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“Sis. Paasewe was a vibrant member of her church and a strong leader in the Woman’s Missionary Union of our convention,” the Menjay said.

In Sierra Leone, donations were used to provide food, educational materials for the prevention of the spread of the Ebola virus, as well as materials and equipment to provide adequate sanitation for persons who have been affected by the crisis. Sierra Leone Baptists also assisted persons that have been quarantined with food and medical supplies in areas such as Bo, Kenema, Makeni and Lunsar. Other initiatives included sensitization of church members on the signs and symptoms of Ebola, provision of plastic buckets with chlorine and educational workshops on Ebola.

Ebola Outbreak Continued

Menjay declared, “We have encouraged our local Baptist churches, pastors and its leadership around Liberia through a massive electronic text messaging to commit to all the preventive practices that have been advanced by the health experts as well as the Government of Liberia on this deadly disease.” Liberia President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf ordered that all schools

close indefinitely, which include the Baptist-affiliated Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary, Rick’s Institute and the Lott Carey Mission School. “We are gravely concerned over the outbreak of this lethal disease and the protection of persons in our West Africa region,” Menjay, a BWA vice president, stated. He expressed concern that “hospitals and medical clinics around Liberia have been abandoned because of the alarming death of health care providers and the lack of adequate protective gears and hygienic items. The abandonment of hospitals and medical clinics is critical since it is suspected now that many people are dying from other curable illnesses in addition to Ebola causes.” Several Liberian Baptists have died. The first known case was

a nurse who died after she attended to an infected patient who succumbed to the disease. “We pause to remember the compassionate, committed service

of Sis. Alice M. Paasewe, who was on active duty as a nurse at the Phebe Referral Hospital, in central Liberia,” Menjay said. Paasewe, a Baptist church deacon, died shortly after her diagnosis.

Samuel Conteh, coordinator of social ministries for the Baptist Convention of Sierra Leone told the BWA that a Baptist Ebola Task Force has been formed “to coordinate the sensitization of Ebola outbreak in its various churches and other public places” and that “churches are being gradually provided with sanitization plastic buckets with chlorine tablets.” The education efforts have borne fruit, Conteh said. “The response is good. People have become better enlightened on the basic preventive measures against the disease.” He however, indicated that

church activities have been

negatively affected by the outbreak. “Church attendances are dwindling. Baptist activities are being slowed down, particularly in [the] epicenters. The traditional embracing and handshake among members after church service have disappeared.”

Top left: Baptist volunteers in Liberia in prayer

Top right: Baptists

distribute rice to families and communities affected by Ebola in Liberia

Above: Nursing volunteers in Sierra Leone

Left: Chlorinated water provided by Baptists for hand washing and other use in Sierra Leone

24 BAPTIST WORLD MAGAZINE