Mission To Children Brings Hope to Liberia

January 22-27, 2007

“In the year 1822 a weary group of seasick travelers survived their eastward journey across the Atlantic Ocean from North America and established a small settlement on a tiny, tropical island along the Atlantic coast of Western Africa. Populated by freed slaves from the United States, that settlement was the seed that grew in 1847 to become the Republic of Liberia—Africa’s first republic—whose name means “Land of the Free.” With just over 3 million people, Liberia’s population is similar to that of Montreal in Canada. Its area of 111,370 square kilometers is comparable to the state of Tennessee.

“Three prolonged and violent civil power struggles between 1980 and 2003 reversed decades of progress. Conflicts and carnage devastated the country, causing many Liberians to flee their “Land of the Free.” So decimated was its infrastructure that basic services such as water and electricity are still unreliable. The median age in Liberia today is 18. The life expectancy at birth is 38 years for men and 41 years for women.

“But a new day is dawning for Liberia. The nation again made history in 2005 by electing Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf as President. She is the first elected female head of state in Africa. In January I had the privilege of presenting the Mission To Children’s character education program, Character Solutions, to the President and her Cabinet. Their genuine interest and warm response led the President to extend our time so that all Cabinet members could ask questions and make comments.

“One Cabinet minister insisted that we make that same presentation at a conference of 290 people the following Saturday. These people work with youth in 63 communities—about 14,500 children. We did so, and their enthusiasm for our program matched that of the President’s Cabinet, giving our future ministry strong support at the highest level of government and the most grassroots level of service.”

-Dr. Skip Garmo, President
Mission To Children

Watch a Flash slideshow of the CSI seminars in Liberia.