[Photos: Pastor Helen Kirby in Liberia, Africa]My African Mission Trip -
October 2009
I have found my mission trip to Africa to be one of the most challenging feats of my life as a female pastor and Christian minister. The verse ‘All things are possible to those who believe’ (Mark 9: 23) was a constant reminder of God’s faithfulness and unfailing love to me throughout my three weeks mission trip to Liberia.
I was given the task to visit and minister in four Hope churches Liberia – Hope Monrovia, Hope Gbarnga, Hope Voinjama and Hope Foya. I was given a schedule to preach over 20 messages in 11 days which included a woman’s conference and 2 outdoor crusades!
I knew this was going to be difficult, and I underestimated how difficult it was going to get - because of the long travel and hazardous road conditions due to the rainy season, the continuous ministry from one church to another as soon as we arrived, and the spiritual pressure of preaching in a large crusade. I really learnt the value of fasting and riding on God’s grace during that time.
Thousands gathered for healing crusades
I really want to thank God for an opportunity to meet Ps Sonny who heads the Hope Churches in Liberia. What an awesome man of God! This man is always fasting and hardly sleeps. He had faith in God and in me when I was doubting my ability to preach in the crusades. He had faith that rain will not touch us during the crusade and God kept the rain away …
We had over 4500 in attendance over 3 nights and hundreds gave their hearts to Jesus Christ.
I want to thank God for all the miraculous healings and salvations we saw at the crusades. Many demons were cast out and people set free. The atmosphere was charged with faith & the battle had been won in prayer – almost every single person I touched was healed that night.
God's blessings & protection in Liberia
The road conditions were less than favourable during that time – just to put it mildly. There have been many accidents and deaths on these roads but God continued to protect us. One trip that usually takes 7 hours – took us 15 hours to get there! We got stuck in these huge ‘mud craters’ more than 3 times! (please see the photos). At one stage we were driving in pitch black without any headlights and holding on to a little torchlight from the side window as our only source of light!
All our luggage (2 sisters came with me) remained intact throughout the whole trip – nothing was lost or broken. A South African woman who sat in the seat next to us lost all her luggage when she arrived in Liberia. Although one of our luggage items almost got shipped to Turkey – we managed to get it back just in time. Also we did not miss a single flight.
Children's Conference in Liberia
I also felt really blessed by my mission team members, Anushka & Fiona, who were fasting & praying for me the whole time. Anushka's children's conferences brought a lot of joy & laughter to the kids in Liberia . Not forgetting Ps Willie, our International Missions Coordinator, who came all the way from Malaysia after a tiring mission trip overseas to visit and give some oversight to the churches in Liberia. Praise God for sacrificial men and women in our movement!
Greater faith in a supernatural God
This mission trip has indeed been a life changing experience for me – I will never be the same. I have been completely humbled and touched by the grace of God that was on me during this whole mission trip without which I wouldn’t have been able to do anything of spiritual significance.
I can say with great faith and confidence that we believe in an awesome God that will never let us down.
When God stretches us, He provides the grace to sustain us. I believe God has dropped an extra deposit of faith and trust in Him that will stay with me for a long long time. Hallelujah!
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8
Pastor Helen Kirby
Hope Church, Adelaide
