Christians move in Liberia to help get life back to normal.

Liberia (MNN)–More than two thousand combatants have turned in their weapons since December 7th, as part of Liberia’s disarmament process.

There are 40,000 combatants in Liberia, and it’s hoped they will all will present themselves for demobilization. Monrovia has been calm since the UN troops deployed to end a 14-year civil war but other areas remain unstable.

The instability slows other aid operations in Liberia, which include the resettling thousands of people who took shelter in public buildings in Monrovia earlier this year to escape fighting.

Christian Reformed World Relief Committee spokesman Jacob Kramer says the situation is made desperate by a lack of food stores. The test of their work comes in the effort to help get life back to normal for the war survivors. “For CRWRC, it’s the challenge to work towards the demobilization of these people. Particularly, quickly be ready to go into a resettlement program–getting the people out of the camps, back to the villages, or what’s remaining of that, and seeing that agriculture is restarted again.”

Using its resources in the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB), CRWRC is also supporting a program implemented by World Relief Canada (WRC) and the Association of Evangelicals of Liberia (AEL). Through this program, 800 metric tons of food headed for Liberia.

Kramer explains that the hope of the Gospel can be read through their actions. “Churches are everywhere in Liberia. They’re well aware of the saving grace; they have a problem connecting it to a deed and a value system. Through our presence there, and in our meetings with them, we were able to bring that connection between the Gospel and everyday living.”

CRWRC is committed to helping to establish conditions for Liberians to make a new start. Part of this process will include the provision of food, but it may also include seeds and tools to provide incentive to get farmers back on their land. As stability returns, CRWRC will continue to assess the situation and develop programming to meet the longer-term needs of the Liberian people. CRWRC, through the support of its constituency, will continue to be active in the reconstruction of communities in Liberia.