Sheppard January 2006 Update

Dear Barry and friends at Grace,

Greetings again from Liberia! We really hit the ground running in 2006. The
beginning of the month found Nancy and I at a church conference in Zuolay, a
small village on the road to Tappita, where we lived from 1986-1989.
Thankfully we were able to arrange transport on the U.N. helicopter, saving
us two days (going and coming for 10 hours) on a very poor road. At the end
of the conference we spent a few days in Tappita and the day before we were
to leave, the UNMIL (for UN Mission In Liberia) battalion staying on our
mission property in Tappita ended their move to another location and finally
turned over the property to us. We are now feverishly repairing and painting
the clinic, OB, Bible School building, student housing, etc. so the
ministries can be reopened as soon as possible. We are planning to reopen
the Bible School in the middle of March.

Upon our return to Monrovia I jumped into a project unlike anything I have
ever done. A friend invited me to help prepare the capital property for the
January 16th presidential inauguration of Madame Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, The
property had been damaged during the war and little had been done since,
even in the way of basics such as cutting the grass. We gathered together
Bible school students, pastors and friends and along with the several
hundred workers my friend had previously trained, did this massive job. We
had two weeks to do it. Talk about a time pressure! My group was responsible
for the repair of a marble statue base (it became a flagpole for lack of a
statue to put on it), painting the dome of the capital building, repairing
the fountain, painting, and many other jobs. In the end the property looked
great and it was a wonderful testimony to the community to see missionaries
and Liberians working together to improve their country. The inauguration
itself went great. Nancy and I were both able to attend. In a country that
has had very few hopeful moments in its resent history, it was a joy and
privilege to be a part of a hopeful moment.

Immediately following the inauguration activities I began preparations for a
trip to Bassa where I taught in their annual conference. Several hundred
people were in attendance. We praise God for the faithfulness of these
people under very difficult circumstances.

Our family continues to do well. Melodie (21) and Nathan (19) are enjoying
college. Nathan is starting his first semester of college while Melodie is
finishing her college career. She will stay for summer school in June, take
two on-line classes during the remainder of the summer, and then be a
college graduate. We are excited that God has allowed her to finish earlier
than expected. (Thanks to all of you who have prayed for her heart pains.
She is doing much better.) We did have a tragedy here last night. John-Mark
(23) bought a baby mongoose while traveling in the interior and left it for
a moment unguarded. Richard the cat, thinking he was doing the family a
favor by ridding us of vermin, snacked on the poor little thing. There was
weeping and wailing by Heidi (11) and Jared (9) who love the cat, but are
having trouble not being angry with him!

Merri's adoption papers are at the last stage. She should be going to her
new home this month. What powerful lessons we have learned caring for what
Jesus refers to as "the least of these," an abandoned child found on the
streets of Monrovia. Although at times it has been incredibly difficult to
deal with the realities of her physical and mental limitations, it has also
been one of the biggest privileges of our lives. It has changed us, making
us so much more aware of the suffering children around us. This month we
have had the opportunity to help an 18-month -old girl who was dying of
malnutrition and is now doing much better, as well as a newborn baby rescued
from an abortion. God is so good.

Please pray God for the following requests:
1. Continued health and safety.
2. Merri's adoption to be completed and her to be safely "home."
3. Wisdom and direction for the new President of Liberia.
4. Wisdom and direction for us as we sift through the many ministry
   opportunities available to us.

God bless you. Thank you for your faithfulness to us in prayer, financial
support, and love.

In His service,
Mark and Nancy Sheppard