Easter Greetings!

Dear Friends,

Hope, triumph, victory, alleluia, glory -- these are some of the words we associate with the celebration of Easter.

For these 50 days of the Easter season, we will celebrate this hope, the triumph of Jesus’ resurrection, the brilliance and joy of New Life beyond the tomb. It is this Easter message - of overcoming challenges, and deepening our trust in God’s overpowering love - that guides us as we continue to serve the children of Liberia.

Your partnership with us in this endeavor is concrete evidence of the truth of the Easter message. Everyday, thanks to your generous support and faithful prayers, those among the poorest of the world’s poor are fed, clothed, educated, and loved. If this is not God’s work, what is?

In this way, the Easter season is much more than just 50 days; it is a 365-day celebration of life embodied by the children of Liberia Mission. Many of the 110 children who live at the mission have survived more terrors than I can imagine. In spite of the dire conditions they faced early in life, they now have, as one mission volunteer recently noted, “an unshakeable faith and trust that God has saved them for something special.” I believe this, too. These children live in a hard world and with our help, they will not just learn to survive in it, they will learn to lead. They will become doctors, social workers, nurses, teachers, and civic leaders. Because they are being educated while tens of thousands of other children are not, they know that they will shoulder great responsibility, and they are ready for the challenge.

As I write this letter, I see James, Esther, Rufus, Precious and many more faces crowding my memory. Walking with them, sharing a simple chat at times, or a profound listening about their lives, I have come to love them more than I thought possible. But you have done the same without being there yourselves. For your faith in the work, the trust you place in us, and all you continue to do for those we serve ... Thank you.

Still, while there have been many successes over the past year, there is more that must be accomplished. In that light, I will share some of our goals:

  • Care for the children’s medical needs by hiring a Liberian physician’s assistant to continue on-site part-time health care for the children and staff begun under Dr. Brian Chan. During the past year, Dr. Chan has dealt with contagious outbreaks of measles and chicken pox, provided vaccinations and preventive care and immediate critical responses to medical emergencies.
  • Provide support and programs for our children who continue to grow and whose needs are expanding. This year we will be supporting more than a dozen students as they go on to the local high school (our current on-campus classes run through 9th grade). This transition is a great success, but also brings with it new costs. To best address the needs of our young people, we must provide for the next phase of their education with the development of high school linkage and vocational programs.
  • Continue to promote a more family-like atmosphere by hiring additional house parents. Since we know that it is not enough just to teach and feed the children, we continue to work on building a more nurturing, stable community of care by improving the ratio of house parents to children. Can we afford to hire more house parents? With your help, yes!

We are working on securing the funding to make sure that these challenges are met, while continuing to provide the day-to-day care and education that we have promised to our children. We ask you once again to take the time to consider the work, consider the potential of the children, and continue to invest in them.

Indeed, the children have “an unshakable faith and trust that God has saved them for something special.” We believe it is our responsibility, and our privilege, to help prepare them for that role that they will play in God’s eternal plan.

We appreciate your kindness, compassion, and generosity. Without you and the others who have taken the needs and dreams of the children into your hearts, none of this work would be possible.

In Easter joy,

Fr. Donald P. Halpin, OFMConv
Spiritual Advisor

Read our Easter Newsletter here...