A Missionary family in Liberia whom MAF flies asked us to pass on this letter to our support team.
It was humbling for us to read their words but a reminder to us of the reason we serve in a remote country.
We wish to see people spiritually and physically transformed in Jesus Name. You are a part of that and we hope reading this letter will encourage you too.
Dear Friends of Mark and Sarah,
I have been wanting to reach out to express
my appreciation for your support and prayers for the Newnham family. While we
were sad to see them leave, they served well in Liberia for the last few years
and we want to thank them and you for that.
My husband and I, with our three young
children, serve with SIM with an unreached M* people group. We have been living
in the bush area of Liberia for more than seven years. My husband is a bible
translator and literacy trainer and I home school our kids, work with the women
and children in our community and do trauma healing counselling.
Our remote town, Voinjama, has no supermarket,
convenience store, or bank and only an ill-equipped ‘hospital.’ Apart from a
couple Irish nuns and a Peace Corp volunteer from time to time, there are no
other expats living anywhere near us. There is a market where we can get local
foods and there are some small shops where we can get things like flour, oil,
and sugar. But every few months, we need to travel to Monrovia for supplies,
groceries and fellowship.
Before MAF, we used to take the long dirt
road. On the best days, we could make it to Monrovia in about 10 hours, but once you add the heavy
rains from the rainy season and you have roads that may not be passable at all.
We have been stuck in mud for hours. Last year we were stuck so terribly, we
ended up tipping over onto a sloped side of the road, smashing a side window.
Another time, it took us five hours to drive 40 KM. These conditions are tough on
vehicles. We would regularly end up with car problems that would have us on the
side of the road for several hours, sometimes having to be towed or wait until
the next day. We arrived in Monrovia feeling totally beat up from those road
conditions and spent my entire week there, which was supposed to be a break,
feeling painfully sore and exhausted, just to turn around and do it again to
get home.
Once, my husband had to take public
transportation to Monrovia to meet with a Bible translation consultant. It ended
up being a 22-hour trip. The first half had to be done on motorbike as the muddy
roads were impassable by car. He was soaked from the rain. Halfway there, he
was able to get in a taxi, but because of the driver’s poor planning, they ran
out of gas and spent the night on the side of the road. After being up most of
the night, he arrived the next morning, having to jump right in to meet with
the consultant who was available for just a few days to review the translation
work that had been done so far. How nice it would have been for him to arrive
feeling rested for such tedious and mind-straining work.
Last year, conditions were so terrible, we
couldn’t even pass on the road that usually takes just 30 minutes to get us
from our home to the airfield. We ended up having to take a by-pass that took
several hours. The narrow, muddy road had several steep hills with streams of
water flowing down them. Rain was falling; our eyes were on the time, knowing
MAF was on its way to get us. Some parts of the road were too risky to drive on
with the family, so we would get out and pluck our feet through the deep mud as
my husband carefully maneuvered the vehicle through. A number of times, we met
stranded vehicles and passengers as their car was no match for the road. I’m
not sure that I managed to take a deep breath that entire trip! After a trip
like that, when you see the trusty MAF plane and that pilot standing there
ready to take care of you, it’s like… coming home. There is a sudden rush of
not feeling alone anymore, of knowing that these people really care about us.
They are a beautiful sight for sore eyes and we can breathe deeply again. And
we feel as though we can never thank them enough.
Before MAF, we didn’t have a great plan for
evacuation if there was to be an emergency. Was it wise to have toddlers in an
area where we couldn’t access decent health care? Would she make it through the long, difficult
drive to access health care in Monrovia? Now we live with the comforting
knowledge that within a couple hours, a MAF plane could be within a 30-minute
drive of our house if we needed help. That peace of mind is invaluable!
I know Mark worked so hard behind the
scenes to make these things possible. He left for work while it is still dark
and had long, busy days. I’ll share a secret that until recently, I hadn’t
shared with anyone. I actually really dislike flying, afraid of a plane crash
somewhere in the jungle. But on those flights with MAF, I would often reassure
myself by reminding myself that Mark Newnham was on the job and he would never
let us on a plane that wasn’t properly serviced and safe. I had complete
confidence in Mark’s ability and diligence to do his job well. It helped me to
breathe easier through those dips and turbulence.
I think Mark’s job was probably tedious, hot
and somewhat thankless. More than once I would find Mark at the hanger, overheated,
and yet helping with weighing items and packing the plane. I always feel
embarrassed by the amount of stuff I end up taking back upcountry with me but
Mark never said anything to make me feel bad about it. He just did his job
without complaining. In fact, Mark seemed to always have a smile on his face anytime
we saw him.
The Newnham family has been so kind to us.
Our Noah had pretty significant speech issues and I was totally at a loss as to
how to help him. Can you believe my relief when I heard that there was actually
a speech therapist in Monrovia! Sarah evaluated Noah and gave me the tools and
lessons to help him. She gave me the encouragement I desperately needed to
teach Noah how to talk properly and now he can! Our Audrey always looked
forward to getting to see her little friend, Abby, each time we came to
Monrovia. We loved watching those girls interact, hold hands, and talk about
mermaids and losing teeth. They were precious together! And Noah wanted nothing
more for his birthday than to hang out with Josh, but worried that since Josh
was so much older, he may not want to hang out with a little kid. Josh
graciously accepted the invitation and made Noah’s birthday so special. Josh
has such a gift in caring for young children. And, Amy was always so sweet and
smiley, a true joy to be around.
So,
thank you for standing with the Newnhams, for supporting them so they can
support people like us. Your gifts and prayers are so appreciated. I thank God
for people like you each time I get on and off that plane. May God bless you
and continue to provide for you too in every way.
In Christ,
John Mark and Sara Sheppard
Audrey, 8, Noah, 7, James 4
