Open Arms Community Church is planning a mission trip to Africa next spring to help some newfound friends.
"It's really quite interesting how this all worked out," said Multimedia Coordinator Josh Hatcher, describing the circumstances that built the church's relationship with a a church and school in Conakry, Guinea.

"I watched a movie called, 'Blood Diamond', about the civil war in Sierra Leone. The movie shows the horrors that these people faced, and it left me with a strong feeling that I should look for a way to help these refugees and victims of such a brutal war," said Hatcher.

A few weeks later, a friend lent Hatcher a book called, "A Long Way Gone" by Ishmael Beah. "When I read the story of this young boy who was conscripted to fight in an army, hopped up in drugs, and forced to kill at such a young age, I started to pray for a way to help."

Now, Hatcher was armed with information. In Beah's account, he escaped to a city in Guinea, where many refugees went to escape the war-- Conakry, Guinea. "For the next month, I prayed, and asked God to give me an opportunity to help the refugees from Sierra Leone that live in Conakry," said Hatcher, "But at that point, all I did was pray. That's why the email caught me completely by surprise."

Hatcher recieved an email from David Coker, Pastor of New Family Church and Administrator of Gateway International School in Conakry, Guinea. Coker had been browsing the internet when he discovered the Open Arms Church Website, and decided to send an email asking for the two churches to partner together.

"I get so many scams in my inbox, that I couldn't believe it. To get an unsolicited email from the exact people group in the exact city that I was praying for just seemed too strange," said Hatcher, who followed up with a little research.

Hatcher then came into contact with The Baobob Foundation in Texas. The Baobob Foundation is a small start up non-profit that is working to help Pastor Coker in Guinea, and other communities in Africa. They confirmed that Pastor David Coker's request was legitimate, and that their founder, Dr. Robert Bradsby had actually helped Coker start the school in Guinea a few years ago.

Open Arms Pastor Mike McAvoy and Hatcher started communicating with Pastor Coker via email, sending sermon notes, encouraging emails, and even some financial support.

Coker invited a team from Open Arms to come to Guinea in March of 2009 to help lead a Pastor's conference, offering training and equipping for pastors from all over West Africa.

"We plan to take a team that will not only help lead the conference, but also to do humanitarian work. Pastor David's School is in need of some maintenance and supplies, and we desire to help them strengthen their impact on the community they live in," said Hatcher.

McAvoy said, "I'm excited to go and be a part of making a difference in Conakry and hope that we the people of bradford realize that we can make a difference for the good both here in Bradford and overseas. I hope we're all challenged to think outside our box of our own lifestyles and wants and consider how our life and resources can help others."

Open Arms and the Baobob Foundation plan to send over a shipping container that will arrive at the same time they do. "We're collecting medical supplies, school supplies, treadle-powered sewing machines, gently used computers, new clothing, and anything else that would help our friends in Guinea meet the basic educational and health needs of their community."

Hatcher says that Open Arms is still raising funds to make the trip, and accepting donations of supplies. For more information, please contact Open Arms at 814-368-8846 or openarms@openarmsbradford.org

Last week came the welcome news that the Federal Highway Administration rejected the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s bid to toll Interstate 80. I, like many of you who opposed the tolling of I-80, was pleased with the decision and felt it was the appropriate decision for the citizens of the Commonwealth. It really speaks volumes to the success that can be experienced when state and local leaders work together for what is in the best interest of our communities.

However, while everyone continues to express appreciation for the federal government’s decision, one fact still remains…we have a transportation funding crisis across this country. Once again, and oddly rightfully so this time, the federal government finds problems, but never solutions. Sure, they turned down the transportation plan, but they did nothing to bring about solutions to this crisis. As you may or may not know, the Federal Highway Fund, which helps states fund a significant portion of our road and bridge needs, is almost bankrupt. Unless they come up with a solution quickly, and I doubt they will, it is going to be left up to the states to find means to support a deteriorating infrastructure. In Pennsylvania’s case, that deteriorating infrastructure is the worst in the nation.

Therefore, over the past several months I have been around the district informing community leaders of a transportation plan, which I recently introduced in the Senate. First, the plan calls for the elimination of tolls on Interstate 80; part of the plan that has already proven successful. In addition, this plan calls for the General Assembly and the Governor to make tough budgetary decisions. It calls for, among other actions, transferring funding for the Pennsylvania State Police out of the Motor License Fund over a two-year period. This creates over a half billion dollars toward our roads and bridges. The State Police would be funded by existing revenues in the general fund. Along with public-private partnerships and limited bonding, the Commonwealth would be looking at approximately one billion dollars toward transportation.

As I stated, we have to make tough, prudent decisions in the general fund to make this happen. However, I believe the safety of our residents far outweighs the need for a good headline on a project that should not be a priority in the budget. It is time to reign in spending, make infrastructure a priority and find much of the revenues for our road and bridge problem in the current state budget.