Thank you for your continued prayers and support. We have
appreciated every phone call, email and message that has been sent our way.
This has been a difficult time for our family and it has taken us some time to
muddle through our options.
We have taken a little time away and used the last week
to rejuvenate and spend time as a family praying and talking through what is
happening in Sierra Leone now. Thank you for being patient and understanding
when we don’t have answers and we have been out of touch. We have certainly needed
this time. Over the past few weeks, it has become clear that the Ebola Crisis
in Sierra Leone is only worsening and may continue to do so for some time.
Travel is slowly shutting down and the case number is increasing. However, we have
many friends remaining in country and living with modifications to their normal
routines. This is a serious disease, however, panic is not the best solution
and life must go on for most people living there.
Michael, Hawa and Maggie are still in Freetown and are
doing very well. They are careful about traveling now and limit trips outside
our home. Increased hand washing and the use of bleach are also a step that
Michael is taking with our family there. Our home is also on a bit of a lock
down from visitors. We are limiting contact with the public in general as much
as possible. At this time, there are 11 confirmed cases of Ebola in Freetown
and 757 in Sierra Leone. Michael is being cautious.
Michael is working on a possible plan to leave Sierra
Leone for another part of West Africa. We do not know what may come of it, but
he is seeking options if he sees the need to leave Sierra Leone. He will not
leave unless our two daughters are able to go with him. This is not an option
for our family. It is not even a consideration. There is paperwork that must be
approved and ministries that must sign it, and we are now in a waiting pattern.
This is not America, this is a country where things move slowly and that
slowness is amplified by the current issues the government is dealing with. We
must be patient.
At this point, we have decided that I will not be
bringing our three American children back to Sierra Leone until we see a turn
in the number of cases of Ebola. This is for three reasons. First, we do not
want any more of our children than necessary on the ground at this time.
Secondly, the cost to travel in and out of Sierra Leone is astronomical because
of the crisis. Lastly, it would be much easier and more cost efficient for
Michael and 2 children to travel, if the opportunity arises, than for seven of
us to attempt evacuation.
This does not mean our work in Sierra Leone has come to a
standstill. Michael is currently working with The Raining Season (TRS) to
secure the orphanage and assist in a lockdown. We are both looking forward to
helping TRS with some new programming and projects when we are both on the same
soil. We are staying in close contact with the staff of the Southern Baptist
Convention of Sierra Leone (SBCSL), helping them prepare for future church
planting projects, revivals and partnerships abroad. We call Sierra Leone home.
We love our work there and we still have a need for the gifts and talents God
has given us. Although things are temporarily seemingly off-schedule, we see
that there will be an even greater need for our work when this outbreak is
brought under control.
What do we need and how should you pray? I am using my
time in the States to continue raising support for our living expenses. We
still need to raise approximately $62,000 to continue our work over the next
year. The cost of living has increased
by 30% over the past 3 weeks and we have had to add extra security measures
during this time of unrest. This amount needs to be raised before I can
entertain going home. Please pray that people would see the need to come along
side our ministry and support our work there. Please pray for the countries of
Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. Pray for the individuals who live there. Pray
for those people infected and those who are watching over them. Please pray for
healing and a total end to this disease. Please pray for safety for my precious
family there. Pray that the government will remain stable and that this will
remain a time of peace and calm in spite of the confusion. Pray for God’s
protection.
The unknown at this time is the travel costs for Michael
and our two girls currently in Sierra Leone. If he is able to obtain paperwork
to leave Sierra Leone, he would then need to purchase tickets that have had an
extreme price increase, as well as new lawyer fees and visa costs. We estimate
a possible cost of $10,000 to accomplish these tasks.
Thank you again for your love and support during this
time. We cannot tell you how much we love and appreciate you all. Please
understand we are doing everything we can do to remain safe, make future plans
and carry on with life. We were never promised that this would be an easy time
when we chose to follow God’s call for our family. We were never promised an
easy time. We were promised that he would never leave or forsake us and we know
that he has absolute control over all of our situations.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Michael and Rachel Ropiecki
This web address will show you a few options on how to give. There is also an option to mark it
for the Ropieckis. This is easy and completely secure.
This web address will show you a few options on how to give. There is also an option to mark it
for the Ropieckis. This is easy and completely secure.
THE BRIDGE FELLOWSHIP
5066 LEBANON ROAD
LEBANON, TENNESSEE 37087
5066 LEBANON ROAD
LEBANON, TENNESSEE 37087
You can also send a check to the above address and just put “Ropiecki Africa Mission” on the for line.
