A Bright Hope for Tomorrow

As a father of nine, I realize the importance of leaving behind a legacy, a heritage, for my children. Although my children are still young, time goes by so quickly. You hear it from everyone that has lived their years through – time does not stand still. And yet I still have days where I am lying down at night knowing I did nothing positive in any one of their nine precious lives. God has a significant plan for each of them and my duty as their father is to help them achieve everything they can for God in their short time on earth.

About a year ago, while in Liberia adopting our three boys, my eyes were opened to an entirely different world. Liberia is nothing like America. I went as any other person who has never seen a third world country. I was excited yet nervous of what I may encounter. I didn’t understand the brevity of what a devastating civil war would do to a country like Liberia. I had no idea what I was about to encounter.

As I stepped off the plane, I realized that it smelled absolutely terrible. Everyone around me was unkempt and dirty, sweating from head to toe. It was hot, but not hot like I had known hot to be. It was HOT! It was as if I was in a sauna. The humidity was terrible and I began sweating like the rest of them. People were running around trying to get peoples bags for them just to make a few dollars. There were children looking for food or money and no one understood the idea of personal space. This was not a place for me. I was immediately unsure of what I was doing. Ideas were running through my head and I was second guessing my even being here. All of my excitement drained away and fear began to creep in.

Then something amazing happened. I am not a sensitive man by nature. I love my family and close friends, but beyond that my sensitivity for others has never been very “Godly”. I have worked on it for many years, but more progress still needs to be made. God struck me with something I had never felt before. I began to look around again and I saw everyone in a completely new light. It was as if all of the dirt and all of the smell had been removed. I no longer saw dirty people who needed a dollar. Instead I saw hundreds of people standing around me needing Christ. I saw people who desperately needed to know that there was hope for their lives, hope for their children, and could believe in a bright hope for tomorrow.

As I made my way through the airport, I began to realize God had completely different plans for my trip to Liberia than I realized. You see, when I stepped off the plane, I really thought I was something special. I was adopting from Africa! Today I am so thankful I did because I have three boys that I love very much that God has incredible plans for. But I was not there to benefit myself or just help three poor boys from a poor family and a poor country have a better life in America. I was there so that God could give me a heart for a country in need. I was there so God could remove three boys from almost eminent death and raise them with the desire to return and help one day restore their country back to what God has always intended. I was there so that God could make a difference in my heart that would in turn make a difference in a country in need of Him!

I was at home. At home in a far away country I had never visited. But that minute I knew I would be leaving a part of me in Liberia that would await my return to see the people of Liberia restored. God has significant plans for these people and I am so incredibly thankful to Him I can be a part of it. James 1:22 states, “Be doers of the word and not hearers only”. Will you take part in the revival of Liberia?

Written By: Greg Bogdan

Director, Spirit Liberia, Inc.

January 29, 2007