Neabei Toah, one of the co-founders of The Love Foundation-Liberia

I met Neabei Toah through my connection with The Love Foundation as the Volunteer Coordinator for North Carolina.  Neabei has been a diligent Love Warrior in bringing Unconditional Love to Liberia and beyond.

His genuine interest in promoting unconditional love is astounding and powerful.  He recently established The Love Foundation-Liberia.  In his own words, I asked Neabei to share more of his experience with founding the non-profit:

HOW I FIRST MADE THE DECISION TO INCORPORATE A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

The Love Foundation-Liberia, TLF-L is comprised of a group of young volunteers established on a non-governmental, non-partisan humanitarian basis. The Love Foundation-Liberia’s existence is by the conviction of some Liberian youth and the young-at-hearts that the greatest of all unifying forces ever to be noted amidst tribal, religious, economic, political and other form of differences is that of unconditional love and as such, TLF-Liberia encourages the collaboration of other humanitarian local and international organizations in addressing the needs of post-war Liberia.

Liberia is the oldest republic in Africa established by free slaves from North America. There are fifteen sub-divisions and sixteen tribes which make up this nation. The nation has been one of the most peaceful countries in Africa prior to the 1990s where foreigners sought refuge for many years. However, there were still other forms of tribal differences. The problem of co-existence among the tribes of which the Gios, Krahns, Manos, and Mandingos were at the lead reached its apex in December, 1989 with a devastating tribal war which lasted for fourteen 14 years taking away the lives of more than tow hundred and fifty (250,000) people. This civil war seized in 2003 upon the arrival of the United Nations peacekeepers which comprised of about 17,000 personnel-the largest UN peacekeeping mission ever known. The mission of the United Nations peacekeepers to Liberia which expired in 2007 has been re-extended for security reasons. My major concern and worry is “should the United nations continue as peace for Liberia.

In practical reality, Liberia can only be peaceful if we foster unconditional love. The tribal misunderstanding which has been passed down from one generation to another is still a problem and a burden for and among us. Unfortunately, this problem is worsening by religious differences. While the generational tribal discrimination remains a burden, the Christians and the Islamic worshippers (Muslims) are competing for dominance over Liberia. In October, 2005, there was a spotlight or foreshadowing on anticipated religious crisis in Liberia. This disturbance took away the lives of a few people and damaged a lot of properties including the burning down of churches and mosques in and around Monrovia. Against these shortcomings, we as youth of The Love Foundation-Liberia are working with the goal to unify Liberians through unconditional love.

Truly, we live in a country or even on a planet that provides the most challenging opportunities to become and express love in its unconditional form. Unconditional love as we understand, is not a goal but a process and is no longer to be limited as unattainable but the practical and inherent way to approach and live life. If people are motivated and inspired to transcend beyond their limitations and begin to love unconditionally, we can have hope for a brighter future. Love is an expansion of certain qualities we can truly feel physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

Liberia today is inhabited by a population of about 3.5 million. 80% of the total population is living below the poverty line. Adult illiteracy rate is 44.5%. Liberia, a post-war country is in dire need for unconditional love education across the country for tribal, inter-personal, religious, economic and other reasons. However, this is a country where people live on far less than a dollar per day. Wherever we have talked about unconditional love, we received applauds for the reality in the vision but the greatest expectation from us to accompany the sweet and meaningful words is aid.

On a numerous occasion, we have been faced with questions like what are you guys going to do to physically or practically demonstrated love given the kind of conditions of extreme poverty you see us in?  These questions have caused me a lot of guilt and discomfort. For instance, many children have to stay hungry for many hours a day awaiting Mama to return from the market at about  6:00pm after selling some petit goods of insignificant profit of which the profit could buy about two cups of rice and a little fish for a one square meal. Sometimes by the time the food is finished cooking, the younger kids have all fallen asleep.

With love having more underpinnings of hope, we desire not to forget about charitable projects as we move on unifying, inspiring and motivating people to love unconditionally.

We have strived to become legally established so as to find it easier to operate without obstructions by the government. Also, we would find it easier to solicit friendly supports to enable us undertake programs/projects to meet the needs of the vulnerable youth, women and children of Liberia where unconditional love can fit and is truly needed.

WHAT CHALLENGES WERE FACED IN THE PROCESS OF INCORPORATION

There is nothing that can make me stronger rather than challenges.

Truly, during the process of incorporating The Love Foundation-Liberia, we started with nothing in terms of financial potential. We first decided to write prominent individuals to support our effort, all we received were promises but non came true. We reached a point where we all felt frustrated about the idea of continuous promises that cannot be fulfilled. Finally, we resolved to contribute our meager financial resources which were reported to our financial secretary every Sunday. The weekly amount was $ 10.00 Liberian dollars equivalent to 0.14 US cent. We needed $ 250.00USD as Liberia has a duo currencies system meaning that the United States dollars is a legal tender in our economy.

We have fifteen prominent members. A break down of how we were able to raise the amount is  14 X 15persons X 48 Sundays X 2 years which amounted to $ 201.00USD .

I had to pay the balance because I am the head of the organization.

When the document went into the office of the minister of foreign affairs it was about her time to travel outside of the country. It spent weeks on her desk but was finally endorsed and received on June 8, 2010 at about 12:00noon.

Perseverance X diligence + You = Success For Us

THE RESPONSE OF MY COMMUNITY

There is no one person who has every criticized our effort. Everyone cheers us so much for the vision we have and continue to pray for successfulness in endeavors. Except for their expectation from us in relation to practical demonstration of unconditional love in terms of charitable projects which will surely come in the future as per our plan, students of high schools and universities and religious institutions continue to encourage our visits at their various institutions with the message of loving unconditionally. All of these are what we stand for but the legal footing was needed to have primarily been established.

Everyone accepts the fact that indeed, love is needed most in Liberia. From the economy, inequitable distribution of national income especially wherein there is no middle class, it is either one is poor or very rich. The income disparity is so wide to the extreme that a greater portion of the nation’s population is just unable to commend the resources needed to meet their daily needs.

Socially, people affiliate with the people of their own ethnicity, political background and religious creeds. It can be vivid that if a pastor, bishop or imam is of a certain tribe, majority of his congregation will be of his tribe.

If a principal or president of an educational institution is of a Liberian ethnicity, the same will also be observed.

By the introduction of unconditional love amidst these forms of limitations, we have always and continue to receive appreciations for our endeavor.

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In part 2 we’ll examine the vision of the future of The Love Foundation Liberia, immediate plans, long term plans and closing thoughts on the experience thus far.  Thanks for reading!

See more posts by Aaron Mangal

Latest posts in the Global Visions Of Love series:

• Love In Liberia: Neabei Toah and His Vision Of Unconditional Love (Part 2)
• Love In Liberia: Neabei Toah and His Vision Of Unconditional Love (Part 1)

Global Visions Of Love