Camphor Mission Station Camphor, Liberia, West Africa September 14th to 30th, 2013

The Mid-Ohio District will be sending a team of mission workers to Camphor Mission Station in Liberia, West Africa from September 14th to 30th, 2013.  The team will be staying and working at the Camphor Mission Station, which is home to the Garfield U.M.C., a medical clinic and a school.

Camphor Mission is in partnership with the East Ohio Conference U.M.C. 3C’s Mission Project: Churches, Clinics and Classrooms.

Camphor Mission is addressing the needs in rural Liberia for Christian spirituality, education, health, clean water, and agriculture. We can all be in partnership with other United Methodist Churches around the world.  The work to be done at Camphor Mission will include many areas of skills and interest and may be based upon weather conditions at the mission.

Psalm 82:3-4 states: “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”  

Will you consider being a part of the next team of servants ministering in God's Kingdom in Liberia, West Africa?

Estimated cost per person would be approximately $3000 per person for the travel, meals, and transportation. 

The Mid-Ohio District U.M.C. Office will provide a $300 assistance grant for up to four members or individuals of the M-O District.  

Please check with your own church, district, and conference office, along with local community organizations for assistance and sponsorship to defray the costs of the mission trip.  

The September Camphor Mission team will attempt to work together on at least one fund-raiser to help make the overall cost within reason for all individuals.

Contact Stanley Wertz about joining the team at  cwertz1@neo.rr.com or by phone (419) 892-3539. 

Group size is limited, so please make contact as group orientation and training will begin soon.

Relationships

The value of relationships that we have established with East Ohio and the people of Liberia is indescribable.  I want to share this email conversation with my friends at Camphor Mission as I share news about the death of my dad, Mark Urban.

From Kathy to friends in Liberia, 
I want to thank you for your prayers for my father.  When I returned home from Liberia and Sierra Leone on March 10th by father fell due to weakness and ended up in the hospital.  After a diagnosis of an infection, thin blood because of medication, internal bleeding and other health issues, we decided to not treat him medically any longer.  We kept him comfortable and me moved to a hospice care facility on Saturday.  He was surrounded by prayers, love, and his girls, my mom and two sisters.  Mark Urban, my dad died at age 76 on Tuesday of this week.  We will celebrate his life on Saturday.  We are grateful for ultimate healing of heaven and that he is at peace, no longer suffering or in pain.  

You my friends in Liberia have been praying for him for over a year now.  Please share this news with my friends at Camphor Mission.  We have been blessed by their love and commitment to prayer.

From Rev. Roosevelt Goah, District Superintendent 
Hi Kathy,
Easter greetings to all of you. When will be the funeral service of your Dad?  We have decided along with the staff, students and the entire workforce at the mission to have a service in Liberia during the funeral service. Take courage in the Lord. We love you, Kathy.
 Ds Goah

From Kathy
Dear Roosevelt,

What an amazing jester of love, faith and commitment to one another.  I am sorry to tell you that the funeral was this past Saturday, it has already happened.  I know that my family in Liberia loves me and loves my father too and loves God best.  How amazing to know that my father is in heaven healed from all sin and illness, meeting Tommy Paye and others from my life in Liberia.  I will pass these words onto my family as you pray along with us for Mark Urban's life and legacy.  Danny and I are blessed by your love.  I have included a photo of my mom and dad as well as words that my sister and I read about Mark at his funeral.  

Thank you thank you thank you.  

Peace Kathy Dickriede

There is power of life giving and life changing relationships that come out of this mission work that we are a part of in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Russia and Zimbabwe.   Discover how God wants to  connect us to one another as you pray about traveling to one of these places to meet the people and receive life and faith.  

Praise God for the work of the connectional church.    

A call to long term individual volunteer at Camphor Mission in Liberia or Manjama Clinic in Sierra Leone?

Individual Volunteers

Become an individual volunteer. The opportunities for volunteers are diverse, including such positions as case managers for refugees, teachers, pastors, camp directors, children and youth assistants, and health care administrators and practitioners. The length of service is a minimum of two months and can extend to two years or more. 

Because individual volunteers are often viewed as missionaries by the host community, they should be people of faith, and preferably have some mission experience by having worked with their local church, campus ministry, or other faith community. Living in a different culture, whether nationally or internationally, presents challenges that require maturity and strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills.

All volunteers must be at least eighteen years of age. They are expected to fund raise for their monthly living expenses, as well as for transportation to and from the placement site. Before being considered as an individual volunteer, interested candidates must apply and attend a training and orientation session.

Orientation / Training Sessions

All individual volunteers are expected to attend an Individual Volunteer Orientation/ Training weekend prior to mission service.

Reservations are due approximately one month in advance of the Orientation/Training session. There is a fee of $200.00 which covers food, lodging and training materials.

February 20-24, 2013
Seashore Assembly – Biloxi, MS
Nearest Airport –  MS Regional Airport
seashoreassembly.org

April 10-14, 2013
Garrett- Evangelical Theological Seminary – Evanston, IL
Nearest Airport – Chicago, Il
www.garrett.edu

June 5-9, 2013
Church of the Resurrection – Leawood, KS
Nearest Airport – Kansas City, KS
www.cor.org

August 13-17, 2013
Alton L. Collins Conference and Retreat Center – Eagle Creek, OR
Nearest Airport – Portland, OR
www.collinsretreatcenter.org

October 16-20, 2013
Asbury Retreat Center – Silver Lake, NY
Nearest Airport – Greater Rochester International Airport – Rochester, NY
www.asburyuny.org 

Sierra Leone

The West Africa journey continues.  We over landed from Liberia to Sierra Leone on Monday, a long 10 hour trip even in the dry season.  The six person team from East Ohio and one Liberian driver are being taken care of well at the MTC in Bo.  We visited Manjama Clinic today with host, Beatrice Gbanga and learned more about the hopes for more support in the Community Based Health Outreach plan in the area.

We will travel to the Sierra Leone Annual Conference on Wednesday and Thursday.  Bishop Hopkins will be preaching on Thursday morning.  A quick trip to Freetown on Friday and traveling home on Saturday.  What a blessing to see God at work in West Africa!

Please keep us in your prayers.

Harrisburg Farmer to Farmer celebration

The East Ohio delegation was a part of a re-consecration of the St. John UMC on the St. Paul River District.  We celebrated a new roof, new ceiling, new windows, tractor, water tower, a thriving sewing  ministry, land for farming, building for housing for clinic staff, shared ministry and the work of the Liberia Annual Conference!

Earlier this year a team from East Ohio led by Pryde Bass and Ray Ake traveled to be a part of these ministries.  Today, Bishop Innis and Bishop Hopkins consecrated the worship elements along with members of the congregation and community.  It was a great celebration of this partnership!

Camphor Sports

There was a big game because of a celebration for Bishop Hopkins and Bishop John G. Innis were here.  We welcomed the incoming missionaries and the students and teachers played.  Then we went to the dining hall to have lunch with the missionaries.  

A journalist is writing now.  Right now the students and teacher are playing a football game and Josh is playing on the field.  The American Bishop is coming to kick the ball on the field.  And you can see Rick and Joseph are doing video recording.  And why did the student miss the ball?!  And a student just missed a goal!  One of the students just scored a goal.  One of the students just missed a goal.  The student kicked the teacher.  The students are happy because they are leading their teachers. We can see “50/50” is playing hard.  There has been a good goal and why the students have one goal.  The first half was finished.  The students were leading the teachers 1-0. 

The second half.  The teachers missed the goal.  The game is very hard for the teachers.  Bishop, a student/teacher, passed a ball that was very important for Coach Toe.  But it does not realize. (Meaning he missed!)  One of the teacher’s scored one goal that was one on one.  Samuel Mardeh scored the goal. 

We can see why Rev. Kulah missed a one on one goal.  We can see why teacher is leading 2-1.  We can see this is defend kick.  The game finished.  The teachers won!

An interview with Samuel Mardeh, a.k.a Bishop.

“I got hurt from a student.  The first free kick Wadda missed it. The teachers have a better team than the students.  I scored the two goals.”

An interview with Rev. Dave Scavuzzo

“It was a great game.  At the start of the game I thought the teachers would beat the students.  Then at half time I thought the students would win because the teachers would be too tired.  But then the teachers won!”

“God’s hand is upon Camphor Mission.”

An interview with Judy Claycomb.

“The welcome service was very great.  I love the African clothes the Camphor Mission staff gave to me.  I love the way the Bassa choir sings.  I love the way Rev. Kulah preached. 

An interview with Bethany Lewis.

“I love the welcome service.”

An interview with Leah Snell.

“I love the welcome service.  I love the African clothes they gave to me.”

An interview with Josh Low a.k.a. Gachuku.

“The welcome service was fine.  Rev. Kulah preached well.  The African clothes are fine.”  Josh said that Kelvin N. D. Swee Jr. is a good journalist. 

An interview with Sharon Snell.

“The service was not very fine because of the heat and we stayed for long.  I love the African clothes they gave.  I am going to carry the good news of Camphor Mission to America.”

An interview with Deb Moore.

“The welcome service this morning was very nice.  The African clothes they gave to your people was very beautiful.”

An interview with Lauren Green

“The welcome service was very beautiful.  And great hospitality! The African clothes was very beautiful.”

An interview with Danny Dickriede.

“The welcome service was very lovely.  The African clothes were very lovely.  Camphor Mission has been very good at having visitors.

An interview with Bishop Hopkins.

My heart was warmed at the welcome service.  This is his first time at Camphor Mission.  It was very beautiful.  The Africa clothes they gave to me were beautiful.  I am going to take the good news of Camphor Mission to Ohio. 

The final interview is with journalist Rick Wolcott.

I am very impressed for the morning service.  I was very happy with the service.  It was very beautiful.   I enjoy Camphor Mission. 

The day was fine!  I interviewed in the church, I interviewed on the field, and I interviewed the missionaries!  Let God bless the missionary and let them love me too and bless me too. 

By Kelvin Swee