Liberia is a country in West Africa on the Atlantic coast, bordered by Sierra Leone on the west and Ivory Coast on the east. During the period of the fourteen years (approximately 1990-2004) of civil war in Liberia, over 250,000 people were killed or disabled, over 300,000 were exiled or fled the country and more than one million people were displaced. Life became unbearable with grief, stress, depression, violence, hunger and humiliating poverty.

Out of the total population of 3 million, approximately 500,000 children are not in school. Sixty percent of the population is 16 years of age and under. The unemployment rate is 85% and female education opportunities are approximately 20% lower than males but their illiteracy rate is over 70%.

The poverty level is 76.2 % with 52 % living in extreme poverty and profound misery on less than $1.00 per day. The approximate number of people with HIV/AIDS is 250,000 by WHO estimates because statistics were not able to be taken during the fighting. For any heath problem, assessment and treatment costs start at $60.00 U.S. dollars so many Liberians die for lack of payment.

Childhood mortality is 25% mostly due to curable or preventable diseases related to dirty water. In Liberia, 1 in 3 children die by the age of 5. There is deep psychological stress and trauma which no data can capture.

Fourteen years of civil war left incredible destruction to Liberia’s ability to function as a nation. Electricity and drinking water is out of reach for most Liberians. It is impossible to put a number on the human development costs of the Liberian conflict. These costs include lost incomes, high illiteracy rates, high infant and maternal mortality rates, internal displacements creating refugee camps, severe disintegration of the health and education system, ruination of agriculture of the 3.4% arable land and collapse of the mining sector. The country suffers from deforestation, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity and pollution of the coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage. And there are sanctions on the export of their natural resources of diamonds, lumber and rubber.

Yet this English speaking country is 50% Christian and the political doors are wide open for people to come in and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The new President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is a Christian woman who is open to the counsel of her three Spiritual advisors from the Christian community.

This is our mission field and opportunity. Education is a tool we can give to empower women and children to recover from the ravages of war and poverty. The power of God’s grace and saving knowledge of Jesus Christ can give hope for life and strengthen the discouraged. This is a country that is beaten and hurting and is in desperate need of God’s love, to let go of revenge, learn to forgive and place their confidence and faith in a God who loves them.