Deaf School in Liberia

HOPE FOR THE DEAF MINISTRY
United Methodist Church of Liberia, West Africa

NEWSLETTER
THIRD QUARTER 2008 AND FIRST QUARTER (JANUARY TO MARCH) 2009
OVERVIEW

“If you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto
me”. Persons living with disabilities in Liberia are truly among the “least of these”! Their
overall situation is disappointing and frustrating. Unfortunately, the plight of persons living with
disabilities in Liberia is largely ignored by the public. Most are reliant on charity through street
begging and the meager means of survival earned by their families. Educational and vocational
opportunities are often withheld from these special needs groups because attention is focused on
their disability rather than seeking creative and alternative means to enhance their ability to
survive independently.

There are very limited educational opportunities for persons living with disabilities. To
help address this problem in our society, in 2000 the United Methodist Church of Liberia
established a special program called Sign Language Tutorial to teach and train deaf kids
communication by the use of their hands, face, and body. In 2003, this tutorial program, under the visionary leadership of Bishop John Innis, later became known as Hope for the Deaf School- a Christ-centered, academic school for the deaf, hearing and speaking impaired persons living in
and around the Capital city, Monrovia.

Besides our academic program which actually started in 2003, as of September 2008, our
students are now being engaged in skills training classes. The essence of these programs is to
empower the students to earn a livelihood and to contribute to the development of their individual families, their communities and the larger society. In our Liberian society, people with
disabilities are expected to beg or do the jobs that no one else wants (latrine cleaners, extreme
labor-intensive works, etc) to sustain themselves. In their plight to provide for themselves and
their families, they are easily exploited. Others are very reliant upon already limited family
resources. Many, abandoned by their families and society in general, are homeless and live on the streets. Currently four young deaf men attending our school are homeless. We allow them sleep in the school classrooms at night.

The vocational classes aim to introduce and build skills training through a Shoe Making
and Sewing Class. These vocational skills will be taught by local artisans as additional courses to
the regular academic school curriculum. The anticipated result is that the students who have
successfully completed the program should acquire a marketable means of earning a living that
will ease their integration into mainstream society.

The United Methodist Church of Germany awarded us a grant (Euro 2000 /$2,400.00
USD) to enable us start a shoe making class this quarter. Last quarter, a donation enabled us start a crafts class where students are taught to make greeting cards, painting, and dolls. A sewing class will begin next quarter. We trust the Lord for grants and donations to enable us continue and develop the vocational program for 2009/10 school year.

SHARING OF GIFTS
In November of 2008, we received a couple from the United Methodist Church of Sweden
Conference visiting with us. Our guests were to shared their time and their love and support with us. They also shared some solar powered study lights with our students. All of our students were very happy and excited for the gifts given to them. Rev. Nilsson, who is visually and
hearing impaired, has been a very good friend of the Hope for the Deaf and had decided to pay a visit to see how the school was doing. He was escorted by his dear wife. Also in October
of 2008, our kids were blessed to have received dozens of health and school kits
from the Holston Conference through Sis. Mary Zigbuo for both students and staff.

Sis. Zigbuo has been very instrumental in helping to develop partnerships and programs
for these kids.

As you may know sports serve as a key factor of bringing people to together and the deaf and
hearing impaired are no exceptions. Realizing the importance of the games, the Administration
of the Hope for the Deaf School organized both Football and Kickball Teams, with the hope of
including other sports in the future. Since the formation of these teams they have begun the
regular training with the help of the coaches. Few months later we were opportune to receive an
invitation from the Oscar Romeo School of the Deaf in Bomi County, Liberia. The trip was very
much good because it brought together both schools in various aspects of academic and sports.
These efforts are part of encouraging social integration among persons with disabilities and the
general society.

We are grateful to God for the development of these children in terms of their social
lives. Many of them who have over the years were forbidden to go out in public by their
families and now gaining confidence to “mingle” in public. They are now happily
associating with not only with hearing impaired persons but society at large. This is
something they have most times felt ashamed to do.

ACADEMIC
Our classrooms are very limited in terms of sizes. This ministry began on a porch of one
of the buildings located in our United Methodist Church Office Center with nine students.
Two years (and two rainy seasons!) later, we were able to raise some walls around the
porch to enable four very small classrooms. Each classroom can accommodate about 15
persons. Today, we have 56 students and more wanting to attend but for space! We are
hoping and trusting God for a bigger and more conducive space to allow us accommodate
more students.

With the limited teaching and classroom facilities, teachers manage to make their classes
more lively and encouraging using available resources. There is a huge need for teaching
materials including textbooks in particular. Currently, we have 56 students between the
ages of 5 and 23 years; 35 boys and 21 girls. We are using our local Sign Language along
side with the American Sign Language (ASL) to teach our students. We do all required
subjects as prescribed by the government’s Ministry of Education. All of our students are
performing pretty well. Due to limited staffing capacity, the school is currently operating
at an Elementary Level (nursery to Grade 7). You can imagine that a teacher for the
hearing impaired is difficult to come by in Liberia where even teachers for “regular”
students are difficult to acquire!! There is no high school for the deaf or hearing impaired
in Liberia. We are gradually adding on classes as the need arises. For instance, in
2008/09 we added on grade 7. As grade seven matriculates, we will add on grade 8 for
2009/10 school year, and on and on.

Woven into this newsletter are the collective hopes, prayers and dreams of our
students and staff! The “staff” serving the school is very committed volunteers receiving
a transportation stipend of roughly 35.00 USD per month. The students are charged
75.00 USD per year as fees. However, only 15% can afford this fee. About 60% pay
“something” towards their tuition…while 25% cannot afford to pay anything. We do not
turn anyone away because of inability to afford the tuition. The tuition fees are what we
use to provide transport stipends for the volunteer teachers.

STAFF
David T. Worlobah , Program Coordinator, BA degree, “C” Certificate (Elem. Educ)
K. Eric Drow, Assistant Coordinator, University student,
Jessy Nagbah teacher, College student, “C” Certificate
Sarwee Togba, teacher, High School diploma, “C” Certificate
Jenskins Railey, teacher, High School diploma, “C” certificate
James Moore, teacher, High School diploma, “C” Certificate
Lynn Brown, teacher, High School diploma,
Agatha Borbor, Teacher, High School diploma, “C” Certificate
Samuel D. Desoe, Janitor, High School diploma
Of these faithful staff, three are completely deaf while one is hearing impaired.

ADVOCACY
We are involved with ongoing advocacy for the full inclusion of persons with disabilities
in all spheres of our society. This is in keeping with the Liberian government’s recent
ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities,
which was passed into law in September 2008.

GOAL
The goal of this institution is to provide Christ-centered opportunities for the deaf,
hearing and speaking impaired persons to develop their full potential in order to lead a
meaningful productive life.

LOOKING AHEAD
We are trusting God for the following:
 Re –integration, rehabilitation, and full inclusion of the deaf
 A well developed skills training programs for the deaf and other persons with
disabilities
 A Mission Station for the deaf (and other persons with disabilities) in Liberia

OUR NEEDS
 Health kits and School kits
 Gently used clothing and shoes for our students and other needy persons with disabilities
 Instructional materials
 2.5 KVA Generator (to operate our computers and provide light in the classrooms)
 Photocopier
 Mini-van
 A four room classroom to provide space as our school continue to grow
 Funds to provide a living wage salary ($120.00 USD per month) for our teachers.

You are warmly invited to come on a work team to assist with our needs or to come as
individual volunteer(s) to visit and share with us. We are always in need of persons willing to
come over and update us in the methods of modern signing or to come join our academic or
vocational teaching efforts.

OUR CONTACTS
David T. Worlobah, II
Program Coordination
Hope For The Deaf Ministry
Box 1010
Monrovia, Liberia
e-mail : dworlo@yahoo.com
Cell : +231-6523369
+231-6669793

Sis. Mary Zigbuo
General Board of Global Ministries Missionary
assisting the church develop programs for persons with disabilities
Liberia Area
E-mail: umcliberia@yahoo.com
Rev. Dr. John G. Innis

Resident Bishop
Liberia Annual Conference-UMC
E-mail: johninnis47@gmail.com

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GIVING
You may donate to the Hope for the Deaf School through the following advance special:
Hope for the Deaf, #14365A. MAKE YOUR CHECK PAYABLE TO “ADVANCE GCFA”. ON THE NOTATION SECTION OF YOUR CHECK, WRITE “HOPE FOR THE DEAF, #14365A”. SEND THE CHECK TO: ADVANCE GCFA; P.O. BOX 9068 GPO; NEW YORK, NY 10087-9068.

PLEASE INCLUDE A SHORT COVER LETTER INDICATING “THE FUNDS ARE TO THE ATTENTION OF DAVID WORLOBAH AND MARY ZIGBUO, LIBERIA”.

Thank you,

David Worlobah (dworlo@yahoo.com)

Pledge to Stop Atrocities in Congo

'Conflict minerals' that electronics manufacturers buy are fueling worst war conditions since World War II.

The United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) is among the organizational endorsers of pledges to discourage manufacturers from using in their products minerals from the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The conflict in eastern Congo is being fueled by a multi-million dollar trade in minerals that go into electronic products from cell phones to digital cameras.

More than five million people have died as a result, and hundreds of thousands of women have been raped in eastern Congo over the past decade. Armed groups perpetuating the violence generate an estimated $144 million each year by trading in four main minerals: gold, tin, tantalum (coltan) and tungsten.

Electronics companies are powerful actors in their supply chains, according to the Enough Project to end genocide. Enough contends that if these manufacturers show leadership, they can fundamentally change the way conflict minerals are bought and sold. They could ensure that the minerals don’t contribute to armed conflict and the continuation of the worst violence against women and girls in the world.

The Enough Project has worked with other like-minded groups to begin the conversation with the 21 largest electronics companies and create a conflict minerals pledge that commits electronics companies to ensure their products are conflict-free. A coalition of 32 organizations, including human rights, labor, environmental, conflict resolution, consumer advocacy, conservation, fair trade, faith-based, and other advocacy groups, sent a letter outlining their concerns to the 21 largest consumer electronics companies. GBCS signed that letter.
Following that effort, Enough and partners created a two-pronged pledge that commits electronics companies to ensure their products are conflict-free.

Besides GBCS, other endorser organizations include Jewish World Watch, African Conservation Foundation, Investors Against Genocide, Ecomom Alliance, Stand and Gesellschaft für Bedrohte Völker.

Corporate Pledge
By signing the “Conflict Minerals Pledge,” a company commits to ensuring that its products will be conflict-free.

It pledges to:

• trace the supply chain for all tin, tantalum, tungsten or gold in their products to verify their mines of origin; and
• conduct independently verifiable supply chain audits to document the routes taken, intermediaries involved, and transactions made from mine of origin to final product.

The Enough Project and its partners will work with companies that sign the pledge to help them fulfill their commitments. They will support efforts to provide companies with definitive guidance from the United Nations, the U.S. government, and expert sources on conflict actors and areas of concern in eastern Congo.

Any company that would like to learn more or sign on to the pledge, send an e-mail to conflictminerals@eoughproject.org.

Activist Pledge - By endorsing the Conflict Minerals Pledge, organizations and individuals commit to using their voices and consumer power to influence companies to sign the pledge. Specifically, they will:

• 
  contact the largest makers of cell phones, portable music players, digital cameras, PC’s, and video games, and urge them to sign the pledge;
• commit to only purchasing electronics from firms that have taken and are abiding by the conflict minerals pledge; and
• educate fellow consumers and activists about the crisis in Congo, the role of conflict minerals, and how they can be a part of the solution.
  

More information about the conflict mineral situation is available at Raise Hope for Congo. The website provides information about what you can do to help end the trade in conflict minerals that is fueling the war in Congo, and to protect and empower Congo’s women.

The situation in the Congo is dire! Please act now by signing the pledge and recruiting others to do so as well!

Mark HarrisonDirector of Peace with Justice Program

Sudan VIM Team

Virginia Conference UMVIM Team to Southern Sudan

There is a need for two additional two team members who will be part of the first United Methodist presence in the Southern Sudan city of Rumbek. This Virginia Conference UMVIM team will attempt to build relationships as a first step for a possible future United Methodist presence in the area. Presently, there are no UMC churches in this area of Southern Sudan in the East Africa Conference.

Team members must be very flexible and have a willingness to undergo possible travel hardships with regard to weather, food, and accommodations. Internationally experienced UMVIMers may be especially suited for this mission.

Travel dates are April 20 to May 7, leaving and returning from Richmond. There is a mandatory team meeting March 15 in Great Falls, VA. The cost of the trip is $3700. For more information contact Kip Robinson at Krobin7856@aol.com or 804.264.7856.

Starvation in Kenya

Starvation in Kenya
by Mary Beth Coudal

Several children in Nakuru Camp, Kenya for the internally displaced enjoy a nutritious meal.Image by: Melissa Crutchfield Source: UMCOR

New York, NY, February 20, 2009--Several weeks ago, Felix was admitted to the Maua Methodist Hospital, in Maua, Kenya, with severe tuberculosis. Felix weighed 20 pounds and was three feet tall. He was nine years old. Missionary Jerri Savuto sat by Felix's bedside, watching him gasp for breath.

"How hungry, alone and desperate he must have always been. I reached out and touched him and smiled at him," said Nurse Savuto. "His eyes looked up and met mine and then his little face broke into a smile. He gained weight and seemed to be doing much better but died four days ago." Jerri Suvuto is one of six United Methodist missionaries serving through Global Ministries in Kenya.

As many as 10 million Kenyans, a majority of them children like Felix, are dying due to pervasive drought and famine. The Kenyan newspaper, The Daily Nation, projected that October 2009 will be the first opportunity for a substantial rainfall. Ms. Savuto worries that many in Kenya will not live to see that next big rain.

As malnourished children are admitted to Maua Hospital, with their families' unable to pay, the staff goes without pay and the facility lacks money for necessities. So, too, families flock to Kenyan churches for food, prayer, and comfort, yet parishioners are no longer able to support their pastors. They subsist on donations. The Methodist Church in Kenya is seeking funding to continue the mission of the hospitals and churches.

Bishop Stephen Kanyaru M'Impwii, head of the Methodist Church in Kenya, visited the New York headquarters of the General Board of Global Ministries on February 19-20, 2009, to highlight the need for increased relief efforts. He met, among others, with the Rev. Edward W. Paup, general secretary, to convey the urgency of the famine.

"I'm not telling you what I've heard," Bishop M'Impwii said. "I'm telling you what I've seen. Starving people have died. It's very serious. Even in the capital, there are very many, many orphans."

"We are currently supporting churches in Kenya to respond to the famine in Nairobi, Coastal Province, and the Rift Valley (Nakuru)," said Melissa Crutchfield, an International Disaster Response executive with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). "These activities include provision of food aid for some of the most vulnerable populations, including nursing mothers, vulnerable children, orphans, school children, people living with HIV and AIDS, and internally-displaced people from the election violence last year. The grants are also providing some medicines for a clinic in Nakuru, and agricultural inputs like seeds and tools, so that farmers in that region can begin to grow for themselves again."

A report from the United Nations indicates childhood malnourishment is at the level of one in five in Kenya, a number which exceeds emergency requirements. "The number of people who are starving in Kenya seems to increase daily. Our pediatric ward continues to have so many starving, emaciated children admitted," reported Missionary Jerri Savuto.

One of those emaciated children is four-year-old Martin. Tall for his age, he must have received nutrition earlier in his life, according to Ms. Savuto. "But now the family has nothing. He was admitted with malaria, pneumonia, severe anemia, and starvation. We can help these children recover from their illnesses and even gain weight, but then we have to send them home to the same situation. The hospital has started a program to send food home with families of children like this," Savuto said.

Ms. Savuto also reported that in the capital, Nairobi, she saw many Maasai herds of cattle roaming through the city streets searching for a patch of green to graze upon. She wrote:
Their cattle are dying and they are migrating. We need your help. Please pray for us and please remember the hungry everywhere. You may not see them, for often they are invisible, but they are there, standing quietly, pleading with God to help them. I know God hears them. Do you?
Donations to assist UMCOR's response in Kenya can be dropped in local church collection plates or mailed to UMCOR, P.O. Box 9068, New York, NY 10087. The check should be made to "UMCOR Advance #982450, International Disaster Response," with "Kenya Famine" on the memo line.

For credit card donations, visit UMCOR's web site at http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/ for online giving information or call (800) 554-8583. Give now.

Mary Beth Coudal is the staff writer for Global Ministries.

Update from Marty and Paul Law: Children's Ministry

From: paul@appointmentcongo.com
Subject: Children's Ministry Update
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009

Dear Friends,

We have attached several pictures of our children's ministry. We would like for you to see what is happening. Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of our children in the Memory Class. I shared with you in my last update that I had given them until mid-March to memorize the WHOLE book of James! I have promised the boys each their very own soccer ball and the girls will get a dress and pair of sandals each. They are working on the book now and I KNOW they will DO IT!

I have these needs for our ministry:

• One Word Processor
• One Printer plus extra cartridges
• Cartons of printing paper
• Solar Battery
• Funds for soccer balls
• Funds for dresses/shoes
• Salary Monies for our children workers.
• Of course, our number one need is prayer for the children as they "hide the Word of God in their hearts", that it will bear much fruit and "not return Void." Please pray for the workers and especially as they translate the lessons from English into Otetela. God's provision for the teacher's we will need to train and send into the out villages to multiply the ministry from one to 12-15 villages!

Blessings,

Marty

Send funds before March 1st to:

Appointment Congo, 12417 Moriah Way, Raleigh, NC 27614.

Designate: Children's Ministry

1st UMC trip to South Africa

Phakamisa is Zulu for Uplift

First United Methodist Church of Denton, NC sent a mission team to engage and support the Phakamisa project of Pinetown Methodist Church, Pinetown, South Africa last summer. The Phakamisa project of Pinetown S. Africa exists to serve and uplift impoverished communities through the provision of educational training, resources and support. The team was in mission with orphans, orphan caregivers and AIDS support groups. These groups endure extreme adversity, poverty and suffering in the townships near Pinetown.

The focus of the mission trip was to provide respites for these groups. Respites consisted of daytrips to the petting zoo for the kids and a trip to the nearby aquarium for the adults. The team was also in mission with several daycares supported by Phakamisa. Before departing, the team spent a day helping with the construction of the Hillcrest AIDS Clinic, a project of Hillcrest Methodist Church, in Hillcrest, S. Africa.

First UMC-Denton has committed to be in local mission for the 2009 year as they rotate between global and local mission each year. Therefore, the earliest another mission team would be sent to South Africa would be the summer of 2010. Anyone interested in being in mission to South Africa with the Phakamisa project may contact Rev. Bill Foust at Denton: First-Canaan UMC, phone: 336-859-4603, email: wfoust001@triad.rr.com. The mission team is available to visit area churches and present details of the mission trip with personal stories, slides and videos. For additional information or to donate to Phakamisa please go online to http://www.phakamisa.org/.

For United Methodist Advance connectional giving, Phakamisa is number 14154A.

Bev and Ed Wentz

Beverly (Bev) A. Wentz, R.N. (Retired) and Edward (Ed) L. Wentz, Jr., P.E. (Retired) have served as Individual Volunteers in Mission through GBGM into several African Countries, working especially in the water supply/needs area. For more information on contacting them, email me at mcollins@wnccumc.org

Bev and Ed are members of Oak Ridge United Methodist Church, Oak Ridge, NC, Greensboro District