Say a prayer for Liberia

Saturday morning, I woke up and decided I would be lazy and allow myself to rest. As part of the routine, I turned on the TV and watched Son Life Broadcasting Network. I love their music hour and would usually turn it on to get a dose of some good old fashion gospel music.

As I watched, they showed Jimmy Swaggart’s November 13, 1987 crusade in Monrovia, Liberia. As I watched the crusade and looked at Liberians praising God with joy and passion, I kept asking myself, who would have thought that a few years later, we would endure a war that would wipe out almost 10% of our compatriots? Who would have guessed that our nation would become one of men and not of laws? Who would have thought drugs (Kush) would overtake our land and future generations? Who would have guessed that gambling and betting would become the way of life for many due to economic hardship? Who would have imagined that life would be so challenging that many would opt for cutting corners, as living with integrity would be shunned?

Watching the crusade from 36 years ago, I wept for my nation. A nation so blessed but yet so cursed, so beautiful but so filthy, a nation so happy but yet so sad.

I asked my husband to join me in praying for Liberia. We prayed that God would do a new thing in this nation and raise men and women with a heart for His kingdom and that our latter days as a nation would be better than our former days.

If you are reading, please pause and pray for Liberia. May our good Lord bless and Heal our Land.

Mrs. Leymah R. Gbowee

• Mrs. Gbowee is a Nobel Peace Prize Winner.