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Feeding the hungry in Liberia
The ongoing Ebola outbreak in West
Africa shows no signs of waning. Beyond the medical challenge, the need for
food is growing every day. Since December 2013, Liberia, Guinea, Nigeria and
Sierra Leone have reported 8,011 suspected and confirmed cases. New cases
continue to be recorded, indicating that the outbreak, which has an overall
fatality rate of 55%, has not been contained.
A special $120,000 emergency response grant has been
authorized by ABC World Relief Committee
In its meeting on October 22, the
American Baptist World Relief Committee approved an emergency grant of $120,000
from One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) for American Baptist International
Ministries (IM) to help partners address the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. “In
addition to huge medical needs, food security has become a major issue,” stated
Lisa Rothenberger, ABC’s World Relief Officer.
“People have been unable to go to work
at the same time as food prices have increased and access to marketplaces has
become more limited. The combined impact for the people in the 3 affected
countries is that many are now having trouble feeding their families. Our
Liberian partners have shared their fear that more people will die of hunger
than Ebola---that is something we need to respond to now,” Rothenberger
continued.
$120,000 in undesignated funds donated
through American Baptist Churches to OGHS will be invested in the work of IM
partners: Liberia Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention, Liberia Direct
Baptist Missionary Conference, Baptist World Aid and IMA World Health.
Approximately 70% will be used to
provide food and medical supplies, while the remaining 30% will focus on Ebola
prevention. Half of the prevention funds will be used by IM missionary Rick
Gutierrez to produce an animated Ebola prevention video based upon his highly
acclaimed and widely viewed HIV prevention video. The video will be easily
translated into many African languages.
This new $120,000 emergency grant comes
in addition to the initial August 2014 grant of $20,000 in OGHS funds.
Rothenberger shared, “All of these
initiatives are in need of additional funding. Through the $120,000 made
available by the World Relief Committee last week, we are able to provide
significant support, but each partner has needs that far outweigh our initial
assistance. Any additional funds contributed will be used to expand our support
to our partners response.”
Congregations and individuals are encouraged to give to the
ongoing Ebola-relief efforts
through normal denominational channels (through the church’s Monthly Report of
Mission Support, designating their gift to “One Great Hour of Sharing: Ebola
Outbreak”). They may also give online here or send a check marked "OGHS -
Ebola Outbreak" on the memo line to “International Ministries, P.O. Box
851, Valley Forge, PA 19482.”
IM missionaries in Liberia have been temporarily re-assigned
to serve in Hungary
Since March of 2014, Rebecca and Larry
Stanton have been serving as IM missionaries in Liberia, assigned to the Ricks
Institute. Due to the rapid spread of Ebola and the danger it presents, when
the Stantons came to the U.S. this summer for IM's 200th anniversary events,
Ricks Institute leadership asked the Stantons and their three younger children
to extend their time away from Liberia. In light of the continuing epidemic, IM
is honoring that partner request by temporarily reassigning the Stantons to
serve in Hungary.
Starting November 1, Larry and Rebecca
will serve for one year with IM partners, the Hungarian Baptist Union/Hungarian
Baptist Aid. Rebecca will teach English to elementary and high school students.
Larry will assist with building and grounds maintenance at schools under supervision
of our partners.
Charles Jones, IM’s Area Director for
Europe, the Middle East and Liberia, says, “We are grateful to God and thankful
to our Hungarian Baptist partners for providing this opportunity for Larry and
Becky to continue to fulfill their calling to cross-cultural, international
missionary service! We are concerned for the people of Liberia and West Africa;
and we pray that Larry and Becky will be able to return to Liberia in due time.
Meanwhile, we pray God’s grace and blessings on them and their children as they
transition to life and ministry in another new land and culture.”
“We feel this is our Macedonian call,”
commented Rebecca in a recent journal. “In the 16th chapter of Acts, Paul and
his companions were prevented from going into Asia. Paul had a vision in the
night of a man from Macedonia saying, ‘Come over here and help us!’
“We have been prevented from going back
into Liberia at this time,” she continued. “We are heart-broken for our friends
but praying steadily that God will continue to protect the Ricks campus from
the Ebola outbreak. As we have been waiting, dumb-founded that our short
missionary careers would be stymied, God was working.”
One Great Hour of Sharing
is administered by the World Relief Committee of the Board of General
Ministries of American Baptist Churches USA. The Committee facilitates American
Baptist emergency relief, disaster rehabilitation, refugee work and development
assistance by establishing policy guidelines and overseeing distribution of the
annual One Great Hour of Sharing offering received by churches.