Liberia (MNN) – After receiving a first order, one of World Missionary Press’ (WMP) distributors placed another order in September 2023, which he just recently received. This order included two 40-foot containers of literature, one in English with materials for Liberia and one in French with materials for Côte d’Ivoire.
WMP printed and shipped the two containers in September 2024, and the containers arrived at the port in Liberia in November. However, up until a few weeks ago, the materials were still being detained by customs.
“We provided all the paperwork, and all the paperwork was pretty much the same as before,” Helen Williams with WMP said. “We have certain designations for our materials for customs. It’s a designation that they are free literature, it’s written literature, it’s not being sold, and we use that sending designation around the world.”
When the containers came to customs, customs said that the designation was wrong, which resulted in the designation being changed. Suddenly, the containers were being held, and WMP’s contact in Liberia was given a large bill, above the regular importation fees that WMP had sent money for.
They began the process of appealing this up the governmental ladder, one after another. They would get a hearing, and then they wouldn’t hear anything in response. Meanwhile, these containers were sitting there.
After doing everything they could, WMP and their contacts worried that the containers would be sold or destroyed.
Just a few weeks ago, WMP’s original shipper reached out, aware that the containers were still in port, and directed WMP to a contact in Liberia who imports all the time and is well known at the port.
God is working through the booklets WMP supplies. The booklets in Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire will touch new lives with the gospel. Photo courtesy of World Missionary Press.
Around the same time, WMP got another call, this time from a ministry partner, Feed the Hungry, who ended up having the same contact as the shipper.
Williams says that the contact, a bishop from the area, was “very successful” in helping WMP.
“We had to reconcile the shipments to Feed the Hungry so that he could negotiate,” says Williams.
He got the $60,000 demurrage bill lowered to $20,000, which WMP was able to send to Feed the Hungry.
Three days after the bishop went to the port, the two containers were released.
After all this time, Williams lost contact with the original consignee. However, within the last couple of weeks, she got an email from the original requester who said, “I want to thank you for all your patience and your prayers, and your support. I’ve been working with this bishop, and they’re going to be cleared, and I’m going to make sure that those containers get to their destination.”
After two years, the containers are both at their original destinations.
“I just can’t praise the Lord enough for His sovereignty in these things,” says Williams. “We’ve learned just to wait on the Lord, and He brings the people, and He brings the opportunities, and He goes before, and this one has been a long, long problem on our desk.”
Please pray for WMP as they work to fulfill the many requests for materials they receive and praise God with them as they celebrate what He has done.
Please pray also for the safety of the production staff around the machinery.
For those who wish to donate to WMP, they can use the website or call in and support the work of sending booklets internationally as well as in the United States.
Photo by Guillaume Bolduc on Unsplash
