Mekie’s Story shared by Simon Crowe

This is story of Mekie Cephus, who I met in 2014 when I went to Liberia. She so inspired me with her dream to become a medical doctor that I offered to support her through her studies until she qualifies. She is 19 and now in the 12th grade and will be going to University next year. She lost her father a year after she was born and often calls me “Dad”. She calls us on Whatsapp a couple of times a week and she chats with my wife and daughter. I love to hear her laugh as she hears about our lives which must sound like some kind of science fiction. Last year I helped her set up a business selling used clothes. I want her to be able to support and empower herself and we often talk about how to do this – She loves to think of herself as an independent woman. In this regard I really do feel like a father figure.

I believe the stories give great context to the work we are doing out there and I love to introduce groups to these people personally. It is life-changing.

Here’s Mekie’s Story:

Dear Dad:

Let me again use this time and opportunity to extend my greeting to you and your family especially my Sister (your daughter). Kindly extend my thanks and appreciation to your family for the continue support to me in this part of the world since 2014.

I am more honor for my story to be used to raise money for the school project.

I was born on the 3^rd of October 1999 in the Capital City of Liberia, Monrovia. I was born onto the union of Mr. Peter Cephus who is deceased and Mrs. Martha Cephus.

I lived with my mother, brother (Jefferson Cephus) and a sister (Patience Cephus) in a rented house.

As you may well know that war is not a good experience so as it was with my family. All that I know about the war was told by my mother. She told me what all she went through during the war.

My mother had just left Monrovia to Buchanan for a Christmas break when Buchanan was captured by the Charles Taylor’s soldiers. She could not go back to her mother but rather stay with her aunt who she had come to spend the Christmas vacation with.

As the war intensify, my mother alongside her aunt fled to the interior part of Liberia in search of food and survivor. While there for a little while the rebble again captured the community. Things got tough and the only means of acquiring food is either you are a wife a soldier or you are working for the wife of a solider with (dis-respect) shown by solider’s wives over their workers, my mother said she was forced to get into a relationship with a solider making her to be the bread winner of aunt and other family members.

After the war subsided in 1994, my mother asked her solider boy-friend to grant her to go back to Monrovia in order to search for her mother. She was given the permission after a thorough search, she got her mother at least while in Monrovia, she lost contact with her solider boy-friends. After a few months of stay, she got in relationship with my father (late Peter Cephus).

On October 3, 1999, she gave birth to me. Year later, my both parent moved to Buchanan.

I begin my primary education at the new Testament Baptist School in the year 2005.

In Liberia, each child must start school at the age of 3 years.

But in my case, I started at the age 7 years.

I spent 3(three) school year in the elementary. I was given double promotion each of these year until I completed the elementary. When I completed the elementary, my mother was unable to continue the next school years (2008 / 2009) up to 2011/ 2012 academic, I again started my Junior High School (7^th grade). And as God could have it, 2014 I came across you by then I was in the 8^th grade. Since then you have been supporting my education up to present.

I missed two (2) school years due to lack of financial support from my parent. My mother has a mini Cook-Shop it is from the mini cook-shop over school fees were paid, rent was paid, and others.

My mother and father never went to school. It is this that strengthen me daily to press forward My Education. If my parent had to go school, I think we wouldn’t have been struggling with life like what it is now.

As I told you I want to become a medical doctor, it remains unchanged. I want to save lives. In Liberia, there are very few doctors we have in the various hospital. I love the medical field. No amount of money can change my dream with your help I believe I will achieve my dream when I met you at the YAI workshop, I remember you asked I and a boy what were our dreams. There you told me you would have help me when you get back home.

You took my photo and we both took photos together.

May God bless you as you blesses others.

Thanks

Truly yours,

Mekie Cephus