By Mataly Mondaye, Nigeria Bureau Chief

Amidst persistent calls from the president of Liberia, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for Liberians in exile to return home and contribute to the rebuilding process of their motherland Liberia, some Liberians in the Diaspora, specifically Nigeria have been blessed by philanthropists, churches and other institutions to built their educational background, financial status, livelihood, and human capital through the awarding of scholarships and Micro finance loans, to start small skill businesses.

Some of these business ventures include sales of recharge cards, making phone calls, pastry, and merchandising. Liberians fortunate under this venture are those attending the Gospel Ministries International Church Knights for Christ Chapel in Victoria Island in Logos.

Under a micro- finance project initiated by the Branch Pastor of the church, Pastor Gabriel Ukpeh, some Liberians were awarded loans to start these various businesses as a means of empowering themselves financially, and to also enable them cope with the economic challenges some are faced with while in exile, Cognizant of the fact that the UN refugee agancy (UNHCR) is not at presently rendering humanitarian services to Liberian refugees residing in Nigeria.

As the man of God truly perceived from the book of Galatians 6: 10, which says “Do good unto all, especially those in the household of faith” and couple with the vision of the church to reach out at all cost “to change lives spiritually and physically”, the church has practically transformed the lives of these exile Liberians from street and beach peddlers to responsible men and women.

Also basic health needs were met by under writing the cost of medical bills of many sick Liberians that got ill due to sleeping around unhealthy environments in central Lagos.

In addition to this, their spiritual lives have also been affected, as some of them are fully engaged in church activities and soul winning.

Others are occasionally being hired by the church and paid duly to carry out construction works and paintings at the church which serves as another means of assistance to keep them going until final repatriation to Liberia.

Dwelling on the genesis of their encountered with the church, John Nippy, one of the many Liberians being helped by the church said “ it was one of our brothers name Emmanuel bestman also known as Extra E, that met Pastor Ukpeh, when he took his car to the washing bay to have it clean. In the process, the pastor discovered that the wash man was a Liberian and sensing his conditions, he was invited by the man of God, to the church from where his compassion to help needy Liberians give birth,” said Mr.Nippy.“Eighteen Liberians were the first batch to receive assistance in different kinds from the church, and today, more than 50 Liberians are members of the church”.

A survey conducted by The New Liberian, indicates that there are about 1500 Liberians who are considered as urban refugees that reside within the proximity of Lagos, while about 4000 reside at the Oru Refugee Camp in Ogun State in Nigeria.