Monday, 20 April 2009

• April Prayer Letter

  
  
  Dear friends,
  
  Hello from Liberia! I am doing well and eager to share the ways the Lord has been using me these past two months.
  
  Praise God Acres of Hope has come through the crisis I mentioned in my previous letter. The little one I was caring for is healthy again and is back at the Acres of Hope Orphanage. My family still cares for two other babies who are waiting to be adopted.
  
  As I mentioned in my last prayer letter adoptions are currently suspended in Liberia. One of the reasons international adoption is suspended is because new adoption laws are being written to improve the adoption process. While I support the new laws and think they will be beneficial to the country, we who work with adoptions are concerned about the length of time it is taking to come to a decision about these laws as there are many needy children waiting for adoption, including those with urgent medical needs. Since I believe adoption and the care of the orphaned and needy is a biblical concept, I have felt called to advocate for adoption in Liberia. Because I am an independent missionary, and not employed with an adoption agency (but have adoption experience from my previous work with Acres of Hope) I have had the chance to speak out where someone officially with one of these organization may not have been able to (as I have nothing to gain from international adoption). I have had several opportunities to have an influence on the adoption situation in Liberia. I have helped to write letters to various officials, spoken on the radio, met with government officials, and participated in a press conference, which was written about in the newspapers and aired on TV. Additionally, a government official requested my input on adoption and how it relates to Liberia. In response I wrote a 22 page (single spaced!) research paper that was given to this man as well as many other officials involved in writing the new adoption laws. I have been given more influence in this area than I could have asked for and pray that God blesses my efforts - not for me, but for the sake of the many, many needy children in the country who would benefit from adoption.
  
  Counseling has begun and I have been reminded again of how much I love working one-on-one with women! What a priceless privilege to be able to share hope and the keys to living a godly life with African women in their own cultural context, speaking the Liberian English they speak. I am currently counseling two young ladies. M is 17 and has some trauma in her past, but I believe is a born again Christian, and A is a 24 year old single mom with 2 kids who recently lost her 3 year old daughter to a medical condition that would have been correctible in many other countries. The Lord has blessed me with the opportunity to bring hope to these women in the midst of some very trying life circumstances. I am so pleased to share that A just accepted Jesus as her personal Savior last week! Although only my same age, A has already seen so much heartache, but by God's grace she has taken hold of the only hope anyone has in life - the hope of Jesus Christ. I meet with M once a week and A twice a week, according to what works for their schedules.
  
  I have hosted several gatherings for the older missionary kids in the area, including a big birthday celebration and sleepover for my brother Jared's 13th birthday. I can tell the kids really enjoy the get-togethers and it has been a joy hosting these occasions.
  
  In March I went to for a long weekend to Yila where one of our Baptist Mid Mission's stations is located. I went with my sister Heidi, Martha (a graduate from our Bible school in Yila), and Eveline (who grew up in Yila and is one of our Pastor's daughters. I also discipled her a few years ago). We had the chance to visit the station and relive some memories of when we were all there years ago, as well as hold a class for the young ladies on the mission encouraging them towards purity and godliness (most of the teen girls already had babies out of wedlock). We thank God for a safe trip in the chartered taxi. On our way to Yila we witnessed a motorcycle accident and were the first ones on the scene to help the injured.
  
  My older brother will be getting married in June so I will be traveling to the states for the occasion. I knew when I came to Liberia last December I would be returning at some point during the summer for the wedding. My family will also be going back to the states but I will be leaving a little earlier to attend another wedding. We will be returning to Liberia together at the end of June.
  
  Please join me in prayer for the following requests:
  1. That international adoption would reopen in the country and the new laws would be accommodating to those already in the adoption process.
  2. That the ladies I am counseling would be bold to live lives of godliness amidst many negative influences.
  3. That I (along with the rest of my family) will have safety as we travel thousands of miles this summer.
  
  Thank you again for your continued prayers and financial support. It is such a blessing to be here now being used by God.
  
  In Christ,
  Melodie
  
  

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