The Village Ministries Vocational Training Centre for ex-child soldiers, five hours out of Monrovia, Liberia    opened its doors to registration in Oct. 2008. Ninety-five students were accepted.

The two buildings on the right have zinc roofs and cement covered walls. Each contains two large classrooms and together they will accommodate the instruction of Masonry, Carpentry, agriculture and autobody mechanics.

These buildings, plus the furniture, were built by Village Ministries and belong to the ministry for on-going evangelistic use. A well with hand pump for safe drinking water was  dug on the school property.

Each morning students who were previous Civil War soldiers will attend an evangelistic service before classes begin.

Also included in the school day will be one-on-one counselling and showing of the Jesus Film. The students, who were unable to receive any education during the fourteen years of the Civil War will attend for one year in duration and all educational expenses will be carried by the Methodist Church of Norway. Following this year the tools for the various trades will be given to the graduates to help them start a small business.

The building below was rented and renovated by Village Ministries and will serve as our Office for the Bong Mines region, serving many villages. It will also be a secure storage area for equipment and serve as a guest house for Village Ministries staff who arrive to conduct Evangelical Outreach in all the surrounding villages.

We have hired security men to protect the property and the United Nations soldiers also serve in the area. This work is supervised by Village Ministries staff, Pastor Charles Johnson, Missions Coordinator and Rev. Peter Dabieh, Administrator, Village Ministries under the direction of Pastor Eric Sumo, General Director of Village Ministries.

A Word About Our Students

Young people who were forced into war and killing, were physically and emotionally brutalized by the violence they participated in robbing them of their childhood, disrupting their education and the ability to earn a living. In Liberia violence continues to be the way they cope with life and get what they need. The memory of being forced to kill family and friends is burdensome and complex and although forgiveness and reconcilliation is encouraged in Liberia, it is not easily achieved. Refocusing this group on learning a vocation with the ability to start a small business is the goal of Village Ministry along with the special opportunity to minister to them for a year. The students must turn in their guns and machetes in exchange for their vocational tools as we hope their lives will now be supported by a skill and not violence. 

In October 2007 the Village Ministries team and guest speaker Pastor Samuel Whiteside from the USA traveled into isolated villages of the Klay District. Many surprizes and dangers awaited them as they crossed the Po River on a make shift raft and entered a Muslim village. We were stopped from entering the village while using the sound of drums. "We don't have a church so there is no need for a drum sound," said one of them.

"You are the God who performs miracles" Psalm 77:14

SCHOLARSHIP PROJECT Village Ministries is able to safely deposit your $250.00 USD directly to a school (not to the family) to sponsor one year of elementary education per child. We can supply pictures of the child and the report card progress. If you as individuals or a group can sponsor a child please contact Helen Fletcher, 250-595-2881 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it The latest we can enrole a child is the end of September in any school year. One educated child per family will make a big difference in their lives.PLEASE CONSIDER A GIFT OF EDUCATION.A tax receipt for a Canadian or American donation will be given through ICMS (icmsgo.com)on behalf of Village Ministries. HOW IS THIS MINISTRY? With each gesture of any kind that Village Ministry does, the good reputation of this Christian group increases and so does the receptiveness of Liberians to allow Village Ministries to give gospel presentations. We are now known as a group to put down wells for safe drinking water and make major changes in lives through education. We are trusted as a Christian NGO and people see what the Love of God can do for them and through us.God is given His glory and praise as He supplies our needs. We are also looking for B.C. Schools that will adopt a Village Ministry elementary school in KENEMAH TOWN to help with school supplies for the children of grades K-3.  Students in B.C. schools can watch the progress with email pictures and receive scanned/emailed letters from African children and teachers can receive reports from the Director of Village Ministries.

At the same time B.C. students can learn about West African culture, geography and economics. Just learning how the children in this post civil war country are struggling to get an education puts western life into a new perspective.

There are approximately 500,000 children out of a total country population of 3.5 million who cannot go to school because of lack of money for supplies, shoes, food, teachers' fee and uniforms.

Much needed supplies are starting to come in from individuals that can be taken to Liberia but actual cash donations to buy supplies within Monrovia is more feasible. .