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Back to Africa
A Diary

By:
Ralph L. Heath

   Sunday March 24, 2002 9:28 A.M. Dayton International Airport:
     It was outrageous! Five dollars for cinnamon sticks and a glass of OJ. As I ate the high priced calories at Cinn-a-bon, I pondered about the next thirteen days. I was feeling apprehensive. This unexpected journey came together in an amazing and rapid way. Dad {Chester Heath, Missions Director for Free Gospel Missions (FGM)} called me concerning the invitation he received to speak at a nationwide conference of the FGM in Sierra Leone, West Africa. He was anxious to go. Sierra Leone was just experiencing peace due to 10,000 UN troops that were securing an end to 10 years of civil war. Seven years earlier, FGM missionaries (Royce Roy family, Steve Burgess and Karen Tilkeran) had evacuated for their safety. During those years reports were received from the national leadership but he wanted to see the present situation first hand.
     He inquired if I would go with him. Normally, he and Mom would go together, but this trip had so many uncertainties. I wanted to go but___ Several times in the past decade, I would have flash backs to our 10 years of missionary work in Sierra  Leone between 1977 and 1989. Sometimes it would be a face. Sometimes it was a happy event. Sometimes it was a flashback to a sad event. Sometimes I could taste that cassava leaf again and yearn for that unique dish that took over a year to learn to like. It became my favorite. Yes, I had thought of going some day, but now? Becky, my wife was facing surgery in the first part of March. I had also calculated I would need a minimum of three thousand dollars to cover expenses of the trip. How could I get that much money in a few weeks? How would Becky's surgery turn out? On top of that I would have to arrange leaving our home improvement business for two weeks. "Dad I would like to go, but why don't you see if Royce Roy or Steve Loretz (former missionaries to S/L) would like to go,"  I replied.
     Then it all began to come together. Royce and Steve, both pastors, were not able to leave their churches over Palm Sunday and Easter. I really did not want Dad to go alone. But how could I go? A man, to whom, I had given a van when in need, gave me an unexpected $1,000. That gave me a nudge to try to go. After contacting a few former supporters, that amount was multiplied by four times. We would trust God to work out the surgery and business.
     While finishing the OJ, I analyzed my apprehensions.
     Sunday March 24, 2002 2:27 p.m. Pittsburgh International Airport:
     The flight from Dayton to Pittsburgh on a 737-300 was my first in 13 years. While waiting for Dad to join me for our USAir flight to London. England, I began ruminating on those apprehensions again. I would have to deal with changes. The picture in my mind was from S/L 13 years ago. What would I meet now? Who would I see? Who would be gone? Would I be able to accept the changes? A lot of water has flowed under the bridge in 10 years of civil war. Will I be able to visit the grave of our son, Joshua Aaron, whom we buried after only one month after his birth! Are the reports of the national church growing in spite of the hardships true or will we be disappointed? What is the condition of the church? Where will we stay? What will we eat and drink? (Well, I did know part of the answer to that one — we had packed some bottled water, beef jerky, peanut butter etc. What could I say to those who had suffered so much?

   Sunday March 25, 2002 10:16 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) in flight:
     I engaged in conversation with the passenger to my right. She had opened a Bible on her lap. She is a Jamaican married to a Sierra Leonean and had lived there for 30 years. Three years ago she fled when the rebels attacked Freetown (the capital of S/L). She also is making her first return voyage since the end of the civil war.

  Tuesday March 26, 2002 2:32 a.m. In flight two hours from Freetown:
     Sleep would only come fitfully. The seats are cramped. I am feeling unsettled with many issues running through my mind. I think about our visit to S/L. What will it be like? What should be my aim or focus? I feel so unprepared. Then a thought diverges off to our home church. The night before I left the pastor told me of his intention to resign. As a member of the board I will have to help the church negotiate through a transition. Two weeks is a long time to be away during such circumstances. Then a thought veers off to the unexpectedly high hospital bill from Becky’s surgery. How am I going to deal with that? Then a thought strays by about the work I will need to get done for our clients when I get back. Then I thought about how this was the first time that I have attempted any major travel and event without Becky. I am going to miss talking to her for so many days. I need to focus on the task just ahead but find it hard to concentrate. I realize I will need to rely on God’s help but I wonder how can I know the difference between having to trust God and not preparing myself for the task ahead.

   Thursday, March 28, 2002 8:26 a.m. GMT Godrich, Sierra Leone:
     Our first full day in S/L supplied more answers to some of my questions.
     What is the condition of the church? I saw a book of Acts response. Since the area where most of the mission work was located (120 miles in the interior from Freetown) was controlled by rebel forces, a lot of people fled to Freetown. Yesterday morning we visited a “new church and nursery school”. This church was opened as a result of the civil war.
     Since Daniel had to make his headquarters in Freetown, and with the city greatly expanded by displaced people, they began to open new churches and schools in the Freetown area. What would we eat? We found that the guesthouse also had a restaurant serving both American and African food. The American meal was the same every day — chicken, French fries and a salad. Yesterday’s African meal was cassava leaf with chicken. The yearning flashback became a reality.

     Thursday March 28, 2002 4:47 p.m. Guesthouse Godrich, Sierra Leone:
          Ah — I love it! Today those we used to chauffeur chauffeured us around. Daniel and Isaac took us into the center of Freetown. It was sobering to see the effects of the Battle for Freetown. Many buildings were pocketed with holes from gunfire. Some government buildings and churches were only shells having been burnt. It must have been a brutal and frightening time for the residents. Now the city is bustling with life. The streets are clogged and at times grid locked from so many vehicles. A Baptist church was being rebuilt.
     Would I be able to accept the changes? I found two that were easy to adopt. The first is the freedom and ease of currency exchange. No more black market. No more long waits at a bank. No more carrying boxes of bills where the highest denomination paper bill is the equivalent of 50 cents.
     The second was a modern cell phone system. I bought a phone card and was able to speak to Becky in 5 minutes. No more going to the telecommunications center to place an overseas phone call and wait for two hours before it goes through. S/L has frog leaped in communication  technology.

    
    Good Friday March 29, 2002 10:45 p.m. Guesthouse God, Sierra Leone:
     The first full day at the conference has answered more questions. They named it the “Restoration Retreat for 2002.” The theme is “God is Able.” Daniel John’s address to the conferees outlined the purpose of this first national retreat in two years: “We are grateful that peace has now been restored to a war ravaged nation. God alone can make war cease, (Ps. 49: 9-11) The challenges for the church is immense as peace takes grip in various regions of the country. The flag has now been raised to march aggressively in every corner of S/L to claim our possession: and rebuild the spiritual walls of the nation.”
     It is held at a high school campus. The porch was transformed into a platform. An arbor was constructed and covered with a blue tarp to be the “auditorium” providing some shade during the day. The participants, some having traveled for days it great sacrifice, sleep in the classrooms on grass mats.
     Who would I see? In an ironic way this was both discouraging and encouraging. I saw few that I knew that I had taught hat had been part of the work a decade earlier. But it was encouraging to see so many new workers. Their quality was impressive. Daniel and Isaac remind me of Moses and Aaron. Daniel a reserved and thoughtful leader. Isaac is a powerful spokesman.
     Who would be gone? I knew there would be many of these. Time and war would have carried them on to their reward. I met a young man whose brother had helped to construct the Bible School and many churches. The brother had died due to a rebel’s bullet. I met Henry of Makump who told me of the death of several older church members such as Pa Peter, Pa Brima, Pa Moses and Ya Marke. Age and sickness had carried them out of this life.
     Easter Monday April 1, 2002 9:25 p.m. GMT Guesthouse Godrich:
     The roasted chicken, French fries, salad and Sprite we were digesting will probably be our last American type meal until we get back to London.
     The completion of the conference left me feeling confident about the future of the mission work. If the commitment of the conferees is any indication, their work for God will surely advance. For four days they followed a schedule of a morning service, four teaching sessions and an evening service. I spoke at 8:00 a.m. facing east into the blazing morning sun, which produced sunburn in a couple of days. National pastors, leaders and pastor’s wives presented teaching sessions. The subjects were as varied as “The Indigenous Church” to “Courtship”. Dad concluded each evening with a message.
     When I heard the testimony of the “rebel chaplain”, I realized I was in the company of men with Holy Ghost boldness. The rebel forces captured this pastor, with a wife and nine children. He had the spirit of the Apostle Paul, always seeing any situation as a gospel opportunity. He received authority to preach in rebel controlled territory. He even had an opportunity to preach to the rebel leader and his lieutenant. This “John the Baptist” preached a straight message to them and lived to recount it. His peers teasingly named him “the rebel Chaplain.”
     When I examined the leadership of Daniel and Isaac, I realized what valuable men they had developed into. I was impressed that they are also attracting and training others like themselves. Daniel and Isaac have faithful wives serving along side of them in both the practical and spiritual side of the ministry. I believe there is a great hope for the future of the mission.
     When I saw them pray I knew they would be empowered for the future. Easter Sunday was declared a fast day until evening. The afternoon sessions were given over to a Restoration Prayer time. This included two hours of energetic, loud and persistent prayer. They did not pray with their heads down but many walked back and forth vigorously, hands raised and with loud voices bringing their petitions to God for the future of their country and churches.

     Tuesday April 2, 2002 10:00 p.m. GMT Lungi Village:
     Today was more like a day I would expect in Africa. All morning and half of the afternoon we waited, waited, and waited for Daniel and Isaac to arrive for our trip to Lungi. Waiting while not knowing why we are delayed is a trial to the American mindset. They had to spend all that time to replace parts on the car that had been broken or stolen two nights ago.
     We rode to Lungi on roads that varied from newly paved
to ones that were 90% potholes to dirt roads that were like washboards. This five-hour trip was necessary because the ferry to cross the bay from Freetown was unreliable.
     Tonight we will sleep in more “normal’ conditions in a small room with one window without a screen and no electricity. We did have a double bed with a thin foam mattress a latrine and a shower room consisting of a bucket and cold water. Supper consisted of some snacks and bread. We have not eaten since breakfast this morning.

 Wednesday April 3, 2002 7:45 p.m. Kenema:
     This was a long day after just a couple hours of sleep. The primitive room was hot and humid. I perspired just lying in the bed until 1:30 a.m. We were up at 4:00 a.m. to meet Daniel and Isaac for our trip to the interior where the center of the mission work had been before the civil war necessitated an evacuation.
     We got delayed due to car trouble. Somewhere on the rough roads yesterday, a hole was made in the oil pan from which all the oil drained out during the night. Daniel made arrangements for a member of the Lungi church to chauffeur us in a 5-passenger Nissan station wagon.
     This is the first time Daniel or Isaac have been to see the mission property since fleeing for their lives in 1999. We see very few cars. This area was liberated by the UN troops only two months ago. Many displaced people are still wary of returning until after the national election in May.
      In Makump we stop to see the grave of our middle son, Joshua Aaron Heath. Pa Joe, the groundskeeper could not believe it was I.
     We crossed the Rokel River to the town of Magburaka. The sights here are so discouraging. The whole town has deteriorated. Nothing is clean or fresh. The two-story mission compound is an empty shell. The windows and doors are broken. The place has been looted of any thing of value. Toilets, sinks, electrical wiring and all the mission property are gone. There is graffiti on the walls. One is the unit insignia of the rebel commander who made this his base and prison. The mission dump truck is up on blocks with all the usable parts stripped. A 15 passenger Dodge van is in the garage with the windows smashed out, the tires and engine gone. All this is so discouraging. My last memories are of a vibrant and well kept center of activity.
     We walked over to the church. It was in better shape but still it suffered looting of the wiring and steel folding chairs. The roof is damaged from bullets causing roof leaks and damaging the ceiling panels.
     At the Tonkolili Bible Institute the first sight is welcoming. The plants that were just struggling seedlings have matured and taken away the barren look. But here again we find all the buildings looted. Years of work and sacrifice have disappeared. The list of things looted is overwhelming — wiring, sinks, windows, toilets, generators, furniture, carpentry equipment, library books. Basically, anything not securely attached to the walls is gone. If the church only consisted of property, it would be devastating. But what I saw at the conference gave me hope for the future. The Church is Christ’s body consisting of believers. The resurrected Christ has a living body. Before our journey was ended this day we would see two new churches established during the war. The church may be looted but it will not be defeated.

     Saturday April 6, 2002 2:39 a.m. GMT In flight, halfway to London:
     We are headed home! It has been a profitable trip but I’m glad to be going home.
     I am thankful we are not leaving disappointed. Truly, one plants another waters and GOD gives the increase. God is able to give a vision and provide the means for its fulfillment.
     In Kenema we saw a concrete block church that was constructed during the war. The war did not hinder the expansion of the work but forced it to grow although it was through much pain and struggle. This church is a testimony to the ability of God to bring the pieces of a puzzle together. The building design is a replica of churches built before the war under the direction of FGM missionaries. It was funded by a group of South Korean Christians who Daniel had met while studying there.
    
     On our return trip to Lungi we visited a new church located at an important highway intersection called Mile 91. It is constructed of vertical bamboo poles with a blue tarpaulin for a roof. The benches are also constructed of bamboo. The pastor and the congregation have obtained property and are making plans to replace this temporary building with a permanent one.
     At Lungi we visited two churches. One was built before the war under the direction of FGM missionaries. The second, again of the same design, was built under national leadership with funding from the same group of Koreans.
     How could I have doubted that God would build His Church? He builds it with people of courage. Another Hebrews chapter 11 could be written of Sierra Leonean pastors of faith.
    It could include Pastor Gbandeh who fled from rebels to a refugee camp in the neighboring country of Guinea. For two years he ministered among the refugees while being a refugee.
     It could include Pastor Isaac who was captured by rebels on information supplied by traitorous church youth. He was beaten close to the point of death. He had a miraculous deliverance from execution by a rebel commander who remembered his past kindness.
     It could include the spiritual warfare of a group of pastors winning a dramatic showdown against the Poro demonic secret society.
     This trip ended with a complete change of focus on my part. I came focused on the past. I departed focused on the future. I came concerned about damaged property. I left confident in people who had proven faithful under fire. I thought I would be seeing a death of a vision. I exited knowing the national church had a vision larger than I had and are working to achieve it.