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Harrison News-Herald E-Edition 11/26/22

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2022

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Harrison Co. charity touching lives in Africa

BY CORNELIA GRACE Harrison News-Herald Reporter JEWETT—Terra Rogers grew up in Steubenville and has lived in Harrison County for over 20 years. She married Ryan Rogers in 2001, and they have two daughters, Brittany and Maggie. With her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education K-8 and a Master's Degree in Reading & Literacy, she was a teacher for 20 years before God showed her a different plan for her life. She became the founder and international director for a new ministry: 91four Ministry International. The ministry began in 2014 with a trip to Uganda, Africa, where Rogers met Rachel, a Ugandan social worker who later became the national director of the organization. It was during this trip Rogers spent time in the capital city of Kampala and witnessed the utter poverty of teenage Karamojong girls in the city's slums. "When you are hungry in the slum district, and you cannot find food, or you are sick and cannot obtain treatment, you die, period," Rogers said. "When you are raped, kidnapped, trafficked, and eventually disappear, there is no one to help save you; you simply cease to exist." Funding for 91four began at home. Rogers said, "Our daughter, Maggie, who was ten at the time, was the first to give a donation - her Christmas money. My husband and I, and several other family members, then contributed the remainder to get us through the next six months while we prayed for others to join us." They began by rescuing a few girls off the streets and housing them in a small, rented home in a crowded neighborhood. The yard was tiny, but they held vocational classes outside under a tent anyway. 91four is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Christian Gospel mission and, unlike many Americanbased missions, is not affiliated with any church mission board or organization but is run by Terra and a small group of volunteers in the US. "The entire US staff are all volunteers," Rogers said. "None of us receive any money for the work we do for the ministry. One hundred percent of donations go directly to the ministry in Uganda and for the purpose specified. Even my flight costs are covered by special donors who have had it placed on their hearts to help send me to do the work. We keep our US costs very low." The name 91four was inspired by the verse in Psalm 91:4, which says: "He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings, you will take refuge." 91four started by bringing just under 25 girls into a safe environment and now has 70 full-time sponsored children

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spiritual strength and direction, farmland to produce food for the campus, and skilled and dedicated staff, all of whom are native Ugandans. Our goal is to continue to make the ministry as self-sustaining as possible." Rogers currently works two part-time jobs in Harrison County in addition to the work with 91four to help with ministry expenses at home. She said she couldn't teach full-time and maintain the work in Uganda, which requires traveling there two or three times each year. When asked about how the local community can provide support, Rogers responded, "We need prayer for God's will to be accomplished, whatever it may be. We still need sponsors for ten children at $50 per month and monthly partners willing to give what they can to help us meet so many unforeseen costs." The organization's most recent large-scale project is building a church on the property so that community members can join them for worship. "The need for a church building is urgent; we currently do not have a church or even a building large enough to hold our students, staff, and local villagers who want to join us in worship." Rogers shared some especially meaningful experiences, "Mission work inevitably brings with it a level of personal sacrifice and difficulty; and yet, the Lord has shown me some powerful proofs of His ability to save." She talked about hearing elementary students, who come from Mulsim homes, singing Terra in slums visiting homeless children. PHOTO PROVIDED their Bible memory verses on the bus rides home, "Our mission is to make disciples for Jesus "the Gospel is proclaimed as their voices echo by providing a place of refuge and hope for through the Muslim neighborhoods." Rogers homeless teenage girls and children who also mentioned "the brave testimony of a timid are trying to escape the dangerous slums of 11-year-old girl, a student in our elementary Kampala," Rogers said. She explained that school, having chosen to be baptized and then despite the overtly Christian school being sharing the Gospel with her Muslim family," located in a Muslim-dominated area, a large an act that can be extremely dangerous in the portion of students come from Muslim Muslim-dominated community. families. Several local farm laborers "who heard our Rogers continued, "Our village consists singing of Gospel hymns from the fields near of a Muslim school, a Catholic school, two our campus where they were working, began Mosques, and a satanic shrine. Shockingly, attending services, received salvation, and a large population of our primary students is asked to be baptized, resulting in the loss of Muslim children. The parents know we are their jobs." giving a quality education, and they are willing For Rogers, "These are just a few of the to let their children have a Christian-directed dozens of stories that I could share…this is curriculum." what keeps me going, no matter what obstacles The ministry has faced its own set of obstacles I may face." over the years, but Rogers has maintained the To learn more about 91four Ministry most important aspect of her life and work International, visit www.91four.org. If you is faith. She has been "trusting God through would like to make a donation or become a this entire process. The responsibility feels sponsor, email the ministry at info@91four. enormous, and yet I can do nothing in my own org, donate through their website, or mail a power but pray and trust Him. The Lord has check to 91four Ministry, PO Box 190, Jewett, been faithful in His provision for every need: OH 43986 and adolescent girls, ten acres of land, and an enrollment of 300 tuition-paying students from the surrounding communities. They have permanent buildings, including a dormitory, vocational school, and primary school. The girls and staff grow much of their own food and receive an education they can take with them throughout the rest of their lives.

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County addresses impending EMS concerns BY CORNELIA GRACE Harrison News-Herald Reporter

CADIZ—Trustee Frank Keller from German Township spoke to the commissioners at their regular weekly meeting on November 16. Keller voiced concerns about Harrison Community Hospital (HCH) not renewing its contract with the county as backup EMS. "We would just like to get an update on the status of negotiations between HCH and the Harrison County Commissioners on being able to reach an agreement and provide that service to the residents of the county going forward," Keller said. Commissioner Don Bethel, who has previously been on the Foundation Board of Directors for HCH, spoke at length about the issue, "[HCH] got into the backup job to assist Harrison County, for a fee," he said. The starting cost of the program has increased over the years, but Bethel explained that this isn't a normal service that WVU provides. "We're one of the few. The only county… they're not in the EMS business. But they were doing it for Harrison County as a favor because of the way the volunteer situation was. We were having sporadic issues throughout the county." Cadiz went without EMS services for almost a year. "But at that time, other EMS associations were strong and could cover for those villages that were struggling at that time. [HCH] has made a decision that they would like to completely get out of the EMS business. It's nothing concerning negotiations in terms of finances. They have explained to us that they will continue in emergency issues and assist as long as they possibly can. But they want us to be aware that there will be a sunset on this. They want the county and the volunteers to come up with something that does not include them as an EMS provider." The contract is up in the spring of next year, but HCH has not yet made a public announcement of the final day of their EMS service. "It's not an easy puzzle to put together," Bethel said. "You've got volunteers, you've got paid services now, and all I can say is good luck to the future commissioners because it's not an easy problem to fix." Bethel said that EMS has been moving toward paid services that may not be feasible for outlying communities due to cost. "Obviously, we've been blessed to have so many dedicated and hardworking volunteers to have Harrison County EMS covered. But it's something we're going to have to move on from unless we have a lot of incoming new blood to replace the long-time dedicated EMS workers." He commented that Harrison County has made it easy to get EMS training by covering much, if not all, of the necessary training. However, a common problem facing small communities is that once the worker receives their certification, they move on to another, more profitable area. Despite the county making an effort to compensate volunteers when possible, the amount will never be equivalent to what an EMS worker can make in larger cities. "I don't know what else we can do," Bethel said, citing this as a long-term problem. "If anyone has any answers or ideas, they would be EMS See Pg.- 6

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