Every time the 38 members of the Class of 2012 troop into the chapel of the African Bible College campus, their eyes are drawn to the dominant feature in the new facility—the cross.

As the sunlight hits the cross, illuminating the building, the students feel almost a divine reminder of why they are here: to learn about the truth of God that transforms lives, to take the light of the Gospel to a sin-darkened world, and to do their part to build on a new spiritual foundation being constructed in the country.

The college is located in Yekepa, high in the beautiful mountains of eastern Liberia. The 22-building campus includes six residence halls, a 10,000-volume library, classroom units, staff housing, a dining hall, one of the few gymnasiums in the country, and the chapel.

The school was founded in 1976 and quickly became one of the top Bible colleges in Africa, producing pastors, evangelists, and leaders dedicated to taking the Gospel throughout the continent.

Everything changed in December 1989, when Charles Taylor launched a rebellion against the Liberian government.

Taylor was unable to pay his troops, so he gave them permission to loot whatever they could find. Yekepa fell to the rebels in 1990. Within five years, the campus was in ruins. Everything was taken—every inch of wire, steel from the rooftops. Even sewer pipes were dug up to sell. All that remained were the walls, and soon those had been claimed by the jungle.

ABC founder Dr. Jack Chinchen, an American missionary, returned to Yekepa after the war. It broke his heart to see a campus once tirelessly maintained now overgrown and abandoned.

He pledged to reopen the college. Samaritan's Purse agreed to help, and our staff and volunteer work crews rebuilt eight of the school’s buildings. The college was reopened as ABC University and welcomed the 38 students in the Class of ‘12.

The final building completed late last year was the chapel, the focal point of the campus.

A group of students filed into the chapel a few minutes after workers had put the finishing touches on the building. Their eyes were drawn to the cross. Almost spontaneously, they began to sing.

"Give God the Glory. Give God the honor. For you are worthy, and we Praise your name."

Joni Byker, the Samaritan's Purse staff member who coordinated volunteer teams for the project, was present when the students began to sing.

“I have been waiting for this day,” she said. “I couldn't help but get emotional as I thought back over the last year and a half, watching this campus be transformed not only physically, but also spiritually. By rebuilding the African Bible College, Samaritan’s Purse is helping to establish the spiritual foundation of this country.”

The rebuilt college is once again fulfilling its mission of training Christian leaders from throughout Africa to spread God’s truth.

“God has made ABC University better than new!” said Dr. Del Chinchen, president of the college and the son of the founder. “Now His work of transformation in students begins in earnest.”

The first 38 students are being joined by a new class of freshmen this fall. They too need only to look at the cross for inspiration.

“The cross has new life growing from it, symbolizing not only the resurrection of the chapel but the hope of eternal life and a transformed life that Christ wants to see in you and me through the power of His death and resurrection,” Dr. Chinchen said.

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Samaritan's Purse , Liberia , Evangelism , A Spiritual Foundation