Few of us in America realize how very blessed we are. Because most of us have never known starvation, homelessness, or devastating childhood diseases, we mistakenly believe that no one else has either. Unfortunately that is not the case.
Crystal Gosnell taught Language Arts at Peter Muhlenberg Middle School in Woodstock until 2005 when God called her to the mission field. Since that time she has been serving at the Ministry of Mercy (MoM) in Otutulu, Nigeria. When she was on furlough a while back, she visited our congregation to provide an update concerning the incredible work she and the ministry there are doing.
To understand the good news, we have to know the bad. Every day in Nigeria, 2,300 children under the age of five die from very basic and very preventable causes. Simple challenges such as diarrhea, pneumonia, and malaria account for over seventy percent of the approximately one million children who die there each year. In this country, childhood diarrhea and pneumonia are common, but treatment is also widely available at relatively low cost. And while malaria is not a threat here, prevention and treatment methods are no longer difficult or expensive.
Crystal shared that one of the chief underlying causes in most all of these cases is simply malnutrition. In our own country where we struggle to control both childhood and adult obesity, it’s difficult to imagine others having too little to eat. If only our plenty could supply their want.
In addition to childhood mortality, one in every thirteen mothers dies giving birth. Malnutrition again plays a role but the bigger cause is either inadequate medical care or the financial inability of most women to access it. As a result, 145 women will die giving birth in Nigeria before this day is over and the same will happen again tomorrow and the day after that. The scale of human sorrow and suffering is overwhelming especially when we consider how our hearts break at the rare death of a child or young mom in our own community.
Thankfully, Crystal and other staff at MoM have been addressing these challenges for more than 20 years. They care for children who are orphaned due to their mothers’ deaths or for other reasons. In some cases, handicapped infants are left on their doorstep, as parents either consider them cursed or lack the ability to provide for them properly. Many Muslim parents bring children to receive care they are unable or unwilling to provide themselves.
This Christian outreach to the desperate communities in Nigeria has grown beyond the original orphanage to now include a second orphanage, a nursery, and both a primary and a secondary school. Since many poor families cannot afford education, these additions provide vital knowledge and skills to enable the children to lead successful lives and establish solid homes. In addition, a medical center has been established to provide free pre-natal and obstetric care, including c-sections, to pregnant women and medical care to children under five.
All of the aid provided by Ministry of Mercy is offered free of charge and is possible only through the generous help and support from Christians and churches who donate financially. While we may grumble about health care costs here, they are insignificant compared to the issues faced by most Nigerians. Even a small gift can save a life and make a huge difference.
Although MoM cannot solve all the problems in Africa, they are making a difference in one community and in many lives. The light they shine not only illuminates, but also warms the hearts of those around them. Thankfully, many other ministries and missionaries are also working hard throughout the continent to save lives and souls. In light of our own blessings, it seems only fitting that we reach out in whatever ways we can.
If your church has a ministry in Africa, be sure to support it in whatever way you can and if they don’t, consider making a contribution to Ministry of Mercy at www.liebenzellusa.org. And if you can’t help financially right now, be sure to pray for Crystal and others who are working faithfully to make an eternal distance. Blessings, George