We have a plan to prevent the deaths of thousands of children.
Dear Friend,
My name is Sam Watkins and I’ve been working in Africa over the last 50 years with a poverty-stricken community. The kids here barely get one meal a day, and I've made it my life's mission to help these children. The problem is this:
Without firing one shot, we may see the deaths of 3 million babies this year.
You see, in West Africa the deaths of infants and children under the age of five is the highest rate in the world. According to the United Nations, about half of the 6 million child deaths in the world occur in West Africa.
That means 3 million babies will die this year without our help. In the time it takes you to read this sentence, another five babies will die.
Today, I'm going to discuss my life's mission: To save the overwhelming amount of dying children in Liberia.
In the summer of 1968, on a warm Sunday evening at church, a visiting missionary came to our church and talked about a great need to help children in Liberia, Africa.
My parents didn't even need to visit the country one time. They just knew. Within months, we had sold our house, the car, most of our stuff, and we moved to Liberia. My Dad had a pilot license and he could fly into remote areas landing on tiny airstrips and then preach the gospel.
Eventually, my parents raised enough support to build a Bible school – what we called the "Christian Day School" – a completely new concept to this part of the world.
Elizabeth B. Saye was one of the first students to receive a great education at the Christian Day School my parents founded here in Liberia. Her family moved to a town called Tabita where I grew up. As such, I’ve known Elizabeth since the 1970s. More importantly, like many students at the Christian Day School, she was introduced to God's love, and she still lives a Christian life.
I had lost touch with Elizabeth over the years, but then in 2019, I heard one of my kids say, "There's this new doctor, Elizabeth, and she talks and teaches a lot about COVID-19.”
It turned out, this was the same Elizabeth I had grown up with in Liberia. I was astonished to say the least – I think my jaw hit the floor. We started catching up.
Elizabeth is now a doctor, and one of the leading obstetricians (a doctor that provides care during pregnancy and delivers babies) in Monrovia, the capital city of Liberia. She has been working at the biggest hospital called John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital.
It’s not difficult to see God’s providence in bringing Dr. Elizabeth and I together, and together yet again after so many years. I’m happy to say that today the Lord has given me the unprecedented opportunity to work with Dr. Elizabeth — a REAL doctor saving REAL babies.
Together, Dr. Elizabeth and I have recently started a clinic for pregnant mothers to safely deliver their babies. She has invited me to be on her Clinic Advisory Board, and because I’m an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), I can do a lot of stuff that even the nurses can't do, and I've dedicated nearly two years to helping her deliver babies.
Dr. Elizabeth has a HUGE desire to help her people in Liberia, mainly the women, because of the extremely high mortality rate.
She told me that here in Liberia, a child is not even considered a person until they reach the age of 2. If they can survive two years, they're probably going to make it. Can you imagine in America the average baby dying before age 2?
When Dr. Elizabeth hears about a pregnant woman in town, she will accept them as a patient. She does the prenatal exam, labor, and delivery. She even gives babies their first shots to help protect them from disease.
Recently our clinic has gotten some really big news!
The Tribal Chief in Liberia has seen the amazing results from our clinic, and he is supporting our effort to build a new women’s hospital.
The Tribal Chief has announced he is donating two-full acres, to be deeded to Dr. Elizabeth Saye, for the new Faith Haven Maternity Clinic.
But We Must Hurry. Time is of the Essence!
He only has one condition: We have to start building by the end of this year. That's why I've created this urgent message.
Today you have a special opportunity to make a difference for real newborns and their mothers (a rarity in this part of the world). Solving these child fatalities could be the greatest challenge of our time, and Faith Haven Maternity Clinic is on the front line. I am writing today to ask you to join us there.
I'm not asking you to pack a bag and head off to Africa like me. Instead, I’m asking you to accept this invitation, and become a founding member of the Faith Haven Maternity Clinic.
Why would we care about babies thousands of miles away?
Because about 70% of their mothers are dying as well. The lack of hospitals in Liberia is beyond comprehension for most of us.
According to the WHO (World Health Organization), Liberia has just 1 doctor for every 15,000 people. Liberia ranks 7th worst in the world in terms of newborn deaths.
It's hard for many Americans to even imagine, because if you walk into an emergency room they must help you, whether you have money or not. But you cannot get basic healthcare in Liberia because the public hospitals are overcrowded and underfunded.
There's so much work to be done here, and we welcome every bit of help we get from your tax-deductible donation. Even small gifts go a long way.
You can "Sponsor a Child" for just $100 per month.
It's urgent that you act now. Every week we postpone our progress may very well result in the unnecessary death of someone that we could actually help.
The Tribal Chief in Liberia has recently donated 2-acres of land for this new clinic. Through his generous donation, his legacy will live on, and he will be remembered for helping build a hospital in the community.
This new hospital will also bring a lot of commerce into the village, bringing new people and families from surrounding areas, helping to bolster the local economy. Families will come from out of town when a new mother gives birth, and then everyone stays a few days buying food, clothes, and other gifts.
But this initiative is URGENT, because the Tribal Chief said we need to break ground by the end of the year.
If we don’t start building this year, he could change his mind and cancel this generous donation. If we have the money in hand, we can start building the six-bedroom hospital right now. We'll put in all the proper mechanical, electrical, and patient support systems, including things like plugs so we have oxygen in every line. It will be modern and up to code.
With a lot of these kids, we deal with life and death situations almost on a daily basis. In 2018 we had several children die from malaria, simply because we didn't have the medicine.
A $2 pill can mean the difference between life and death. This fund grants our kids first-access to medicine through a local pharmacy that we help keep in stock. Anytime our kids need a bandage or medicine, the pharmacy will provide it for them.
You can help us keep the pharmacy going with a small donation.
Whether it’s a baby and their mother being saved from death, or helping orphans get off the street, or getting kids the medicines they need… for every child we save, there are five more starving in the streets.
Since I live and work full-time at the orphanage, I'll be in close contact with all workers, teachers, and the midwives at Dr. Elizabeth Saye's clinic. Anytime we save a child, or we have a new baby born, they provide a full report which allows me to keep our financial donors and supporters up-to-date on EVERYTHING we’re doing to save lives.
Benjy Center Ministries is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit, based in Winston-Salem, NC. You will receive a tax-deductible receipt for every donation you contribute.
Please help us to continue funding these life-saving projects by donating as generously as you are able.
Remember, your contribution can go far!
Please join us today by sending a generous contribution of $250, $100, $25, or whatever you can afford. We need you with us. Thank you and God Bless!
