Masa's Kids -- message from the fund raiser

Masa Gueh started bringing three ladies from a group home to the women's Wednesday night Bible studies at Calvary Chapel Stone Mountain a few years ago. Masa and the ladies did not attend my class in the women's ministry at first. They got settled into one of the other classes, but that teacher stopped teaching after a while and they started attending my class. And when I got to know them, I fell in love. I can still see them in my mind's eye.

The first one was a red head who was always battling the devil. I continually tried to get her to simply trust in the Lord, but her upbringing was difficult to counter act. The second one had dark brown stringy hair. She was feisty and could be mean on occasion. She soon decided she did not like coming to church and only came for the Christmas parties when she got lots of gifts.

The third one was sweet and simple and had grey hair like mine. I remember one time, helping her open her gifts and I held open a gift bag in front of her and pointed out to her that there were some things in the bottom of the bag. And with great simplicity, she said to me, "How do you get those things out of there?" So I told her as I demonstrated, "You just put your hand in, take hold of them, and pull them out." Which she then did. How sweet.

The grey-haired one called every woman who conversed with her, "Mommy." Except me. Me, she called "Grandma." I took it as an honor. I've never been married and have no children, so to be called "Grandma" by someone, well, that was something I thought I would never have -- even though physically she was nearly as old as I am, mentally she was a grandchild to me. These ladies brought out the patience in me.

But the person that was to become my true friend and sister was Masa who was the shepherd of the ladies from the group home. If you know Masa, I know she has had an impact on you. Masa is one-of-a kind and if Masa loves you, you know you are loved. She is a quiet, beautiful, powerful little woman who loves to dress to the nines! Masa is a praying woman and when she prays, the Spirit begins to move. Or perhaps it is the Spirit moving that causes Masa's prayers.

Masa is a grandmother in the real sense of the word. She works hard as an in-home aid to earn the money to support herself, and 50 or 60 other people. I don't know how she does it – it has to be the Lord doing it. She is intelligent. She is such a private person about herself, I don't think most people even know that she was a judge in Liberia; and is also currently finishing her doctorate in psychology. Masa is a mother with a heart for Jesus, and the truth, and for her children and grandchildren and for keeping her vow to God.

I began making small contributions to the orphanage and listened when she said she needed letters written or invitations created. I've been a typesetter for many years so that was something that was easy for me to offer help with, and cost me almost nothing but a little time.

And the orphanage was beginning to take shape in Liberia and in my mind. Masa does not like to talk about herself so it took me a long time to get a real idea of what she was actually doing in Liberia – so far away from where she lives now. And even longer to find out why. But through helping her to write letters occasionally, I learned that she has a house in Liberia. A rather nice large house but she has 43 children and some men and women living in it, too.

The men do the hard labor of building and protecting the property. The women take care of the children and cook and clean and teach. But when I finally got the picture that she had 43 children sleeping everywhere in the house, it finally began to dawn on me what was actually going on. And what the true need really was –- but Masa doesn't let folks know this, because she takes the job so very personally -- and she is so unassuming about herself. Masa is a truly humble person and she does not toot her own horn. She serves the Lord.

Through helping with the letters I learned that she had many children of her own – born to her and adopted by her. I still don't really know how many children she has raised, but I know of at least 12 and when she escaped the war, running for her life, she was only able to take two of them with her. Since she was a judge she had been put on a "hit list" and had to get out of there ASAP. It broke her heart to have to leave so many of her children behind, and she prayed to God, that if He would help her and her two little ones to escape – and take care of all the others, too -- she would come back when the war was over and help other children who were in need of a mother and that is how the orphanage got started.

That is also how it has continued to run. Whether you help today or ever, Masa will not give this up. She is their mother. And she is too proud to beg. She will scramble but she won't beg. But you know, the Lord watches over her. That's why she will occasionally bite the bullet and ask for funds. This is not easy for her.

I began to learn that she sends barrels as often as she can of dry foods and canned goods and toys and books for the children. I have no idea how often that is, but it seems to be at least three or four times a year – perhaps more, I really do not know. I know that she picks up stray items for the kids. Nothing goes to waste. And everything goes for the kids, but there are many things on the wish list that they need – a small pickup truck being the largest single item, that I know of. You can see the wish list at her web site: http://www.trinity.almend.com which her friend Jose set up for her and maintains.

I think we could go on talking all night about Masa and the Trinity Children Center in Liberia but the point of the whole get together is to raise funds for the buildings that need to be both started and finished. This is truly a worthy cause and I am asking you to give as much as you can, today, which will be a stop gap for the present moment. But those children need constant care and feeding, they need medical attention, and school supplies and a permanent home where they can grow up being taught Christian values, and a trade, like sewing or carpentry work.

Recently a new phenomenon has occurred. About a hundred homeless children have started just showing up at the school yard every morning, waiting for "Grandma" (meaning Masa) to show up and finish building the school. This is in addition to the 43 who live there. They just come inside the gates and sit down and wait. And since they are right there, the workers are also giving a little food to them, but that makes the food stores dwindle down much faster, so more food is needed.

I am asking you to make a monthly pledge on your own. You don't have to tell us what your pledge is -- and it does not have to be an arm and a leg, -- but it would really make a huge difference if a large number of you would also, in addition to what you are prepared to give today, pledge yourselves to contribute, say, $15 a month. That's not much money, and some of you could give much more, and in other ways, too. Like prayers. Or calling and asking her what she needs. Then Masa would not have to struggle quite so hard. I'm not really saying we would make her life easier – it is not easy to care for so many children – but we could relieve some of the stress and we would make a real difference in these children's lives. Decide today, to pledge what you can afford. You won't regret it.

I know that Masa grieves when one of her children is sick. One of the little boys had a wound on his leg that would not heal and he had to be hospitalized and operated on and she worried about him like any Mom would. She called him every day. She paid for the doctors and the surgery. Some of you know what that is like. Did you know that in Liberia if you go to the hospital, they don't feed you? Your family has to bring food to you every day. Masa made sure he was fed, every day.

I know God is holding her up and she is a servant of the Lord. Let us serve the Lord also and gather together and stand behind her. Please give what you can give and pray as often as you can for Masa and her children, and for Trinity Children Center.

And you will get something in return:

Ps 41:1 Blessed is he who considers the poor; The LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.

Donations: Please make your check payable to: CCSM, For: Trinity Children Center
Send to: CCSM, 1696 McDaniels Bridge Rd, Lilburn, GA 30047

You may contact pastor James Chapman of Calvary Chapel Stone Mountain (770-736-2828) to verify the truth of this story and the needs of the children. The church has graciously agreed to handle all the funds received for the project and the children's needs.