Orphans in Liberia are often accused of witchcraft. So are the disabled, the elderly, and anyone who doesn’t fit neatly into the rest of society. These accusations seem to be based on the superstitious belief that those who suffer misfortune do so as a result of their own involvement in the occult. And there’s plenty of misfortune to go around.
In Liberia’s recent history, the country has faced HIV/AIDS, a civil war, Ebola, and now the COVID-19 pandemic. These events have left many poor, disabled, and orphaned. The orphans in particular are vulnerable to being trafficked, recruited into crime, forced into child labor, sexually assaulted, and victimized in other ways.
Thankfully, there are kind-hearted believers in Liberia who have opened orphanages to care for these children — often at great personal sacrifice. Others organize associations for the blind, providing them with the support and community they desperately need. And in both cases, Every Home for Christ Liberia is there for them.
”“The humanitarian gifts, a gesture to the less privileged and vulnerable groups, were a bridge used to reach every home in each of these communities with the Gospel,”
Jonel WeeksLiberia Ministry Director
Ministry Director Jonel Weeks organized an outreach to visit four orphanages and three associations for the blind — as well as all of the homes in the surrounding areas.
The children at the orphanages and the families at the associations for the blind gathered to welcome their unexpected visitors. It wasn’t long before their curiosity turned to joy. They clapped their hands and even sang for the team as donated gifts were unloaded from the Pioneer Missionaries’ vehicles. At each location, the EHC team provided rice, cooking oil, soap, Clorox, masks and gloves, information about disease prevention, and — of course — the hope of the Gospel of Jesus. Even the blind received the printed pages, knowing that their families could read them aloud and share in the message. Hundreds of orphaned children and families of the blind received ministry.
“We didn’t know what the kids would eat today,” said Mrs. Isata Momo, who runs the Iye Orphanage Home. “But God has surprised us and provided through EHC. We are more than grateful!”
In addition to sharing much-needed material goods with these often overlooked communities, the EHC team also shared the Gospel home to home in the surrounding neighborhoods. By the end of the outreach, over 15,000 families had heard the Good News. Many were amazed to see a Christian organization showing God’s love in such a practical way and at such a challenging time. The team has since heard many testimonies by phone and by email.
“The humanitarian gifts, a gesture to the less privileged and vulnerable groups, were a bridge used to reach every home in each of these communities with the Gospel,” Jonel shared.
Not only did the team reach the lost, but a unique partnership was also formed. Beyan Koty, President of the CAB National Resource Center of the Blind, promised to have EHC gospel literature transcribed into braille for the blind. This gives the EHC team a new opportunity to take the Gospel to a marginalized people group who otherwise couldn’t be reached directly with printed literature.
Every Home Liberia ministry director Jonel Weeks.
The photos shown here, though beautiful, cannot fully convey the difference made by this outreach. These children and these families often feel rejected by society — but they received a different message from Jonel’s team.
“To us, you are special,” Jonel told a classroom of orphans — special enough for Jesus to go the Cross for you and for you to know it.
