How my faith in God helped me survive war, life in a refugee camp

By Richmond Appleton

Richmond Appleton

From an early age, I believed in the power of prayer.

I grew up in a small fishing village in Liberia. It sits on the bank of the Atlantic Ocean with beautiful beaches with white sand and lots of coconut and palm trees.

I am the youngest of seven children and when I was five years old, I was struck by an illness that limited my body physically. But my spirit was strong. 

I prayed for strength to keep up with my siblings. When I started formal education at 10 years old, I prayed to grasp the lessons I needed and not be broken by the cruel teasing of my peers. 

When war forced my family to flee to a refugee camp two countries away, I prayed for a safe journey. And when it became clear the war would never allow for my family and me to return to our home, I prayed for resettlement in the United States. 

Faith through sickness

Richmond Appleton at his college graduation.

My faith has always been my foundation. I know that nothing is possible without God, and when I need Him most, He is always there. 

Knowing that He will see me through any challenge or obstacle that comes my way truly gives me peace. And it is this peace that brought me through one of the most challenging times in my life. 

When I was five years old, polio struck the left side of my body. No one knew the cause of this illness and my family did the best they could to care for me through the paralysis. 

Walking and physical activity such as running was a challenge,, but I was determined to do as others did — I did not want special treatment. I just wanted to be. 

Because of my bout with polio, my mother was very protective of me. 

In fact, it was the pleas of my older sister to my mother that finally allowed me to start school. I was 10 years old at this time. 

Students were cruel with their teasing due to my advanced age and my disability, but I was determined to learn.

The power of prayer amid war

Richmond Appleton with his wife and three children.

When civil war erupted in Liberia in 1989, my family and I were forced to flee our home where we had lived for three years.

I remember the sound of gunshots in the distance as my sister and I ran through the streets of our community for safety. I remember the feeling of desperation when I lost her in the crowd. I also recall the immeasurable joy in finally finding her again. 

Once we made it to the Buduburam refugee camp in Ghana, my four family members and I set our hopes on resettlement in the U.S. My older sister Alice was in America and we prayed to join her someday. 

The refugee camp was located in the Gomoa region and is about 23 miles from Accra, the country’s capital. It was crowded with families, food was scarce and locals were not always welcoming.

Patience is one of the toughest tests of faith. When it came time to begin the process of applying for resettlement, all we could do was wait. 

I knew that gaining refugee status for resettlement is one of the most prolonged processes to experience and that there would be much out of our control since it involves the U.N. and U.S. Immigration. 

When the application was submitted, we were called for an interview with the U.S. Immigration officials. The entire process took five years: 1999 to 2004. After our pre-screening, we were called for a follow-up. It took one year for us to find out the status of our application. 

And it was heartbreaking when we received the rejection letter, even after we explained that it was unsafe to return home. However, we continued to make due in the refugee camp and kept praying.

Though defeated by the rejection, I knew we had to keep trying. I knew God had more planned for my life. My family and I applied again and by God’s grace our application was approved. We were finally going to join my sister in the U.S. It was a miracle.

My family and I arrived in Minnesota in February 2004. The freezing cold was a big culture shock for us, but we looked forward to the adventure ahead. We looked forward to a new life. 

One of my favorite scripture passages is Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” 

I like this passage because it is easy to give up on ourselves and let doubt overwhelm us. I turned to this passage when I felt hopeless about not being able to leave the refugee camp. These words provided an assurance and restored my hope and trust. 

Through these trials and tests of patience, I learned that He truly listens to my prayers. And deep in my heart, I know He is a trusted friend.

Richmond Appleton is an aspiring author who wrote the book, “Finding Peace: A Refugee’s Story from Peril to Protection.” Appleton is a data analyst in the healthcare industry. He lives in California with his wife and their three children in California. Learn more about his journey at richmondappleton.com.