CRWM Volunteer Comes Home Early over Ebola Spread
Grant Hofman at work in field in Sierra Leone
Christian Reformed World Missions
Christian Reformed World Missions decided to bring a volunteer serving in Sierra Leone home early after airlines began suspending flights from the country due to increased spread of the Ebola virus.
Grant Hofman, a student at Calvin Seminary, arrived in Sierra Leone on July 2. But CRWM chose to bring him home three weeks early to ensure he would get a flight. He returned on July 30.
“Two major airlines have already suspended flights from Sierra Leone,” said Ron Geerlings, CRWM regional leader for West Africa. “There’s no telling whether Grant would be able to get out in three weeks, so we called him home early.”
The virus has killed more than 670 people in West African nations. Recently, a case of the virus was found in Nigeria, which prompted the airlines to suspend flights.
So far, none of the members of the CRC of Sierra Leone (CRCSL) are known to have contracted the Ebola virus, but it is affecting the church.
“Everybody is in a state of panic now,” said Rev. Istifanus Bahago, a CRCSL leader who was working with Hofman. “The Ebola crisis has brought a lot of setbacks in our travel plans.”
Bahago was supposed to fly to his home in Nigeria on Aug. 6, but his flight was suspended. Two Sierra Leonean students will also have to find a different flight to Nigeria if they want to continue studying at the seminary there.
“This affects not only me and my family but the students and their families as well,” said Bahago.
The Ebola virus has also affected Sarah Kluitenberg’s future plans. Kluitenberg teaches with CRWM in a Sierra Leonean school and is in North America for the summer. Although the school in Kabala hasn’t had any cases of the virus, she has no idea if she will be able to return there this fall.
“If the virus does reach Kabala, classes will be cancelled,” said Kluitenberg. “For now, I just have to pray that the Ebola virus stops spreading.”
CRWM also has several long-term missionaries in Guinea and Nigeria. Ebola has not reached their regions, but CRWM is watching the spread of the virus closely.
This is the deadliest outbreak of Ebola in history. Pray that God will intervene in the spread of this lethal virus that has no known cure.
