Here’s the gist of what’s happening with a prayer…

In Liberia, where cocoons of the past are often spun with hardship, a unique program called Styl is helping former child soldiers and marginalized men spread their wings of redemption. Think of it as the ultimate life-makeover, complete with cognitive behavioral therapy, financial fairy godmothers, and even $200 seed funding to kickstart dreams. It's like Queer Eye for the Liberian guy, but with eternal life lessons and a sprinkle of heavenly grace!

Dear Lord, thank you for the transformation that's taking place in the lives of these remarkable men in Liberia. May they continue to soar on their newfound wings of hope, purpose, and dignity. Amen.

The Butterflies of Liberia:
A Transformative Tale of Second Chances

Monrovia, Liberia — Sometimes, the miracles of life are hidden within its toughest cocoons. Liberia, a West African country battered by two gruesome civil wars, is witnessing an astonishing metamorphosis, thanks to a unique project aimed at rehabilitating former child soldiers and marginalized young men. They are known as the Butterflies… They're humans, willing to change, seeking redemption.

The Chrysalis of History
Liberia has a poignant backdrop: 14 years of civil wars, deaths of 300,000 Liberians, child soldiers as young as seven, and a drug epidemic that led to a homicide rate three times the global average. The situation laid the groundwork for an unprecedented rise in crime and substance abuse.

Transformative Wings
Anthony Kamara, a guiding light in this journey, compares the process to a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. A former drug user himself, Kamara serves as a facilitator for Sustainable Transformation of Youth in Liberia. Kamara explains, "Men come to us to shed those skins—all those lost years—and emerge as socially useful young men."

An Oasis Called Nepi
Founded by Johnson Borh, himself a former child soldier, Network for Empowerment and Programme Initiatives (Nepi) is turning tattered lives into socially useful tapestries. The nonprofit has been working diligently to weave together the threads of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and financial empowerment. Borh crystallized his experiences in the program known as “Sustainable Transformation of Youth in Liberia” or “Styl” for short.

Styl begins with eight weeks of CBT and group therapy, followed by practical tasks—something as simple as maintaining bodily hygiene or managing money. "Men who spent their youth as child soldiers can struggle to do these basic things without resorting to anger," Borh clarifies.

The Wings of Hope
Studies indicate that Styl has significantly curbed antisocial behaviors in the men enrolled, with those undergoing therapy half as likely to engage in violent, criminal, or drug-related activities. Men are also awarded $200 seed funding to kick-start businesses or further their education. In Liberia, that goes a long way. Cool B. Coleman, a former child soldier, transformed his life and now runs a grocery store. "By God's and Nepi's glory, I am a different man," Coleman beams.

Global Echoes
Styl's success has rippled across the Atlantic with similar projects surfacing in Chicago and Colombia. The impact of Styl proves that "future self-continuity"—a phenomenon where participants begin to invest in their futures—is not confined to geographical or cultural boundaries.

Heavenly Glimmers
Benjamin T. Richards, another beneficiary, is now a pastor. "Life became clearer for me," he shares. "I saw who I am and that who I am was different from what had happened to me."

Reflection
Styl is a real-world testament to the age-old Biblical themes of redemption, second chances, and new beginnings. The Biblical message of renewal runs through Styl like a golden thread—showing that regardless of your past, there’s a future awaiting. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, it says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"

Styl's transformative power harkens back to the Prodigal Son's story, a tale of waywardness, repentance, and ultimate redemption. It’s a powerful reminder that people are not mere products of their past but are always capable of change and growth, of emerging anew.

So, here's to the butterflies of Liberia, for their grit, their growth, and the promise they hold for a better tomorrow. As they shed their old skins, these men are reborn in profound and inspiring ways—truly a divine metamorphosis if ever there was one.

Thank you for joining us today on PRAY NEWS. It is our aim to be informed and transformed. We pray today you will proceed with hope, love, and determination to be a force for good.