February 9th

Today was a long day. I woke up this morning thinking that the only thing on my schedule was to teach the teens at 2:00 p.m. +\-. That was indeed on my schedule, but I wasn’t aware that Emmanuel had 5 other people on a mission trip from Alaska and New Mexico stopping by. Some were old friends of Emmanuel, Dave and Trudy Peterson, who have been here many times including living up in Yekepa where Dave helped to rebuild ABC University after the war and Trudy was one of Emmanuel’s professors while he attended ABC. They came back from having already been to Yekepa to have a service at the LCMI school here in Monrovia. They were also here at the dedication ceremony for the school a year ago. Some were first timers to Liberia, but they had experience in Kenya or other countries prior to coming here.

It was great to meet Dave & Trudy, Kemp & Amy and Brian who was here for the first time.

Their meet went till noon with a meal that followed of potato greens. It was nice to visit with other Americans over a lunch while sitting in Liberia. We may never meet in the states, but God saw fit for us to meet here.

By the time they left there was only a little time to get ready for the youth meeting at 2:00. When we started we only had 3 young people, but we started on time. Within 20-30 minutes we had around 20 youth. (I never did count). This class was in the heat of the day. We met in the church which does not have cross breezes going through. After the 2 hours with the intro and following through the Old Testament we were done and I have to say I was done. I was soaking wet from sweat and I had to go change right away just to feel better. I will shower tonight and that may help me sleep.

The good thing was a message from Bobbi Buckley that came through while I was teaching. I was able to be encouraged that she and many others are praying as we go through whatever study or meeting we have going on.

I was also able to speak to Heather and Jenny today. What a treat that was.

When I was finished teaching I thought I had finished for the day, but I should know better. Emmanuel was asked to speak to a young man struggling with drugs over here. He brought him inside and asked me to counsel him however I could. I thought of Mike McMahon and all the experience he has with this. I just prayed with him and tried to encourage him to seek God. I don’t know if he’s a Christian or not. His name is Bill and I ask you to pray that he’ll work at trying to be clean and that God will reach him in his need. He is 17 years old. I gave him one of the Bible Overview booklets and told him to join us tomorrow morning when we go into the New Testament or to stop back by and see me. We had a good visit as he is a very engaging teen. His family has been trying to encourage him and looked to Pastor Jonah to help in any way.

After Bill left I thought I could relax. I sat outside listening to the choir practice next door. Shortly after they finished I was told there was a prayer meeting starting in the church. Over here in Liberia it is come as you are so I headed over in my shorts, T-shirt and flip-flops. The cultural differences in prayer meetings are definite, but I enjoyed be a participant and not the leader.

Tomorrow we start at 9:00 a.m. with the youth and it goes to noon. I have to say that the interaction between the youth and the teaching is so encouraging. Please pray that God is again glorified through the lesson and with the youth.

My plans are still to speak at Pastor Titus’s church on Sunday morning. I am still not sure of the rest of next week. I’m sure it will work out just fine.

Again thanks to all who read and pray. I’ll write again tomorrow.