Liberia Recap

Trip photo album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/EwDykGAAeFVFFzF9A 

To recap our trip to Liberia we wanted to give a few guys the opportunity to share about their experience. Their only prompt was to write about what God taught them during the trip. Here are the responses from Jake VanDonge, Thomas Walder, Will Henderson, and Micheal Vander Woude.

Jake VanDonge:

    "Our trip to Liberia was incredibly impactful in many different ways. It was truly life changing, and if you ever have the opportunity to go there, whether with your church, a team, or another organization, I believe it is something you should seriously consider. Throughout the trip, it became very clear that God is working powerfully through many people in Liberia. One of the first things our entire team noticed was the genuine joy the people had. It didn’t matter where we were or what we were doing, the people around us were always welcoming, kind, and smiling. This surprised many of us because most of them live in extremely rough conditions that often were small shacks with holes in the roofs, no glass windows, no running water, and no air conditioning. Despite these hardships, they displayed more happiness than most people in America.

    Another takeaway for me was the deep relationship they have with the Lord. It was unlike anything I had seen before, and it impacted our entire group. From young children to adults, people worshipped God with their whole hearts. Being able to attend church with them, sing, and dance in worship was an amazing experience. Even though many of the children have lost their parents or live in difficult situations; they were some of the most joyful kids I have ever met. Spending time with them was one of my favorite parts of the trip. Playing games with them, hearing about their dreams and goals and seeing their smiles was truly special.

    Working alongside the men and the kids was also a great experience. They constantly encouraged us and had chants that helped keep everyone motivated and smiling as we worked which was a lot of fun. Despite their difficult circumstances, including poverty, family struggles, the impact of Ebola, and the history of civil war, you never hear them complain about anything. I believe their strong faith in the Lord plays a big role in that. This stood out to me because I often find myself complaining about small and unimportant things. In reality, many of the things we take for granted would be incredible blessings for them. This experience taught me to be much more thankful and appreciative for the everyday things in my life.

    One of the final lessons God taught me on this trip was that everything happens according to His timing, not ours. I think this is something many people in America struggle with in their relationship with Christ. One day during the trip, someone asked one of our group members a question that stuck with me, “Why don’t Americans fully trust in God?” That question was powerful because, in many ways, it is true, even for people who say they are Christians. Later that night, Pastor Emmanuel explained that many people claim to believe in God with their heads, but true faith requires believing with our hearts. Too often we try to control every part of our lives instead of trusting in God’s plan. We experienced this lesson from the very beginning of our trip. On the day we were supposed to leave, we checked in all our bags and were waiting for our flight when we found out it had been delayed and another one of our flights had been canceled. So, we were not going to make it to Liberia, and there

was a good chance the entire trip would be canceled. As a team, we gathered together to pray and trust that God would place us exactly where He wanted us, at the right time. Thankfully, we were able to leave two days later and eventually arrive in Liberia. God’s timing was also clear in Pastor Emmanuel’s life story. He shared that during the civil war there were several times when he was about to be killed. But God worked miracles and protected him each time. It was clear that God had a purpose for his life and shielded him during those moments.

    Through these experiences and many others, I learned what it truly means to trust God. He has a purpose for everything, even when we do not understand it. Instead of trying to control every part of our lives, we need to allow the Lord to guide and shape us according to His will. Along with fully putting our trust in the Lord comes great joy as they showed us in Liberia. They may lack wealth, but they are sure rich in their relationship with the Lord which was so impactful coming from a place that seems to be the opposite. A phrase they often say in Liberia that explains the reason for their joy, 'God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.'"

Thomas Walder:

    "Overall, I thought the trip to Liberia was a very eye-opening and life changing experience. I was able to gather several takeaways from the trip that were filled with many life lessons. One big takeaway for me was to be selfless. Along with this, care for others above yourself and it will uplift your soul. I admired how the people in Liberia were so joyful and loving towards one another. They did everything for the glory of God and worked together to do so, which was a very powerful thing to see. I felt like they truly submitted their life to the Lord. I feel like in the U.S. we have much more distractions around us, and we tend to get caught up in our own daily lives and become fairly self-centered. I think as a nation we can learn from the Liberians by not being so self-centered and by putting others above ourselves. Another big takeaway for me was to trust in the Lord fully and lean on Him for guidance. It was inspirational to see how much faith the people of Liberia had in the Lord. I strive to live like the people in Liberia, who lift up their life to the Lord with an open fist and allow Him to guide their path. Obviously, poor conditions rule over Liberia, and the people there face extreme challenges to survive and have to lean on the Lord to make it through. Whereas, in the United States, we are very fortunate and face much easier living conditions that allow us to not have to lean on the Lord for survival. I know a great challenge for me moving forward is how to lean on the Lord like the Liberians do even when I’m in a much more fortunate living condition. An additional takeaway for me was to choose happiness. It was remarkable to see all the smiles and joy consumed in the country of Liberia. An area where living conditions are so poor and harsh you would expect people to be the opposite. But instead, they choose happiness every day and put a smile on their face that lights up everything around them. I am truly inspired to carry around that level of joy with me everywhere I go.

    All in all, I think God provided me with this great opportunity to open up my heart and see His work. God showed me that He is all around no matter what and to submit my life to Him because He is the source of life. I am so blessed and thankful for everything God has done in my life so far, and I am unbelievably grateful for such a beautiful and eye-opening experience!"

Will Henderson:

    "There were many wonderful lessons I learned on this trip, but the one that impacted me the most was learning what it truly means to rely on the Lord. One of the most beautiful things I saw in the culture, the church family, and in Pastor Emmanuel was their deep dependence on God in every area of life. This reminded me of Mathew 19:16–26, where the Rich Young Ruler asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. The passage reveals how easily wealth and comfort can lead us to trust in ourselves rather than in God. Living in America, where we have so much, it is easy to believe we are in control of our lives and can shape them according to our own desires. Yet Scripture reminds us that true life and salvation ultimately require complete dependence on the Lord, not our own ability or resources. What surprised me most was the level of joy and love for life I saw in Liberia. Despite the difficult circumstances many people face, their joy was contagious and deeply encouraging. I believe their reliance on the Lord plays a major role in that joy. This experience challenged me personally to surrender both my desires and my worries to God and to rely on Him in every area of my life. In doing so, I hope to grow in greater daily joy and peace."

Michael Vander Woude:

    "This trip was an eye-opening experience into a heavily impoverished nation. Despite the lack of financial resources, the people were incredibly joyful. They found joy in every little thing and saw each other as family. The people were also very proud of their country and excited to welcome us into Liberia. This extreme joy challenged me because, in America, despite our abundance of resources, we have much less joy. The people I interacted with had this great joy because of their faith in God. This challenged me and pushed me to become more joyful because of my faith."