The Seventh-day Adventist Church took root in Liberia nearly 100 years ago. After much war, they have struggled to rebuild churches and are now asking for your help!
These ruins used to be a beautiful church. Now, this place has been claimed by plants. But hope is not gone. Just like these plants, the Seventh-day Adventist Church took root in this country nearly 100 years ago.
In 1926, the first Adventist missionaries to Liberia, R. Helbig and E. Flammer, arrived. A year later, these German missionaries established Liberia's first Adventist church.
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“I started going to church here in 1989 with my late father who was once a deacon of the church. He used to carry me to church when I was a little child. Later, a school was established here, and they encouraged us, the young children of the church, to go to school here. The pastor then talked to me, and I joined the baptismal class in the church. From that time, I went to church with my dad, but not regularly. But through his efforts , I was convinced and became a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.”
After Elder Maye was baptized, the first Liberian civil war erupted. Political and military conflict forced many church members to flee. During the war, both the church and the school were burnt down by rebels.
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“At that time, we were running. We could hear gunshots. Those who were left behind soon gave us information that ‘Your church is broken down and has been burnt.’”
A place which was once a blessing and a source of joy was now reduced to ruins. But after the conflict subsided, a faithful group worshiped in the only area that survived the destruction.
To this day, they joyfully worship together and are confident that if the place is rebuilt, the congregation can be restored to what it once was. Sadly, this small group’s funds are limited. It would take a miracle for them to reconstruct even a portion of the building.
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“If I had money, I would do it on my own. But at this time, with the congregation that we have, we are not able to even fix one structure here. My anticipation is for the world church to come to our aid so that this place can be rebuilt.”
Your 13th Sabbath Offering will help rebuild the birthplace of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Liberia, where a place of worship and a school can be established again. Please pray for God’s people in Liberia, so that this dream can become a reality.
Thank you for your support of the 13th Sabbath Offering this quarter.
