Liberian’s Educational Vision Born in Ghana’s Refugee Camp –Supported by American Christians
A kindergarten – 12th Grade School, named “Calvary Love Ministry, Inc., is situated on a 30- acre land in the Neekreen (a Bassa vernacular meaning “between two rivers”) in the District #2 of Grand Bassa County. Surrounded by thick forest, the school compound is more than 30 kilometers (25 miles) from the Country’s capital city—Buchanan.
By: Samuel G. Dweh – Freelance Liberian Development & Human Rights Journalist
+23188661896/776583266; samuelosophy@yahoo.com/hafizm.sonnie57@gmail.com
The school motto is “Learning to Achieve”; its Core Values are ‘Discipline’, ‘Creativity’ and ‘Faithfulness’.
Structures (buildings) occupying the 30-acre space are: Worship Center (the school is named after), three dormitories (for kindergarten and higher classes students, teachers’ quarter, a barbed-wire fenced compound hosting living chickens (for the students’ food), two kitchens (each with a spacious eating space), residential quarter for the Cooks, two water storage facilities (cement and plastic poly tank); and two gasoline-powered generators. Both are switched on from 6:30pm to 10:00am of the next day.
The school is the educational vision of Mr. Akinalade Joel Caulcrick and his wife (Jemima Caulcrick) for the academic development of their country—Liberia.
This journalist, a friend and workmate to Mr. and Mrs. Caulcricks on Ghana’s refugee camp over six years, was on the campus to attend the school’s graduation ceremony on November 25, 2024.
On Saturday, two of the Caulcricks’ American education partners – Mr. (Dr.) Chancellor Wayne (a Chiropractic) and his wife (Mrs. Melisa Wayne) were humbly interacting with students and the cooks. The husband was assisting the kitchen support team (body of students) by personally cleaning the metal oven for roasting cows and pigs to be slaughtered later, and accompanying the students for the animals and reforming.
Mrs. Mellisa Wayne was tutoring school kids how to operate her smartphone, reading Bible stories to them, and taking photos of the kids on various games. On graduation day, she blew air into balloons, similar to what the hall decorators (students) were doing and hung balloons at various places in the hall.
Many of the adult Liberians started with bafflement at the two Americans demonstrating exemplary humility.
All seven campus-based cooks’ children are being educated free in the school.
“I have two children in the school. The owner of the school or the principal never asks me for five cent as school fee for any of my children,” Madam Rebecca Konyougar, age 61, head of the kitchen team, told this journalist in an interview during preparation of Sunday’s breakfast and lunch, and preparation of graduation day’s foods.
During interaction with a body of journalists, Mr. Caulcrick said his high school education was in Grand Bassa County. “I attended Christian High School in Buchanan”, he said.
In 1990, during Liberia’s civil war, He fled to Ghana, and settled in the refugee camp.
“In Ghana, I attended Victory Link Ministry, located in Tema”, he said.
He travelled to the United States of America in 1997, and lived in Alabama, he provided another information to the journalists.
“In America, I attended Morehouse College, in Atlanta, Georgia, and later did my post-graduate in Master of Divinity”, he said.
To a journalist’s question of what moved him to open a school in his ancestral home (Grand Bassa County), he replied. “I saw Ghanaians, who had lived abroad, doing the same for their communities, I was inspired and dreamed about doing the same in my country when I return to my homeland. The land containing this school was purchased by my biological mother in 1968. Her name is Joanon H. Caulcrick. My biological father’s name is Mr. David H. Caulcrick, Sr.”
An elderly man interrupted the interview.
“The only man, Akinade Joel Caulcrick, who took the children of poor parents, including me, from educational nowhere, and taking them to education somewhere,” The man said, greeted everybody, and marched away.
The interview resumed.
Responding to another journalist’s question of how he got the money to establish the school, Mr. Caulcrick said: “Several members of the Calvary Baptist Church in Missouri, USA, honored the appeals of me and my wife. There are many helpers, I can’t remember the names of everybody. I will be considered as partial if I call the names of some, to appear in your various newspapers and on your media institutions’ websites, and leave the names of the other donors’.
The school’s Baccalaureate/Thanksgiving Service, ahead of the graduation, was Sunday.
During the invited guests’ remark’s segment, each of those who spoke showered praises and invoked God’s blessings on Mr. and Mrs. Caulcrick and the Americans. Each speaker talked about the “free education” for their children provided by the Caulcricks, with support from their “international partners” (Americans).
Mrs. Mellisa Wayne (American) coordinated Thanksgiving Service. Her topics were Jonah’s refusal to evangelize to the people Ninevah on God’s instruction, and “the Great Commission” (recorded in Matthew 28).
‘We must always face the challenges; God will always be with us,” she announced to the congregation.
The main church service began at 10:00am, with scriptural reading from Psalms 1:21. Reading was done by a male 9th grader named Hanson Debbah.
The main preacher, Pastor Akinlade Joel Caulcrick, took his scriptural texts from: Psalms 121; Deuteronomy 28:1-7; and John 21:10, 11.
His sermon was on the fishing expedition of the disciples of Jesus Christ, instructed by their Master on where and how to throw the fishing net to catch more fish; and many people’s ungodly attitude of preventing the success of others.
“Let’s stop the crabby behavior of preventing other people’s success, or pulling them down,” the Clergyman and school proprietor announced to the congregation.
In his personal work-related story, he said: “Everywhere I had worked, in America and here in Liberia, my co-workers were always happy”.
He concluded with appealing members of the congregation to always elevate God over everything they do. “If you put God first in your education, business or another professional venture, He will put you first.”
His sermon was followed by remarks (including his), his two American partners, members of the school, and the Assistant Mayor of Grand Bassa County, who is also the Vice Principal for Instruction at the school.
The proprietor thanked everybody who kept the school academically moving while he was abroad.
Dr. Chancellor Wayne pledged his “continuous support” to the church and the school.
“There will always be challenges in your way to the Promised Land of being educated, getting a job, or starting a business, but you must always preserve God,” Mrs. Mellisa Wayne said.
“The incoming seniors should focus on their academic lessons, like the outgoing senior did,” David Mulbah, president of to-graduate students said
“I thank the outgoing president for transferring his presidential power to me,” Prince Nonway, leader of the 11th grade, said.
“The parents whose children are in this school call Mr. Caulcrick ‘Daddy’ on his being the only person offering free education to their children,” said Mr. J. Melvin Lloyd, Assistant City Mayor of Grand Bassa County.
The final remarks came from the school principal, Mr. Sackie Harris, age 32.
He began by thanking Mr. Caulcrick and his American partners.
“Teaching staff, the school proprietor and his international partners expect you to positively mold the minds of the incoming seniors, as well as students of the other classes, like you did to those in the past academic year”.
One of the parents who spoke challenged members of the school’s teaching staff to impact quality academic knowledge into the students, “so that more parents whose children are in other schools in the County will prefer Calvary Love Ministry, Inc,” the male parent said.
The graduation program, the next day (Sunday) began with students (of all classes) and happy parents placing clothes in the students’ way to walk on.
The graduation souvenir booklet contained photos and names of five students (from different Counties) and each person’s preferred professional career. David J. F. Mulbah, Jr. (Lofa County) with interest in Electricity, Richel T. Yeagaza (Grand Bassa County) with interest in Accountancy, Sondya P. D. Caulcrick (Montserrado County) with interest in Accountancy, Joshua T. Zerabah (Gbarpolu County) with interest in Building Construction, Thomas Flama Pue (Grand Bassa County) with interest in Engineering.
The valedictorian of the graduation program was David J. F. Mulbah, Jr. His topic was “education”.
“Only education equips a person to contribute to the development of his or her country…A half-educated person is dangerous for the growth of the country,” he said, among other things.
“He has always been the top-performer, Dux of his class from his primary education day in Calvary Love Ministry, Inc.,” the school principal informed this journalist after the valedictorian speech.
The principal also presented to me his personal written academic credentials: Associate Degree of Computer Science; “C” Certificate in Education, Associate Degree in Biometrology. He earned all from the Booker Washington Institute (BWI), Kakata, Margibi County.
Another part of his credentials he presented to me had: “Certificate (WAEC/Diploma)”.
The valedictory speech was followed by academic, poetic, dramatic and music knowledge exhibitions by 11th and 12th graders.
Students Rose D. Kahn and Surprise Morris did spelling (one student calls the word, the other student spells it), Students Mardayea T. Flamah Pue and Pite Jacob spoke about the importance of a citizen’s adherence to “Nationalism” Student Siana Sackie did a song, titled “Mama, you suffered for me”, in the Kpelle vernacular (of Bong County).
A drama, titled “The Power of God over Witchcraft” – was performed by students: Gabriel K. Paywoe, Christian Williams, Aaron Vaye and Habakkuk P. David.
Other students contributed their artistic or intellectual productions.
The drama was followed by remarks by the school proprietor, Mr. Caulcrick.
He thanked members of the audience for their attendance of the program and for making it a joyous occasion. He also thanked the teachers and staff for their hard work in walking along the graduates on the journey.
He thanked the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) for their effectiveness in trying to solve some of the problems the school had faced in terms of both the school feeding programs.
To the graduates, he said: “The road ahead is not smooth, but your journey is your journey. Others may walk with you side-by-side, but your focus on Jesus Christ and your calling in life will go a long way in getting you to your goal. Some people will recommend you going into business or ministry, but it will take your focus and seriousness in staying at the job or location.”
After his preaching, pastor Caulcrick anointed each 11th grader’s forehead with Holy Oil and did the same to each person’s neck tie.
Remarks from the Americans, parents, the principle, and others followed the consecration.
Guest Speaker, Dr. Chancellor P. Wayne, D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic), expressed his gratitude to membership of the Calvary Love Ministries (The Church), and members of the Administrative body of the school for their commitment to the children in Grand Bassa County.
“Your dedication to impart Christian values into the church members, and the student population, will be rewarded by omnipotent God, your creator,” he announced to the bodies of church leaders and members of the school’s Administrative team.
He encouraged each graduate to continue to “academically grow” and discover his or her purpose whether through higher education in college or in a technical trade school.
“But, first and foremost, keep God at the center of everything,” he appealed to the out-going seniors and the in-coming seniors.
He concluded his speech with expression of his personal belief that each graduate would represent Calvary Love Ministries, Inc. (The school) in a positive way on God’s direction of each person’s steps.
After his speech, he presented certificates to the out-going seniors.
Presentation of certificates was followed by presentation of traditional gowns to Mr. and Mrs. Caulcrick by two sisters (mothers) – Richel Mulbah and Kolu Mulbah.
“We did this by educating our children free” Richel Mulbah said.
A male parent presented a hammock to Mr. Caulcrick. A hammock is a thread-bed that can be tied to two trees in a compound for a person to relax under the shades of the trees.
The “Special Prayer” component of the graduation program was done by Pastor Moses V. Daduo, Resident pastor of the Church. Prior to the “Special Prayer”, he served as volunteer on vernacular (Bassa) translation for the speeches or remarks in English.
The “special prayer” was followed by the national anthem of Liberia.
Before the start of the graduation program, the American couple lined up the kids at their feet and each held two of the kids into his and her arms. The kids were in each person’s arms until the end of the graduation program. This other humility attracted the attention of many Liberians, each with a facial expression of bafflement.
Over 500 quests munched on jollof rice (with salad thick chunks of chickens or parts cow or pig slaughtered the previous day), torborgee (native soup of Lofa County), with rice and meat or chicken, and soft drinks – the “refreshment component” of the graduation ceremony.
On Tuesday, the American couples bought a motorbike to transport teachers to the campus on school day. Mr. Wayne rode the bike from Buchanan where it was bought. Many Liberians looked with baffled facial expression at the “white man riding a motorbike”
At 5pm, the Caulcricks (married Liberian couple) and the Waynes (married American couple) gathered the students (in front of the Americans’ residential place) to discuss the students’ “un-Godly’ attitudes on the school campus. Some of the attitudes discussed were: Theft, littering the campus with solid waste, disrespect to their teachers, drinking of alcohol, not attending evening and other un-Christian attitudes.
Each of the meeting conveners expressed his or her disappointment on such attitudes.
“None of the people in America who are helping us to give you free education here will be happy when he or she comes to spend some time with you and sees you in such a habit,” Mr. Caulcrick said to the body of students sitting on the grass facing the meeting conveners.
Mrs. Wayne narrates her being a teacher for grade levels in America, and bursts into crying at some point of her speech.
“The sponsors in America want to supply shoes to each student, and other materials for your education. Please stop what you are doing,” Mrs. Caulcrick said.
Later, she commended the body of students to lead evening worship service.
The body sang two songs. Two students – male and female – prayed and the meeting ended 8:20pm.
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