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"Go
ye therefore,
and teach all nations .."
Matthew 28:18
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AFRICAN
RESTORATION MINISTRIES
YOU CAN HELP!! by Joy Muir Dear
friends
I
want to share about a life changing experience I had this week when
Randy Vick came into the Conference office. Due to a mix up in dates
the
LCD projector he came to borrow (for a presentation he was going to
make
for one of the local women's groups that evening) was not there. I
tracked it down
but we had to wait for almost two hours for it to become available and
as we
waited I had the opportunity to see Randy's slides ( on his laptop)
about the
work in Liberia.
I
am sure most of you have read about Randy in The Tidings of Zion
magazine and how he was sent (in 2004) to Liberia (as an
International Police
Officer for the U.S. State Department) and how
the Lord brought him in contact
with three young men who had a heart for
spreading the gospel.
We went through the slides slowly and I got to hear about the school and the orphanage that was started by the Lord putting Randy in that war ravaged country so far away. I got to see pictures of the people and the children connected to the newly formed Restoration Branch and the children in the orphanage and in the school. Randy described many of the children ( both from the school and the orphanage) in loving tones and would share a little about this one and that one. The broad smiles and bright shining eyes on the faces of these children who now have hope were in stark contrast to the faces of towns children he had photographed who are still without hope. This country has been engaged in a civil war for 14 years and the infrastructure of most of the country is completely destroyed. The children have known nothing but war and devastation for their entire lives. Randy explained how these children (they are now providing for) have never had any toys to play with. But because of the kindness of many of the saints over here toys were sent to the children and school supplies and they now have a tiny portion of what we consider to be normal for children. I will never forget the picture of a sweet little girl of approximately four years old who was holding a Barbie Doll in one hand and her bowl of rice (for lunch) in another. Randy explained it was her first doll and she did not want to put it down.... but since they eat with their fingers she needed to be able to use the other hand to eat with....so she was in a bit of a quandary. Imagine...four years old and it was her first doll. The newly formed school which they treasure so much is in a rusty tin shack-like structure that none of us would even have in our back yard. The children have to carry their little chairs to school on their heads so they will have something to sit on for class. But inside the building is made cheerful with some items that were sent by caring saints from back home here. Randy brought me to tears as he told of the first day of school. Randy's family had sent over some coloring books and crayons to help get the school started. Each child was given one page from a coloring book and one crayon and they did not know what to do with the crayons! Imagine...never having had a crayon. When
I expressed sadness
at this he said they are working on getting
more. There are 63 children in the orphanage right now....and it was a
delight getting to see the pictures and hear about them. One little
girl is named
Randi Vick. A true sign of the love and respect those people feel for
Randy.
As we sat in the office looking at the slides Randy looked at his watch and said, "Today is the first day of school for the new semester, school would have started at 3:30". In that comment I knew that even though he was back here working in Independence, Randy's heart was back there in that town half a world away with those dear little ones he has grown to love by sharing that gift that is the greatest gift of all. The love of Christ. A number of congregations and individuals are helping to support this effort for these souls they will never see in a country they will never visit. But there is more that needs to be done. Yesterday a man who comes into the office occasionally but has not been there for a few weeks called about another matter. When I asked him what he has been doing he told me he was busy getting a barrel ready to send to Liberia. Well..this piqued my interest and he told me that they buy 55 gallon barrels ( made of a strong cardboard) and pack them with supplies for the school and orphanage and take them to a place in North Kansas City and for 200.00 they can send it to Liberia. They go from here to New Jersey and are loaded onto a freighter and get across the ocean that way. He told me what things they really need there and I will include a partial list at the end of this letter. I will never look at box of crayons again without thinking about the little children in Liberia. And I always think about the children in Nigeria every time I look at a pencil.... since Bill Barrett shared his pictures with me of his recent trip there and told me how much they treasure a simple pencil. We have so much to be thankful for and it seems we just take it for granted. I know my grandchildren have too much....and somehow I want to be able to share with them and with everyone the knowledge that there are others who have the nothing. Seeing Bill's pictures a few weeks ago and then seeing Randy's slides this week has been life changing for me. I can never go on a missionary trip but maybe I can in some small way help those who have been there and will go back to be able to provide some of the basic necessities of life for our little brothers and sisters so far away. In an effort to do what I can I will be getting a barrel and placing it in the Conference office with a sign on it saying. "Help Bill and Randy's kids". If you wish to help just bring your items by and drop them in the barrel. Maybe you would like to forward this to your friends and we can get even more people helping with this project.You will be blessed for sharing. Love
and blessings to you all.
Joy
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