A massive humanitarian tragedy is developing in Liberia and Sierra Leone. I’m not talking about the epidemiological tragedy, which will continue to unfold over the next several months. I’m talking about the inevitable state of these two nations after the virus has run its course and the epidemic comes to an end.
Between now and then, the United Nations projects that 10,000 new cases of Ebola will emerge weekly, mostly in Sierra Leone and Liberia, and that, at this phase of the epidemic, those numbers will increase exponentially. At present the fatality rate in this epidemic has been around 70%, so this nation of around four million people (far fewer than the population of the DFW Metroplex) will witness its disproportionate share of 7,000 Ebola deaths each week in coming weeks, with the possibility that those numbers will grow like a Texas brushfire. If, as some have estimated, 1.5 million people die from this disease, as many as one out of eight people in Liberia may be dead before this crisis ends.
How many of those dead will be parents of newly orphaned children? How many will be breadwinners for a dependent wife? Since epidemics spread as they do—not by randomly selecting people from the populace as a war might do, but through close contact—how many villages will lose their chiefs and virtually all of their leadership? Will the Liberian government fall? Will another bloody civil war ensue as the vacuum of population and power invites competitive claimants?
I’ll say it again: A massive humanitarian tragedy is developing in Liberia and Sierra Leone. And as it develops, a lot of people will ask another question:
How is any of this my problem?
It’s at least partially our problem because of the special relationship that Southern Baptists have with Liberia. I use the phrase “special relationship” deliberately, mimicking the way that those words have come to describe the relationship between the United States of America and Great Britain.
Has it struck you as odd that “Liberia” is not an African name? The names of so many other countries in Africa—Burkina Faso, Namibia, Lesotho, Guinea—arise etymologically out of native languages. “Liberia” is a Latin-derived name, roughly meaning “The land of the free” (sound familiar?). The capital city of Liberia is “Monroevia.” Hmmm…looks a lot like the last name of an American President, doesn’t it? The capital city of Sierra Leone (which is a Portuguese phrase meaning “Lion Mountain”) is “Freetown.” Now that right there, ladies and gentlemen, is a language we call “English.”
The nations of Sierra Leone and Liberia were founded by people who were trying to solve the conflict over slavery by repopulating slaves to Africa. Liberia was founded by the United States of America. A great many Southern Baptists in the years leading up to the founding of the SBC and down through the U.S. Civil War favored this solution. They were too Christian to support slavery but too racist to support living together with African slaves as peers. So, “send them back home” was their plan (the facts notwithstanding that South Carolina, not West Africa, had been the lifelong “home” for these men, women, and children).
Southern Baptists were in on this up to our necks. One of the most prominent founders of Liberia was also one of the missionaries that Baptists North and South supported together before our schism: Lott Carey. Carey was a Virginia slave who purchased his and his family’s freedom in order to move to Liberia as a politician-missionary. John Day, who served the SBC’s Foreign Mission Board after the split, was a signatory on the Liberian Declaration of Independence and a Justice of the Liberian Supreme Court.
Ongoing conflict and segregation emerged between African-American-Africans and native-born Liberians. For nearly two hundred years, our experiment has unfolded on the Liberian coast, mostly with tragic results. Ebola is so successful there because little else—government, medical infrastructure—has been successful at all. To the degree that such things can be true two centuries later, the Liberian mess is one of America’s making, with particular responsibility falling upon Southern Baptists.
So, when the epidemiological tides turn (we’re not at all qualified to combat viruses), I believe that Southern Baptists will be doing the honorable thing if we step up to the plate in a sacrificial and jaw-dropping, head-turning way to address the plight of Liberia’s survivors.
…so, what would that head turning way be?
The extent of the problem requires a combined governmental response. It is far beyond the scope of any denomination or religious group.
I disagree.
I’m thinking something along the lines of the BGR response in Haiti.
I’m not sure what you are disagreeing with. The extent of the problem might not be beyond denominational response but it is clearly beyond denominational ability to respond at the level needed. We lack the resources and expertise to stop or even slow it. If the society collapses we have little to offer other than some aid and compassion, which we should do as much as we can. This is vastly different than Haiti. We should fold in with appropriate NGO and governmental response as we do post hurricanes etc. We’ve already seen what happens when American NGO personnel contract… Read more »
The essay quite carefully indicates that the timing of the response would be after the epidemic has subsided.
Bart, Thanks for posting this. I don’t think I would have looked at the situation from this perspective otherwise. Would the following be along the lines of assistance you suggest? (I’m not familiar with the BGR response in Haiti.) 1. Lobbying Congress, through grassroots efforts, agency heads, and an official resolution, to send appropriate aid to Liberia and Sierra Leone. 2. Allocating a greater share of IMB personnel and resources to those countries. 3. Partnerships between SBC seminaries and universities and the Liberian and Sierra Leone governments and in-country NGOs (business, law, agricultural schools, etc.) 4. A nationwide call to… Read more »
Jeff, Thanks for the encouraging comments! I’d be comfortable with all of those things, but what I primarily had in mind was a response through Baptist Global Response along the lines of a Disaster Relief response. 5. Adoption would be wonderful if it were permitted (and many SBC families would be willing), but I think it is unlikely that the governments involved would permit it. Southern Baptists could, however, fund and staff orphan care in Liberia. 4. The emphasis upon prayer outreach and short-term trips is exactly right. 3. The partnerships with in-country institutions is something that hadn’t occurred to… Read more »
Just curious . . . why do you think adoptions would not be permitted? I have a good friend who adopted a pair of brothers from Haiti after the disaster there.
There’s a global sense of resistance against American adoptions. Historically after events like this one governments have blocked adoptions to foreign countries. People contacted me (because we’ve adopted) after the Malaysian tsunami wanting my advice on adoption. “They’re not going to permit it,” I conjectured. They didn’t. Guatemala has kids crossing the Chihuahuan Desert at great peril to their lives to come here, but they won’t permit American families to adopt Guatemalan orphans.
I cannot explain the nonsensical, but this is the state of affairs in our world.
Yes, sad.
To my knowledge, Liberia is closed to international adoption.
This is a very good article. I’m learning much here.
On adoption, I have very good friends who have adopted from Haiti (where I minister) and some in process. Our org has not gotten involved in that though. But I do think it’s good to think it through carefully lest, if adoption opens up, we drain their future out of the country. Maybe adoption isn’t in the best interest of the child or the country.
A response to their plight is in order.
There is a rightness of NGOs working with Government agencies. There is also an expectation by all who respond by going that this may well be the last time they see their families.
Historically, when God’s people are called upon to go, they respond with courage. If responders don’t know the severity of their going they will prove to be ineffective for the duty.
There is a great need and when Southern Baptists hear of the need, they will respond to God.
Bart, This article is excellent and you are absolutely right on all of this. This is the kind of thing that I was getting at in my book, “When Heaven and Earth Collide” and is exactly the kind of thinking that we need to engage in when we look at our past and the results of our past theological and sociological errors. We made horrid mistakes in the past and while we do not believe those things now, the question remains: What can we do? Going to Liberia and helping the people now is important, not just because of our… Read more »
Thanks, Alan.
If you hear of BGR’s doing something, let me know. I’ll do the same. And if they don’t we’ll figure out another way to be involved, OK?
Our UUPG is in West Africa, so I already have a few connections in the region. I’m over there two or three times each year already. We should be able to make something happen.
Bart,
Without a doubt, the most insightful, compassionate, humanitarian, conciliatory, comprehensive missions oriented post that I’ve ever read and you’ve ever posted. This piece deserves whatever the Christian journalist equivalent of the Pulitizer Prize would be; or even better, this writing ought to qualify you to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
I guess my kids are right… I am given to hyperbole. But, I meant every word I said. Thanks for this most engaging and compelling read.
I thought only Ph.D.s knew how to “Pile Higher and Deeper” like that! 😉
Thanks, Dwight.
Bart, I share your concern over the people in Liberia. We, as followers of Christ should be willing to help so we may proclaim the gospel of Christ, however, your basis of involvement is way off base. Americas’ mistake? Really! Liberia has been their own country, independent from the USA for over a century. They are accountable for their people, assist yes accept responsibility NO!
Scott,
If you denied education or other improvement to everyone in your family (and severely punished any who sought education on their own) and then put them in charge of the nation, would you consider yourself not to have any responsibility for what transpired afterwards?
I think your thoughts of compassion and familial connection with the country of Liberia are needful. Southern Baptists have historical connectedness to the nation and should remember our actions of the past as we process a plan to respond to a possible catastrophe in the making. Children will need care. Where does the orphanage model of mission begin to form in our possible future Gospel outreach? Talk it up brother. Word giving without health care giving is not sufficient life giving in the aftermath of Ebola. We should start to lament and pray over Liberia and plan for a big… Read more »
Bart,
The Catholics have hospitals in those countries, and are fighting Ebola. Thank God they care enough to have boots on the ground. There was a check just sent to them for 104,000 dollars to buy needed equipment.
Here we are talking about helping after the fact. I think it’s a shame we don’t help now. If someone gets me one of those medical suits, I’ll go.
Bart, I just thought of something, I can’t see very well. But if they could use me, I would still go.
Jess, The International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention pulled out of medical missions several years ago. It was a mistake. In this kind of situation, there are two categories of people… 1. Those who prepared before there was a disaster to minister in a disaster like this, and… 2. Those who make a mess and are in the way of those who fit in category #1. If you haven’t already done so, I recommend that you join Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief through your local state convention and be ready to serve in a future disaster. If you… Read more »
Bart,
I think there are other ways to serve. We have National Guards over there building hospitals. We can do something without going to medical school.
See article posted Oct. 16 on ChristianExaminer.com — Headline: At least 6 U.S. denominations, 5 global charities responding to Ebola crisis Kicker: Reports of tragic deaths of Christians who are trying to aid Ebola-stricken communities prompted ChristianExaminer.com to research what Christian organizations are doing in response to the Ebola crisis. Public sources produced information on six denominations and five global charities that have taken specific action in response to the Ebola emergency: Assemblies of God USA, Christian and Missionary Alliance, Church of the Nazarene, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, National Baptist Convention USA, United Methodist Church, Christian Aid, Convoy of… Read more »
Got an email with this information today regarding what our state convention (BGAV) has done to respond to the Ebola crisis in Liberia. Thought I would share. “Our Virginia Baptist Response to date: $15,000 – sent directly to the Liberian Baptist Convention in order to create brochures and other media to inform people about the true risks of the virus and to dispel myths. These funds were sent almost immediately and were the first funds to reach Liberia and launch their response. 142,000 meals were purchased and shipped from the Stop Hunger Warehouse in South Africa. These meals have arrived… Read more »