My Testimony from Liberia- Sharon Sudduth

My name is Sharon Sudduth. I am 57 years old and have never flown nor traveled far from home. However, everything changed on February 2, 2006 when God asked me if I would fly and travel for Him. My reply was, “Yes Lord, if you’ll give me somewhere to go and provide the way, I will go.” Nine months later while I was preparing to leave for work, the Lord prepared my heart to fly and travel. A prayer from a book I was reading, Prayers that Avail Much, was instrumental in preparing my heart. The prayer I read was entitled “Protection for Travel”. When I arrived at work, my employer Dr. James A. Hill approached me to ask if I would go on a mission trip. He attends Brookwood Church. Dr. Hill said he was going on a mission trip and wanted to know if I would go too. I knew the Holy Spirit had already prepared my heart prior to leaving for work, but I needed to pray for directions for which mission trip to choose. Several times God gave me confirmation that Liberia was where I was supposed to go.

Most importantly my trip was about “Trust”. For two years God had been speaking to me about trusting Him in all things. God spoke and said, “You say you trust Me but you have doubt. You worry and fret over things instead of trusting Me to handle these things.” First I had to repent and ask God to forgive me for my lack of faith and trust. Then I surrendered my life to Him.

Finally, I asked God to show me who He is. “Lord I know I am saved but, I don’t know who You are. I know I am going to meet You someday and I don’t want to meet a stranger.” Never did it ever occur to me that God would take me halfway around the world to show me who He is. That’s the God we serve. He does things in such a way that you know it’s from Him. My trip to Liberia was perfect. The flights were awesome and I loved flying.

We arrived in Monrovia and traveled to Jawajeh. I felt right at home. Jawajeh is located in the bush country of Liberia. Everyone was so friendly and loving. The faces looked so familiar it was as though the mission team had already met them. God’s love was so strong in Jawajeh. They have a heart for the Lord to serve and share the Gospel with other villages that are adjacent and surround their village. It was such an honor to serve with Dennis Aggrey. Dennis is a native of Liberia and serves as a church planter for areas in Liberia. I was so excited when I heard that Dennis and some of the people from the local churches that he had helped establish were going to be working with and assisting the team. Dennis has been working hard trying to establish and plant churches in all of Liberia since the civil war ended in Liberia. Just recently, Dennis and some of the local churches have begun showing the Jesus film to some of the Gola villages.

Living Water is such a blessing for Liberia. Clean water is a MUST for their health. Roland Bergeron did an excellent job in preparing for the trip. I would like to thank him for allowing God to use him for His kingdom’s growth. The medical clinics were evidence of an on-time God. The people there are in poor physical health and have such a need for immediate care. The people would come to the clinic with their families and stay all day to see the nurse. We saw many miracles performed by God. At the second clinic, a mother brought her daughter Zoie to receive medical attention. She had not nursed recently because the mother’s milk secretion had dried up. She was one year old and only weighted ten pounds. Roland sent several of his men to town to purchase formula and a bottle for Zoie, and medication for her mother. Zoie accepted the bottle and within two days her mother was able to nurse again. Through the support of Roland and Living Water, Zoie will remain on formula for an extended period. Another miracle happened late one evening during a showing the Jesus film. A couple brought their child into the village for medical treatment because he had drunk lye. Roland and Karen Bonds, an RN, went into action flushing his mouth with lime juice. My part was to lay hands on him and pray. God was so good in answering prayer and in performing a miracle, two days later we saw only a scab on his lower lip. WOW!!

The challenge of my trip was the day Roland took us to see the Ballah K. Davis orphanage. These children were victims of the civil war that had raged for some 15 years. During this period a lady by the name Jenna took refuge in the bush to flee the rebels. On her journey she found children left with no one to care for them. Their parents were killed during the conflict. She would take these children farther and farther into the bush country only to return to Monrovia due to the lack of food available in bush country. Jenna had rescued about thirty children and for two years they have been living in a borrowed, mud-hut shelter. God pierced my heart through a song a young man sang entitled, “Trouble in the Land”. Through the voice of the young man God spoke to me. He asked me to speak out and be the voice for these children.

I constantly praise God for sending me to Liberia. I wouldn’t trade anything for the experience and spiritual blessings I received during this trip. I left with a mission to share that there is only one God and only one way to heaven. I returned with a mission to try to secure funds to support a building for the orphans at Ballah K. Davis.

Sharon Sudduth
Sara Dean
Lisa Castellani
Mo Elbeitam
Bruce Roush
Anthony Delorenzi
Bob Collins