We bring you greetings from Gompa, Liberia, West Africa!
“Super successful, highly impressive, very successful,” “hope for Liberia.” These are just a few of the words from our participants who attended the groundbreaking. Personally, I say, our God is awesome!
YOU, our partners made this groundbreaking “super successful.” Your gifts and prayers are changing the landscape, and this a “milestone” achievement. Thank you for making this huge difference. If this was a dedication of the school, it would have been packed with young people already, because they are ready and longing for a learning opportunity such as this.
The groundbreaking commenced at 10:30 a.m. Liberian local time and ended after about four hours. We had speeches and support and pledges from CLTI partners in Gompa (Ganta) and Monrovia and from many other places. Then we broke ground and prayed over the land, and we closed the event with a real big feast. Yah and her team fed all of us very well with a delicious meal of West Africa’s famous “Jolof rice.” The crowd was huge, but everyone ate and we had leftovers!
We received pledges for about 200 bags of cement and about 400 hundred dollars. Praise the faithful Lord!
On Monday all of our CLTI staff had a day off and get some well deserved rest after the weekend of hard work to pull all this together. We will return to work on Tuesday the 29th with bricking molding. This work is resuming as soon as possible to get as many bricks made as we can before the rainy season sets in.
On Sunday we visited two churches, sat in for brief worship, and conveyed our thanks.. Then we took off for Monrovia at noon so our friend, Jay Skinner, could fly out by 11:00 p.m. that night. Jay has spent the last week with us helping to prepare for the groundbreaking activities. We are grateful for his participation, and his commitment to the mission of CLTI.
Please enjoy reading Jay’s impressions of his trip to Liberia, then continue down to see more photos from the day.
Sei & Yah
From Jay Skinner:
Jay Skinner
I am wrapping up a one-week visit to help with the Groundbreaking Ceremony program. This has been a great and valuable experience. I highly recommend everyone consider a short-term mission trip to Gompa to work with Sei and Yah.
Please look at my illustrated travel log and think about coming here some time.
(Click here to go to Jay’s travel log.)
This is a “real Africa” missionary experience but Sei has it under control.
People like you and me can visit the CLTI mission and be healthy, safe, and really contribute to the effort. Everyone was so happy, from all levels of the society, to see me and have me here helping both
The Groundbreaking Moment! (Photo by Jay Skinner)
financially and with my professional skills of sales and marketing especially. I know you have gifts, too, that could contribute to building this program.
If you have time to get to know Sei I encourage you to email him and explore this option. (Click here to email Sei.)
More photos from the day:
A large number of Gompa residents attended the groundbreaking, in addition to local dignitaries and groups from local churches.
Gompa Mayor Amos Suah and his wife attended the ceremony. (front row)
Jay Skinner started off the musical portion of the day by performing with the Evangelical Free Church Band of West Africa
Two Muslim men came to the event to pay a friendly visit. (lower right and lower center)
The United Liberia Inland Church Choir blessed us with several musical selections.
Also performing was a group of young singers from the Evangelical Free Church of West Africa.
Also joining us were Dr. & Mrs. Leaid Zeyod, President of United Liberia Inland Church (L), and Rev. John Troseh, Senior Pastor of the United Liberia Central Church (R)
Shade from the hot sun was provided by an African-style shelter built the day before by the CLTI crew. This shelter is made from wood poles which hold up a grid-type ceiling. Palm branches are then woven into the grid to provide protection from the sun.
It was a festive atmosphere, with people coming from miles around.
