People scoffed when Dr. Jack Chinchen promised to reopen the African Bible College.

The school had been one of the top Bible colleges in Africa, producing pastors, evangelists, and leaders dedicated to taking the Gospel throughout the continent. But ABC became a ruined, derelict shell when rebel troops fighting in Liberia’s long-running civil war looted the campus.

Every inch of wire was ripped out of the school buildings. Steel was taken from ceilings and walls, and carried over the border where it could be sold for profit. Everything of worth was taken. The surrounding jungle began to encroach and reclaim the land.

Many doubted when Dr. Chinchen, who founded the school in 1976, said it would be rebuilt. In 2008, a representative from the Ministry of Education told his staff, “Don't worry about giving them accreditation. They won't be rebuilt and running for another 10 years.”

God, though, had other plans.

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Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham toured the area, and agreed to help. Our staff and volunteer work crews rebuilt eight of the school’s buildings. The college was reopened as ABC University and welcomed a new crop of students.

On Wednesday, Graham spoke at a dedication ceremony for the rebuilt and refurbished African Bible College University.

“When I last was here, my heart was saddened,” he said. “Now I see hope on people’s faces. With God’s help, change will rise from the ashes of war.”

The ABCU rebuilding project is just one way Samaritan’s Purse is bringing hope to the people of Liberia. Our office in the nation, still recovering from years of strife, is providing physical and spiritual help through a variety of relief and evangelism programs.

This weekend, Franklin Graham will proclaim the Gospel at the All Liberia Life Festival. The event, organized by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, will be webcast on this site on March 29.

“We pray that God will use this Festival to heal the hearts of many people in Liberia,” Graham said. “We pray that God will touch this nation and that there would be a fire that will come out of here and ignite the hearts and souls of the men and women of Liberia. And I hope to see tens of thousands of people turn their hearts to Jesus Christ.”

The Gospel will advance in Liberia as the 100 students now attending ABCU graduate as pastors and evangelists, and begin proclaiming the Good News to their countrymen.

“God has done a miracle in rebuilding this campus—in raising it from the jungle in this short amount of time—but as ABCU continues to teach ‘Truth that Transforms,’ transformation will continue to come in Liberia as the students put their faith into action,” said Joni Byker, a member of our staff in Liberia.

Read Joni's blog from the dedication ceremony

Byker served as Volunteer Teams Coordinator, taking care of every detail for all of the construction teams that assisted in the rebuilding process. She attended the dedication ceremony on Wednesday.

“I stood in the beautiful chapel, encompassed by the mahogany ceiling, and looked around to see all the wonderful faces of those who have spent so much time and effort in making this all happen,” she said. “There is something that is so sweet when the church works together in unity, just how God intended it to be.”

Samaritan's Purse , Liberia , Evangelism , Transforming a Campus and a Country