By Maxwell S. Sayeh
UM Radio – MONROVIA
As an agency of the Liberia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, the Ministry to the Aging was established in 2007; during the administration of Our Former Bishop, John G. Innis. The concept of establishing an agency to cater to the needs and welfare of senior citizens within the church and beyond was conceived by the Revered Anna S. Kpaan, the current Directress of the ministry along with Referendum Isaac C. Padmore (former Director).
The two ministers, with passion and insight for older adults’ ministry, studied in the United States of America prior to the establishment of the ministry. The two ministers were appointed Director and Associate Director respectively by Retired Bishop John G. Innis in 2007. The Reverend Isaac C. Padmore was later appointed as Director of Evangelism and Missions at the Liberia Annual Conference, the United Methodist Church, leaving the responsibility of stirring the affairs of the Aging Ministry to its present Director, Revered Anna S. Kpaan. As duty calls, the Director has, with the help of the Almighty God and along with support from the LAC/UMC and partners has worked to help the ministry perform excellently well.
The Ministry to the Aging mission is to address the holistic needs of the aging population of the Church, ye Liberia. Those needs include Spiritual, Psychological and physical wellbeing of the elderly especially the vulnerable ones and home-bounds. Our mission has to do with advocacy with people and organizations that have the passion to support the older adults’ ministry nationally and internationally.
The Aging Ministry of the Liberia Annual Conference, United Methodist Church is seeking to provide homes built by the United Methodist Church with provision of Christ centered care throughout the country. That vision has been stepped up partially by the building and dedication of the Charles Edward Britt Senior Citizen Home (August 6, 2009) in Duahzohn, Margibi County, Liberia by Retired Bishop John G. Innis. CEBSCH is the first UMC old folks home built in fulfillment of this vision with the desire to build more across the country growing even bigger. The construction of the CEBSCH was funded by the Aubam Wesley Foundation of Alabama, USA and the working team was headed by Johnny Peters and David Goolsby.
With the home accommodation capacity place at 20, we are expected to accommodate 10 or more senior citizens that will be sheltered, clothed and fed three times daily in addition to the provision of health care, spiritual and other physical needs.
The Ministry to the Aging of the United Methodist Church is faced with several challenges and they include: feeding of the home on a daily basis, payment of medical bills, fencing and re-roofing of the home and the completion of the peace hub for multi-purpose functions.