  These bridges are of log and plank construction and are vital for the transportation of well building materials and other supplies up country.  Of the 16 Kuwaa villages, only 3 have motor road access.  The others are accessible only by foot or motorbike which require bridges also.

Please consider helping us raise the $6000 needed to complete the bridge project this year.  Thank you for your generous support of the Kuwaa Mission as together we share Christ’s love with the Kuwaa through our water, medical and school projects. 

Gracious God, In this season of new life, hope and joy may we remember those whose daily lives are difficult and challenging.   For the people of Kuwaa, may we continue to find ways to lift their burdens and restore hope and joy to their lives through our gifts of time, talent and labor. 

In the name of our Risen Savior, Christ the Lord. 

AMEN

 Donations can be given in two ways:

1.   Make out check to: The Kuwaa Mission  (send to Bethany Lutheran Church (see below))

2.   Go to the Kuwaa Mission Website at www.kuwaamission.org:  use PayPal to make a one time or automatic monthly donation

PDF and MS Word versions of this letter will be available on the website

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The Kuwaa Mission:  c/o Bethany Lutheran Church,  1340 8th Street,  Slidell, LA 70458 www.bethanyslidell.org
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March 2015 Prayer Letter

March 2015 Prayer Letter

 

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March 2015

We praise God that the Ebola crisis is nearly over in Liberia. There have been no reports of the epidemic affecting the Kuwaa Chiefdom or our national co-workers. Thank you, our prayer partners, for your prayers and financial support during the Ebola epidemic. Through your generous gifts we were able to send $3000 to be shared with our mission partners in Liberia: the Lutheran Church in Liberia (LCL), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Liberia (ELCL) and the Samaritan’s Purse mission organization (Franklin Graham) to assist them in their efforts to deal with the Ebola situation.

This year the mission will be constructing two more new wells and conducting water/sanitation workshops and pump technician workshops. Again this year we will also sponsor a Kids4Kuwaa, Vacation Bible School for over 100 children in Belle Baloma.

Bridges

A metaphor for so much about what the Kuwaa Mission does and about what the Kuwaa people need.  In this case, physical Bridges.  The current ones requires courage to navigate.  Please help us fix this major issue to allow a safer and more efficient flow of God’s love to the Kuwaa people.

Recently, a friend of the Kuwaa Mission donated $6000 for bridge building/rebuilding work. We need to raise  another $6000 to complete the project. These bridges are of log and plank construction and are vital for the transportation of well building materials and other supplies up country. Of the 16 Kuwaa villages, only 3 have motor road access. The others are accessible only by foot or motorbike which require bridges also.

Please consider helping us raise the $6000 needed to complete the bridge project this year. Thank you for your generous support of the Kuwaa Mission as together we share Christ’s love with the Kuwaa through our water, medical and school projects. Also, please keep the Kuwaa people and the Kuwaa Mission in your thoughts and prayers.

 Donations can be given in two ways:

1.   Make out check to: The Kuwaa Mission  (send to Bethany Lutheran Church (see below))

2.   Go to the Kuwaa Mission Website at www.kuwaamission.org:  use PayPal to make a one time or automatic monthly donation

Downloads:

MS Word Version

PDF Version

Unsubscribe – Edit your subscription

The Kuwaa Mission:  c/o Bethany Lutheran Church,  1340 8th Street,  Slidell, LA 70458 www.bethanyslidell.org
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