Dear friends of Revive Liberia,

Praise God for wonderful blessings! Since I last wrote, so much that is good has happened. The land issue with the clinic was decided in favor of the Kangars! The court has deemed that the perpetrators of all that trouble are now wanted criminals. This is such a huge burden off them. Frog has been running "up and down," as the Liberians say, on several projects besides court appearances with this issue. We have had several contributions lately for school projects and pastor's home development. It has been at least 15 years that we have been trying to get a good well in Fly Blue Jay. The real name for this village is Qwarkporjilah. I knew it would be a challenge for us Americans, so I gave it the nickname I thought sounded like. It means "close to the forest." Funny, the Africans who are not Bassa call it Fly Blue Jay now! Our friends dug 50' by hand and hit a flat rock that wouldn't break up. We were all praying when the second hole was dug. They hit water at 30' on this try. It is finally done, along with a bathroom for the school children and a new roof on their school building! It is the home village of my old friend Morris, the former chief witch doctor. He is nearing death now, and is probably in his mid 90s. We plan on visiting him in just one week. We were also able to put a bathroom and well in the newly built Karen school. Two of our wonderful 20-year time-tested saints are getting new homes. Both men have been instrumental in spreading the Gospel and working tirelessly for our ministry. William Joe has not only run our sawmill operation for years, but he has been Frog's right-hand man in running Alive Liberia. He has sacrificed more for the Kingdom than about anyone else I know. He even gave up the blocks he had saved for years to build a house to add on a junior high to Jeremiah school. At the time he had no idea he was getting a house built by RL. Carter Joe, his brother, has traveled constantly for the Gospel, back and forth from Fly Blue Jay. He has come alongside James Soma there and that village church has grown because of it. He too has helped Frog in all these endeavors. Both men are excited about their new homes. Anywhere in the world if you own your own home you are in a huge advantage over those who don't.

We plan on leaving April 1st on the upcoming trip. It will be a whirlwind of exciting things to do and experience. Due to her health problems, it will be my wife Karen's last trip. Our grandson Bobby will be accompanying us for the first time now that he is out of college. My brother Jeff is bringing a team of five from his church in Grand Rapids. Their church supports a school in Monrovia that they will be visiting. A professional filmmaker is coming to make a documentary film about building a youth camp on the beach land. The agenda for the first week is rapid fire. We hope to visit the mission school, visit three of our churches in Monrovia, visit the health clinic, see the new Teen Challenge compound, visit Fly Blue Jay, the sawmill operation, Jeremiah and Karen schools, view the farming operation, visit the old folks home, stop by the blind community, and make a film, all in four days! That sounds tiring just writing it!

Our Grand Rapids friends are leaving after five days. Our second week is full too! Karen has sent over hundreds of supplies for the schools and gifts for the children. She will be passing them out for two or three days. Our friend Darren will again be holding a pastors conference. This one will be for three and a half days. Bobby will be helping Karen along with me and our ever-faithful African family. Frog and I will have time to catch up face to face and do some future planning. We are so excited for this trip!

It has been my dream this year to finish our pastors' homes. These men have been so faithful for so many years. I remember growing up poor in two different really small houses. Dad grew chickens for meat and we ate lots of potatoes. Mom never complained that she had only a couple of dresses. Those houses were my parents' sacrifice to God. Dad worked his way through seminary school doing several jobs. One was for Dana Corporation. After viewing his work ethic, he was asked if he was interested in moving up the ladder. He turned it down saying " I'm only here to get an education to preach the Gospel." Dana grew and made drive shafts and other parts for the Big Three. Dad and mom could have been wealthy. Having a house for the family was never an issue because we had one. A man needs to focus on his work for God and not worry about housing his family. Just a few thousand more dollars and all of our men will have their homes.

We are still in need of several sponsors for teachers in our Christian schools. It is only $50 monthly but they manage to get by on it. We are also needing one pastor sponsor at $75 a month. We have had two of our sponsors pass away recently. Please pray for our trip. This is probably the most involved visit we have ever made. It will be my 26th and the 20-year anniversary of my first landing on African soil. Your prayers have been working; in this crazy world, God has blessed our little ministry so greatly!