With the latest news that Ebola has now taken root in the United States, concerns are running high that this could prove to be the most tragic viral epidemic the world has ever seen. Some are estimating that the death toll may hit over million before it is contained. Most of us followed with rapped attention the circumstances surrounding Dr. Kent Brantley and nurse Nancy Writebol’s battle with this deadly disease. For those of us who work in North and West Africa we follow almost daily the tragic conditions in Nigeria, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. Brother Henry Huffard wrote a wonderful article for World Christian Broadcasting entitled, “Beyond Brantly” where he describes the situation one of our former students faces in Liberia.
Beyond Brantly
Last month we featured the story of Dr. Kent Brantly and nurse Nancy Writebol. As you know, these two are no longer in danger from Ebola and have been able to return to their families. Brantly very publicly thanked God for his recovery when released from Emory University Hospital.
He doesn’t want his story to be the focus of attention. He wants more to be done to eradicate Ebola and to help the many suffering families in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. The World Health Organization changed the ranking of the epidemic enabling more to be done by the international community to combat the disease.
In 2012, Liberian Daniel Sackey came to stay with my wife and me a few weeks. He was able to see the big fireworks display at Nashville’s Riverfront for July 4 that year. He had never seen anything like it and tried to capture it all on his cell phone to share with friends when he returned home. The purpose of his trip was to attend a church leaders’ conference and to secure funds for the Bible training school he and others have started at a central location in Liberia.
It was a happier time between tragedies for Daniel and his nation. He and his family underwent great hardship when they fled Liberia during its bloody civil war. Wherever 
he would go (inland Liberia, Ivory Coast), he planted churches! Then they found themselves on a ship seeking asylum. No nation would allow them to disembark. Finally, Nigeria let them in. He enrolled in Nigerian Christian Bible College and earned his BA degree. His heart’s desire was to return to Liberia and start a school.
When Liberia’s civil war ended, Daniel returned with his family, began preaching in Monrovia and raised funds inside Liberia to purchase property for a Bible training school. His efforts to get the school off the ground stalled. Then he traveled to the U.S. to see if needed funds could be found.
Then the second tragedy struck. Early last month, Daniel sent an email, not realizing that his friends were already aware of what was taking place in his country. He wrote, “There is an epidemic outbreak of a sickness called ‘ebola’ that is destroying lives on a daily basis… Ebola is very contagious and kills within 21 days of infection. The most dangerous part about it is that it kills every member in a family of a victim. Our citizens are dying . . . my families. We need your prayers.”
He described how daily life is affected in Monrovia. “Last night the president of Liberia declared a state of emergency for 90 days, August 6 to November 2014. Everything has come to a standstill. Those of us who find our daily mail on a daily basis find it very difficult to survive in such time like these because movement has been restricted.”
I can only imagine how hard it must be to minister in Monrovia. Do you make house calls to pray for the sick? Do you welcome visiting strangers into your Sunday assembly? And then there’s just the normal daily activities like going to the open market to purchase food.
Then Daniel wrote a startling bit of information or misinformation being spread. “Most of our citizens drink from well water. Yet, there are some unscrupulous individuals who are poisoning wells in our communities. No one understands their motives. It could be apparently to undermine the government or to affect the number of deaths by the ebola disease. We are living in a confused state of mind.. We need your prayers.”
Again, I can only imagine the stories that circulate during a state of emergency, some of which may add to the confusion. It is clear that we need to pray daily for our brothers and sisters in Christ in Liberia and the other African nations hit by Ebola.
Last month we were commending the U.S. Christian medical personnel who risked their lives to save Ebola patients in Africa. This month we commend Christians on the ground in these areas for their faith and their desire to serve God in the toughest of situations.
Brother Daniel, we pray for you and your family, for your congregation in Monrovia and for your dream of a Bible training school to fully become a reality.
THE FUTURE
This past August, the board of directors for African Christian Schools decided that we would help Daniel launch a preaching school in Liberia. Daniel’s faith and vision inspired us to “step out on faith.” Our budgets have been tight and other efforts have demanded our attention, but Liberia is ripe for the gospel of Christ. We need your help in seeing this project through. If you would like a detailed description and budget of the efforts in Liberia, you can contact Trent Wheeler at (615) 427-8688. If you would like to give to this effort DONATE HERE, or you can send a check to ACSF, PO BOX 41120, Nashville, TN 37204.