On January 6, the rebels came at dawn and started burning houses in Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone. The Rev. Mary Johnson, Northern District superintendent of The United Methodist Church in Sierra Leone, fled from home in her night dress and saw her house burn. Then the rebels destroyed her car and a van owned by the district.

This wasn't the first time her residence was attacked by the rebels, according to Johnson. On December 30, 1997, her district parsonage in Makeni in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone was ravaged and looted. In fact, the war has affected almost all of the 15 local United Methodist churches in her district. Buildings were destroyed, pews burned as firewood, and books and clerical gowns stolen in what the Rev. Johnson describes as a "senseless war." The rebels now control the entire area of her district. Johnson escaped into Freetown, where she has been assigned to work with the education secretary of the annual conference.

Sierra Leone's United Methodist bishop Joseph C. Humper described the atrocities committed by the rebels, who routinely cut off people's hands, as some of the worst in modern history.

A former British colony, Sierra Leone has had a turbulent history marked by several rebellions and military coups. In May, 1997, such a coup ousted the democratically elected government of President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, plunging the country into civil war. With the help of other West African countries, led by Nigeria, Kabbah was restored to power in February, 1998.

However, fighting continues between the government forces of Sierra Leone and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), which joined forces with the ousted junta. (See "Arrest of Rebel Leader Fails to End Fighting in Sierra Leone" by Mulegwa Zihindula.)

In July, 1999, a peace agreement was signed between the government of Sierra Leone and RUF, granting the rebels top government posts and amnesty for past war atrocities.

But in May this year, the rebels violated the peace accord when they fired on a group of unarmed demonstrators outside the residence of RUF leader Foday Sankoh, killing at least 20. They then attacked UN peacekeepers, taking around 500 of them hostage. Although the hostages were released by the end of the month, RUF then captured 21 Indian peacekeepers who, as of this writing, have not been released.

On May 17, Sankoh was arrested and placed under government custody. Sierra Leone has asked the United Nations for help in setting up a war crimes tribunal to prosecute Sankoh and other rebels. An AP news report said that U.S. ambassador Richard Holbrooke has expressed support for this proposal.

In the midst of the violence, the church is actively engaged in advocating for peace, said the Rev. Johnson. "Our bishop is the chairperson of the ecumenical council of churches which meets regularly with the President, trying to advise him on peace," she said. According to Johnson, while the churches have openly denounced the killing and maiming of innocent people, they have also called on the rebels to come out of the bush to negotiate with the government to end the war.

The church seizes every opportunity to express its concern for the welfare of all people. Visitation is the most important thing. "Others are attracted to us because of the way we care for our sick. We show them our love," said Johnson.

In 1982, Johnson became the first woman to be ordained an elder in The United Methodist Church in Sierra Leone, which has an estimated total membership of 3,000. In 1987 she also became the church's first female district superintendent. Northern District is a predominantly Muslim area.

Johnson was a delegate to the 2000 General Conference in Cleveland, and was visiting the Baltimore-Washington Conference when interviewed. Her daughter, Ivy Johnson, is a member of the Bethel United Methodist Church in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

In July, Johnson plans to return to Sierra Leone, where she is involved in the ministry of Operation Classroom, which provides basic needs such as soap, towels, books, pencils, and blankets. Operation Classroom is supported by the Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Great Rivers, and Holston annual conferences and by designated gifts through the Advance for Christ and His Church.

July 6, 2000

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