Imagine you’re living a typical life — good marriage, successful career, nice house — when a war breaks out in your country, putting your life and your family’s life in danger. That’s the story of John and Bessie Gonleh, members of First Baptist Church, Montgomery, as told in their new book, “Refuge: A True Story of Faith and Civil War,” written with Bruce Beakley.
In 1989, the Gonlehs and their six children were living in Paynesville, Liberia, where Bessie worked at a bank and John owned a small concrete-block factory and spent time assisting the pastor of their church. Then civil war broke out.
“As we heard the rumblings of the beginning of the war, we prayed, asking God to allow the war to pass over us,” John recalled. “The war came and our town was overtaken. I was captured by the rebel forces and thrown into prison.”
Bessie and the children were hiding in their house, but the rebels didn’t search for them.
“After they captured John, I took the kids and we ran for safety,” Bessie said. “We looked back to see our house engulfed in flames.”
They continued running, eventually coming to a village where a family offered them a place to stay for a while.
“We didn’t know what else to do. We knew that God had brought us this far and He would continue to protect us. All we knew to do was pray,” she said.
Meanwhile John was imprisoned and beaten badly by rebel soldiers. “A piece of my ear was cut off, and my chest was cut with a bayonet,” he said. “I had made a name for myself in prison as one that was constantly praying.”
One afternoon, John and several other prisoners were forced into the back of a truck and hauled to an open field. “There one of the rebels said, ‘God-man (referring to me), get in the center of this circle and say a prayer for these men.’ As I began to pray, I heard a loud cracking noise and realized it was gunshots, and men around me were running towards me and began falling on me. They saved my life, protecting me from any bullets that may have come at me,” he said.
After John realized what had happened and felt safe, he made his way back home.
“Seeing it burned down, I just began to pray,” John said. “I felt unsure of why God had saved me. I was certain that my wife and kids were dead.”
Then he ran into an old neighbor who happened to be staying in the same village as Bessie and the children. “I wept from renewed hope. All I could do was repeat the Lord’s name over and over,” John exclaimed.
The Gonleh family was reunited and its hope restored. But there were still many difficult days ahead.
“We lost three of our children in the conflict. We knew that God had spared us for a reason, so we praised Him for each day we had,” John said. “We spent six months in the bush, having a church service in each village that we stayed in. After making it to the United Nations refugee camp on the Liberian/Ivory Coast border, we established a church there.”
The Gonlehs spent 15 years as refugees. They made their way to the United States in 2005 and, ultimately, to Montgomery. With no income and homeless, they began attending First, Montgomery, and visited its Caring Center for assistance.
“We began to help them to find some financial stability,” remembered Jane Ferguson, minister of community ministries at First, Montgomery.
The Montgomery Baptist Association church also helped them find a place to live. The family moved into the first house renovated as part of the church’s Nehemiah Project, a Christian community-development program in the inner-city Chisholm area.
“When they found jobs, they began paying rent, and we eventually sold the house to them,” Ferguson said.
Church members heard about the Gonlehs plight and donated furniture, appliances and other necessities. “In three years, they have gone from refugees to owning their own house. This is truly the American dream,” Ferguson said.
First, Montgomery, also played a part in reuniting the entire Gonleh family. While on their long journey out of Africa, John and Bessie had two more children. But when they left for the United States, those two children had to be left behind because they weren’t included on the original paperwork.
“This was one of the hardest things we have ever had to do,” John said. “But we had to do it. We were assured the children would follow shortly after we left, so we left them with friends. Getting the children to America was a lot more difficult than we expected.”
Jay Wolf, senior pastor of First, Montgomery, noted that members of the church played key roles in finally getting the children to the United States in August 2008.
An attorney from First, Montgomery, provided legal assistance, while other members provided financial assistance and helped prepare for the children’s arrival.
“There were over 100 people from the church at the reunion of the family at the airport,” Wolf said. “It was a geyser of joy seeing the family reunited. It was truly the beauty of the body of Christ.”
After being on the receiving end of much help, the Gonlehs are now able to focus on giving back to their community.
When First, Montgomery, started the project in Chisholm, it had a dream to one day plant a church there. That dream is becoming a reality through the Gonlehs.
Not long after moving in to the community, John started a Bible study in his home. As attendance grew, the need for a new location became evident. In the meantime, First, Montgomery, acquired two houses and a gymnasium to be used by the Nehemiah Project.
That gym is now home to a new church, led by John. The church’s name? Refuge Community Church, appropriately.
The church was launched with a communitywide block party Aug. 1 and held its first service Aug. 2. Members of First, Montgomery, along with many from the Chisholm community, gathered at the new location for the service.
Looking back, John clearly sees God’s hand on his family’s journey. “God has spared us from the war and jungles of Africa to come as missionaries to America to share about what He has done for us. That is why we are here,” he said.
The Gonlehs are currently writing a workbook to go along with their book.
To order the book or contact the Gonlehs about sharing their story with a church or group, call 334-294-3239 or e-mail rev_gonleh@yahoo.com.
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