The 10-11 hour ride each way from the capital city of Monrovia would even have been worse than ever except that this time we got hold of an air-conditioned Jeep-type vehicle. The bone-jarring jolts along the entire journey were not softened much by the Jeep but we did avoid all those hours of billowing red dust in the car that we have had to put up with on previous trips as well as the excessive sweating since most days were in the 90's. When we got to Zwedru we found the church there and the other churches in the area to be in an active and healthy condition.
Site of the ruins of the original church in Zwedru. This church was actually visited by both Pastors Andrew Mickelson and Gus Kandoll in the early 1970's. Later destroyed during the long civil war that only ended five years ago. "Mama Taru" the woman in this picture, was the wife of the late president of the church in Liberia. She was present at this church building during the visits of Mickelson and Kandoll! On the left is Pastor Othello S.Tyne, President of the Apostolic Lutheran Church in Liberia. Beside him Evangelist D. Christian Bowah.
Presenting Bibles to the Lieutenant Governor. In Zwedru our first obligation was to go to report in to the Governor of the state of Grand Gedeh (quite a grand name for a not-so-grand reality). He actually was unable to receive us just when we arrived at the state offices but the lieutenant governor welcomed us and received the gifts of Bibles we had brought for three of the top officials that day. For the Governor we had prepared a special leather-bound volume.
Later the Governor himself (on the left in red/orange shirt) had a special audience for us thanking us profusely for the beautiful Bible he had received and confessing a warm and living faith in Jesus Christ. Through his office and by his special personal sanction and assistance we were able to schedule a unique crusade evening in the main square of the city (which is actually a triangle) that Saturday night, which I will return to later.
While in the office of the lieutenant governor we were also promised permission to visit the local prison. Here outside the prison walls with the Prison Director (in the white T-shirt) and some of the staff of the UN Security Force (from India) who guard the prison.
This developed into two visits to the rather new prison. During the first one about 35 inmates were gathered and enthusiastically received the Word - singing from the heart their songs of faith and joy (above). At that time we arranged to return a few days later and deliver about 50 Bibles to the prisoners - that is ten Bibles for each of their five blocks, totalling 150 prisoners.
What happened when we returned with the Bibles on Tuesday is almost indescribable. When we approached the gates we heard powerful singing. "They are waiting for you!" the prison director announced as he met us at the gate. And were they ever!!! A great majority of all of the 150 prisoners were now gathered in the main room singing with POWER and enthusiasm. We were in no way expecting this since we thought we were just going to drop off the Bibles. But there we all were suddenly on the platform and I was preaching a completely un-prepared but Spirit-given sermon to one of the most enthusiastic crowds I have even had the humble honour of facing. When I invited any of them who felt the weight of sin upon their hearts and consciences to come forward in confession before the Heavenly Father, first one man came trembling forward and then another and another until at least half of the men were crowded around the podium in penitence with bowed heads receiving the blessed Gospel assurance of the forgiveness of all of their sins in Jesus name and atoning blood.
And then when they all sang afterwards there were no more bars left around their hearts and souls and it was as if the roof would just fly off. God is so wonderfully good and so is the Chassel congregation for donating the Bibles to this prison and many other people in need of them during this week.
For all of the Bibles we were able to deliver those days in Zwedru we owe a great debt of gratitude, as I said, to the to the Chassel Congregation and Matthew and James Niemela. 172 very nice regular KJV Bibles, 10 in the local language (most people in Liberia are very well versed in English and read their Bible in English), and 15 big large print leather bound Bibles were purchased at the Bible Society in Liberia.
These were transported by car from Monrovia to Zwedru. Here with a Liberian friend Pastor Natt.
Family father in Zwedru with his cherished new Bible. Most people are literate and well-versed in English
After the regular worship service on Sunday it was time to begin morning Bible studies for members of the Zwedru congregation, as well as those of other local congregations, from Monday to Thursday. Brother Paul and I shared the responsibility for these four day sessions.....which actually turned out to be far more in-depth and richer than we had anticipated. On Wednesday evening the four days of revival services began. But who would have anticipated that it would be the Governor himself who recommended the main city square as the venue for the final one on Saturday evening.....and then to even offer his support to see that we could pull it off with God's help!! The revival services on Wednesday-Friday evenings were held at the church and were very well attended but the crusade evening on Saturday night really broke the barriers.
Most fortunately when God provided us with a driver from Monrovia to Zwedru He not only provided us with someone who could manoeuvre a car well on those awful roads hour upon hour (note all those extra gallons of gas for the road), but in the same wonderful person, named Otis Pope, he provided a living Christian brother, a sound and light technician and a talented musician! It was Otis who organized everything technical for Saturday evening - including a projector (provided by Paul) and big screen so that everyone could follow what was happening . He also took responsibility for seeing that there were plenty of lights, microphones and speakers to cover the necessities. He was everywhere, capable of "everything". A driver mind you! A simple driver!
(In this picture he is dressed in preparedness for the long journey from Monrovia to Zwedru - IN AIR CONDITIONING. Africans aren't used to that!)
Getting ready for the big evening - before it got dark. Darkness always falls just after 6:00 p.m. in Liberia. Paul and I standing with Pastor Dickson Dweh, vice president of the Apostolic Lutheran Church of Liberia and head pastor of the church in Zwedru.
A gifted and devoted group of some 20 "prayer warriors" led the praise and worship prelude and assisted throughout the whole evening. Some of the men are missing in this picture, which was taken before the evening began, because they were involved in setting things up.
After the sermon on the Good Samaritan an invitation went out to anyone who "had been left by the wayside", who were burdened by sin, guilt, doubt or fear, and then at least 50 or 60 especially young people and even children came forward in penitence to confess their faith, receive the absolution in Jesus name and blood and a fervent prayer for their souls. And through it all the Governor sat in the front row and even brought his own short powerful personal message before the sermon. It was all truly exhilarating and very humbling......and all on the big screen (which could be seen from both front and back!) for the whole town to see (and hear). The first of it's kind in the state of Grand Gedeh!
We estimated that over a thousand people crowded around that big main triangle of the city on that Saturday night. It was awesome and inspiring (and for me who was scheduled to speak, a bit daunting!). It was also awesome to see how the Zwedru congregation conducted the big service that evening.
"We're in this together!". Paul comforting an older Liberian sister. Making this trip together with Paul was a most rewarding experience. He is such a wonderfully compassionate, generous and spiritually-minded person who makes a difference wherever he goes! It was Paul or Paul's camera that took most of the pictures included in this article.
So do have a blessed New Year and keep me in mind as I head to S.E. Asia on January 17, God willing.
In God's love and peace, Dennis
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