Another amazing ministry is Amazing Grace Africa. It is a not for profit
organization formed in 2005 after witnessing the devastation in Liberia, noting
particularly how it affected the children. We believe there is an urgent need to provide
assistance to improve the conditions of the orphaned children. Children Concerned
was formed to raise funds and volunteers to care for the orphans, and also work to
bring hope, help, and aid to the needy people of Liberia. Our goal is to raise awareness
of this country and to help the Liberian people with food, supplies, housing, education,
and medical care and to promote the love of Christ and share the gospel to the nations.
It's All About The Children.
About Liberia
Located on the West coast of Africa, Liberia is a small country between Sierra Leone
and Ivory Coast. Originally purchased by the American Colonization Society, it was
to be home for the freed slaves of America who wished to return to Africa. (Liberia
is Latin for “free land.”) The first group of freed slaves arrived in 1812, and fighting
began then. The newcomers from America wanted to rule, and those who had always
lived there resented someone coming in and taking their space. Despite the
difficulties, in 1838 the Commonwealth of Liberia was formed. The American blacks
held all the important government positions, and it is even reported that some of
them owned slaves, and treated them much like the black slaves were treated in the
United States. In 1920 the Firestone Rubber Company from the America leased
large plots of land from the Liberian government, bringing much needed money
into the struggling nation, and the economy improved. With the economic growth,
the standard of living also went up. Electrical plants generated power for the cities,
and roads were built to accommodate the growing number of cars and trucks.
Tourists came on safaris to hunt and explore this beautiful country. In 1971
William Tolbert became president. Under his rule, the gap between the richer
American-Liberian descendants and the natives became wider. Rubber prices
dropped, and rice prices increased. Unrest set in amongst the poorer native
Liberians, as they became envious of the American-Liberians, who now comprised
only 5% of the population. In 1980 men from the military overthrew the
government, and Samuel Doe became president. The American-Liberians
were no longer the people in power. Samuel Doe had many of the former
officials killed and imprisoned. In 1989 an all-out civil war began.
The entire country was caught up in the conflict...
Tribal differences were now the reason for the lack of peace. Doe was of the Kahn
tribe, which he began favoring. Ethnic groups complained of the slighting, and
hastily formed guerrilla groups in the bush. In 1989 an all-out civil war began.
Three groups were at war, two rebel groups fought against Doe’s soldiers and
against each other. Each group represented one or two ethnic tribes. The entire
country was caught up in the conflict as tribal loyalties separated the people.
Samuel Doe was killed by one of the rebel groups in 1990, but the fighting did not stop.
West African peacekeeping forces came into the country, to help bring about the much
desired peace to the war-torn nation. Charles Taylor, head of the rebel group INPFL
(Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia) was declared president in 1990.
The other rebel group (NPFL) still roamed the land, terrorizing village inhabitants.
Anyone from a different ethnic tribe was in great danger.
Many fled to neighboring countries, seeking to escape the horrors of war.
Orphaned, abandoned and neglected, they wandered from place to place, struggling to
stay alive. The major cities were destroyed. Power plants no longer operated, and
sanitation problems increased. Poor people wandered about, seeking food and shelter.
Hundreds of families were torn apart, and the children suffered the most. Orphaned,
abandoned and neglected, they wandered from place to place, struggling to stay alive.
Many became ill and died. Orphanages were established by compassionate people and
International organizations. Many children found refuge in these homes. But the war
was not finished. Between the rebels in the bush, and the cruel reign of Charles Taylor,
peace still evaded the Liberia people. And the number of orphans and suffering children
increased.
 This photo of a boy named Franklin Dweh. His story is
so sad; and true. He is one of the boys we will be offering to
be in the Boys' Home. Franklin was on his way home from
school one day when he was told that the soldiers had
invaded their village and killed his entire family. The boy
fainted on the spot. When he came to, he was told that the
government forces accused his father of being a LURD
supporter (which he was not) - and had the father, mother,
all of Franklin's sisters and his brother come out of the house,
poured gasoline on them and burned them to death.
Had Franklin been home and not at school he also would
have died the same death. Franklin tells me, "I never knew
the thing they call 'suffering' until this happened; now
suffering is part of my everyday life". He must beg food,
and is at the mercy of strangers to have a spot on a floor to sleep.
Franklin has been living like this since 2003.
That stuff is hard to hear. But it's real. And it's someones REALITY;
so how can we not respond in the love of Christ? Please pray for these Liberians orphans.
For more information contact
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