{"id":541,"date":"2018-11-27T09:17:08","date_gmt":"2018-11-27T09:17:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/about\/"},"modified":"2024-07-10T19:52:13","modified_gmt":"2024-07-10T19:52:13","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/about-us\/","title":{"rendered":"About Us"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"541\" class=\"elementor elementor-541\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5c40d7b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5c40d7b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2ebbf9c\" data-id=\"2ebbf9c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e8fffa9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"e8fffa9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 15-07-2024 *\/\n.elementor-column .elementor-spacer-inner{height:var(--spacer-size)}.e-con{--container-widget-width:100%}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-spacer,.e-con>.elementor-widget-spacer{width:var(--container-widget-width,var(--spacer-size));--align-self:var(--container-widget-align-self,initial);--flex-shrink:0}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-spacer>.elementor-widget-container,.e-con>.elementor-widget-spacer>.elementor-widget-container{height:100%;width:100%}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-spacer>.elementor-widget-container>.elementor-spacer,.e-con>.elementor-widget-spacer>.elementor-widget-container>.elementor-spacer{height:100%}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-spacer>.elementor-widget-container>.elementor-spacer>.elementor-spacer-inner,.e-con>.elementor-widget-spacer>.elementor-widget-container>.elementor-spacer>.elementor-spacer-inner{height:var(--container-widget-height,var(--spacer-size))}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-spacer.elementor-widget-empty,.e-con>.elementor-widget-spacer.elementor-widget-empty{position:relative;min-height:22px;min-width:22px}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-spacer.elementor-widget-empty .elementor-widget-empty-icon,.e-con>.elementor-widget-spacer.elementor-widget-empty .elementor-widget-empty-icon{position:absolute;top:0;bottom:0;left:0;right:0;margin:auto;padding:0;width:22px;height:22px}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fe195c7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"fe195c7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 15-07-2024 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><p>About Us<\/p><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-873a0b5 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"873a0b5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 15-07-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-divider{--divider-border-style:none;--divider-border-width:1px;--divider-color:#0c0d0e;--divider-icon-size:20px;--divider-element-spacing:10px;--divider-pattern-height:24px;--divider-pattern-size:20px;--divider-pattern-url:none;--divider-pattern-repeat:repeat-x}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider{display:flex}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__text{font-size:15px;line-height:1;max-width:95%}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__element{margin:0 var(--divider-element-spacing);flex-shrink:0}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-icon{font-size:var(--divider-icon-size)}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider-separator{display:flex;margin:0;direction:ltr}.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon .elementor-divider-separator,.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text .elementor-divider-separator{align-items:center}.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon .elementor-divider-separator:after,.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon .elementor-divider-separator:before,.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text .elementor-divider-separator:after,.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text .elementor-divider-separator:before{display:block;content:\"\";border-block-end:0;flex-grow:1;border-block-start:var(--divider-border-width) var(--divider-border-style) var(--divider-color)}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-left .elementor-divider .elementor-divider-separator>.elementor-divider__svg:first-of-type{flex-grow:0;flex-shrink:100}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-left .elementor-divider-separator:before{content:none}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-left .elementor-divider__element{margin-left:0}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-right .elementor-divider .elementor-divider-separator>.elementor-divider__svg:last-of-type{flex-grow:0;flex-shrink:100}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-right .elementor-divider-separator:after{content:none}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-right .elementor-divider__element{margin-right:0}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-start .elementor-divider .elementor-divider-separator>.elementor-divider__svg:first-of-type{flex-grow:0;flex-shrink:100}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-start .elementor-divider-separator:before{content:none}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-start .elementor-divider__element{margin-inline-start:0}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-end .elementor-divider .elementor-divider-separator>.elementor-divider__svg:last-of-type{flex-grow:0;flex-shrink:100}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-end .elementor-divider-separator:after{content:none}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-end .elementor-divider__element{margin-inline-end:0}.elementor-widget-divider:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text):not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon) .elementor-divider-separator{border-block-start:var(--divider-border-width) var(--divider-border-style) var(--divider-color)}.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern{--divider-border-style:none}.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern.elementor-widget-divider--view-line .elementor-divider-separator,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line) .elementor-divider-separator:after,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line) .elementor-divider-separator:before,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not([class*=elementor-widget-divider--view]) .elementor-divider-separator{width:100%;min-height:var(--divider-pattern-height);-webkit-mask-size:var(--divider-pattern-size) 100%;mask-size:var(--divider-pattern-size) 100%;-webkit-mask-repeat:var(--divider-pattern-repeat);mask-repeat:var(--divider-pattern-repeat);background-color:var(--divider-color);-webkit-mask-image:var(--divider-pattern-url);mask-image:var(--divider-pattern-url)}.elementor-widget-divider--no-spacing{--divider-pattern-size:auto}.elementor-widget-divider--bg-round{--divider-pattern-repeat:round}.rtl .elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__text{direction:rtl}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-divider,.e-con>.elementor-widget-divider{width:var(--container-widget-width,100%);--flex-grow:var(--container-widget-flex-grow)}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e5f497e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e5f497e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 15-07-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>\u201cBoi Jange,\u201d loosely translated \u201cfirst born girl of the Jong River\u201d, was the Mende name given to me (Alyssa) when I was born in a small mission hospital in <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mattru_Jong\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mattru Jong, Sierra Leone<\/a> over 33 years ago. It is the name I repeatedly heard when I returned to my West African birth land for the first time in 2014. In the early 90\u2019s, my parents had worked tirelessly in one of the few functioning hospitals in the country, but were forced to evacuate when I was still very young due to the civil war. The fragmented memories of my early childhood and my parent\u2019s countless stories are what inspired me to pursue medicine. Returning to Sierra Leone after my first year of medical school to work at the very hospital where I was born was the impetus behind my decision to pursue surgical training. And now, after many years of preparation and prayer, Joe, Eden, Gil, and I (Alyssa) are very excited to tell you about the opportunity we have to share the love and hope of Jesus through medical missions at <a href=\"https:\/\/hohmango.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hospital of Hope<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Togo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Togo, West Africa.<\/a><\/p><p>When I was a second year medical student, Joe and I were able to go to Sierra Leone on a medical mission trip with my family to the same hospital that I was born in (and Joe actually helped deliver a baby in the same room where I was born!). I will never forget during one of our first nights there, a young man in his early 20\u2019s came to the hospital seeking medical help. He had been experiencing worsening abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting for several days, and presented with a large incarcerated inguinal hernia. His symptoms continued to worsen, and dead bowel was suspected. Mattru is a small, remote village with very limited resources or technology. It was left to my father, a family doctor by trade but surgeon by years of tropical medicine experience, to take the patient to surgery. I watched in amazement into the late hours of the night as my dad carefully, meticulously, and skillfully resected necrotic tissue while insects circled the single flickering OR light powered by the only diesel generator in the village. It was even more incredible to witness that same 20-something year old man walk out of the hospital a week later, knowing his life had been saved by that surgery. Unfortunately, due to the lack of resources and medical\/surgical training, countless people die daily due to very preventable and treatable diseases. Seeing this tremendous need, as well as the impact that surgery can have on a life, changed the course of my career. Even more so, knowing the power of the \u201cGreat Physician\u201d to save lives for eternity has motivated us to reach the unreached with the Good News of Christ.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5dcd18a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5dcd18a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Joe and I met at<a href=\"https:\/\/betheluniversity.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Bethel College (now University)<\/a> in Mishawaka, Indiana, where we both played basketball. We were set up on a blind date during Joe\u2019s senior year (my sophomore year) and it was during our very first date that our dream of pursuing overseas mission work was born. Joe had the opportunity to do mission trips to China, South America and Africa during his college years which opened his eyes to parts of the world that had never heard the name of Jesus. We married in May of 2013 (a few weeks after I graduated from undergrad) and then started my almost 10 year-long stent of medical training to become a general surgeon. Joe worked in commercial lending at various financial institutions during this time, and during the last year of my general surgery residency we welcomed our beautiful daughter Eden into the world. We spent the year after residency in Lafayette, Indiana so that I could work with a mission-focused general surgery practice, as well as allow us time to spend with family prior to leaving for the mission field. In August of 2023, we welcomed our sweet son Gil to the family.<\/p><p>Over these long years, the Lord has been gracious to us and has continued to grow our desire for medical missions and our passion for sharing the hope of Jesus Christ with those who have never heard His name. We are excited to continue to follow God\u2019s leading and to serve the people of Togo through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.samaritanspurse.org\/medical\/post-residency-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Samaritan\u2019s Purse World Medical Mission Post-Residency Program.<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e5fdae0\" data-id=\"e5fdae0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d4bd247 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"d4bd247\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-96b5b53 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"96b5b53\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 15-07-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1350\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/12010717_10207386988810899_5179823956585888791_o.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-1024\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-43d6c4e elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"43d6c4e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;Boi Jange&#8221; and her dad in the early 1990&#8217;s<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dce0473 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"dce0473\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"765\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/IMG_2178-765x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1029\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cbfce77 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cbfce77\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Our first trip together to Sierra Leone in 2014. Joe helped deliver a baby in the same hospital room that I was born in!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-01de30e elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"01de30e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"765\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/IMG_2048-765x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1026\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bf8e265 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bf8e265\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Operating with my dad during our trip to Sierra Leone in 2014 as a second year medical student<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2a48f88 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2a48f88\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/26669_1531389203422_1809418_n.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1034\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-54977d6 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"54977d6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Joe&#8217;s mission trip to China with Athletes in Action in 2010<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7db92f8 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7db92f8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/gil.newborn-05.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1022\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e934848 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e934848\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Two of our greatest blessings &#8211; Gil &amp; Eden<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e90a943 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e90a943\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2126f92\" data-id=\"2126f92\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-068dbad elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"068dbad\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Below is a link if you would like to learn more about World Medical Mission or the Post Residency Program that we will be partnering with.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d2a019 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"6d2a019\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.samaritanspurse.org\/medical\/world-medical-mission\/#\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">World Medical Mission<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ec1d9c7\" data-id=\"ec1d9c7\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>About Us \u201cBoi Jange,\u201d loosely translated \u201cfirst born girl of the Jong River\u201d, was the Mende name given to me (Alyssa) when I was born in a small mission hospital in Mattru Jong, Sierra Leone over 33 years ago. It is the name I repeatedly heard when I returned to my West African birth land [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"enabled","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-541","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"josephdalewelch","author_link":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/author\/josephdalewelch\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":null,"rttpg_excerpt":"About Us \u201cBoi Jange,\u201d loosely translated \u201cfirst born girl of the Jong River\u201d, was the Mende name given to me (Alyssa) when I was born in a small mission hospital in Mattru Jong, Sierra Leone over 33 years ago. It is the name I repeatedly heard when I returned to my West African birth land&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/541"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=541"}],"version-history":[{"count":118,"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/541\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1230,"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/541\/revisions\/1230"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=541"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}