Local Church Plans Africa Trip
Open Arms Community Church is planning a mission trip to Africa next spring to help some newfound friends.
"It's really quite interesting how this all worked out," said Multimedia Coordinator Josh Hatcher, describing the circumstances that built the church's relationship with a a church and school in Conakry, Guinea.
"I watched a movie called, 'Blood Diamond', about the civil war in Sierra Leone. The movie shows the horrors that these people faced, and it left me with a strong feeling that I should look for a way to help these refugees and victims of such a brutal war," said Hatcher.
A few weeks later, a friend lent Hatcher a book called, "A Long Way Gone" by Ishmael Beah. "When I read the story of this young boy who was conscripted to fight in an army, hopped up in drugs, and forced to kill at such a young age, I started to pray for a way to help."
Now, Hatcher was armed with information. In Beah's account, he escaped to a city in Guinea, where many refugees went to escape the war-- Conakry, Guinea. "For the next month, I prayed, and asked God to give me an opportunity to help the refugees from Sierra Leone that live in Conakry," said Hatcher, "But at that point, all I did was pray. That's why the email caught me completely by surprise."
Hatcher recieved an email from David Coker, Pastor of New Family Church and Administrator of Gateway International School in Conakry, Guinea. Coker had been browsing the internet when he discovered the Open Arms Church Website, and decided to send an email asking for the two churches to partner together.
"I get so many scams in my inbox, that I couldn't believe it. To get an unsolicited email from the exact people group in the exact city that I was praying for just seemed too strange," said Hatcher, who followed up with a little research.
Hatcher then came into contact with The Baobob Foundation in Texas. The Baobob Foundation is a small start up non-profit that is working to help Pastor Coker in Guinea, and other communities in Africa. They confirmed that Pastor David Coker's request was legitimate, and that their founder, Dr. Robert Bradsby had actually helped Coker start the school in Guinea a few years ago.
Open Arms Pastor Mike McAvoy and Hatcher started communicating with Pastor Coker via email, sending sermon notes, encouraging emails, and even some financial support.
Coker invited a team from Open Arms to come to Guinea in March of 2009 to help lead a Pastor's conference, offering training and equipping for pastors from all over West Africa.
"We plan to take a team that will not only help lead the conference, but also to do humanitarian work. Pastor David's School is in need of some maintenance and supplies, and we desire to help them strengthen their impact on the community they live in," said Hatcher.
McAvoy said, "I'm excited to go and be a part of making a difference in Conakry and hope that we the people of bradford realize that we can make a difference for the good both here in Bradford and overseas. I hope we're all challenged to think outside our box of our own lifestyles and wants and consider how our life and resources can help others."
Open Arms and the Baobob Foundation plan to send over a shipping container that will arrive at the same time they do. "We're collecting medical supplies, school supplies, treadle-powered sewing machines, gently used computers, new clothing, and anything else that would help our friends in Guinea meet the basic educational and health needs of their community."
Hatcher says that Open Arms is still raising funds to make the trip, and accepting donations of supplies. For more information, please contact Open Arms at 814-368-8846 or openarms@openarmsbradford.org
Hatcher will be a guest on WESB's LiveLine on Tuesday, September 30, at 12:40 p.m.
"It's really quite interesting how this all worked out," said Multimedia Coordinator Josh Hatcher, describing the circumstances that built the church's relationship with a a church and school in Conakry, Guinea.
"I watched a movie called, 'Blood Diamond', about the civil war in Sierra Leone. The movie shows the horrors that these people faced, and it left me with a strong feeling that I should look for a way to help these refugees and victims of such a brutal war," said Hatcher.
A few weeks later, a friend lent Hatcher a book called, "A Long Way Gone" by Ishmael Beah. "When I read the story of this young boy who was conscripted to fight in an army, hopped up in drugs, and forced to kill at such a young age, I started to pray for a way to help."
Now, Hatcher was armed with information. In Beah's account, he escaped to a city in Guinea, where many refugees went to escape the war-- Conakry, Guinea. "For the next month, I prayed, and asked God to give me an opportunity to help the refugees from Sierra Leone that live in Conakry," said Hatcher, "But at that point, all I did was pray. That's why the email caught me completely by surprise."
Hatcher recieved an email from David Coker, Pastor of New Family Church and Administrator of Gateway International School in Conakry, Guinea. Coker had been browsing the internet when he discovered the Open Arms Church Website, and decided to send an email asking for the two churches to partner together.
"I get so many scams in my inbox, that I couldn't believe it. To get an unsolicited email from the exact people group in the exact city that I was praying for just seemed too strange," said Hatcher, who followed up with a little research.
Hatcher then came into contact with The Baobob Foundation in Texas. The Baobob Foundation is a small start up non-profit that is working to help Pastor Coker in Guinea, and other communities in Africa. They confirmed that Pastor David Coker's request was legitimate, and that their founder, Dr. Robert Bradsby had actually helped Coker start the school in Guinea a few years ago.
Open Arms Pastor Mike McAvoy and Hatcher started communicating with Pastor Coker via email, sending sermon notes, encouraging emails, and even some financial support.
Coker invited a team from Open Arms to come to Guinea in March of 2009 to help lead a Pastor's conference, offering training and equipping for pastors from all over West Africa.
"We plan to take a team that will not only help lead the conference, but also to do humanitarian work. Pastor David's School is in need of some maintenance and supplies, and we desire to help them strengthen their impact on the community they live in," said Hatcher.
McAvoy said, "I'm excited to go and be a part of making a difference in Conakry and hope that we the people of bradford realize that we can make a difference for the good both here in Bradford and overseas. I hope we're all challenged to think outside our box of our own lifestyles and wants and consider how our life and resources can help others."
Open Arms and the Baobob Foundation plan to send over a shipping container that will arrive at the same time they do. "We're collecting medical supplies, school supplies, treadle-powered sewing machines, gently used computers, new clothing, and anything else that would help our friends in Guinea meet the basic educational and health needs of their community."
Hatcher says that Open Arms is still raising funds to make the trip, and accepting donations of supplies. For more information, please contact Open Arms at 814-368-8846 or openarms@openarmsbradford.org
Hatcher will be a guest on WESB's LiveLine on Tuesday, September 30, at 12:40 p.m.
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