Support for Liberia

Our church was greatly blessed by the visit on March 11 of Rev. Jakes Voker, a pastor and church leader from Liberia.

Rev. Voker shared with our congregation that the people of Liberia are troubled but not destroyed.

Despite years of civil war and instability in Liberia, the people are grateful to be alive. In spite of challenges to their faith that we cannot even imagine, they believe even more today in the love and joy of worshipping Jesus Christ.

Rev. Voker has a long struggle ahead of him. He is continuing his studies here in Chicago so that he can return to Liberia and further serve his district by training lay people to become pastors.

The cost of this education, plus his desire to bring his wife and children to this safer environment while he studies, seem nearly insurmountable to a man who earns maybe $1 each month in Liberia.

But the Lord does provide, and he truly put the spirit of giving into the people of CUMC. With the special offering we held for Rev. Voker in the church, along with a generous contribution made by the church’s Board of Trustees, we were able to raise $1,000 to support Rev. Voker’s efforts to bring his family to Chicago.

We will be working with Rev. Voker to do more outreach to other churches in the Elgin District and possibly the Northern Illinois Conference.

We ask that you all keep Rev. Voker and his important ministry in your prayers.

We look forward to the opportunity to have him at our church again soon.

Some pictures from Liberia.

Picture 1

November 1999. Gompa District's Annual Women's Conference. The women at this conference discuss issues, hear speakers from other districts, examine the role of women in the church, plan activities for the coming year, and assess the previous year. The conference usually runs 3 to 4 days.

Picture 2

Dr. Francis Kateh is the chief medical officer of the Ganta United Methodist Hospital and School of Nursing. This 65-bed hospital was built in 1965. It serves the entire Nimba County area, along with 4 surrounding counties and neighboring Guinea. The hospital screens and treats 200 patients each day. Given that no patients can afford the cost of treatment, this hospital relies exclusively on donations of materials and money to support it.

Picture 3

The newest congregation in Gompa City, Borbuanyee United Methodist Church, holds service under the United Nations High Commission for Refugee tarps distributed during the civil war in Liberia. This congregation, which formed in 2000 with 54 members, now has more than 100 members. It is one of five congregations in Gompa City. The total population of Gompa City is approximately 5,000.

Picture 4

January 2000. Gompa District Conference, held in Sanniquellie, capital city of Nimba County, abut 45 miles from Gompa City.

 Picture 5

January 2000. Gompa District Conference, Sanniquellie, Liberia.

Picture 6

February 2000. This is one of 16 congregations from Guinea that were begun through the Gompa District United Methodist Church Outreach Ministry in Guinea.

Picture 7

August 1999. The children of Yarsonnoh United Methodist Church and School stand in front of the only building left standing in their village after the civil war. Some 65-70 buildings and homes were destroyed during the civil war, including the farmhouse Rev. Jakes Sei Voker built and lived in. The population of Yarsonnoh is approximately 1,000.

Picture 8

1999. Rev. Voker, with members of the Miller McAllister UMC, at the dedication of a new stairway to their church in Gompa City.

Picture 9

July 2000. Baptism by immersion of new members of Borbuanyee United Methodist Church in the Borbuanyee Creek. This church began with 54 members in 2000.

Picture 10

February 1999. School children from the United Methodist School in Diecke, Guinea, with their teacher and Pastor, Charles Cooper.

Picture 11

August 2000. Yarsonnoh United Methodist Church Pastor Martin Matiah lends a hand in building the new sanctuary for his congregation. The existing building for this congregation is used for a school.

Picture 12

August 2000. The Women's Home Arts and Daycare Center under construction at the United Methodist Station in Gompa City. This building is now under roof, but a lot of work is needed to finish construction. While people in the Gompa District make their own bricks of mud and straw, the cost of construction is prohibitive. Bags of cement cost about $10 each, with more than 60 bags used to build this women's center. It is estimated that the women's center needs an additional $12,000 to complete construction and purchase furniture and materials for this center that will offer women job/trade training skills and provide daycare during their instructions.

Picture 13

August 2000. The women of the Gompa District take a break from their work on construction of the Women's Home Arts and Daycare Center. The building is located on the site of the United Methodist Mission near Gompa City. The Mission site is more than 300 acres, and includes residential buildings for missionaries and essential employees (like the building pictured in this photograph) and the United Methodist Hospital. Women from congregations within the Gompa District take turns working on construction, making bricks, mixing concrete, building walls and hanging roof sheets.

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Last modified: April 16, 2001