Victor’s address:  victorpearn@ymail.com

January 6, 2015

Dear Dana,

I have received this message from Dr. David Abe. I met him while teaching in China. He is 67 years old and has three Ph.D.s, three MA’s, and three BA’s a very educated man.

He is a Christian man and needs help. I am unemployed and unable to help him in any way. Would you share his need with the men in the prayer group and let’s see how God works to help Dr. David Abe.

Yours in Christ, Victor Pearn, 970-599-8924

—– Forwarded Message —–
From: Dr. David Abe <davidabe5408@yahoo.com>
To: victorpearn@ymail.com
Sent: Tuesday, January 6, 2015 8:35 AM
Subject: FW: MY UPDATE

From: Dr. David Abe [mailto:davidabe5408@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2015 3:22 PM
To: Victor Pearn (victorpearn@ymail.com.)
Subject: MY UPDATE

Dear Pern Family,

Yes! I do know it’s been a terribly long time since I’ve written. And for that I’m sorry. I am now in Ghana….been here 28 months.

I hope this finds the Pern Family in good health and prospering…….I pray for success for both of you. Much has happened when we last talked in China, and God only knows those were good times compared to my last 28 months here in Ghana.

I left China in May 2012 and went to Viet Nam until my Ghana visa came and arrived here in mid July. While in Viet Nam, my wallet with all my cards and lots of money was stolen. I had and still have some 70,000 RMB in China and no way to get it. Calls to the Local Chinese Embassy are fruitless and am told to write a letter…….and you know what happens to them!

My journey here in Ghana has not been a happy one. It appears that Churches here are not interested in anything with foreigners unless they bring lots of money for the Pastor and the Church….but mostly for the Pastor. I’ve been to hundreds of Churches of all kinds and most say they are interested but I never have a return telephone call. Most churches here are small, in awful locations, and have nothing but a few chairs, and most of the people going there are women of all sorts of ages. These small church Pastors thrive on sucking money…..as much as they can…..from these churches to build or finish their own house or buy a fancy foreign car. The churches which do have an actual building are most often not completed, but the Pastor’s house is……..and he continues asking for money to finish the building. One rather large church has been worshipping in their unfinished building for almost 20 years……and it’s a congregation of some 1200 people…..The Seventh Day Adventists here are quite strong, having some 50 to 60% of the attending population…..much larger than the Methodists or Presbyterians. The only one larger is the Roman Catholic Church, which won’t give me the time of day for anything at all!

The same is true with State Universities. It appears that the cut off age is 60, and they retire them just like in China…..throw them out with a very small pension. And most never say a word. Trying to get into the University picture here is quite sad.
Private Universities and high schools are a bit different, but still quite rigid in their thinking toward foreigners……if they have lots of money…..they get a position.

Internet here is quite BAD! ! ! ! The electric is off every other day; off at 6 pm tonight and comes on tomorrow morning at 6 am and is on until the following morning, then the process starts all over again. It’s been this way for years, and they have no new power generating facilities on the drawing board, so it’s gonna be this way for many years to come.

There are few Internet Café’s here…..and most don’t have a good connection, in some 2 hours of being connected, I might have about ½ hour of actual working time……and the closest one for me is almost ¾ mile from where I live.
I have been here 28 months on a visitor’s visa, getting extensions and leaving and reentering the country……very expensive. Last week was my last trip out and had to purchase a new visa before I could reenter Ghana……cost appx $350

If I can’t get a Work Visa through someplace by the end of this week (Jan 9), I must leave Ghana. My present visa expires February 3, 2015……not much time.

I do not have a home in Virginia……that was sold when I went to China. And I have nowhere else to go.

Would you talk with the Pastor of your Church and see if they would or could help me get started in Denver? I left nothing in Virginia when I went to China…..sold it all. I’d need some Winter clothes…..Ghana is just a summer-time climate…….a small place to live or share or live in a retired couple’s home, and some assistance in getting a job of some kind to earn my way. My Social Security retirement is some $875 per month…..not much! I’ve spent most all of my savings and now eat or travel……not enough money to do both. I lost a lot of weight when I got here…..going from some 85 Kilos to just above 52 kilos…….in less than 6 months, and have kept most of that weight off, but did gain a small bit back in the last year. Life here is quite hard with no job and means to earn money. No one has given me so much as 50cents since I’ve been here. That’s a long story too……… My health is good, and I still can get around very well. The only thing old about me is the number of years……and I’m now 67. {never thought I’d live that long…..!!}
I would be arriving on Feb 1 or 2……and hope that the weather doesn’t close airports!

When I arrive, I’ll need everything……Winter clothes, and the works. Nothing needs to be fancy or modern……here in Ghana is far worse than China!……much worse!

I pray constantly thanking God for resolving my situation here. I pray with lots of people and have sought counsel from some of the best around……but nothing seems to change.

Asking for help is not easy…….you know me……this is a last resort……asking friends to do this sort of thing often is the end of friendships….but please trust that I mean what I say. I’m not looking for a hand out, just a helping hand to get started.

I have attached my resume and some of my background to show your Pastor or anyone who can help. ((Plus, the long overdue first segment of a long fiction story! It is now at some 1200 pages!!!—-in a second email))

I will check the Internet again on Friday afternoon, and if I’ve no word about a job will need to know something about where to end up with an air ticket…….right now, ticket is $4,100 one way…..

Praying God’s very best for you this Christmas Season, I remain,
Your brother in Christ,
David Abe