THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 28, 1995 TAG: 9507260153
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REBECCA A. MYERS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
WITH BODYGUARDS in tow, three generals from the major warring factions in Liberia came together recently to talk peace.
And armed with little more than a Bible were two local pastors who helped in the reconciliation process.
The Rev. Allen McFarland, senior pastor of Calvary Evangelical Baptist Church, and the Rev. Jack Gaines, assistant pastor and missions director, were two of five guests invited to speak at a conference held in Liberia last month to help end six years of civil war there.
Actually those Portsmouth ministers were not the city's first link to the small country founded in 1822 for freed black slaves.
Joseph Jenkins Roberts, a Portsmouth man, became the first black governor of the colony in 1841. He became president six years later when Liberia became an independent republic.
But today, only five percent of its 2.9 million people are Americo-Liberians - or descendants of blacks from the United States who settled there, according to the Almanac. The rest of the population is made up of indigenous tribes.
``There are seven different factions there and there's a distrust among the factions, so they are looking for a mediator,'' said Gaines.
The minister said one of the warlords had indicated he would be willing to talk peace if the church was asked to take the leadership role.
The conference, sponsored last month by World Relief, was attended by 1,100 people. The Portsmouth pastors returned from the 9,300-mile round trip on July 1.
Gaines spoke on the leadership role of the church in reconciliation during the conference and McFarland talked about pain and recovery. Other speakers who came from South Africa and Sierra Leone talked about forgiveness, reconciliation and the victimization of women and children.
``Interestingly enough, one of the generals made a statement that they started the war, that they were responsible for it, and they asked the people's forgiveness,'' said Gaines.
Since the conference, a representative from the Association of Evangelicals in Liberia has been meeting with the warlords to negotiate peace. In addition, one of the guest speakers from South Africa is trying to elicit Nelson Mandela's help in reconciliation.
Once peace is established, training will begin to acclimate the former combatants back into society. Gaines is hoping that the United Nations will provide some sites for this training.
Working on warlord reconciliation in Africa has similarities to dealing with gang violence in the United States, said Gaines.
``Basically, it's the same thing with a different name,'' said the minister, who spent the last 14 years as a volunteer chaplain with Southeastern Correctional Prison Ministries.
``Working in the Portsmouth City Jail, I see it all the time,'' he said.
``There's a divisiveness that's within man that he doesn't realize he has, and his education and his wealth and his experiences are no match for it,'' he said.
``The only thing that he can do is turn to God and accept the remedy that God has provided. . .
``And until people deal with what God says head-on, there's not going to be any change.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JIM WALKER
The Rev. Allen McFarland, right, senior pastor of Calvary
Evangelical Baptist Church, and the Rev. Jack Gaines, assistant
pastor, spoke at a conference held in Liberia last month to help end
six years of civil war there.
by CNB