Childrens Champion
Tribute to Pastor Reuben Tomah from Liberia
Story by Laurie Watton - Children’s Ministry Coordinator AWF
Celebrating the Life of a Vibrant Leader
We will miss you greatly!
Pastor Reuben Tomah from Liberia was admitted to the
hospital in Monrovia, Liberia, in critical condition on 31
May 2010. Our dear brother passed away on 2 June.
His family, church, community, the church in Liberia, and
Africa West Field Children’s Ministry grieves his passing.
15 – 18 December 2008. According to Watton, “He was like a child who could hardly stay seated because he had
so much to contribute. Reuben truly was a CHAMPION for Children’s ministries in Liberia. He was engaged from the word go!
He and his church have been diligently
involved in children’s ministry in a mighty way. Through Children’s Ministries Programme funds, Reuben trained
others on the Liberia districts and cheered them on. The first ever Africa West Field quiz meet was held in Liberia,
and the team participating in the World Quiz event was from Liberia.”
In May 2009, Watton invited
Reuben to join her in Sierra Leone to co-teach the emerging children’s ministry workers. For over three days with a full day focused on quizzing, they had a very encouraging time sharing with just under 50 participants crammed into an ARK building
held on the site of Sierra Leone’s future district centre. The participants from Sierra Leone were encouraged and eager. Watton said, “It will be exciting to hear how the Lord moves among them as they minister to children on the streets and in their communities.”
Reuben had the capacity, the passion, the experience,
and the eagerness to be ‘set loose’. When Watton asked
him to join her in other West Field countries to do more
training and encouraging, he responded without hesitation,
“Yes!”. When she expressed concern for the local
school he is running as well as his responsibilities as a
pastor and worker in Liberia, his answered, “I’ve trained
others.” According to Reuben, all was in place.
Watton continued, “As I think of this, today, as the family in Liberia bids Reuben’s earthly body farewell, I cry for their great loss. Yet, in perspective, they have been so blessed to have a champion that diligently served with
integrity, passion, and sacrificially. I honour this dear brother and I say: HAVE FUN WITH ALL THE KIDS IN
HEAVEN! From our human perspective, it is difficult to
understand WHY. Why Lord? He was a faithful, useful servant. Why Lord? He had a family. Why Lord? He was
such a witness in his community.
“God alone knows the ‘whys’. We place our trust in His ways. May the church in Liberia continue to flourish and
be leaders in the area of Children’s Ministries. Pastor Tomah lived a life of response and obedience. He will be
greatly missed. Please pray for Reuben’s family at this time.”
Click here for more details about the work in Liberia
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Pastor Reuben surrounded by the children he loved and cared for