Final Report for 2022

As we come to the end of the year 2022, we give thanks to the Lord for His many blessings upon us during the last 11 months. Every year that comes has it is own challenges and blessings, and the year 2022 was no exception. Yet, we remained grateful to the Lord for bringing us to the end of November. This report is a summary of the major activities of the Calvary Baptist Church and its related ministries.

We thank all of our supporters and the IGM family for the prayers and financial support given us for the year 2022. We also want to thank Dr. and Mother Gary Newhart, whose tenure of services with our mission officially ended this year. We at the IGM Liberia remain grateful to this godly couple for the many years of services for the Lord at the IGM. We also want to welcome Dr. Reed and his family to the IGM.

Our Family

In the midst of global economic and ministry challenges, God has been faithful to my family. Rose and I and the children are appreciative for the prayers and support given us by our supporting churches and orphans supporters through the IGM. Indeed, we are thankful.

For the year under review, all our children, including the 22 children (orphans) we care for are doing well and in schools. This gone September made our elder son, Mac, one year in Rwanda for his study leave. Mac is set to complete his first master program this December. Rose’s health has been relatively good since she last fell at the church in April. Although the pain has increased, she continues to keep busy. In preparation for her visit to Accra, Ghana, she did an MRI and sent to the doctor in Accra. We continue to trust the Lord for the provision of USD$2,000 for her pending medical trip to Ghana. In answer to our prayer, the Lord provided the funds needed to dig a well in our yard for water. In September, one of our daughters, Princess Sackie, graduated from high school. All of our orphans, except two (Oliver Weah and Dax Johnson) are doing well and in school. Dax suffers from sickle cell and is always in hospital. Oliver suffers from jaundice. I thank the Lord that my health has been relatively good. Our pickup truck has been done for this year due to lack of fund to have it repaired. We will need USD$1,8000 for a used engine.

Church Report

Worship services at Calvary and its fellowships remained opened throughout the year. Many people made profession of faith in the Lord at Calvary and at our fellowships around the country. At the Calvary, 16 persons were baptized and joined the church. The average attendance for our worship services this year is 278. In November, we finally ended the two service since the Covid pandemic has subsided in Liberia. We now hold one service in the new edifice upstairs (still under construction).

Sunday school attendance for adults and children has been good. Last Sunday, November 27 was our children day, which witnessed the kids reciting Bible verses, and performing drama. The sermon was delivered by Brother James Gaye, Jr., a graduate from the children Sunday school, and also teacher. AWANA remained active, with many kids presently attending clubs every Saturday at our school.

Deacons’ election was held this year, followed by a leadership workshop in April.

Church services and activities at our fellowships around the country continued this year. The Central Baptist and the Believers’ Baptist churches are constructing new church buildings.

Calvary Baptist Schools

Despite the challenges facing our schools this year due to low enrollment, we managed to open for academic 2022/2023. At the main school in Monrovia, we bought some used desktops for the computer class. Our science lab and library need apparatus and books. We added computer class to the school in Suakoko this year. Although the newly constructed Todee school building still needs more work, school opened in October, with more than 100 student’s enrolment. This year, we increased the school fees to LD$1,000 ($6). It will cost USD$ 3,200 to complete the building (casting of floor, ceiling, doors, and windows, making of benches, plastering, and building of latrine).

Ongoing Building Project

Works on the building construction resumed late in November with the completion of the tile laying. The ceiling work will begin this December.  The project was halted this year in order to raise funds.

Jake Memorial Baptist College

Academic activities at the Jake Memorial Baptist College continued this year, with the enrollment of additional students from our churches. The documentation for the elevation of the College to full degree is nearing completing following series of meeting with officials at the National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE). With the completion of the new campus, plans are under way to move the College to its new location on Robert field highway by the middle of 2023. Plans to construct a dormitory at the new campus are being discussed and finalized.

Marriages

Three of our young ladies from the church got married this year.

Sickness

This year, two faithful members of the church became very sick. Brother Amos Jones, a faithful member of the men department, came down with stroke and is completely paralyzed. A young lady from the choir, Tualar Blackie, was flown to Indian for a rare heart surgery. Praise the Lord the surgery was successful.

December activities

Activities for the end of the year are now being planned as followed:

  1. Last fund raising for the building project: Sunday, December 4
  2. Yearend revival: December 13-16. This year’s revival theme is, The night is far spent; the day is at hand (Romans 13:12). Preachers will come from three of our churches.
  3. The church’s 60th anniversary celebration: December 17-18.
  4. Youth Camp: December 25-30.
  5. Business Meeting: January 4, 20223.

Obituary

Three members of the church went home to be with the Lord this year. Brother Alfred Brown, former principal of the Calvary Baptist high school, died in May. In June, Sister Roseline Toweh, secretary general of the YWCA of Liberia, and chair lady of the church’s anniversary committee died from asthma. In August, Sister Lorpu Morris, a member of the ushers died from a protracted sickness.  In May, Sister Elizabeth Jones, former missionary of Baptist Mid – Missions Liberia, and teacher at the Baptist College, died in the US. Miss Jones was one of my instructors at the Baptist College of Church Ministries in the 198s and 1990s.

Prayer Requests

Please pray for the following request:

  1. The spiritual growth of the church
  2. Funds (USD$2,000) to take my wife Rose to Ghana for her medical checkup.
  3. The completion of the church downstairs auditorium. We will need USD$11,300 to complete this phase.
  4. The USD$3,200 needed for the completing of the Todee School.
  5. The successful hosting of the youth camp.
  6. The Lord’s guidance as we enter the New Year.

Blow are the IGM Missionaries I am responsible to supervise:

Pastor Elvis Dissee

Good News Baptist Church, Shoes Factory, Monrovia, Liberia

Pastor Elvis Z, and Evelyn Dissee. Good News Baptist Church,

Gardnerville, Liberia. Cell: 0776029970

Serving with the International Gospel Mission. 990 Calkins Rd Rochester 14623, NY, Phone. 5859439048

Yearly Report

Appreciation

My family and I, remain grateful to the Lord for His continued guidance and provision for our family during the last quarters. We also thank the IGM family for the prayers, support and encouragement.

With profound gratitude and best wishes, I submit my second and third quarter reports. I am grateful to God, our soon coming Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for taking my family through during this period under review. This report covers the following activities:

  1. My Family.
  2. The Good News Baptist Church.
  3. Rural Ministries
  4. Financial Status
  5. Christian Day School
  6. Challenges and Constraints
  7. Prayer Request

My Family

We are thankful to our Lord for the many answers to prayers for the up-keep of my family during these quarters. The Lord provided the fees for my two boys’ graduation from high school. Elijah Dissee and Jeremiah Gweh, on September 25, 2022, completed their high school. The issue about their graduation was highlighted in my first quarter report. Praise God for His goodness.

Also, my wife Evelyn Dissee, completed her last semester successfully in medical school. She spent two months with us on her vacation, from August to September. She has now returned to her campus at the United Methodist University in Ganta, Nimba County, where she is reading nursing.

The rest of the children we care for, including my son, Elisha Dissee, passed to the next classes in their various schools. God had been good to us for supporting the children schools during this period.

During the second quarter, I was unable to submit my report due to my four month illness. As I write this report, am scheduled to undergo surgery at the hospital in Ganta. l am trusting the Lord to provide USD $1,000.00 for the medical bills. My main source of support is USD$80 l receive from the church.  This amount cannot fully cover our food and basic needs.  We eat single meal a day in order to save for school fees and medication. But the Lord is s faithful and continues to provide for my family.

The Church

One again, I am grateful to God for how He had added two new fellowships to the Church. The two fellowships are the results of the outreach and souls winning programs we are involved with. They are located in some of the districts in Monrovia. They are Charity Baptist Fellowship, at Peace Island, Jacob’s town, and is currently pastored by one of our pastors in training, Bro. James Z. Quanor, and the other is Rehoboth Baptist Church, also located at Tussah filed, Barnersville, and pastored by Bro. Isaac Garlo.

The mini Bible School, which is under the Jake Memorial Baptist College, will be graduating three students who have completed their two years courses in biblical studies. They will be receiving diploma in biblical studies. They are Bro. Matthew Gonwongbay, Bro. A. Obadiah Ben, and Bro. Isaac Gbaryee respectfully. The church remained opened during the two quarters for services and ministries.

Rural Ministries

Due to my illness, l am unable to give you report as related to the operations of those rural churches. These are churches, which were visited by Rev. Dr. Newheart, Rev. Dr. Larque Vaye, with the late Rev. Moses Ujoe, in Todee, where they drove through a very large river. In my next report, I will highlight their activities.

Financial Report

Our financial situation is declining greatly, due to the drop in church attendance, and the low collection of tithes and offerings.  We are still receiving the same amount (USD$80) reported in our first quarter report, without help from any other source. Currently, our monthly expenses have increased drastically due the increase in the price of our stable food, (rice) and basic commodities. A bag of 25kg rice, which was sold previously for USD$14 is now USD$25. Also, transportation and school fees have greatly increased due to the price of gasoline.

Christian Day School

The Good News Baptist Elementary School successfully completed the 2021/2022 academic year. We ended the school year with the enrollment of 50 students. We run from nursery to grade six, with six teachers and two support staff. Our tuition is very minimum to allow the community kids to come to school. Even what is collected is not enough to cater to teachers’ pay. From my last report, the money needed to complete our primary school project is USD $2,000.00. Because we are finding it difficult to raise this amount, the project has come to a standstill.

Challenges and Constraints

Due to the above mentioned conditions, the church attendance has reduced. So we are challenged by low payment of tithes and offerings, which are the main sources of income for the church. Due to transportation fair, or change of environment, most of our members live distances away from the church, which is causing problem for the smooth operation of the church.

Prayer request

Please pray for the following requests:

  1. For my safe surgery and the provision of USD$1,000 for my medical bill.
  2. For the church attendance and faithfulness of members
  3. For the Lord’s provisions for our basis needs
  4. For the financial sustenance of the church
  5. The $2,000 needed to complete the school project

 

Submitted by:

Pastor Elvis and Evelyn Dissee

IGM Missionary Liberia

 

Note: Pastor Elvis underwent surgery and is presently recovering at the hospital in Ganta, Nimba County.

Rev. George Karblee, Faith Baptist Church, Buchanan, Liberia

Rev. George Karblee, now 89, has been pastoring the Faith Baptist Church in Buchanan for the past 58 years.  As the oldest pastors in one of our Baptist churches, Rev. Karblee is still preaching and not thinking about retirement, because the church is his only support. As you may know, in Africa, many churches do not have retirement plans for pastors. So, most pastors will stay on as long as they can and wait for the Lord to call them home.  The Faith Baptist church has established four churches in Grand Bassa County. Although Covid-19 affected them like many of the churches in Liberia, their church door remained opened throughout the year. The church will be hosting the Faith Independent Baptist Association (FIBA) conference, one of the biggest indigenous Baptist conferences here. Rev. Karblee does not receive any support from the IGM. He is too old to travel but will need some monthly assistance. This is a special payer request that needs urgent attention and prayer.

Appreciation: Dr. Gary and Nancy Newhart

Our people say: “Give a man his flower while he is alive.” On behalf of our churches in Liberia, I want to thank the IGM, mainly Dr. Gary Newhart, whose love for the Lord and national pastors, has greatly enhanced our ministry here in West Africa. I joined the IGM in 2010, three years after I met Dr. Newhart at the GARBC Conference in Pennsylvanian in 2007. Later did it occur to me that accepting his invitation to attend the IGM training school would eventually lead to my joining the mission as a missionary. Ever since that encounter with Dr. Newhart, my ministry has taken on a new turn. Not only have I travelled to the US on many occasions and preached in American churches, but have made many friends and gained supporters for my ministries (personal and orphans). As Dr. Newhart retires from active service with the IGM, we in Liberia will miss him greatly. We pray that the Lord will bless him and Sister Nancy for decades of service to the Lord’s works.

We welcome Dr. Reed and family to the IGM and look forward to a good working relationship as we Together Reach the World with the Gospel.