Liberia Update

We arrived safely in Liberia and are doing well... The place we are staying is the Baptist compound, across the street from Charles Taylor's empty mansion/bunker. It is comfortable, with plenty of room for our team of eight.

The country is still very much in a very dilapidated condition, with one of the main brigdes in the city recently fallen in. On Saturday after seeing around the city, we bought a foot pump sewing machine and lumber, and in the evening constructed the first wooden bench for the children at the orphanage.

Today we went to a church with walls made of mats, a zinc roof, and a dirt floor. Rich Shoemaker taught adult Sunday school and Heidi and Andrew taught the kids. I preached on sanctification at the service. People came from 3 churches. We had wonderful time. Right after I finished preaching it poured raining very hard on the metal roof, making it very hard to hear anything else. I met with five pastors while other team members met with people interested in their area of expertise. After being there about 4 hours we looked at the church building being renovated by funding from Tenth. Some worked has been completed and they expect to have most of it finished by next Sunday. That day will be the first service of the new church plant with me preaching.

Tomorrow (Monday) we are going to Mother Comfort orphanage home to work all day with teaching, medical check ups, and possibly some construction type work. Tonight we were dividing up all of our materials we brought between the three homes.

We praise the Lord that we are all well and enjoying our time here. It is interesting to see each day new challenges. Keep praying for us.

Bruce McDowell