“It’s hard for some people to understand why we go so far to help others. 

We hear a clear call from God. People literally die if we don’t go. Some die even if we do.”

Watching the mother of young Joseph begin the seven mile walk back to her village with the body of her dead infant in her arms, Elyse Bell told herself it was impossible to save every child.

"I was in the United Methodist Clinic in Taiama, Sierra Leone with the twins, Joseph and John," said Bell, a member of Paris, Tennessee’s First United Methodist Church. The tiny boys were severely dehydrated. "We cradled them for three days. We fed and cared for them all day long. We took turns holding them, rocking them. I sang lullabies to Joseph.  I’ll never be able to sing those lullabies again," she said, choking on the words.

Joseph, the oldest twin, died. John lived.

photo courtesy of the Memphis Annual Conference

Henry Weber demonstrates water purification

Joseph and John are only two of the victims of the water-borne diseases that devastate Africa. The 16-member Volunteers in Mission team, in Sierra Leone January 2-16, treated at least 500 people in the clinic, some for malaria, some for tuberculosis, and others for worms, malnutrition, dehydration, respiratory diseases and intestinal diseases.

The team was the third to make the journey to the African country under the leadership of the Rev. Joe Geary, senior pastor of Paris First, and Samuel Pieh, a native of Sierra Leone and a naturalized U. S. citizen.

Henry Weber, a member of a team, which included Roman Catholics, Presbyterians and United Methodists, said bad water is the vector for many of the illnesses that claim the young, the old and the vulnerable.

"Every water sample we tested was contaminated with living organisms," Weber said.  "We brought a water purification system and taught 15 men how to use it. Those 15 will teach others. It’s a simple system–chlorine gas bubbles through the water source.  After treatment, the water tested okay."

photo courtesy of the Memphis Annual Conference

Mary Mueller and Robert

Fortunately for the team, not all the stories end like Joseph’s. When they arrived in Taiama, they were greeted by a young African woman and her healthy one-year-old boy Robert.

During their trip to the clinic last year, a severely dehydrated Robert was brought to the team for treatment. Faith Barbera, a team member from Paris, fed him with an eye dropper, keeping him alive. When it was time for the team to go, they bought cases of baby formula to leave with the mother who had no milk in her breasts for the baby.

"We were so happy to see the child still alive," said Weber.

In addition to their work in the clinic and on water treatment facilities, the 16 team members offered sewing classes, helped the United Methodist Church of Sierra Leone with money toward salaries and Annual Conference expenses, and donated boxes of Bibles, United Methodist Hymnals and copies of the 2004 Book of Discipline.

"We bought a motorcycle for District Superintendent Francis Marovia so he can visit his churches," said Geary.

They also furnished supplies for the two United Methodist schools and purchased material for uniforms for indigent children.

"We donated tools to the secondary school," Weber said. "On our first trip, we noticed there were almost no tools in the woodworking shop."

Geary also preached in Gola, a village in the bush.

"I was invited by the pastor James Haile. He has 25 churches in that region," Geary said. Elyse Bell and Ruth Johnson accompanied them on the trip. Their driver was a Muslim named Suleiman.

"It was dark when we left," Geary said. "And in Africa, when it’s dark, you can’t see your hand in front of your face."

They jounced down a gravel road for miles, accidentally passing the road to the village–which was no more than a machete-chopped path through the brush.

"Suleiman didn’t want to drive down the path," Geary said, "so we got out and prepared to walk. Before we started, we prayed there would be no cobras on the road."

At the compound, the pastor clanged a cowbell to let the people know a service was about to begin.

There in the dark, Geary used a tiny flashlight to illuminate the scripture passage he read to the congregation.  The one room building, which had Gola United Methodist Church hand printed over the door, was packed with people. Others were standing outside, listening through the windows. A single candle flickered on paraments embroidered with the words, "I love Jesus."

"I was led to give my own testimony," Geary said, connecting with the people by telling them about growing up on a farm. When he finished, he asked if anyone wanted to become a Christian.

"Everyone stood up," he said, the wonder of the moment still in his eyes. "Everyone stood."

"We knew we were in the house of God," said Elyse Bell.

And they knew they were answering God’s clear call to ministry.

Learn More About Sierra Leone and Our Mission Work There

Visit the Sierra Leone web page of The United Methodist Church

*Original story written by Cathy Farmer, director of communications for the Memphis Conference

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