O N W A R D M O R A V I A N M I S S I O N S P U B L I S H E D B Y T H E M I S S I O N S O C I E T Y, S O U T H E R N P R O V I N C E

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1 O N W A R D M O R A V I A N M I S S I O N S P U B L I S H E D B Y T H E M I S S I O N S O C I E T Y, S O U T H E R N P R O V I N C E M A R C H V O L U M E X X X I I I S S U E 2 S P E C I A L E D I T I O N Mohamed Braima Ordained Sierra Leone Mission Pastor LINKS AND INTERLINKS: A CONTEMPORARY HISTORIC MOMENT How the Ordination of One Man Takes Us Far beyond the Walls of Our Own Church The eagerly awaited day finally arrives! On 05 February 2012 the Maggie Styers Missionary Chapter of Fairview Moravian Church celebrates its 100 th anniversary! From the beginning in 1895 (before its accepted recorded date of organization, 09 February 1912) the Women s group of Fairview made the congregation aware of the importance of foreign missions. Throughout the years and many organizational changes, that focus remains. On this day of this year, the interest is more keenly felt because very special guests have Bishop Gray ordains been invited to participate in the events of the day the morning Lovefeast service speaker, Mohamed Braima; and the afternoon reception in honor of Mohamed and his wife Safiatu, along with Mohamed Braima many guests from other Moravian churches in the area that quite generously have supported the mission work of the Braimas for several years. After a wonderfully inspiring Lovefeast service and Mohamed s moving sermon, the congregation continues with their normal schedule for the day except for the Braimas and several members of the Missionary Chapter, who adjourn to the Fellowship Hall to prepare for the afternoon celebration: Ann Breese and her food prep crew (Alden and Anna Frances Dull, Ruth Freeman, and Abbey Nallo--from Little Church of the Lane): Janice Speas and her set-up and welcoming crew (Evelyn West, E. Artis Weber, Bill Wright); and later Pastor Scott Venable and his AV crew (Liz Venable, Lewis Phillips). The Braimas and Betty Hobbs busy themselves packing up 5 boxes and 1 barrel of school supplies and other essentials to load up their truck for the trip back to Charlotte. Almost without a break, it is time for the afternoon program and refreshments! After a warm welcome and opening prayer by Pastor Scott Venable, Mohamed begins to tell the story of how the mission work in Sierra Leone began and his self-doubts to answer the call he kept hearing from God---to go back to his people and spread the Word to them. As Mohamed continues sharing his experiences, he calls upon Safie to join in. Together they fill in the picture and express their gratitude to the churches from this area who have supported them and the building of the church and school, which are thriving. He acknowledges especially the leadership and advocacy of Donna Hurt and the helpfulness of Charles Sapp, an Antioch missionary who gave a term of service to the mission. As he speaks, it becomes clear to everyone that here indeed is a man being called by God who will not let him go! And we, too, become a part of Mohamed s experience; for there is an undeniable Presence in this gathering this day unspoken, but keenly felt. The aura of calm settles upon us and is not broken not even by questions and answers or by Bishop Sam Gray s observation that this mission in Sierra Leone is a monumental event for the Southern Province. It is difficult to explain how or why it is not appropriate to end the session. There just couldn t be and still can t be that sense of finality. Each one of us has a sense of being a part of a very special experience that should not be broken In the days that follow we eagerly await the next Sunday s celebration at Little Church on the Lane when Mohamed will be ordained as a Moravian Missionary Minister. We continue to be filled with the wonder of it all as we ponder what it really means and how it has come to be. The following double chronology shows the interrelationships of several little Moravian churches and the big Worldwide Moravian Church and the significant role of missions and missionaries -of people attuned to the Command of the Great Commission, that once heard, will not let us go. With his permission, the sermon of Bishop Sam Gray, who presided over the Ordination of Brother Mohamed Braima, follows to clarify and reinforce the experiences described herein. By Betty Hobbs, Fairview Moravian Church, NC

2 Chronology of Mission Links page 2 Relating to MSMC s Emphasis on Missions and the New Sierra Leone Mission After finishing high school, a young man named Mohamed Braima, who had also read the Bible, decides that he wants to be a Christian. He also had met his future wife, Safiatu, who had come to the U.S. in He comes to the Us to pursue a college education Mohamed is baptized by the Rev. Herbert Weber in the Little Church on the Lane in Charlotte, NC. (Rev. Weber was born into and grew up in Fairview.) Mohamed graduates from college with a degree in Biology Mohamed and Safiatu are married A 10-year war breaks out in Sierra Leone, causing 2001 millions of refugees, including missionaries and church workers to flee the country In January the war is officially declared to be over As people begin to return, they find that the churches are GONE! In 2004 Mohamed and Safie visit their homeland for the first time, since having left, and begin ministering to the returning refugees. They are given a new vision by God of what COULD be in Sierra Leone. God prompts Mohamed to begin preparing for a new journey by sending him to Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte st Missionary pastor is chosen by Fairview s 1920 Missionary Chapter to support. He is Sriman, a native of Surinam, South America nd Missionary pastor, Rev. George Heath, and 1950 wife, are chosen and serve for many years in Nicaragua and Honduras rd Missionary pastor, Rev. Joe Gray, with wife 1977 Lahoma and family Martha, Sam, Steve, and twins Sandra and Carol are adopted in 1970 and Joe begins mission work in Honduras Rev. Joe Gray serves Fairview as Associate 1981 Pastor during a 4-year intermission in his foreign mission work. In 1981 Joe and family leave Fairview for a short stint at Trinity Moravian and then on to Sierra Leone Rev. Joe Gray, wife Lahoma, and daughter 1982 Sandra serve as missionaries in Sierra Leone, exploring the possibilities of Moravian mission work in a small village not too far from where Mohamed Braima had grown up th mission family Fairview supports is that of 1993 Sam Gray, son of Joe and Lahoma Gray. Sam and wife Lorena, and eventually their 3 sons Timothy, Lucas, and Christian work for several years in Honduras in the field of Chris tian education Sam begins full-time studies at Moravian 1996 Theological Seminary and is ordained a Deacon in the Moravian Church in 1996 at Fairview th missionary team: MSMC pledges 6-year 2000 support for Revs. Linda Faber and Sonna Schambach, who will be serving in China through Asia Ministries th mission team headed by George Goff is selected to receive support for ALAS DE SOCORRO Sam Gray is consecrated as Bishop in June The Braimas along with the Maxwells, Helen Gulledge, and Carolyn Gaylord visit E. Artis Weber, Sam Gray, and Betty Hobbs at Salem- Towne.

3 Chronology of Mission Links page Mohamed and Safie return to Sierra Leone and finish building a library. People come from all around to celebrate what is hailed as the best library in the country! In April work begins on the church. As money runs low, the Braimas return to the States The Community Church is dedicated by Bishop Sam Gray as part of a team, which also included Jeff Fulp from Little Church on the Lane and whose parents, Melvin and Betty, are members of Fairview. A Mission House by this time has also been built Mohamed and Safie begin the building of a school in the village to better accommodate the needs of the children, who heretofore had to walk miles to go to school in the next village and stay over for several days at the time October: Donna Hurt, representing the Southern Province, presents Sierra Leone as a new Mission area to the Unity Board for approval. Approval granted for SP to administer BWM accepts request by the SP to administer The Sierra Leone Mission Area, in partnership with Little Church and the SP Covenant signed between Little Church, the SP, BWM, and the church in Sierra Leone, as represented by Mohamed, on February 13, Mohamed is commissioned as a Provincial Acolyte and continues to feel God s call for him to become an ordained minister in the Moravian Church. During the ensuing years, both he and Safie have helped the Province develop a process for ordaining people who are being specifically called to mission service in an area of the world that is not a Moravian Province. Their patient commitment has led to two historically significant blessings for our Church: 1) Sierra Leone is now recognized as an official Mission Area of our Province the ONLY one in West Africa! and 2) Mohamed has been ordained a Deacon in the Moravian Church as of February 12 th at a special service at Little Church on the Lane in Charlotte, by Bishop Sam Gray, Director of Intercultural Ministries and Board of World Mission and will serve as Missionary Pastor. Already Mohamed is being called upon by leaders from other villages to come and help them start a church in their villages Mohamed preaches the Lovefeast sermon at Fairview in October and he and Safiatu are commissioned by Bishop Bob Iobst as Moravian missionaries to Sierra Leone Jeff Fulp and Tom Dressler bring the message at the Lovefeast Service upon returning from their trip to Ngiehun Fairview begins planning shipments of barrels of supplies to Sierra Leone for the school, the Mission House, and the Braimas In February Drs. James Davis & Jake Jacobs, Jeff Fulp, and Tom Dressler bring the Lovefeast message and hold a follow-up session in the Chapel, where Jack Davis (Dr. Davis son), an Antioch missionary who has been in Sierra Leone for the better part of a year, answers questions to the delight of his grandmother Donna Hurt brings a highly animated message at the 2012 February Lovefeast, relating her experiences of being a guest in the village for several days. She stresses the need for help and gets the ball rolling for many churches in our area to become involved. Using Fairview as the central location for storing & shipping, the following churches have contributed generously both supplies and financial support for shipping costs: Konnoak Hills, Calvary, Olivet, Ardmore, Friedberg, Fairview, Messiah, Mayodan, Kernersville, Clemmons, and Bethania Rev. Tom Shelton (Friedberg) gives a most energetic account at the July MSMC meeting of his recent trip to the mission village in Sierra Leone, stressing that the church is definitely Moravian Moravian. He baptized 60+ at one service! Mohamed brings the Lovefeast message at Fairview on Feb. 5 th and is honored guest speaker at the 100 th Anniversary celebration of the Missionary Chapter with guests from Fairview, Little Church on the Lane, Home, Calvary, Messiah, Macedonia, New Philadelphia, and Friedberg.

4 MOHAMED SPEAKS AT FAIRVIEW LOVEFEAST page 4 FEBRUARY 5, 2012 BETTY HOBBS PRESENTS THE RT. REV SAMUEL J. GRAY S INTRODUCTION It s amazing to see how God works in the world and how God calls people from different parts of that world to work together to do amazing things in His name. Sometimes the journey can be long. Not just the journey from Mohamed Braima s village in Eastern Sierra Leone into the capital, Freetown though that IS a long journey, even in a nice Toyota Tundra on not-so-nice roads. Not just the journey from Freetown to North Carolina, by way of London and Newark, though that, too, can take more than a day. But the real journey is the one that has gotten Mohamed and Safiatu Braima to the place where God has called them to serve Him through the Moravian Church. Mohamed grew up in the village of Mbaoma (Ba-OH-ma) and studied in Islamic Schools there as well as in Kenema, Bo, and Freetown. Two important things happened when he was in high school: while reading the Bible one day, he decided he wanted to be a Christian, AND he met his future wife, Safiatu. In 1975, after finishing high school, Mohamed came to the United States. In 1977, he was baptized by the Rev. Herbert Weber in Charlotte. In 1981, as Mohamed was graduating from college with a degree in Biology, the Moravian Board of World Mission decided to explore the possibility of mission work in Sierra Leone. Joe and Lahoma Gray (and daughter, Sandra) spent about a year over there in a village not too far from where Mohamed had grown up. At that time, though, the Methodist Church had extensive mission work in the area, so the Board decided not to compete with their efforts. But 10 years later a bloody civil war broke out. It lasted 10 years and during that time millions of refugees (including missionaries and church workers) fled the country. When they started to return in 2002, the churches were gone. But God was still at work, giving Mohamed and Safie (who had married in 1986) a new vision of what COULD be in Sierra Leone. And God began to prepare Mohamed for another part of the journey by sending him to Reformed Theological Seminary. In 2004, Mohamed and Safie visited their homeland for the first time in 10 years. They began ministering to the returning refugees and by 2007 they built a library for the community of Ngiehun ( gay-oon ). God seemed to be saying that maybe now the time was right for a Moravian presence. In 2008, the building for the Community Church was dedicated by Bishop Sam Gray, who traveled there as part of a team that included Jeff Fulp, son of Fairview s own Melvin and Betty Fulp. A Mission House had also been built and in 2009, Mohamed and Safie started the new High School there in the village. Mohamed has been serving as a pastor for several years, being commissioned as a Provincial Acolyte in But he knew that God was calling him to the ordained ministry of the Moravian Church. Mohamed and Safie have Mohammed and Safiatu Braima helped our province to develop a process for ordaining people who are specifically called to mission service in an area of the world that is not a Moravian Province. Their patience and faithfulness has resulted in two wonderful blessings for our church: 1) Sierra Leone is now an officially recognized Mission Area of our Province; and 2) next Sunday, February 12 th, Mohamed will be ordained a deacon in the Moravian Church. Then he and Safie will go back to Sierra Leone to continue the work that God has begun in them and through them. We are thrilled to see where God is taking them, and especially honored today that their journey includes a stop right here at Fairview Moravian Church. Welcome, brother Mohamed and Sister Safie! Edited by Betty Hobs Moravian Secondary School in Luawa Yiehun, Sierra Leone

5 Rt. Rev. Sam Gray Delivers Ordination Sermon at Little Church on the Lane Sunday, February 12, 2012 I Cor 9: 1-2, page 5 Moravians are sometimes accused of using the Daily Texts as a sort of Moravian horoscope. (Now I confess that when I get the new edition each year, the first thing I do is turn to my birthday and see what my text is for that day.) And (now, come on, admit it!) how often do we read the text for the day and then comment on how appropriate it is for the situation where we find ourselves---or the things going on in our lives in that place and on that day? And, yes, it is amazing to think that just as we are saying that the text seems to have been chosen for us and for this day. At the same time someone in a very different part of the world (and, because of time zones, maybe even actually already in a different DAY than we are) is saying the same thing about the same text! So, of course, for the outsider this might sound somewhat astrological or maybe like a little piece of paper that we pull out of a Lovefeast bun. But I believe the difference is that with those kinds of words, the goal is to see how we can fit them in to what is going on in our lives. But with the Daily Text (and with God s Word), the goal is really the opposite: That is, to see how our lives can fit---how our lives can be in accord with what we read in that word. How we can live our collective lives (as our Book of Order says) under scripture. But knowing and recognizing and recognizing that THIS word is not the highest level of authority, but rather our Chief Elder, Jesus Christ, who speaks to us through this word [is]. So, I guess what that means is that the appropriateness of a text on any given day is simply a reminder that together we are called to live this word and to follow the Living Word. Many of you may have already seen the watch word chosen for today. It s from Psalm 26, verse 8: O, Lord, I love the house in which you dwell, and the place where your glory abides. Of course, that certainly applies to this place and this glorious gathering here today. This little church on Moravian Lane is certainly God s house. And God s glory clearly abides right here! But we remember that Jesus said that in his Father s house there are many rooms (we used to say many mansions ) but I like that idea of many ROOMS that are all part of the same mansion. God s house, God s mansion, has room (not only in Heaven) but in Winston-Salem, and Charlotte and Ngehun and all over the world! At last count close to 1700 Moravian rooms (such as this one) can be found in 18 Unity Provinces, 7 mission provinces, 13 Mission areas, and 4 Unity Undertakings. That s exciting, especially the part about 13 mission areas! What s really exciting is the fact that 3 of those are mission areas of the Southern Province Peru, Cuba, and Sierra Leone! And, of course, what s ESPECIALLY exciting for us today is that one of those is Sierra Leone. Perhaps what is most exciting about this is the way that it came about: The way God calls people in a particular time and place and gives them a dream / a vision of God s glory, abiding right there / right here. I m reminded of another ordination service, many years ago. The candidate was a man named Jacob. He was on a journey---from a place called Beersheba to a place called Haran. And we read in Genesis 23 that at sunset he stopped for the night and went to sleep, resting his head on a large rock. My summary of that story is that he came to an ordinary place on an ordinary night and took an ordinary stone on which to lay his ordinary head (sorry Jacob) and settled in for what he thought would be an ordinary night s sleep. But God (Someone once told me that those are the two most important words in the Bible as well as in our life and ministry: But, God. N o matter where we may find ourselves in our lives, when we insert those words But God everything is changed. Everything is transformed! But God had plans for this man s life. God gave him a dream / a vision: a ladder with angels going up and down ( I like to call it the original Stairway to Heaven). And when Jacob woke up from that dream, he realized that every place and any place can be the dwelling place of the Most High. And he said, Surely the Lord is in this place but I did not realize it. And that realization changed everything! That ordinary rock became an altar (a pillow became a pillar); that place formerly called Luz was now Bethel (the house of God); and that ordinary man, Jacob, became God s servant, Israel! Rev. Cheryl Cottingham Presents Communion Set From Provincial Women

6 Ordination Service Sermon continued page 6 But God But God also stepped into another man s journey and gave that man a vision / a dream. And that man, Mohamed Braima, looked around and said, Surely the Lord is in THIS place! But where is THIS place? Growing up, THIS PLACE was the village of Mbaoma. Mohamed attended school in Kenema and Bo and Freetown. And God gave him a glimpse of the vision when he read the Bible for the first time. He read the book and now he wanted to meet the Author! First, though, he met his future spouse, Safiatu, a woman whom god has also CLEARLY called into this ministry. Mohamed s journey brought him to the United States; but, like Jacob, and like the psalmist, he discovered that there is NO PLACE where God is not present Where could I go to escape from your Spirit or from your sight? If I climb to the highest heavens, you are there. If I go to Charlotte, NC you are there! (loose paraphrase) And it was in Charlotte that, in 1977, Mohamed was baptized by the Rev. Herbert Weber. But God continued to give Mohamed this dream, this vision of God s glory in another place, in the place where he had come from and where he felt God calling him to return. One day he shared that dream with sister E. Artis Weber and she shared it with me. And then Mohamed himself came to me and told me what God had placed on his heart. ---As I think back on this, I m reminded of something that one of my colleagues recently shared on Facebook! A young woman woke up one morning and told her husband, I just had a dream that you gave me a pearl necklace for Valentine s day. What do you think it means? You ll know tonight, he said. That evening the man came home with a small package and gave it to his wife. Delighted, she opened it---only to find a book entitled The Meaning of Dreams... Mohamed may have had a similar dream experience when he shared his dream with me. He laid out this vision of something much more precious than pearls: of serving within the Kingdom of God as an ordained minister of the Moravian Church of reaching people in sierra Leone with the Good News of the love we find in Christ Jesus of rebuilding and transforming a community torn apart by civil war and by poverty. And I brought him, not an ordination certificate (not then anyway) but rather a book not The Meaning of Dreams but rather the Church Order of the Unitas Fratrum. At that point Mohamed could have said, like Paul, 1) Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? (And then to the folks in Sierra Leone.) Are YOU not my work in the Lord? 2) If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. But, Brother Braima, as I think back, I believe you were willing to say something else that Paul said. I believe you said, 19) For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. 23) I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings. Paul talks about serving in various cultural contexts. For him that meant serving among Jews and Gentiles---serving among people who had very different views concerning what was clean and unclean, what they could eat and what they shouldn t eat, what was right and what was wrong. We see another missionary, Peter, struggling with this in Acts, chapter 10 when he gets the message that he might have to eat some things that for him anyway, are not edible! (not in his culture). Prayer of Blessing by The Rev. Steve Wilson and Family and Friends In Missiology these texts are often used to stress the importance of interacting appropriately in other cultures. But I don t think Paul is simply talking about cultural relativism or just adapting to another. I believe Paul is saying that he is willing to join others on their journey and walk beside them for the sake of the gospel / the good news of Jesus Christ. Of course, brother Mohamed finds himself doing that in Sierra Leone. Within the community he walks beside and interacts with many people: In the LYCC the Luawa Yiehun Community Church; At the school---where many of the students are Muslims and the imam of the local mosque is a member of the school board (who came up to me and expressed his appreciation to the Moravian Church for the way in which that school is transforming the community). Mohamed walks beside family members, many of whom are of different faiths.

7 Ordination Sermon continued page 7 But maybe for Mohamed the challenge of becoming all things to all people has less to do with THAT place, Sierra Leone, and more to do with THIS place, the Southern Province of the Moravian Church in North America. And I believe, Brother Braima, that your willingness to do it ALL for the sake of the gospel has helped to bring ALL of us to this place where we are today so that we might ALL share in its blessings. The instructions for the ordaining bishop today are to preach a sermon on the Christian ministry. I believe that sermon has already been preached But that someone just needed to write it down and share the story with others. This sermon / this lesson on Christinan ministry has been preached over the past few years by many people: +2 PEC s have had a part in preaching this sermon: +The current Provincial Elders Conference (represented by brother Thore today) and the past PEC who took the significant step of commissioning Mohamed as a Provincial acolyte so that he could begin responding to the call that God had placed on his life; + And then the next PEC continued the process and the steps toward ordination You see, they didn t decide to just look the other way and let Mohamed do the things that he knew God was calling him to do and that Christ had already ordained him to do. No, they took this as an opportunity to look at ourselves and, with the direction of the Chief Elder, determine whether the system and structure that have often served God well in the past still allow God to work in us and through us in new situations that demand new models of ministry. So, the PEC s had a part in the sermon. But this was not simply a sermon that was preached TO the church. No, it was a sermon preached BY the church---by the people here at Little Church as they began to share the story with the BIG Church and by people in congregations all around the province. (By the way, you know, technically, the candidate for ordination is supposed to choose ONE person to represent the laity; but brother Braima found that almost impossible to do. It was hard enough, he said, to narrow it down to 3 people because so many people are involved in this ministry.) And then the Worldwide Unity Board and the Board of World Mission got involved. But what s important here is that they didn t initiate it. They didn t start the sermon and they try to preach it to others. No, they recognized what God was doing and wanted to walk alongside this ministry and share in the blessings. That s why I think it was so important to do this this way. Brother Mohamed, the Miskitu people have a saying that the one who leads the way into the jungle carries the machete. That person clears the way for others and they don t have to clear out their own path because a path has already been cleared. WHY is it so important to do ministry in this way? Well, in the portion of I Corinthians 9 that I left out, Paul speaks of earning a living. But I don t get the idea that he is expressing concern over getting paid but rather that he wants people to have the BLESSING of sharing in his ministry. Not in the televangelist sense of getting something good if you just send in your check but rather in the realization that we all have a part in this ministry. As Paul says, YOU are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. ---This isn t just between me and God! One commentator puts it this way: For Paul, God s call to him is shaped by a pair of powerful and interlaced forces: the God who called him AND the people who both share and hear the good news. Mohamed, God doesn t call us as ministers to be people pleasers ; (--Don t even try.you can please all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time but not all of the people all of the time.) --it s not what we re called to do. No, I believe Paul s key words are for the sake of the gospel, so that I might SHARE in its blessings. Mohamed, your willingness to take the machete and help to clear this path has given our province the blessing of being involved in a vital ministry of the whole church. In the ordinations in which I have been involved, typically the congregation includes people from the candidate s home congregation and people from the congregation where the newly ordained minister will serve. If this were a typical service, then, we would have people from LYCC and LCOL. But as I look around (took notes) I see people from Fairview, Friedberg, Home Church, New Philadelphia, Calvary, and others I m sure. Because, for the sake of the gospel, you have chosen to share this blessing with all of us. And today God is setting you apart for ordained ministry. What does that mean? In the Moravian Church we say that ordination is an expression not of RANK but of SERVICE. It s not a promotion---not lay person / deacon / presbyter / bishop. One official Moravian statement on ordination says, simply, that reverend is an adjective, not a noun. Think about that. We believe in the priesthood of ALL believers. But there are some who are set apart (not above, but apart) for additional responsibilities. You will be asked in a moment if you accept those responsibilities: to study,---to pray,--- to care for souls,---to preach,---to teach,---to administer the sacraments in Christ s church,---and to look beyond that church by being willing to evangelize and give witness to the saving grace that we find in Christ Jesus. The answers to those questions are written down for you: I freely accept them and I do. But I am thankful to God today for the way in which we ALL have been able to see God writing those answers on your life. And in our hearts. Edited by Betty Hobbs and Sheila Beaman

8 Partnership in Mission Luawa Yehun Church, Sierra Leone; Board of World Mission; Little Church on the Lane; and the Southern Province page 8 Sunday, February 12, 2012 will always be one of my greatest and fondest memories. There are few times in my life that I can remember being more spiritually alive than I was during the ordination of Mohamed Braima at the Little Church on the Lane. It seems like there has seldom been a time when Safiatu and Mohamed were not part of my life. Mohamed came to Charlotte in 1975 as a college student. He and Safiatu grew up together as children in a small Muslim village in Sierra Leone, West Africa. Mohamed's father was chief of the village and his older brother, Morrison, had relocated to the US. Safiatu's family and Mohamed's family came together and made a dowry for Morrison and Safiatu, and they were married in accordance with their customs. When Morrison brought Safiatu to the United States in 1974, they pledged to Mohamed that they would save enough money and bring him over as well, and their pledge was shortly fulfilled. Morrison and Safiatu had a son named Koi in When Morrison Ibrahim died, Safiatu, Mohamed, and Koi returned to Sierra Leone for the funeral. Afterwards they returned to Charlotte, their studies, and life at The Little Church on the Lane. Mohamed was baptized by The Rev. Herbert Weber at Little Church in Safiatu had been baptized by The Rt. Rev. Robert Iobst at Union Cross Moravian. Their love for Christ and their desire to see their people come to salvation became a compelling force. As their love for Jesus grew so did their love for each other. They became more than best friends and were married in After the death of The Rev. Herbert Weber, The Revs. Henry May, Steve Wilson, and Billy Flippin encouraged the Braimas to pursue their passion to return to Sierra Leone. The Liberian Civil War triggered the collapse of the government. A series of guerrilla wars that followed made it extremely difficult for them to spend much time there safely, but they continued to make humanitarian visits to friends and family. Over the past 30 years Mohamed worked as much as two and three jobs at a time while attending school and preparing himself for life of ministry. Safiatu also worked multiple jobs as they strove to make enough money to pay for their education as well as Koi's. In 2007, Mohamed led the construction of a library in the village of Luawa-Yiehun which was furnished with a cargo container of books donated by people in the United States. The March 17th opening of the library was attended by a large number of officials from around the country and proclaimed the best equipped library in the country. Work on the church began on April 14 and did not stop until it was roofed in June. As a result of so many children attending the church, they recognized the need for a secondary school in the village. After the first year of the operation of the Christian school with over 100 children enrolled, they are now breaking ground for a second school which will allow the current students to move up to a higher grade. The dream is to advance to a university and a seminary. The school s underlying purpose is a daily Christian-led program. I remember on Sunday mornings when Haines Maxwell or Koi would come into the Fellowship Hall at Little Church on the Lane with news of the latest telephone connection made with Safiatu or Mohamed. One of them would go to a high place outside the village where they could sometimes make connection via phone. They have spent the past 6 years going back and forth between Charlotte and Luawa-Yiehun with the length of time there extending and the lenth of time here crammed to the fullest with preparations to go back. They are always happy to share the story of God's work in Luawa-Yiehun. It is never about them or the difficulties they have faced, but it is always about the lives changed by the love of Jesus through the support of brothers and sisters in Christ. The great cloud of witnesses must have been rejoicing with us as we celebrated the ordination of Mohamed as an ordained Moravian minister to a Mission Area under the call of the Board of World Mission. I think of Br. Joe and Sr. Lahoma Gray who made an investigatory attempt to take the gospel to Sierra Leone many years ago. The Rt. Rev. Robert Iobst commissioned him and Safiatu to go as missionaries to Sierra Leone on October 8, 2006 at Fairview Moravian. Mohamed was appointed as a Provincial Acolyte in So many others were present to show love and support at these times of celebration. The Unitas Fratrum is grateful to God for the dedication and service of Mohamed and Safiatu Braima. To Him Be The Glory! By Helen Gulledge Little Church on the Lane (Edited by Betty Hobbs)

9 Page 9 Braima Family Charlotte NC Surplice presented to Mohamed by Little Church Attendees at Reception Present Gift Safiatu Enjoys Friends and Family

10 Pray Everyday March 2012 page This is our God for ever and ever. Praise God for the ordination of Mohamed Braima and his and Safiatu s ministry in the Mission Area of Sierra Leone. 2.God knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with him. Pray for Mark Ebert and the Moravian Volunteer Resources. Many need help. Many need to help. 3.You, O God, are my key from of old; you bring salvation upon the earth. Pray for the Unity Women s Desk and for those working to help Moravian women through its services. 4. Second Sunday in Lent God says, "I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations."pray for generosity to Unity Offering for women and orphans in Nicaragua. 5.It is not those who commend themselves that are approved, but those whom the Lord commands. Pray for Village Missions as they seek to provide pastors for struggling rural churches in North America 6. May God continue to bless us; let all beings of the Earth revere him. Pray for Phil & Eunice Raiford serving the Mixe people of San Juan Juquila, Mexico. 7. From him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Pray for Roman Brady, Advising Director, and Dewey Mullis, President, for Monthly Mission Ministries. 8. Christ says, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. "Pray for Glenna and George Tasedan serving at Happy Valley/Goose Bay in Labrador. 9. The word of the Lord endures for ever. That word is the Good News that was announced to you. Pray for Missionary Aviation Repair Center serving remote areas of Alaska and the Russian Far East. 10. For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. Pray for the Latino Conference meeting at First Moravian in Stone Mountain GA. 11. Third Sunday in Lent-The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe. Pray for Sports Outreach Institute reaching youth for Christ through sports. 12. The Lord executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and loves the strangers, providing them with food and clothing. Pray for Phil Sineath and Ashley Lax as Phil begins as Campus Outreach Director at Wingate College after their May wedding. 13. O Lord our God -we set our hope on you. Pray for Celeste Handy serving with InterVarsity of New Mexico in Albuquerque ministering to Native American students via Bible studies, conferences, outreach, etc 14. God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Pray for Masters Academy International with its multiple training centers around the world 15. The Lord will give strength to his people. Pray for retirement communities residents,volunteers, and workers. 16. Give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways. Pray for Love In the Name of Christ (Love, INC). 17. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it. Pray for Village Missions as they seek to provide pastors for struggling rural churches in North America 18. Fourth Sunday in Lent-by grace you have been saved through faith,and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. Pray for Likewise Aids Ministry. 19. Jeremiah said, "For the hurt of my people I am hurt. Is there no balm in Gilead. Pray for Kendra Roy in Brazil. 20. We have sinned and have committed iniquity and have done wickedly. Pray for the Master s Mission in Robbins NC. 21. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. Pray for retired ministers health and service. 22. Jesus said, "do not make my father's house a house of merchandise!" Pray for camp directors and workers. 23. Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Pray for the Directors and Staff of the BWM meeting in Winston-Salem, NC March 23 and I know, my God that you search the heart, and take pleasure in up rightness. Pray for Adopt a-village Program. 25. Fifth Sunday in Lent-Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Pray for the Woo family and their ministry in Asia. 26. Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent! Pray for all who are working to give women a Second Chance. 27. Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars! Pray for Brian (pilot) & Heather Marx (chalk artist ) serving in Indonesia with MAF. 28. Jesus is the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through him. Pray for Drs. Gerard and Norvelle Goff Rudy as they witness and serve in Ahuas, Honduras. 29. Continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. Pray for Dusty & Christin Harrison and the students they are serving through Greek InterVarsity Campus Ministry. 30. That which had not been told them they will see.pray for the Antioch Project and Director Jill Kolodziej. 31. I will call upon the God, and the Lord will save me. Pray for Steve & Ann Marx as they work with MAFin Idaho. (Send prayer requests to Helen Gulledge at helengulledge1090@gmail.com)

11 RESOURCES USED TO VERIFY VARIOUS SIGNIFICANT DATES AND ACHIEVEMENTS page 11 GOD IS GOOD: All the Time...An Accounting by Mohamed Braima, February-June, 2007 (A booklet distributed at a Special Show & Tell Gathering) (23rd of September 2007, Fairview Moravian Church Fellowship Hall) History of Foreign Missions: Fairview Moravian Church History of Fairview Moravian Church, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Edited and Published in 1961 by Women s Fellowship. Written by Mrs. J. Howard Barnes and Mrs. J.B. Snyder. Edited and Updated in 1995 by Mrs. J. B. Snyder, Jr.. pp.82; The Moravian. Official Journal, The Moravian Church in North America, Northern and Southern Provinces, 1021 Center Street, Bethlehem, PA Blessing to the Third Power. Elizabeth Artis Wright Weber, President of the Maggie Styers Missionary Chapter of Fairview Moravian Church, Winston-Salem, NC. December Pp MISSION: Sierra Leone. submitted by Joanne Jemsek, Little Church on the Lane, Charlotte, NC. December p SIERRA LEONE MISSION UPDATE: Luawa Yiehun, Sierra Leone, West Africa. Joanne Jemsek, Youth Director, Little Church on the Lane Charlotte, NC. November pp A Visit to Moravians in Sierra Leone. Donna Hurt, lay member on Provincial elder s Conference in Southern Prov ince. September, pp BOARD OF WORLD MISSION: Antioch Servants learn while helping in far-off places. A ten-month journey in Luawa Yiehun, Sierra Leone. Charles Sapp, member of Calvary Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, NC. His father if the Rt.Rev. Lane Sapp. October pp PROVINCIAL TIES-- PEC Report: PEC meets with Bro. Mohamed and Sr. Safiatu Braima to hear about their mission work in Sierra Leone. January 2008, p. 4. PEC Report: CHURCHES AND LEADERS: PEC meets with Mohamed Braima January 9 and 23 and approves his ordination as a missionary pastor with Board of World Mission. March 2001, p. 3. PEC Report: UNITY AND ECUMENICAL Notation of approval of proposal to Board of World Mission regarding Sierra Leone as Mission area. September 2011, P. 3. PEC Report: PEC approves request from Board of World Mission to ordain Mohamed Braima.December 2011, P.3. PEC Report: PEC reviews progress of Board of World Mission request to ordain Mohamed Braima as a Mission pastor for Sierra Leone. January 2012, P. 3. ONWARD: MORAVIAN MISSIONS PUBLISHED BY THE MISSION SOCIETY, SOUTHERN PROVINCE Braima, Mohamed. PRAYER FOCUS: October Sierra Leone. Volume XXVI, NO. 10, P.3. PRAY EVERYDAY. Volume XXVII Issue 4, April P.6, Day 10.. Volume XXVII Issue 5, May P. 6, Day 3.. Volume XXVII Issue 6, June P. 6,Day 5. PRAYER FOCUS. Sierra Leone Mission, Major Growth Abounds. Volume XXVIII, Issue 7, September 2008, P. 4. [Submitted by Sierra Leone Mission Team of Little Church on the Lane, Charlotte, NC]. Sierra Leone The Many Facets of Hope. Volume XXIX Issue 8, October 2009, PP. 1 AND 6 [Submitted by Joanne Jemsek, Youth Director at Little Church on the Lane. Prepared by Betty Hobbs

12 March Prayer Concerns from the Unity Women s Desk page 12 Pray for blessings on the decisions made by the Interim Advisory Board of the Unity Women s Desk. Scholarships were approved for 2 girls for secondary school and three girls in primary school in Zambia. One college scholarship was also approved. We are also studying a request for a micro loan for a business project. We hope that other provinces will submit their applications before the Advisory Board meets again in March. Pray for the official opening of the Women s Training Center in the Southern Province of Tanzania. Also please pray for the Reverend Melania Mrema Kyando and Sr. Claudia Zeissing, who lead that work there. Also, please pray that they may find the resources to purchase a new vehicle so that they may reach the more remote areas of their Province with HIV/AIDS assistance and education. Pray for the Women Secretaries of Tanzania and Zambia who will be meeting later this year for a retreat to learn how to better serve as liaisons with the Unity Women s Desk. March 8 is International Women s Day. Since the early 1900 s this day has been celebrated in various ways around the world. In some places, women are given the day off from work. In other places, women are given gifts by children and spouses. Pray for the women of the world that this day may bring new awareness to the plight of women. For more information, contact the Unity Women s Desk: Women of Guyana Mission Society of the Moravian Church, South, Inc. 500 S. Church St. Winston-Salem, NC ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED