Dearest Friends,
You must hear this story! It is a story of the one true God and how in His faithfulness He delivers those who trust in Him. I talked with David a long time and made careful notes. It is with his permission that I share with you this terrible story, this wonderful story, a story of God’s wonderful mercy!
David is our very good friend who partners with our friend Ben in ministry. He is also a pastor and love Jesus deeply. Hear his story of deep faith.
DAVID’S STORY
My name is David. I stayed in Liberia through 14 years of Civil War. God kept my family and I alive. During the war, there were 6 major factions, all warring with each other. All of the people were always caught between them. I was a nurse and worked at a hospital. We treated everyone who was hurt. It was the right thing to do.
For a time, the MPFL controlled the hospital. Then, the LPC captured our area. They were known for stealing children. In time, my family and I had to flee and found ourselves in an area controlled by the ULIMO. By then, we were a group of 21 people. God always provided for us.
As we were crossing the train track, we were captured by the LPC. They were always looking for men and were quick to kill them. In our group, there were 2 men, my friend and I. They tied our hands behind our backs and pushed us to the ground. They said that we were rebel leaders. We were nothing. We had no part in the war. We just wanted to survive.
They brought out an axe. I could hear my wife and children crying behind me, praying. They cut off my friend’s head. I felt his blood running under me. Then, it was my turn. I knew that I would die, but suddenly a woman who went to our church came and spoke for me, saying I was a good man. She was friends with some of the rebels. They seemed to listen to her, but still wanted to kill me.
The rebels asked my wife, "Can you take care of all these children without your husband?" She told them no. Then they untied me and let me go. God saved me. There was no reason that they should have released me.
After a while, the U.N. Peace Keeping Forces gained control of Buchanan. My wife was very ill and a rebel who knew my family agreed to take her and our youngest child to the doctors there. I stayed with the rest of the children, because he could not guarantee our safety. My children and I were caught in a crossfire by the LPC and the MPFL.
Earlier in the night, God warned me to hide my children in the jungle. That is how he spared their lives. I stayed in the house with another man. They always wanted to kill the men and I know that the children would be safer if I was not with them. God saved my children. The rebels raked the building with machine guns. My children would have died.
They called to us to come outside. I told my friend not to go, but he went anyway. They shot him in the back of the head. I waited. I heard God tell me to go now. I jumped into the bushes and ran. They fired machine guns at me, but again, God spared my life.
Then I went to get my children, but I found that the child stealing rebel group, the MPFL, had taken 2 of my children. I thought that I must reach my wife. It was horrible. I prayed for my children. The rebels had taken everything from the house. I had only the shorts I wore, and no money. I had no shirt, no shoes, nothing. I had 75 miles to travel, crossing through 32 checkpoints. At every checkpoint, they wanted money, but I had nothing. Still, God made a way for me time and again and I reached my wife safely.
When she heard that the rebels had taken 2 of our children, both daughters, she cried for a month. I believed always that God would bring them home. Two years and 5 months later the Lord restored them to us.
It was a miracle! I had such joy! God amazingly saved them. When I heard what had happened, I knew that only God could have saved them. The oldest one was 12 and carrying her baby sister who was only one and a half years old. Shortly after the rebels took them, they decided to kill them. My daughter began to call my name. One of the rebel leaders told them to stop. He knew my name and asked her mother’s name.
The rebel leader had been wounded and come to the hospital where I worked. He had no one to take care of him, and for 3 months, I took care of him. I paid for everything. He remembered and took my children to his own home and cared for them. He saved my children as I had saved his life. God is good! All of us survived!
When I think about those 14 years, I think about how God took care of us. I believe that he spared my life so that I could work for Him. That is what I am doing.
IMPORTANT!!!
Please know that David is part of our new puppet team. If his story has touched you, please help us help this team. They will need money for travel so that they can reach the parents and children who have suffered as David and his family suffered. This is a broken place and together we can pour Jesus healing love on the deep hurts that so many people carry here. Write me at msummer@earthlink.net
PRAYER
We begin our trip home on Wednesday, October 8th. We will arrive on Thursday, October 9th. Please pray us safe home.
In Jesus, Linda for
Sam and Silvana Shaw
Calah Sager
Ben and Lauretta Munford