The Man Who Follows Jesus, The Man I Follow...

You may find yourself, dear reader, asking yourself, "What of this Jerry Kulah? I would like to know more about him, seeing as Josh/Joshua/JoRo (take your pick) is going to be living and serving with him." Well fear not my readers, I will tell you of the man who follows Jesus, the man I will follow...

For my last entry I spent a lot of time (so sorry for all those words, they just flood out of me soaking everything in their path) talking about my past and history, and how I got all wrapped up in this crazy mission to Liberia. As I was typing that I was looking online for a picture of Jerry Kulah to share with you my dear readers (because I know I really like seeing what people look like), and I came across some articles that talk about Jerry.
I literally let out vocal exclamations as I read these articles about him. I honestly have not gotten to know Jerry as well as I would have liked before this mission trip, and after reading all this I was shocked. Shocked by the opportunity the Lord has given me to spend an entire summer doing the Lord's work with him. Goodness Gracious! God has much in store for me.
Here are some of excerpts from the online articles I read about Jerry:

My own United Methodist story is similar to so many in the U.S. I grew up in the church thanks to family that had been Methodist for generations. But compare our story to the Rev. Jerry Kulah, a district superintendent in Liberia. By his own account, his experiences included “raging storms, deep waters, and blazing fire.”

Jerry was born to a polygamous family, in a Liberian village. He was among more than 25 children of one father and about seven wives, which meant a life of “competition, jealousy, hatred, and struggle for survival.” An older half brother brought him to the capital of Monrovia but had little money and often was away on military assignments. On many days, Jerry went without food or stole to survive. At age 8, Jerry became a servant to another family with hopes of being provided for. Instead, he was introduced to child abuse and slave labor, to which he was subjected for 12 years.

But Jerry attended school where he was introduced to the Bible. At age 15, during a Bible study, he became affected by “the reality of my sin, hell, and eternity.” When he got home he knelt on the floor and asked Jesus into his life. He became active in Christian youth activities but resisted the call to ministry, preferring a dream of material comforts. He earned a university degree in mathematics and got a well-paying job. In 1989, Jerry was planning a wedding with a young woman he had met in school when Monrovia was besieged by rebels, starting a 14-year civil war, during which Jerry lost nearly everything.

The government declared Jerry’s tribe to be enemies and both Jerry and his older half-brother, United Methodist Bishop Arthur Kulah, became hunted fugitives. While on the run, Jerry wore double layers of clothing, so as always to have extra clothes. When government troops finally captured Jerry, they accused him of being a rebel, thanks to his odd dress. The commander ordered a soldier to shoot Jerry, who pleaded his innocence while also praying. Amazingly, the soldier ordered Jerry to run for his life.

Several days later, Jerry again evaded arrest and likely death when compelled to give his identity card to a soldier. The soldier confusedly stared at the card while Jerry prayed the 23rd Psalm until the soldier returned the card and let Jerry pass. In 1990, Jerry recalls God telling him to escape to Nigeria. Jerry led evangelism in a refugee camp there while also attending seminary. His fiancée, Ruth, also escaped Liberia to meet Jerry in Nigeria, where they finally married in 1992. In 1994 they had their first child, whom they named Joshua. Finally, Jerry and his family returned to Liberia in 1997. He began pastoring a church in 1998, became evangelism director for the Liberian United Methodist Church in 2001, and became a district superintendent in 2007, supervising 34 churches and seven preaching points.

Today Jerry and his wife care for their four children, his mother, and the five children of Jerry’s brother, who died during the war. “God specializes in going into the interior of life and taking that which is inferior to make superior,” Jerry has concluded. He also quotes from Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Like many African United Methodists, Jerry is a first-generation Christian, ministering among many first- and second-generation Christians. He works among fast-growing churches, where the gospel is proclaimed powerfully, and where there is no dispute about the authority of the Scriptures."

--- Hope for the future By Mark Tooley
http://www.goodnewsmag.org/magazine/JulyAugust/ja08tooley.htm

Wow. That is crazy. Jerry has had quite the life and God has taken him places I would have never imagined. The other night I was reading up on Liberian history and those times during the civil war sounded bad, but I never actually imagined what Jerry in his family had to have gone through on a daily basis during that time. And now Jerry and the Lord are doing such great things for his country and people. Read this...

"Vision Liberia 2027 has been founded by Reverend Jerry Kulah and his wife Ruth. Reverend Kulah is an ordained minister of the Methodist Church (UMC) and has served in many roles including as a local church pastor in several churches and as the Monrovia District Supervisor over 33 churches. He is currently being sponsored by the UMC and is a candidate for his pHd in theology. The vision for Vision Liberia 2027 has grown out of his personal experience with the effectiveness of leadership development in creating an environment of change and his magnetic enthusiasm for believing God for a better Liberian in the future.

(Rev. Jerry Kulah and wife, Ruth)

Reverend Kulah has been instrumental in organizing the country’s non-denominational National Day of Prayer and is widely regarded as one of the most influential Christian leaders in the country having relationships with Christian and government leaders at the highest levels. Jerry was also instrumental in bringing the medical mission Mercy Ships to Liberia which has blessed hundreds in need of medical services that would otherwise be out of reach. Jerry and his wife Ruth are happily married and their union is blessed with four children and many extended family members. This couple shares a deep passion for their country and the BODY OF CHRIST as a whole."

--- Vision Liberia 2027
http://www.liberia2027.com/templates/System/details.asp?id=44489&PID=625913

Say what!?

Jerry is a part of some amazing things that God is doing and this just fires me up that I get to jump right in with him! I pray I can just give myself completely to the work that God and Jerry will give me. God is giving me such a tremendous opportunity to follow Jerry, learn from him, work beside him, and do life with him. Like freakin' for real! Ahhh I am so excited right now to see what God is going to do!
Who's excited with me??

Once Upon a Time...

Once upon a time, there was a young teacher who taught those around him and who followed him how to serve one another, love one another, and be in a loving relationship with their God.
Then, other teachers who, didn't disagree with his message of love, but disagree with who he was decided to kill him.
So they did.
But death did not suit this teacher and so he came back to life, which proved he was exactly who he said he was. He was the Son of God. He was God who walked the earth. And furthermore
After this revelation, he told those who followed him, "Go out into all the world and preach the good news to all creation," and then he ascended into heaven.
After this, his followers spread like wild fire to share with everyone the teachings of service, love, a relationship with God, and the truth of who their teacher was.

And this is how my story, of why and how I ended up going to Liberia, began. In fact, it was the most important part.

But the rest of the story continues as so...

That teacher was Jesus Christ. You may have heard of him.
Serving. Loving. Relationship. The truth of who Jesus/God is. These are the foundations of what I think mission work, whether it be down your street or in another hemisphere, is really all about.
I fell in love with Jesus and I fell in love with working for/with him. And that love has, over the last few years, manifested itself into a passion for missions. I feel a significant call on my life into ministry of some sorts and for now missions is where God is leading me.
This works well considering God had already equipped me with that of a personality that loves to learn about other cultures, learn about and invest in people, and teach.

Following the summer of my first overseas mission, which was to Nicaragua in July 2008, I started making arrangements with the organization, The Mission Society to go on a long-term mission trip for my entire next summer. It had been a goal of mine, to really dive into this mission thing and figure out where God wanted to take me. Everything was going well with the preparations through this organization. Dr. Richard Hunter also knew about my passion for missions and was sending me to 'Beyond These Walls' Mission Conference in October.
Around this time, Rev. Jerry Kulah, from Liberia, came and spoke at my home church Snellville UMC and spent some time a few of the congregation. I actually missed Jerry speaking that Sunday, because I was out of town. But I heard great things about the man.
After Jerry spoke and met with our church, the church decided to help him out and bought him a new laptop. Though, Jerry was going to be all the way on the other side of Atlanta for the rest of the week and then leaving to go back to Liberia.
It just also happened that my pastor was sending me the next weekend to a Mission Conference, which was where Jerry would be for his last few days in the States. So, ole' Josh was made erring boy for the church and asked to deliver the new laptop to Jerry and help him with it.
I arrive late to the conference, because I had a late class and I was coming from Athens. Confused by all the people and a conference that was already well underway, I start desperately asking various strangers where I could find a Mister Reverend Jerry Kulah. Thankfully Jerry was a rather popular individual at this conference, so identifying him to people wasn't the difficult part, it was just the actual trouble of locating him.

(Rev. Jerry Kulah)

Eventually, by the help of various conferencing persons, Jerry Kulah was finely located. I was given the opportunity to introduce myself and explain why I have gone through the trouble of finding him. I explain who I was, where I was from, by whom I was sent, and what gifts I had brought. I was a little nervous about bearing the load of gratitude for the gift for the entire church, but for as thankful for the gift as he was, he less interested in seeing this gift as he was in getting to know me. I am just a delivery boy.
After my initial timidness of presenting a grand gift to a stranger in an unfamiliar place wore off, I finally realized what a bright, enthusiastic personality that Jerry had, and I was reminded of all the positive remarks from those who had come in contact with him. Like I said, Jerry was very popular at this convention, but after he grabbed my hand and led me to where the food was being served, I was his main concern. People would come to us as we were getting our food and ask Jerry if he wanted to sit with them, but Jerry said that he was fine, because he was with me and that we would be eating together.
After getting our food, Jerry and I found ourselves in the back of the large gathering room at a table alone. He was constantly engaging me in conversation and focusing on just us. I realized at that moment I was not just eating with anyone, but someone I had a tremendous opportunity to learn from, someone who represented a region of the world that so many of us lay a focus on when it comes to missions. I threw caution to the wind and decided to pick his brain and toss some of my own ideas at him and see what sticks. This was it, this could very well be why God wanted me here at this mission conference, just for this conversation.
I needed to know so many things, why things are done certain ways, what he feels Africa needs, what are some problems, what are some solutions. I toss a few of my ideas at Jerry, things that I would say are not the most conventional views on missions, and somethings Jerry agree with me and somethings he helped me to understand better.
I have no idea if he was surprised by my lack of casual dinner talk, but I'd hate to have regretted the opportunity to pick his mind, and I am sure now it was a path meant for me. If for anything else, this conversation was why I was meant to come to this conference.
I spent the rest of the weekend worshiping, learning, and conversing with Jerry, and then I said farewell to Jerry as he left to return to Liberia.
I left that mission conference feeling rather confident in my call to missions and in the way in which the Lord opened my eyes.

Weeks passed by and I continued setting things up with Mission Society and figuring out where I will go for the summer. About this time Chris Messer (SUMC Missions Director) and Kathy Cook were in dialog with Jerry via email and my name came up. I do not know understand the details, you would have to ask one of them, but basically I was asked one day if I would be interested in going over to Liberia and serving with Jerry. I, of course, responded with an enthusiastic YES!
Chris asked me how long? I said for as long as I can between getting out of school for the summer and return for fall semester. We eventually decided on giving me a view weeks after school gets out to rest after finals, get my self organized and prepared, and spend sometime with family and friends before I shoot off across the Atlantic.

Things of this nature just seem like the sure direction I need to head in. It has to be God ushering you toward some plan for you when doors like this just open up. It never occurred to me to work with Jerry in Liberia. And God just laid this marvelous opportunity for me without me having to do a thing. And I will tell you that is such a comforting thing, to know this is what God wants.

Chris then gave me Jerry's email and I began discussing with him about what I could do while I am there and how I could most assist them in their community during my time there. But slowly our emails began to grow more sparse as we both got busy, him with his work and me with school. Many of the details I needed to figure out with him were now resting in his hands, like where I was to live, costs, and the opportunities for service I would be doing.
Eventually, I had some vague idea of what I would be doing, which I was hoping would be good enough for the time being.

Come Christmas time, when I came home to Snellville, I met with Chris and we discussed some details like plane tickets, vaccinations, and visas. He told me we could start worrying about that later and that he just had to take care of somethings. Weeks passed by and getting in contact with Chris was proving difficult, so I went ahead and looked into the visa and vaccinations I would need. But all these details were a bit overwhelming and confusing, and so I looked to contact Chris and still was getting nothing. I was getting rather worried at this time. I needed help.

But as I said, this was truly a mission that God was sending me on, and so God was very much a part of the preparation for this trip. Out of no where one day in March, Kathy Cook shot me an email. This would the most comforting email I have ever received. It might as well have been God sending me an angel tell me, "Fear not, the Heavenly Host is sending you help!" I am pretty sure I gave up some hearty praise to the Lord for this.
Kathy was all about getting down to business and it was beautiful! She so wonderfully organizes and pulls all the strings together so efficiently and perfectly to make the puppets dance and sing as few could perform. That may sound silly, but I must stress the importance and grace of the help she ushered into my life.
She was now in charge of me and my mission, as the representative for Chris. Within weeks we got together my tickets, worked out my living arrangements in the Kulah household, my vaccinations, visas, and put me on the path to raise some support. She was amazing and I am so thankful for her.

I believe we sometimes see strength in struggling alone and prevailing without help, but I believe that is up there with all the other lies from the Adversary. Companionship is possibly one of the greatest ways in which God helps us through our trials. It is sure something I am learning to grasp on to firmly. I am so happy my Father placed Kathy their to help me bear these burdens.

Besides Liberia and working at churches and with youth in Jerry's community, I will also be traveling with him to Nigeria for a conference towards the end of my time with them. I am there to assist Jerry in anyway he needs, but I have also been informed I will also be speaking there and giving my testimony. What exciting plans God has made for me.

So, I got my ticket ready to leave June 8th and I'll be returning back August 18th (two days after my classes begin, uh oh). I'm in the process of organizing my things and finishing up some preparations for the trip.
I have to say, right now with my little experience with long-term, distant missions, organizing something like this is so beyond me. I have learn a lot from all these preparations, which I am very thankful for, sense I am all about having some new knowledge to help me or pass onto someone in the future. But more than that, it is the wisdom that God has given me through this process of preparation for this trip. Sometimes, a good prayer and reliance on God to take you where you need to go. Also, a reliance on those that God has placed in your life is quite a blessing. Oh sure these are things I know in my head, but practicing them with my heart and actions is something I will continue to work on for the time being as I grow. My, how the Lord has blessed and humbled me.

This is just the beginning of my story involving Liberia, but knowing God, the light has only just breached the horizon on this day.

It would seem appropriate...

It would seem appropriate to begin a blog that chronicles the adventures (or misadventures) of a particular individual with not just the time spent there, but also a record of the events leading up to said adventures. So, the blogging has begun. I am at odds with myself right now about how to approach this, like how candid should I be through out my entries, should I actually give a long drawn out history of the events and decisions that have lead up to my Liberian plans, which topics or events should I focus on? Don't really know why I am thinking this out so much, I'll probably just do whatever I'm in the mood for at the time and just feel it out.

I will go into the history of how I ended up with plans for going to Liberia, and about my preparations for my time I will spend in Liberia later.

(Africa. I circled Liberia. West-Side!)

For now I shall make clear a few things about my blog, not for you my dear reader, but for myself. Maybe I just like to see and hear my own words or I just like to explain things out to help understand my own thoughts/reasoning or it eases me to know that you now fully know where I am coming from. Either way, amuse me.

That brings me to my first point. I don't actually read blogs. I feel like that's kind of like a musician who doesn't listen to music or an author who doesn't read books. I have read one blog, which was Jason Mraz's blog and not even for the content so much as his mastery with words, even his blog is quite lyrical. The point being that reading his blog to me was no different than enjoying some other piece of art. But I have never really read anyone's blog, especially one belonging to someone I personally know. I've tried, but they just don't hold my interest. Maybe it is because I would rather just call the person or meet with them and sit down to discuss their blog topic in the person. Just one of the infinite reasons why I have yet to find an interest for someone's blog.
I actually have a point and here it is; if I don't care to read blogs, then I really can't expect people to want to read mine, because I can't blame them. So, kudos to all of you who have actually made it this far down the first post when I haven't even said anything of interest or really about Liberia yet. Bravo. And triple kudos to all of you who stick around for all the blog posts (you can redeem kudos at the end of the blog for a prize), because straight up I don't know if I would.
The reason I even began the blog was because a number of people told me I should, it would be an easy way for those who don't have the time to email me to keep up with me, and it seems like the thing to do when you travel out of the country. This blog really is for you, and I really do mean you, because you are actually reading this now. So, I appreciate you reading and I really hope you enjoy it, seeing as like I said, it is for you.

Next thing, I am very wordy. I get to typing and next thing I realize I have spent way to much exposition explain all these other little details just tell my story. Ask my friends, the stories get long. So, I apologize in advance that you may have to wade through a lot of words to get to the meat of what I am saying, which will be tough for someone who likes to get straight to the point. Though, I also apologize to the person who loves all my words, unencumbered, numbered words, because I might have to wrap these long stories I may tale, because I'm going to run out of electricity. Also, I apologize for my spelling, grammar, lack of lyricalism, and for straight up forgetting words (mostly articles) as my fingers scurry across the keyboard.

Oh speaking of having no more electricity to finish my long stories... I am only going to have electricity for 3-4 hours a day. I should be able to access the internet and do things (like update my blog) on a regular basis of some sort, but right now I shall consider myself fortunate to get to access internet once a week. So, I'll be sure to inform you in my first few blog post while I am over there if I'll actually be able to update a lot. So, once again, I apologize in advance if I can't actually inform you, my dear reader, of my exploits often. I have already apologized numerous times in just the first blog post! This does not forebear well for my poor blog.

(For those not in the 'know', this is the young man who is typing this blog and going to Liberia. I clearly am expressing my apologetic attitude in this picture.)

Well, now on to serious subjects (at least in my mind of minds), the name of my blog. "Josh Went to Liberia(?)" First of all, I wanted some thing that was rather simple and obvious. You, dear reader, have just spent time typing into the address box of your web browser of choice and you want to know you are at the correct blog. "Josh Went to Liberia(?)" is what you find. "Looks like I am in the right spot," you say to yourself, "Thank you obvious and informative blog name." Clearly you think in your head the same way I do, because that's what I would have said too (feel free to not laugh at the jokes in my blog posts... because I will be very very far away in Liberia). Now you have been informed that this is infact my blog. Not just that though, because maybe you haven't heard that I actually left America for the summer or you had heard, but you just didn't know where I had run off to. Well now you have been informed of just where I went. If this is the case, that fun little question mark hanging on the end, debating whether it should be there or not, is actually for you. Because as you look upon my blog, you'll say with a questioning tone in your voice "Josh went to Liberia? Oh I didn't know that." This is then your opportunity to decide how you feel about me going off to Liberia for the summer and you can then follow it with either a 'cool' or a 'lame'. Like earlier, feel free to do as you choose, because I am very far away and will probably never know.

So, enjoy the multifaceted aspects of my blog name, use it with whichever tone you'd like and let it mean whatever you want. I am just glad I could provide you all with such an obvious, yet flexible blog name. Have fun. And remember... I went to Liberia (but not exactly yet).



Now I am out of ideas of blogging related topics.

*wait till the next blog to find out what prizes you can win with your kudos