The site of the longest civil war in Africa is the small West African country of Liberia. Liberia was conceived as a place of freedom and much hope. Known to the early European explorers as Grain Coast, the area was never really impacted by outside influence until in 1847 when it was declared an independent Republic and refuge for freed slaves, and their descendents, from the Americas. The territory of Liberia was home to around 16 indigenous tribes but from its inception, the Americo-Liberians controlled the economic and political life of the country.

In 1980 Samuel Doe a member of one of the indigenous groups, led a coup d' etat and had the President executed. Ethnic tension and human rights abuses ensued. In 1989, Charles Taylor staged an invasion; Doe was executed and thus began one of the bloodiest of civil wars. Not only was Liberia impacted by the fighting but so also was Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast and Guinea. Close to 300,000 people were killed in Liberia alone. Hundreds of thousands fled to neighboring countries and the infrastructure of the country destroyed.

The fighting lasted until 2003 when Taylor agreed to go into exile in Nigeria. Thus began the repatriation of the hundreds of thousands who fled to the neighboring countries. Ellen Sirleaf -Johnson, the first African women president, was elected in 2005 and has the onerous task of rebuilding a country half the size of the United Kingdom with a population of over 3 million people with a life expectancy of 40 years, an unemployment rate of 85% and a per capita income of $130 a year.

It is into this setting that the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary have accompanied the people. Since the early 90's, they have lovingly ministered to those exiled in refugee camps in Guinea. In Voinjama, where the sisters have set up base in Liberia, there is not a building standing that does not show the scars of war. For the people, the scars may not always show but in their stories the sisters know they are there and take joy in the healing and the rebuilding that is emerging out of so much sadness.

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