Church of Jesus Christ Flourishes Amidst Adversity in Ghana Refugee Camp

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From the Africa Newsroom

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28). Such was the case with a small group of Liberian members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the inhumane and disastrous civil wars in Liberia during the 1990s and early 2000s.

The good that came was the establishment of the Church in a part of Ghana where the Church did not exist previously and, more important, the spiritual refining, shaping and growth of this group of Saints as they remained faithfully committed to the Savior and His gospel.

December 25, 1989, marks the beginning of a chain of events that resulted in the Church of Jesus Christ being established in Buduburam, Ghana. Christmas Day in 1989 was the start of the First Liberian Civil War, which lasted until 1996. The civil war forced millions, including helpless children and their parents, to flee from their homes to save their lives.

Many of those fled to other countries, including about 13,000 Liberian refugees who fled to Ghana in 1990 and 1991. The vast majority relocated at Buduburam, a refugee camp about 35 kilometers west of Accra and established by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees with the support of Ghana.

The Second Liberian Civil War (1999 to 2003) resulted in additional refugees fleeing Liberia and coming to Buduburam.

The first baptisms into the Church of Jesus Christ in Liberia occurred in 1987. By December 1989, there were approximately 1,200 members of the Church in Liberia. When the Liberian refugees fled Liberia for Ghana in the early 1990s, members of the Church were among them. These committed Latter-day Saints ended up in the Buduburam refugee camp and chose to remain faithful despite their devastating circumstances. Working through their challenges, they learned to sacrifice.

When they first arrived in Buduburam, they went to church in Achimota. When a ward was formed in Odorkor until May 2000, the members had to travel to Odorkor (about 25 kilometers) to worship.

In May 2000, a ‘group’ was formed in Buduburam for these dedicated saints with Brother Wolobah D. B. Yekeku as group leader. The Africa West Area Presidency requested that President Charles Sono-Koree, stake president of the Lartebiokorshie Stake, create the Buduburam Group under the Odorkor Ward. These thirty or so members could now worship in Buduburam without the burden of traveling to Odorkor.

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Another blessing came around the end of 2002 when the Buduburam Branch was formed with about ninety members and with Samuel S. Nepay as the branch president. The branch continued to meet in the Liberia Camp School. In May 2004, Alexander Tandoh was called as the second branch president, and served four years.

On November 2, 2008, the branch was made into the Buduburam Ward and Alexander Tandoh was called as bishop. When the Buduburam Ward was created, a building was rented in Golden Gate Junction, providing a much needed and improved facility for the new ward.

After the creation of the Buduburam Ward, there was considerable growth in membership with baptisms every two weeks. Most of these new members were Liberians. The Buduburam Ward was divided in 2015 into the Buduburam 1st Ward and 2nd Ward. John Buah was bishop of the 1st Ward and Adeola Ahmed Gbadegesin was bishop of the 2nd Ward. Additionally, the Awutu Breku Branch was created from the Buduburam Wards in 2016, and the Nkwantanan Group was formed from the Buduburam 2^nd Ward in the summer of 2023 as a result of the continuing growth of the Church in the Buduburam area.

The next blessing for the faithful Latter-day Saints in Buduburam was having their own meetinghouse rather than meeting in a rented facility. The Buduburam meetinghouse was constructed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. It was dedicated on November 14, 2021, by Elder Anthony Quaisie, then an Area Seventy, providing a wonderful facility where the members could more fully experience the blessings of worshipping their Savior.

In February 2011, the government of Ghana indicated that the camp was no longer needed and that inhabitants should either return to Liberia or settle outside the camp. This created major challenges for those in the camp because of their economic situation. The camp was marked for demolition with a deadline of September 30, 2021. The inhabitants pleaded for an extension. The deadline was extended to December 1, 2021.

However, the demolition became a reality in February 2024, resulting in the total displacement of the members of the Church remaining in the Liberia Camp. This major disruption to the lives of these Church members is now the latest test to the faith and commitment of the Buduburam Saints. The prayer is that these resilient Saints will once again, as so many times in the past, be able to draw upon their faith in Jesus Christ to have the hope and spiritual strength needed so this latest challenge will “work together for good to them that love God.”

President Tandoh said, “Our goal has always been to help members make and keep covenants. We point people to the Savior by encouraging them to receive all the saving ordinances. Over the years, we have seen many people receive their temple endowment and families sealed in the temple. Many young men and young women have served and are serving full time missions. The testimony of members has waxed strong.”

The Liberian Saints who first came to Buduburam and the Liberian and Ghanaian saints who joined the Church over the years have faced and continue to face many challenges. Nonetheless, their ongoing commitment, dedication and faithfulness to Jesus Christ and His gospel shaped and continue to shape their lives and gave and continue to give them hope.