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Since then we have been praying for and financially supporting our original group of students from Gbuyee as they press on through high school in Ganta and Monrovia. Through the wars, the evacuations, the slander, the imprisonments, the threats and the betrayals it has been a battle to keep us all on the right path but these children of mine have loved me and encouraged me in every situation to not give up the fight. They’ve walked two hours to class, sometimes through flooded swamps. They’ve had to beg for kerosene to study their lessons long into the night. There is fire and determination in their bellies.

These days I am delighted to be in daily contact with many of my Gbuyee children. Peter, Diana, Patrick, Caroline and others work for EQUIP. They are in university, using trades they have learned, working with EQUIP and serving in various ministries to build up God’s kingdom of Light and Truth in Liberia:

Patrick Paye Tee was known as that “small frisky boy” in our first kindergarten class. He is now far taller than me. He makes and paints the health education bill boards EQUIP plants all over Liberia. He is also studying Business and Finance at University. Along with his whole family, Patrick is committed to taking the Good News of Christ to everyone in the clan around Gbuyee – especially the poor.

Peter (Charleston) Paye, came to live with me in Gbuyee to escape a very bad home situation. He studied hard but often got in conflict with the teachers. When the war came (1990) he was 14 years old and was coerced into the fighting. His years on the combat frontlines were horrifying and left many scars on Peter. When peace came in 1997 he was released from his unit and came to find me as he saw me as a father. He was so psychologically traumatized by those dark years I doubted whether he would ever recover. Peter then changed his name to Charleston to leave the past behind. We helped him acquire a trade in 1998 and he is now a successful mason. Charleston has been working for us full time since Feb. renovating our house at Silver beach. He is an impressively hard worker. It is great to see how God has cleansed and restored Charleston (Peter) along with so many others.

Being with these children in their struggles for the best that life has to offer has been a light in my heart – a guiding hope and inspiration to me when other hopes have failed. To see them one by one - being baptized, graduating and with optimism and love pressing on for fullness of life – this is my treasure. Dear Lord thanks for the gift of our children. God bless Peter, God bless Diana, God bless Patrick, God bless Caroline and all our other children now and always in Jesus name we pray. Dave.

Diana (Kou) Kokeh was our brightest Grade one student at Gbuyee. Despite losing three family members during the war with overcoming faith she graduated near the top of her class from Ganta High. She is studying Economics and Accounting at University part time as she works for EQUIP in our accounts department. She is active in Christian ministry and her smile still lights up our days.

Caroline (Yah) Sunwabe was taken captive and used as a slave during the war. She was to be killed but cried out to God and was spared. She is also sponsored in her studies by EQUIP. She was in our first kindergarten class and is now studying to be a Registered Nurse full time. During free days and breaks Caroline cheers us up by helping us with what ever needs doing at EQUIP.