Liberian

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands (Revelation 7:9)

T H E S E R V A N T

My name is Shadrach K. Saywon. I was born in the year nineteen seventy on the seventh day of December. I was born in New Kru Town on Bush Road Island, Monrovia, Liberia.

At the age of two, one of my uncles, the late Rev. Willie N. Wylie took us to Sinoe County, where we grew up. We were living in Karmo’s town Jurazon district. The only mother and father I have ever known were the late Rev. and Mrs. Jessy J Wylie, May their soul rest in peace.

At the age of six, I started my primary school year at Jurazon Central High. I came to know the Lord when I was sixteen years old. I felt my call at the age of nine, but refused to live for the Lord. I did my entire running away from the Lord with the thought that I was very small to work for God. After all, why would He call me to work for Him? One thing I forgot to know was that God had already made His plan concerning my life.

In May of 1987, I went back home to my grand parents, in Sinoe County. I started to organize various youth in most of the churches in the surrounding areas. We used to walk on foot for two to three days to carry the gospel to people, at the time, we had to provide our own food and drinks. Sometime we had to leave our church and go on evangelism trips for almost one to two months. The greatest thing about this was, everywhere we went the Lord always brought people to hear His word. People begin to give their lives to Christ. Some of these people didn’t even know if there was God. They only had their traditional beliefs. They even worshipped some gods that were made by them. But glory to God, who in His own time gave peace which they never had before.

The turning point of all this was 1989, December the 24^th. This is a year that the Liberian people will remember forever. It is a year that we will tell to our great, great grandchildren and their children’s children. This is the year that death and destruction of human lives began in Liberia, which destroyed almost fifty to fifty-five percent of the Liberian population.

The war started when a rebel group entered the Country to over throw the government. Even though everyone thought the war would last only a few days but it lasted for seven to eight years.

The war began to spread all over the country, leaving people homeless, killing innocent people, with the destruction of properties. There was no food, there was crying everywhere, it was a time that death began to flow like a running water. The worst of it was when the soldiers started to kill and eat human beings. People that were created in God’s Image were like animals to other people.

On July 27^th of 1990, the rebels entered the village where I was living. This was a year that God really showed me that He was the only one who can give my life over to death. He is my Lord and my God; I will praise His name forever. He has done amazing things; He has faithfully carried out the plan He made long ago. I can remember on the 26^th of that same month, which is the Independence Day for Liberia. We went on the Soccer field to celebrate the day. It was the last day for some of us to see our friends, family and loved ones. It was the last time that we will ever celebrate this day together again.

On the morning of July 27^th 1990, I was sitting at the front of my house when I heard that the rebels have entered Sinoe County. We only heard that they had entered the county but would not reach us. But it was not so, it was our time to feel the pain too. When I heard the news I started to cry because they told us that these rebels are going to kill all the People. When they catch you they are going to cut off your head and drink your blood.

I called my grandfather and mother and told them everything. For this reason every one in the city ran into the forest for safety. There was no one left in the whole city, because of the fear of death. After a few weeks we decided to go back in the city thinking that the rebels were not going to enter the city. Remember that at this time they were already in the county but have not yet enter our city. So on the 9^th of August every one came back from the forest to return to their normal businesses, they didn't know that there was going to be blood shed in that city.

At about 9am on the 13^th of August, we started to hear some shooting in the middle of the city. When I ran out to see what was going on the only thing I could see was smoke all over the city, the death bell started to ring. It was a time that the mother was not able to go back in the house to pick up her child, and there was no time for the son to locate his parents. The town was set on fire, every where you could hear only gun sound, the devil missionaries were in control of human life. Killing woman and children, opening up their stomachs and taking their heads off.

That day I could not locate my grand parents. I ran into the forest with my bare feet. When I sat down to rest, I could see that the skin under my right foot was off. I could not believe it. I never knew how it happened. I said to myself that if others are loosing their lives what much more about me only loosing my skin. I begin to ask the Lord why this was happening to me, what have I done? I decided to go and surrender myself to the rebels because I didn’t want to die in the forest, it is better for me to die in the city than dying in the forest. But as I opened the book of Isaiah 41:10-13 (At this time I had my Bible wrapped in a piece of plastic paper to protect it from the rain). I started to build up my confidence in the Lord.

On the 18^th of August 1990 the rebels found our hidden tent and killed two of my uncles and three of my brothers. I ran from there and went in a different direction with one of my uncles who is now the late James C. Kaffa. I want you to know that all this time I have only one shirt and a trouser on from the day I left the city for four and half months. I never had the chance to take a bath. My only shower was raining water. I used to sleep on sticks. I had no food and I only had to live on leaves and roots.

On the 24^th of August the rebels again entered our other hidden tents and killed my uncle (James Koffa) who I was with in the forest. Now there was no where to turn. I couldn’t find my grandparents. I decided to kill myself rather then to live.

I started to pray to God and He spoke to me from His blessed word, saying "SHADRACH, I AM THE LORD, I WAS THERE AT THE BEGINNING, AND I WILL BE THERE AT THE END" (Isaiah 43:13-17). I spend almost four months in the forest, with only one shirt and trouser. One thing I want to be thankful for is that, in all of this, I was never sick at all.

On the 24^th of November 1990, a letter was sent to the rebel in charge of human destruction in Sinoe stating that there should be no more killing. Not knowing that it was a plan to kill any male who would come back to the city.

On the last Sunday of November 1990 I entered the city and was arrested. The rebels tied me with twine to slaughter me, this happened at about 8 am that Sunday. I was lying on my back with my hands tied behind me. At about two in the afternoon I could not feel my hands any more. There was blood all over my body. The twine had penetrated through my flesh, trying to reach my veins. I started to imagine the wonderful words of our Lord to the children of Israel, "REMEMBER THAT I AM STILL YOUR GOD AND WILL FOREVER BE YOUR GOD. DON'T BE AFRAID! STAND YOUR GROUND AND YOU WILL SEE WHAT I WILL DO TO SAVE YOU FROM THESE PEOPLE" (Exodus 14:13). Surely the Lord performed a miracle that I will forever remember for the rest of my life.

There were four guys that day and I can still remember their names. Brothers and Sisters, there’s none like unto God. He is faithful and will do what He has promised. When one of the guys took his gun and pointed it at me, saying "my friend it is time for you to die, get up let us go to our killing zone." But I can still remember what the Lord has promised. I knew that my lord was still in control of the whole situation. As we were going to their killing zone confusion broke out among the four of them, two was against their plan to kill me while the other two still insisted they were going to kill me.

Before we reached their spot their commander started coming and they all ran away leaving me tied up. When the commander reached me, he asked me what was going on. I started to explain that his soldiers wanted to kill me for what, I do not know. He then untied me, and told me that I was free to go home. I then remember the words of the Lord, "To whom can the Lord be compared, is there any god like Him? He will always fulfill His promises" (Isaiah 40:25).

On the 20^th of June 1994 the Lord performed another miracle in my life again. One day I was caught while taking my Church for a memorial service for one of our Pastor’s. The soldiers told me to preach to them after which time they were going to kill me. The Spirit of God led me to preach to them on the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ from the book of (2 Peter 3:8-16). While I was preaching, the Spirit of God took hold of them. One of them said to me that he was a Christian before but he really never knew what he was doing. He then asked to rededicate his life to God. He asked me to pray for him and his friends; I offered a prayer of rededication. After my prayer for them I was set free and was told to go home. There was so much that I could not say, but thank God for He, who makes a way through the sea and a path through the mighty waters, will always be there when his people need Him. Those who know and put their trust in the God of our Lord Jesus Christ will never and ever be defeated. He never will forsake His people.

With all that Christ did, which I can not explain all because I have no time left to complete what the Lord has done and keeps doing for me. One thing I promised Him is to know His will for my life. I want to be His servant for the rest of my life. I just tell of His goodness and how He delivers me from death, and therefore He can do it for others too. I want to tell my brothers of how Christ died for our sins, so that they can have the freedom that the world will never offer them.

When I came to America I decided to go to a Bible College for the Lord to prepare me to go back and take the Gospel of Christ to my country.

Right at this very moment I am fighting to keep the tears from rolling down my face as I write this testimony. I am a man who wants to know the will of God, only depending on His grace to survive. One thing I know is that God called me and promised to complete in me what He has called me to do (Phil. 1:6).

Many folks have asked me how I got to America. I am here because God willed it. My mother and father had divorced and mother met an African American missionary in Monrovia. Shortly after that, they were married and of course when he came back to America she came with him.

The desire of the world is to come to America whether to get an education or to live out the American dream. In Africa it is very hard to get an American visa to come over here. It took my mother almost twenty years to get my brother and me the American visa that we needed to leave Africa.

When we arrived I enrolled in bible school in Philadelphia. Times were hard and I found I just couldn’t afford to continue my education there. I had heard about The Baptist Collage of Florida in Graceville. I applied and was accepted, praise God. I joined Gully Springs Baptist church and about a year later they sponsored my fiancée to come over here and we were married.

I finished school in 2001, my wife will be finished Dec. 2003. Since we were married God has given us a baby girl. At first we thought about naming her an American name but we had never given up the vision that God had given me many years before to go back over to the Bush Country of Liberia and begin a Children’s Village for the orphans and homeless children that were left from the war.

Because in my young years my grandfather helped me with my spiritual life and then was killed in the civil war I have chosen to name the village after him, Willie N. Wylie