Dear friends,
I want to take this opportunity to say thank you for supporting me and apologize for not being in touch for so long. With some of you, I know this is my first time communicating with you even though you have supported me financially and prayerfully. I really appreciate all for you prayers and support. It brings me great joy to know that there are friends in the world praying for me and the Kroo Bay community. When I feel discouraged, it is the knowledge that people are praying for me that gives me strength to continue.
I want to give you and update of what I have being doing and what I continue to do, so that you will know how to continue to pray and support me more.
I have been in relationship with Word Made Flesh for almost five years. My relationship started when I met Jared and Julie Landreth. They were the first missionaries with WMF in Sierra Leone. One Christian organization (IMC) brought them to see the Kroo Bay Good News Club. From that point, they came every Saturday to help out with the kids. I was very thankful for their presence because I was working by myself at that time. Since then my relationship with WMF has grown.
In 2002 I met Remie. His mother was still alive, but Remie was begging on the street. A year later his mother died and he was left alone on the street. I had a heart to help him, so I talked to Cami about my desire to help him. Through months of conversation, we decided that Remie would come and live with me. Since then two more boys have started to live with me- Mohamed and Saidu. In 2004 we received a financial gift from a friend that wanted to support Kroo Bay. We decided to start providing eggs for the kids in Kroo Bay and assist two girls, Mariama and Kadiatu, in addition to Remie, Mohamed and Siadu with school fee and food.
January 2007, WMF started a Sierra Leone Servant Team. The team consisted of 5 Sierra Leoneans including myself. That is how I began working with Word Made Flesh more formally and broadly. Each week we meet for book discussions, prayer, bible study and business. Every Friday night we meet with the Lighthouse youth for worship and bible study. Every Saturday I still am responsible for Kroo Bay Good News Club, which includes boiling the 300 eggs with Mohamed! I have also taken over the responsibility of finances in Kroo Bay and Lighthouse. This can be challenging task. I would love your prayers about this. In our business meetings and one on one meetings we all continue to dream of how to make our community stronger and our relationship with the youth and kids healthier and mope life giving.
The reason I am writing today is to ask for a more formal and consistent way of support from you. Many of you have worked alongside me or have a heart for the work that we do here. I would like to be able to keep you more updated about what is happening and how you can pray for me and the kids here. In the past WMF has supported me and the kids that currently live with me financially. However this past year there has been many changes and new financial needs. I want to help cover some of those costs through my supporters. Here is a break down of those financial needs:
My financial stipend- $150 per month Living expenses (food, petrol for generator, clothes) for Remie, Mohamed and Saidu- $300 per month School (school fees, uniform, supplies) for Remie, Mohamed, Saidu, Kadiatu and Mariama- $700 per year Housing- The landlord recently doubled our rent because we fixed the house and it is in better condition. There are also other issues that make us want to leave the house. So we are looking for a new house close to Kroo Bay. Rent will most likely be around $800 per year. Noah's school fees- $500 per year
Which is around $7400 I need to raise for the year of 2008.
Cami has suggested that I start raising my own support for the last year or so, but I have always hesitated because I feel embarrassed for asking. I know that many of you are already supporting me through prayer and one time giving. I appreciate all that you have done and feel bad about asking for more. But as you can see to do what I am doing currently will take much financial support. Last year we had many increases like Remi's school fee, and the price for food and petrol. This year food and petrol cost will continue to increase as well as housing cost. Even as Cami and I reviewed how much we spent financially in 2007, we realized we were almost over budget and I need to start raising support if we want to continue to support the kids in Kroo Bay.
For the last 5 years we have been living by faith that God will provide and He has. I am confident that if he wants us to continue, he will provide the means to do so. So I continue to depend on your faithful prayer for what we are doing here. If you feel like you would also like to contribute financially every month, we also love that.
I will try to update you monthly through email about what is happening here and how we need prayer. If I don't, please email me to remind me.
Thank you so much for what you have already done and continue to do.
If you would like to make a one-time or monthly financial contribution, please send a check to Word Made Flesh, PO Box 70, Omaha NE 68101. Do not write in the memo-portion of the check, but include a note indicating that you would like your gift to go to Noah Tullay's account.
I will try to update you monthly through email about what is happening here and how we need prayer. If I don't, please email me to remind me.
Love,
Noah