January of 2005 my dad died. I was convinced that he was softening over the years and that he would get saved. It really shook me up that he died without Christ. I went into a shell after this it was a dark time in my life. The first death of anyone really close to me. I was so sure that he was going to get saved. I wondered did I do enough, did I do it the right way? It’s hard for me to pinpoint how this affected my call to missions but I know that it did. Pondering eternity and hell…
Another thing that happened was in Aug ’06 I quit my job as a machinist. I simply just had it too good at that job. I left a good paying job, senority, excellent benefits, and a supervisor position to be a nobody at another job. I was too secure in this job too comfortable. The Lord had been telling me for years to leave this job but I just didn’t do it. I had too much faith and trust in this job and it should have been in the Lord. Quiting had an enormous impact in me and I just think it was the Lord building into me after my obedience to Him. I could think now and it relieved the intense pressure I felt from the Lord telling me to quit. It renewed my vision and desire for evangelism.
We started looking for new ways to minister along with our family of then nine children and reach the lost. I started going out street preaching/witnessing with another brother downtown in the warehouse district. I always had our boys with me as it is my desire that my family is my mission team. Sometimes we all would go and sometimes Stacy would wait with the little kids in the car. The more I went out the more bold and confident I have gotten in doing it. We even attended some A.A. meetings in an attempt to reach people. I did a little investigating about starting a church downtown or just a bible study with converts from the street. I didn’t really feel “called” to do any of these things, I knew that God had something He wanted us to do and we were just trying to stay busy doing “something” while we waited on Him to show us.
I found that as I ministered to these people I had great compassion for them in realizing what bondage they are in just like I was. I wanted to see them set free like I had been set free. This also caused me to go to God’s Word even more so I could minister to them.Another thing that really changed my heart was seeing that my children were getting older and feeling a heavy burden for their souls. I would think about what kind of people did I want them to be? What kind of Christians did I want them to be? I wanted them to want to serve the Lord and love Him with their whole heart. This desire for missions also has stemmed from my desire to love my children and teach them to seek the Lord.Other things that were imbedded deeply in me- What is this life worth? What are we doing here? Trying to cling to jobs, careers & schooling….
Back in January Stacy had written to some orphan boys and when she asked me if I wanted to write to them I said “no.” Then in March she got the letters back. Stacy read me the letters. I was still really closed. In my mind I was thinking “It’s a big job getting’ by with 9 kids and a wife.” I didn’t give it a second thought. It was however brought to my attention the horrible stories that were coming out of this orphanage that this boy was at. I felt at least that it was an item to be brought up to the church for prayer. At church one morning I decided to read the letter that Aaron wrote to us. At that point we were not giving serious consideration to adopting him but I wanted to alert people to the cry of these orphans and help in whatever way God led. I could not finish the letter. God just broke me. When I took the time to hear what this orphan boy was really saying I could not ignore it. In my heart there was a huge change. I started planning a trip to Liberia. I didn’t know why I was going but I felt that God just wanted me to go there and I was just following His calling.
I started talking about going to Liberia as a long term missionary. This was the time too that our house was sold. I had previously offered myself up to God for whatever ministry He wanted as soon as I was out from under the bondage of debt. My house sold three weeks before I left for Liberia. It was amazing how God timed the sale of our house with the planning of this trip. I was a new employee with no extra vacation and was worried about taking 3 weeks off. I was prepared to be fired over it. I wasn’t even sure of God’s plan for selling our house at this time other than it was good to get out of debt and my desire to spend more time with my boys. It was a miricle that we sold our home in this shakey market. The buyer even offered to buy out of the purchase agreement.
In Liberia I met Aaron and I decided we would adopt him. Visiting the prison in Liberia was a powerful experience. I had told Stacy over and over throughout the years usually every time she mentioned missions that God hadn’t called me to foreign missions but I felt He did want me to minister and preach the gospel in the prison. I have felt that way since I got saved 10 years ago. So here I am in a Liberian prison. There was no doubt to me that God was moving very strongly there. I saw that the Liberian people are just ready and hungry for Jesus. I have come to the point that I am sure that God is calling me to go to Africa to the prison there and to those orphans.
When I came home we didn’t talk of living in Liberia for a while even though we had talked so much about it before. We proceeded in our adoption process. I don’t know how else to describe this other than I did not feel peace in my heart at all. I tried to figure out where all this disquiet and tension was coming from. where had I gone wrong- I thought I was following the Lord but somewhere I had taken a wrong turn.Then it came to me that “I should be preparing to live there.” The adoption process worked totally against that. I knew that was wrong for our family-in America anyway. Strife ceased and the unrest in my spirit ceased and was replaced by a peace that I was in the will of God. I had a time of stuggle as I tried to make sure that this was really what He was telling me to do. I have asked the Lord to close the door if we are out of His will in any way and the doors are opened wide to us. Every time Stacy and I have stepped out in faith, many ways over the years, people always said we were nuts. Our christian friends would say “your type of people once you get saved usually swing all the way to one side…but you’ll come back to the center eventually.”God has met us every single step of the way. We have tried Him and seen that He can be trusted. We know that He will meet us there and He is meeting us there in our hearts and the hearts of our children as we prepare together for this new chapter of our lives. Jesus says “my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matt 11:30
Written 9/14/2007
Some of the hard truths about Liberia. This child that is covered with clay is being inititated into the "Secret or Poro Society."
Friendly kid though - stayed right on my heels all the while we visited and loved my camera!
Here is the picture of Dan sharing the gospel and discussing the needs of (blind) Abraham. This is also the picture from the pencil sketch below. 
Edited into a sketch. This was in Liberia in a little bamboo shack of a blind man. We are trying to help him rent a different place to live as his conditions are deplorable. You can see him here in the corner.
Friends of ours the Jorgenson family singing down at the Marie Sanvick Center. The Jorgensons have 11 children and attend our church.
Preaching the gospel at the Center back in January of this year.
Bestman and I preached at Bannersville Junction on this last trip. There were many listening and attentive ears.
Preaching in Black Jena.
Bestman and I preaching at Bannersville Junction.
Edison Sworh, Me and Bestman preparing to preach across from a mosque in the Black Jena area in Liberia last month.
My wife Stacy, Jakin our son and I at the beach.
Jakin and I at Elwa beach in February.
Preaching the gospel in the States is a whole other world than preaching in Africa. I have come to appreciate aspects of both.
My children listening to the preaching and handing out gospel tracts.
The road leading up to the prison.
The wall surrounding the prison.
Here I am with Paye, Pastor Richards and Pastor Bestman Todawiah.
This is my 15 year old son Jakin who enjoyes mistering to the prisoners also.
Sharing with the prisoners.
