Easter 2010: An Affirmation of Faith

On Easter Sunday we attended Monrovia Christian Fellowship with some of our friends. This church was different then any other church we have been to in Liberia. It was a much larger- close to about 400 people. The service only lasted for a little over 2 hours and included most of the basic elements that I am used to. There was no African music., but instead we sang and heard many contemporary praise and worship songs that are popular in the US. There was even powerpoint! For the first time, Holly and I were not the only white people in church. There were about 20 Americans and Europeans who attended the Easter service. My first impression of this church was similar to what I call a “mega church” in the US. I walked through the doors expecting a new and different experience. In some ways it was and in some ways it was not.

There was a part of me that really missed the little African church that I have become used to in the last eight months. There was also a part of me that liked the little things that reminded me of home. I loved being able to sing songs that I knew and follow along with unfamiliar songs on the screen. I really enjoyed having my own chair and not being super crowded on a wooden bench. I was grateful to have space so that I was not sweating the entire service. I was thankful that they only took up one offering and it only lasted about 5 minutes. It was both weird and amazing to sit in a Liberian church, led by Liberians, and forget that I was in Liberia.

My absolute favorite part of this church and this particular service was the choir and praise team. There are no words to describe African voices singing in unison. Although the songs were American, the voices were definitely Liberian. They sing so loud and so beautifully. Music has always been my favorite element of worship, and experiencing church in Liberia has given that a whole new meaning. I had almost forgotten that it was Easter Sunday, and then the choir sang “My Redeemer Lives.”

I have definitely had my share of “God moments” in the last eight months, but this one was unique. As I sat in my chair, with goose bumps down my spine, I had no doubt that Christ was present in that sanctuary, at Ricks Institute, and in the country of Liberia.

I don’t expect anyone to understand this, but I have felt closer to God in the last eight months than I have in my entire life, and this Easter confirmed that. There is something so special about this place that I am not sure I will ever be able to explain. To be surrounded by people who have experienced poverty to the extreme, absolute destruction caused by war, and real hunger, can sometimes be overwhelming. But to be in a room, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ with them, was life changing. I will always remember Easter Sunday in 2010 as a day that affirmed my faith.