I Survived Liberia’s Civil War (1989–1996): My Story of Faith, Family, and God’s Preservation

Author: Delphine Collins

The Liberian Civil War is not just a historical event to me. It is a chapter of my life that shaped my identity, my faith, and my calling. From December 1989 to August 1996, my family and I lived through fear, displacement, hunger, and uncertainty. Yet through it all, God preserved us.

This is my story — the story the Lord has instructed me to write and share.

Growing Up in a Nation at War

When the war erupted, I was a young girl living with my parents and siblings. Liberia changed overnight. The sounds of gunfire replaced the sounds of normal life. Soldiers filled the streets. Families fled with whatever they could carry.

I remember watching adults whisper in fear, children crying, and communities scattering.

I remember the confusion, the running, the hiding, and the praying.

War was not something happening “out there.” It was happening around us, to us, and with us inside it.

Displaced With My Family — The Greystone Compound, 1996

One of the most defining moments of my childhood came during the 1996 wave of the war.

My parents, my siblings, and I were displaced for several months.

We ended up at the Greystone compound, a place where hundreds of families sought refuge.

We slept in tents, side by side with strangers who became temporary family.

Life there was survival:

• Long lines for food

• Sleeping on hard ground

• Sharing water

• Listening for danger

• Praying for morning

• Hoping for peace

Even as a child, I understood that we were living through something that would mark us forever.

What War Took — And What God Restored

War took many things from us:

• Our home

• Our safety

• Our stability

• Our childhood innocence

But it did not take our faith.

It did not take our family bond.

It did not take God’s hand off our lives.

Looking back, I see clearly that God was with us in every moment — in the running, in the hiding, in the hunger, in the tents, and in the fear.

We survived because God preserved us.

The Journey That Followed

After years of instability, my parents made a way for us to leave Liberia.

We eventually resettled in the United States, carrying both the scars and the strength of our past.

The war shaped me, but it did not define me.

God defined me.

Today, I stand as:

• A Liberian-rooted woman

• A survivor

• A mother

• A ministry leader

• A voice of healing

• A witness of God’s mercy

My ministry, Grace Hope Love Prays Ministry, is built on the foundation of what I lived through:

• Grace — because God carried us

• Hope — because we survived hopelessness

• Love — because love kept our family together

• Prayer — because prayer sustained us

Why I Share My Story

I share this testimony because the Lord instructed me to.

My story is not for pity — it is for purpose.

It is for healing, for remembrance, and for the next generation.

Many Liberians carry silent pain from the war years.

By telling my story, I honor them.

By writing this blog, I honor my parents and siblings who endured it with me.

By publishing this testimony, I honor the God who brought us out.

My Life Today: A Living Testimony

I am no longer the little girl running from gunfire.

I am a woman called by God, strengthened by survival, and positioned for purpose.

My life declares:

“I walked through war, but war did not destroy me. God preserved me for destiny.”

And now, I use my voice to bring healing, hope, and restoration to others.