It was a chilly Friday night, but they came and kept on coming from far and near on the settlement until more than 1,000 of them filled Dominion Praise Chapel International Church. Members of Dominion, as well as members of several other churches, came mostly dressed in red. They arrived waving palm fronds. They had their bags packed, ready to travel. The little ones too came with their book bags, using them for travelling bags.
Among them were Jartu Cenlivia Barclay, 31, and her seven-year-old son, Victor. Jartu first came to Buduburam in 1996 because of the April six war in Monrovia. She returned home that same year to continue her high school education. In the year 2001, Jartu once again fled to Ghana due to the second civil war in Liberia.
Like the others Jartu and her son had braved the chilly night to participate in the climax of an 80-day fast and prayer organized by the Dominion Church to give thanks to God for sustaining Liberians at Buduburam over the past 17 years. They had also come to receive their final blessings before their departure, according to a prophecy, to third countries of asylum.
"We already know by faith that our prayers for travelling overseas have been answered,” she said. “I know that if there is any resettlement program come on this camp my family and I will be a part of it.”
According to the resident pastor of the church, Aaron Farley, early this year a lady prophesied that thousands of refugees at Buduburam would be resettled before the end of this year.
Many refugees at Buduburam believe that resettlement holds the keys to their future back in Liberia. They believe it would help them rebuild their lives quickly, as compared to returning to Liberia now.
Like many others at the settlement, Jartu is a learner. Since her arrival at the camp she has qualified as a beautician, and holds a diploma in Business Administration. She also has completed courses in computer software and is currently studying computer hardware courses. She has plans to set up her own business in Liberia in the near future. For now she says her eyes are set on resettlement.
"I have to be equipped intellectually and financially before returning home because the people we left in Liberia are not waiting for us,” she said. “They are moving on with life. Secondly, my years of staying in exile must bear fruits."
Another reason why many Liberian refugees at Buduburam do not want to return home now is that before the war the outbreak of the war in their country, many of them lived in rural and provincial Liberia. During the war residents of these places bore most of the brunt of the yoke of occupation of various rebel factions. Towns and villages were attacked repeatedly and many of the towns torched. Those who survived the attacks were often mistreated. Men and boys were tortured and beaten while women were raped in the presence of their spouses and relatives. Some of them were forced to rape their own relatives. Their properties were looted and the livestock eaten by their attackers while they themselves starved,
Preaching from the book of Numbers on the theme "Crossing Over" the guest preacher on the night, the chairman of the Buduburam Council of Churches and Ministers, Rev. George Mayango, urged the faithful to reform their lives and be focused as the Isrealites were during their exodus from Egypt because he said God was preparing them to rebuild Liberia. He encouraged them to emulate Nigerians and Ghanaians who travel overseas and return to develop their homes.
"God is sending you to go overseas and come back and build in Liberia, what you see in other lands," he said.
Even though Liberia is a mineral-rich nation where many people from the West African Sub-region and beyond have come and made fortunes for themselves and many more are still doing so today, most Liberians at Buduburam are still intent on going West to find their fortunes.
Rev. Mayango urged the faithful to keep the spirit of what author, Bill Powers, in his book "Blue Clay People" refers to as the Liberian commitment, catering for one's family, alive. "The reason why God doesn’t want you to go back now is that He wants you to be in a tree where your family will eat from you".
Rev. Mayango also admonished Liberians to make the most of any travelling opportunity that comes their ways. "America is like a gold mine, go there and dig your share of the gold and return to rebuild Liberia," he said.
However, critics of Dominion Praise Chapel International and its resettlement prophecy claim that the church is acting on this February's refugees verification exercise and also on rumours already circulating on the settlement that the USA, Canada, Australia and a handful of European nations are about to resettle thousands of Liberian refugees from Buduburam.
"If Dominion is looking for members they should tell us. Why they never came up with the prophecy before the verification? All of us know that following the verification last February the UN will resettle us," said one person, who asked to remain anonymous.
Annie Roberts, 41, has lived at the camp since 1990. She said she believes the prophesy is true.
"This day was ordained by God that this is the year He will take us out of Ghana to travel overseas,” she said. “If I go overseas with my children we will be able to work and carry something back home.”
Joseph Seo, 63, another one of the faithful who turned out that night, has been at Buduburam since 2000. He has a son in the U.S. and is also hopeful. "I believe that after this prayer I will travel to America," he said.
Aaron Farley, resident pastor of Dominion Praise Chapel International, said God will reward those who have faith in the prophecy.
"Everyone that participated in this service God has written your name in the international book,” he said. “God is taking us from country to country. So get ready, get set the time is out and we must go.”
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