Here’s a little background on Peace Island. It sounds like a lovely place to live, doesn’t it? Who wouldn’t want to live in a place called “Peace Island”? The name invokes images of tranquility and harmony. However, in this case, the name of this particular part of Liberia’s capital city is more aspirational then it is
representative.
After the end of Liberia’s horrible, long civil war the newly forming government wanted to provide housing for some of the countries’ ex-combatants. These were men who had witnessed, committed and been the victims of atrocious acts. The offer of housing was meant to be a gesture of appeasement in order to keep the fragile peace. The land
the government selected for this ex-combatant community was a patch a hard-red earth and rocks surrounded on all sides by a garbage filled swamp. It’s location in the center of the swamp is why it is called an “island”. When the community was first built the free homes were readily claimed. Over time, for various reasons including disease, violence and abandonment most of the men have left Peace Island. The remaining population is comprised mostly of widows and children,
and many of the children are orphans.
The third week of September Peggy Maynard and I will travel together to Liberia and visit with the women and children of Peace Island. Peggy is the Liberia Country Director of the Global Fingerprints Program with EFCA’s Reach Global Missions ministry. Peggy leads this child sponsorship ministry (her information is included below) she will meet with the children under her
umbrella and check in with those who look after them. I’ve been asked to speak a word of encouragement to the women of Peace Island, as well as bring additional counselor training for the devoted and compassionate women of Women’s Restoration Counseling Ministry who have been visiting this community every Saturday and have asked EWL to partner with them in the process of building the school.
Please keep both Peggy and I in your prayers as we
prepare for this important trip.
With Sincere Thanks,
Shelly Timbol, Executive Director, Empower Women Leaders
