Arkansas Baptists explore ministry opportunities in Liberia, West Africa

Hannah Lasley poses for a photo with students during a recent vision trip to Liberia, West Africa. (Submitted)

Eleven Arkansas Baptists from three different churches recently traveled to Liberia, West Africa for a 12-day vision trip.  

The team, sponsored by Arkansas Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU), served with the Eddie Gibson International Ministries (EGIM). They explored ways that more Arkansas Baptists could partner in that ministry and witnessed what God is doing in Liberia.     

“Some of us had never met prior to this trip, so it was amazing to see how quickly God bonded us together. It was made clear that God had called each of us for a purpose,” said Ellen Cortez, who went on the trip with her husband, Robert. The couple attends Indian Springs Baptist Church in Bryant. 

While in Liberia, April 1-12, the team was housed in the newly finished EGIM mission and hospitality house. Cortez said Gibson and his wife, Charlesetta, were “phenomenal hosts for the duration of our time there.”    

“Pastor Eddie ensured that the trip stayed focused on the gospel and what God wanted to do in us and through us while in Liberia.  He did a great job of narrating what we were seeing as we traveled and how God has worked in certain areas in the past, present, and God-willing, the future,” she said.  

Gibson, who now pastors a church in Birmingham, Alabama, is a native of Liberia.  His family was forced to flee the country in 1990 due to a civil war, landing them in the states.  After some years, God began to burden him for the people of his native country, resulting in the creation of EGIM almost 25 years ago.   

Gibson felt called to share the gospel through the avenue of providing Christian education to students in the communities and villages of Liberia.   One of these dreams was made a reality in 2003, when he purchased land and built a school that would become the Dellanna West O’Brien School. Dellanna W. O’Brien was the first international missionary to serve as executive director of national Woman’s Missionary Union, SBC, from 1989-1999.  

The school was a thriving school for years until in 2021, it was destroyed by an angry townsman. This was very discouraging to Gibson, and he has been fighting to get the school reopened ever since.   

“The townsman has now built a wall on the property and while we were there, the team got to gather with some of the people from the community and pray that the wall would come down and the school would be allowed to reopen,” Cortez said.  

While in Liberia, the team visited five different schools and had the opportunity to openly share the gospel with every classroom they entered.  

Carol Jones of Shiloh Community Church in Fayetteville said the biggest impact for her was understanding how open the schools are to God’s word and the gospel.  

“Parents want their children to go to school, learn to read and be productive citizens. Even though every child doesn’t have access to schools, the ones that do can hear the gospel, learn to read and lives will be changed,” she said. “Pastor Eddie and Charlesetta Gibson have a vision for more schools where the children live with more educational access for all children. It was wonderful to see how the EGIM Foundation is involved in making the communities in Liberia not just survive but thrive through education and a relationship with Christ.” 

First Baptist Church in Hope Pastor Daniel Bramlett, who went on the trip with his wife, Laura, president of Arkansas WMU, said they learned the power of education in a country that is still feeling the decimation of a 12-year civil war.   

“Without the benefit of a school, girls are married young and boys are headed to work at the age of 10. But when a school is present, everything changes. Children receive purpose and life gains meaning. And most importantly, the gospel is heard and, over the course of 12 formative years, it is lived out right in front of the students. Woman’s Missionary Union is leading the way in Liberia, shaping young hearts and minds for Christ,” he said. “Liberian churches are determined to teach their young the value of missions and missionaries. The Liberian Baptist Seminary is growing in student population and a deep desire for learning.  Pastors and workers are graduating yearly, taught by national Liberian professors and entering the harvest field with a fervor for reaching the lost and leading the saved.  But Liberia still needs our prayers and work. Ministry partners are needed in every area because resources are so few.  Every international Christian brings hope and strength to a people who are weary in the work, not of the work.”  

The team also had the opportunity to visit the national WMU campgrounds where they host various camps and meetings throughout the year. Six years ago, Liberian WMU began a school on the campground. Around 75 children from the local neighborhood attend the school, and Liberian WMU supplements whatever the students’ families can’t pay. Additionally, Gibson took them to Ricks Institute, a private Christian school in Monrovia started in 1887, and the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary, which opened in 1976.  

“God is using educational facilities in such powerful ways in Liberia,” Laura said.  

The team worshipped at Providence Baptist Church in downtown Monrovia, the oldest church in Liberia, and at Johnsonville Community Church, a church started by Gibson. 

“It was such a blessing to experience both churches and to worship alongside our Liberian brothers and sisters. Liberia is a beautiful country with beautiful, friendly people. Believers there desire to raise up the next generation to know and love the Lord. Educators want to see their students grow up to lead their nation in a better way. Resources are so few, though, so Liberian believers need to know they are not alone,” Laura said.  

Cortez said the infectious smiles, big hugs, and happy African chants of the Liberian children will forever be etched on her heart and mind.  

“It was so encouraging to my faith to experience first-hand that the God that I love and serve here in the states is the exact same God who my new friends in Liberia love and serve,” she said. “The story of the gospel and what Jesus did for each of us transcends culture, continent, and race.  The gift of salvation is truly a global invitation.”  

Teams from Arkansas and other international ministries would be such an encouragement and help to the local believers.  

“I believe I can speak for the whole team when I say our trip was completely worth the long hours of travel and we would encourage Arkansas Baptists to ask the Lord how He wants you to be involved with Liberian Baptists in the future. The harvest is very plentiful there, and the workers are few. Let’s send some workers to help them,” Laura said.  

The team included James and Hannah Lasley and Robert and Ellen Cortez from Indian Springs Baptist Church in Bryant; Abby Hutchins, Carol Jones, and Whitnee Patterson from Shiloh Community Church in Fayetteville; and Dakota and Elizabeth Cowart and Daniel and Laura Bramlett from First Baptist Church in Hope. 

Churches interested in exploring a partnership in Liberia can contact the Arkansas Baptist State Convention Missions Team.