Africablog: Operation Classroom '07

Rick Chandler, a member of the OC January 2007 team, wrote the following on his return from Sierra Leone earlier this month:

All the months of planning, preparation and prayer had now culminated into our journey to Africa. We were all filled with anticipation for how God would use us in the days ahead.

On January 4th we flew from Indianapolis and arrived almost 24 hours later at Roberts Airport on the outskirts of Monrovia, Liberia. We stayed at the Methodist Compound in Monrovia for the first few days of our mission journey. Herbert and Mary Zigboo, United Methodist missionaries to Liberia were our host and hostess. Their ministry has made a huge difference, most recently in restoring the United Methodist Hospital in Ganta from the ravages of their long civil war. We also met with Rev. Dr. Anthony and Jennifer Dioh, whose ministry for healing and reconciliation is far reaching in Liberia. After several days we traveled to Freetown, Sierra Leone. We had the honor of having dinner with Bishop Humper. Saffa Koroma, the Operation Classroom school administrator and our host, had his personal aid, Abu showed us around Freetown. All of us quickly realized and appreciated how invaluable Abu was to us.

Time went quickly and on January 16th five of us returned to the U.S., the remainder of our group spent another week in Jaiama, Sierra Leone and returned to the U.S. on January 23rd.

Mission trips are about where God takes God’s servants to serve those in need. The phrase “those in need” causes me to pause. Imagine what it would be like to go to your hospital and at the most you find three physicians on staff. Many on the hospital staff have minimal training. Electricity is only an occasional thing, mainly from generators, so there are no electric fans, let alone air conditioning. Doors to rooms are kept open because of stifling heat and lack of circulation. There may or may not be running water which you will notice doesn’t appear clean! Do not expect a private room. Three or more patients will share a room in a space close enough for one to reach out and touch the other. A pet monkey may be tied to a tree. People may be doing their laundry with waste water from the hospital. Get used to the smell of people, urine, and the stale environment in general. This is where you have come to for yourself or your loved one to receive needed health care. Many, many more cannot even receive this minimal care. With such limitations, the needs are great. So as God has taken our mission team and many others before us and after us here to serve. One can only be humbled and grateful to offer some tangible hope for these wonderful people God has created.

These conditions are a reality in Sierra Leone and Liberia and they startle all five senses, six if one includes compassion, from mission visitors like us. Yet generally the people we encountered are upbeat, with a ready smile, genuine love in their eyes, and praise God for what they have. The irony is, many of us who travel to serve and have tremendous resources actually learn more about the value of life, including the celebration and depth of faith, from those who are poor, undereducated, and lacking in resources. Our God is an awesome God.

Nevertheless, progress is being made to help improve the quality of life in these areas. Support comes from the United Methodist Church, Operation Classroom, as well as other
churches from the United States and other countries. Help comes from mission teams who educate, fund, build, and share God’s love. For instance in Ganta, Liberia the hospital is comparatively clean and organized with better trained personnel including nurses, an eye surgeon, separate surgery suites, and a generally healthier hospital environment. Kissy Hospital in Liberia in the last two years has added an emergency/trauma building and a new surgery building dedicated to Joe and Carolyn Wagner, Operation Classroom. Plans for further growth at Kissy are being planned. Healing continues and we all are more keenly aware of God’s grace and love. God is good, all the time.

Peace be with you,
Rick Chandler, RPh.


Our mission team consisted of thirteen people of various talents:

• Don Griffith – team leader, St. Luke’s UMC
• Marilyn Griffith –team leader, St. Luke’s UMC
• Beth Borgerding, RN, St. Luke’s UMC
• Scott Semester, St Luke’s UMC
• Jan Nichols, World Missions Director at St. Luke’s UMC
• Chet Adams, St. Luke’s UMC
• Randall Strate, MD, Meridian Street UMC
• Bonnie Strate, MD, Meridian Street UMC
• Marchusa Huff, RN, Trinity Episcopal Church
• Rick Chandler, RPh, Carmel UMC
• Michele Tyring, RN, Speedway UMC
• Judith Trenary, RN, Forest UMC
• Mary Tinley, Rosedale Hills UMC