Marla H. Corts Mission School 2022 - Flipbook - Page 3
Introduction
“For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11)
Many have questioned whether there was hope of rebuilding Liberia after the devastating years of the
1990s civil war, but not Eddie G. Gibson, a native of Liberia, West Africa. Upon escaping from the
dangerous situation, he once shared in an article with The Alabama Baptist that he believed “Liberia
can be a better place than before if we will all work together, with God’s help, to rebuild. And God’s
plan is for me to be a part of this as well.” Many may have thought this to only be an idealistic statement, but time has
shown that it was not. Eddie G. Gibson had a dream of bringing the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the nebulous
and spiritually charged world of his kinfolk via classroom education.
The Test
Eddie Gangbleh Gibson was born on November 17, 1959 in a small town
called Geeyah (Lower Nimba County), Liberia, in West Africa. The location
of his early childhood community was a factor that deprived most of its
inhabitants from the academic influence of western culture. His village was
far removed from the coast where a western education was available.
There was no exposure to the outside world. Girls went to tribal traditional
GEEYAH
school and when they graduated, they were considered to be women.
There was no such school for boys. His father, Eddie G. Gibson Sr, was the Chief Elder and most progressive leader in
their community. He was impressed by the western educational opportunities that he saw being offered when he
traveled to the coastal city, Monrovia. He realized that attaining a western education would create an opportunity for a
better life and so it became a dream of his to go to school. Unfortunately, this dream was not realized in the Elder
Gibson, but he made a commitment to himself that his children would go to school.
In 1966, at the age of 6 ½, Eddie Jr, along with two of his elder siblings (Emmanuel and Alice) would leave home,
accompanying Maakien, their father’s foster sister, headed for the city of Monrovia. His father had asked Maakien if
she would take some of his children with her so that they might attend school in the city. She agreed and Eddie, his two
siblings, and their parents walked with the Maakien for the next 3 days through the jungle until they reached the city of
Tappita. Their small caravan depended on the hospitality of the different communities passed along the way. They were
provided food and a place to rest. The city of Tappita is where the Elder Gibson and his wives left their
children, leaving them in the care of Maakien, and the hands of the Lord.
When reaching Monrovia, Maakien became their guardian and they remained with her for 6 months. Afterward Eddie
was placed in the care of his cousin, Joseph K. G. Zelee, who then left him in a community home, where several families
lived under one roof. Children that were unaccompanied by an adult were assigned to a family whom they would work
for. On a typical day, the foster children rose at 3 a.m., walked between 3-5 miles to a general market where they set
up wares to be sold. The family that Eddie was assigned to sold palm oil. He worked a full year selling palm oil and was
not being sent to school. Between six and seven in the evening, the foster children would walk the long
journey home. As soon as they made it, they would begin preparations for the next day’s market journey.
These community homes were like group homes. Many of the individuals were strangers to one another and did not
necessarily care about the welfare of the children. The adults demanded labor and contributed to the discipline and
feeding of the children. Many times, children that had no adult family member with them were left to the mercy of
others, having to do more chores and eating only after the families with children had had their fill and were satisfied.
Emmanuel and Alice could not stand this mistreatment and eventually ran away, returning to the village.
