Revival Fires in Liberia, West Africa

Jason DeMars from Present Truth Ministries, asked that I share a report on the trip to Liberia, West Africa which occurred October 26, through November 9, 2010.
Pastor Elijah Jabour invited us to dedicate the Happy Valley Church of Jesus Christ in Paynesville, Liberia, West Africa. On the trip was Brothers Won Bloteh, and Stephen Cassity.  It was a two week itinerary that was very intense. We met with pastors in six different churches.
Liberia is among the top ten poorest nations in the world. However, this has not always been the case. A devastating fourteen year civil war, ending in 2004,  has left the country with virtually no infrastructure. Prior to the war, the economy was nearly parallel with Germany.
True to form, when the Word of God strikes a country, war follows… a Message revival was the result.
The Message of the Hour arrived in Liberia in 1989. Perhaps the last of the nations in Africa to receive the Message. Following closely was  the civil war beginning in 2000. The war pushed many to flee to refugee camps in neighboring countries. It was in these refugee camps where the Message began to rapidly spread to young men who could keep the revival fires burning.
After the war, people began to return to their homes with these revival fires burning in their hearts. Men with visions began to establish churches, and the churches began to fill with souls hungry for the revelation of the Word of God.
Under extreme hardships’, and virtually no money,  these brothers with a vision began, and are still erecting, places of worship with whatever they can find to do so with. Some congregations can only have day time service as no electricity is available, and other sources of lighting is simply too expensive. It was often that we simply had to stop preaching so that the service could be dismissed, and the people could get home, or conduct other activities, after the church services.
Extreme poverty is the norm in Liberia with an unemployment rate of 85 percent. Imagine, in America a consistent unemployment rate of 9 or 10 percent may topple political incumbents. Here where only 15% of the population is employed money is very hard to come by. In America we complain at the cost of  $2.65 U.S. per gallon for gas. The price for a gallon of regular gasoline in Liberia averages $3.50 U.S. per gallon. A worker making $100.00 U.S. per month in Liberia is considered to be making good money. That is, if they can get their wages after they have worked for them.
When a congregation decides to build they may go into a swamp and gather reeds, or they may buy them. Then there is a problem with bugs eating the reeds in this case. The desire is to buy a load of sand for an average of $150.00 U.S, and then bags of cement, at about $8.00 US. With this, they will lay a foundation, and build their own blocks. Of course, they could buy the building blocks. However, the purchased blocks may be of such inferior quality that they quickly crumble during the six month rainy season, which usually runs from April through September. In fact, Liberia is considered by many to be the wettest country on earth.
These limiting hardships have not stopped the thirst for revelation, nor has it hindered the spiritual growth of the young men who have a burden to preach rapturing faith to their congregations. The eldest of the pastors are in their mid forties.  At sixty years of age, I was the senior minister in Liberia. In fact, they referred to me as “grand-pop.” Pictures drawn by the children, and sent to my wife were addressed to grand-mom. It is true that young men are men of vision, while old men are dreamers of dreams.

The pastors in Liberia asked me to tell you the doors to their churches are open, you are welcome to visit and fellowship with them.
Please feell free to contact brother Won Bloteh  (a Liberian missionary) at wonbloteh@hotmail.com who is working with the Good Shepherd Fellowship for more information concerning the “Revival in Liberia.”

May God bless each of you.
Sincerely,
Brother Frank Prater
Eagle Lighthouse Tabernacle
www.eaglelt.com