African Refugee Stories

New World Outlook, March-April 1998


Four Articles About Personal Experiences

Small Map of Africa

A Dream Realized

by Susan Wersan

The Duoa family, refugees from Liberia in Côte d'Ivoire, miraculously won a lottery visa to come to the United States.

Duoa Family

The Duoa family arrives at the airport
in Santa Rosa after 24 hours of travel.

But, without the help of strangers, the Duoas could not afford the journey or guarantee that they would have a sponsor in the United States. UMCOR, the Morford family, and First United Methodist Church of Santa Rosa came to their aid.



Yasmin Libah

Resettling Somalian Refugees in Northern Illinois

by Heidi Romans

The Libah family are Benadirs from Somalia. They had to flee Somalia for Mombasa, Kenya, when their people became the target for religious persecution among various clans. Eleven of the Libah family were resettled in the United States with the help of UMCOR, the Northern Illinois Conference refugee office, and Elmhurst First United Methodist Church.


Yasmin, the Libah's daughter.




Preparing Food

Africa: Overwhelmed by Refugees

by Ray Sells

Ray Sells reports on a trip he took to a Mozambican refugee camp in South Africa with Church World Service. He gives a first-hand look at the conditions faced by refugees who stay in refugee camps.

Mozambican refugees prepare food
at the Tongogara Refugee Camp in Zimbabwe.



United Methodist Laywoman Adopts African Refugee

by Denise Johnson Stovall

Selemani and Denise

Selemani Ruban Johnson, a young Rwandan boy was adopted by Mil Dred Johnson. Johnson went to the Zaire refugee camp in Bukavu to volunteer as part of the VIM teams that worked with UMCOR. Selemani's parents and his brother had been killed amidst ethnic fighting.

Selemani with the author, Denise Johnson Stovall


After her time in Bukavu, Mil Dred Johnson said: "I knew that I had to find a way to get that boy home."



Next Article: Asian Refugees


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Photos: (top to bottom) 1. Courtesy UMCOR; 2. Murphy Carter; 3. A. Holmann, Courtesy UNHCR; 4. Courtesy Denise Johnson Stovall. All photographs, unless otherwise noted as courtesy of a non-GBGM source, are copyright © The General Board of Global Ministries, The United Methodist Church and courtesy, New World Outlook magazine.