Letter from Emmanuel - Ebola Virus

We recently received a beautiful letter from Emmanuel asking for help. The church has been trying to keep up with the preventative practices (washing hands with chlorine and regular use of hand sanitizer), but they don't have the funds to continue providing these things. 
As Emmanuel explains below, this is a terrible time of uncertainty and fear for our brothers and sisters in Christ at the Abide in the Vine Disciples' church. It's incredibly frustrating that the basic medical supplies they need to prevent the virus are expensive.

Please read Emmanuel's letter below, and prayerfully consider donating.  We've set up a Reserve Fund for Medical Expenses to assist our partner churches in times such as the Ebola crisis. Read more information, keep updated, and donate on our Ebola Outbreak Awareness page.

LET'S MOBILIZE THE BODY OF CHRIST AND MEET THE NEEDS OF THE ABIDE IN THE VINE DISCIPLES' CHURCH.

Hello Aaron and everyone,

I am writing to you this letter of request in tears and heavy heart. Our beloved country Liberia and our people (both olds and young) went through pain and suffering for 15 years of civil war at which time many families lost their love one. 9 years ago, the Lord brought the war to an end and started rebuilding our lives again. As we set our minds in moving forward with life, and trying to rebuild our country, leaving behind all the losses and damages cause by the civil war; here we are again facing another epidemic of Ebola that is so scaring and fearful than the gun battle. It was after our civil war the Lord brought you and us together in partnership and since then you have been an instruments in the hand of God for the rebuilding of lives and our beloved nation. I strongly believe that there was a reason for this.

Remember what Mordecai said to Esther in Esther 4:14; But if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews (Liberians) will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”’

For the past 8 years the Lord in his own wisdom connected us to you people and he has been doing great things through you for the people of Liberia, and still looking ahead to do greater things then he did in the past. As you may already be aware of the resent outbreak of Ebola virus in our country, this situation is getting out of hand. For the past one month, many Liberian has died from this virus and many continue to die up to present. Major hospitals in the country were closed down because health workers were dying from this deadly virus. With the closing of these hospitals, many people started dying from other sicknesses because there were no treatments for them. As we speak, people are still dying from both Ebola and other sicknesses.

The government of Liberia through the Ministry of health and social warfare came out with some preventive measures for Ebola since there is no cure for it. These are the measures: consistent washing of hand with chlorine or cholera and regular uses of hand sanitizer. These things are very costly for our people and the government is only supplying these things to hospitals and government entities. Individual are to purchase them by themselves. We as a church have tried our best for the past two weeks but we do not have enough funding to continue. Abide in Vine Disciples’ Church has about 6 branches in the country with over one thousand membership. Four days ago, the government declared the state of emergencies; there by restricting all movement within the country. This has added another trouble to both the people upcountry and those in the city. As we speak, people are going without food. With this, we expect more death. First, we have this deadly virus which kills within twenty-one days, second, hospitals are yet to be reopened to the public, third, materials for the preventive measures are very expense and forth the food is costly.

We as a church are kindly asking you to please come to our aid and help us in this time of need. All the above mentioned needs are available but we are unable to purchase them on our own, we therefore ask you to please help us so that our people, especially our children will not die because of lack of food.

We hope and pray that the Lord will touch your hearts and give you the grace to do whatever he will ask you to do for us.

Thanks
Pastor Emmanuel F. Bimba
The head servant in the vine yard of the Lord