Village Ministries - Vocational Ministry

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Vocational Ministry

Liberia is a country that has been ravaged by civil war. As a result there is a tremendous need for development work particularly in the area of education and training. There is a whole generation of people who have had little or no education. With this in mind, Village Ministries is actively involved in vocational training. The skills we teach are designed to help people to find work and make a living in order to adequately provide for themselves and their families.

VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS

Our second class of Tailoring and the first class of Cosmetology graduated in May 2009. At the Brewerville site, fifty women were launched into using their new skills to start business in their communities enabling them to earn an income to provide food and clothes for their families and pay school fees for more children to attend school. The benefits of vocational training go beyond this (SEE NEWSLETTER "VILLAGE MINISTRIES' GRADUATES HIRED" CNN VIDEO), as the women have a place where their diligent work will gain them respect,dignity and some control over their lives. Although the Civil War has been over for six years, healing of memories and coping with losses will take much longer; the values of employment will ease some of that pain. All these women have the added relationship with Village Ministries, as members of our thirty churches, and pastors to encourage them in their faith and counsel them with their problems. KAKATOWN VOCATIONAL SCHOOL With the gift from the Liberia Government of 53 portable sewing machines we were able to add 30 more students for Tailoring at this site using fifteen machines on a two per machine basis. Also at this site were 25 more Agriculture students and 25 taking autobody mechanics. All these ex child soldier students and "War Affected" students who all graduated in June 2009.Presently, (2010), 125 new students are studying Tailoring and Cosmetology financed with money raised from the 3 chef's event in Victoria, Canada, May 2010. One hundren percent of fundraising money goes to some form of ministry, not salaries, and 95% of all donations go to ministry. The Bong Mines Vocational Campus is closed. BONGMINES VOCATIONAL SCHOOL This was the largest school site with 4 classrooms, 5 hours by difficult road from Monrovia, the capital of Liberia. Here 95 students who attend in the mornings are sponsored by the Methodist Church in Norway and another 200 students from the Community come in the afternoon to study sponsored by Village Ministries. All students graduated in June 2009. Fifty learned Construction (Carpentry/Masonry) 50 studied Cosmetology, 105 took Agriculture, which is ongoing and 100 took Tailoring,with 2 students to a machine. In 2010, this school is now closed.

Ex-Combatants Vocational School - Bong Mine 2008-2009

The Village Ministries Vocational Training Centre for ex-child soldiers, five hours out of Monrovia, Liberia opened its doors to registration in Oct. 2008. Ninety-five students were accepted.

The two buildings on the right have zinc roofs and cement covered walls. Each contains two large classrooms and together they will accommodate the instruction of Masonry, Carpentry, agriculture and autobody mechanics.

These buildings, plus the furniture, were built by Village Ministries and belong to the ministry for on-going evangelistic use. A well with hand pump for safe drinking water was dug on the school property.

Each morning students who were previous Civil War soldiers will attend an evangelistic service before classes begin.

Also included in the school day will be one-on-one counselling and showing of the Jesus Film. The students, who were unable to receive any education during the fourteen years of the Civil War will attend for one year in duration and all educational expenses will be carried by the Methodist Church of Norway. Following this year the tools for the various trades will be given to the graduates to help them start a small business.

The building below was rented and renovated by Village Ministries and will serve as our Office for the Bong Mines region, serving many villages. It will also be a secure storage area for equipment and serve as a guest house for Village Ministries staff who arrive to conduct Evangelical Outreach in all the surrounding villages.

Bong Mine School Head Office We have hired security men to protect the property and the United Nations soldiers also serve in the area. This work is supervised by Village Ministries staff, Pastor Charles Johnson, Missions Coordinator and Rev. Peter Dabieh, Administrator, Village Ministries under the direction of Pastor Eric Sumo, General Director of Village Ministries.

A Word About Our Students

Young people who were forced into war and killing, were physically and emotionally brutalized by the violence they participated in robbing them of their childhood, disrupting their education and the ability to earn a living. In Liberia violence continues to be the way they cope with life and get what they need. The memory of being forced to kill family and friends is burdensome and complex and although forgiveness and reconcilliation is encouraged in Liberia, it is not easily achieved. Refocusing this group on learning a vocation with the ability to start a small business is the goal of Village Ministry along with the special opportunity to minister to them for a year. The students must turn in their guns and machetes in exchange for their vocational tools as we hope their lives will now be supported by a skill and not violence.

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Verse of the Day

“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” (Psalm 143:10)