Around 10 pm on Tuesday, November 8, 2011, Eternal Love Winning Africa (ELWA) radio station in Monrovia, Liberia, went up in flames.
Late into Tuesday night, ELWA staff and others fought hard to fight the fire.
As soon as the emergency call went out teams of soldiers from the UN peacekeeping forces, three branches of the police, and even an armoured tank arrived, as well as the Liberian Fire service. Despite all the help, they were unable to save anything.
ELWA's radio managers are now broadcasting from a small satellite room. They are determined that God’s word will not be made silent. This will give some hope and courage to the many listeners and sympathisers during this time.
So far no cause has been officially established. The fire happened on the same day as a presidential run-off election in Liberia.
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History
The ELWA Radio Station, founded in 1954, was completely destroyed in 1990 as a result of the Liberian civil war. The FM and shortwave broadcasts were relocated to the old ELWA Garage building, itself thoroughly looted in 1996. Nevertheless, resumption and expansion of FM, SW, and Liberian language broadcast was accomplished in the early 2000s. The civil war ended in 2003.
For more information about the work of ELWA go to their website www.elwaministries.org
Read the Elphicks blog http://elphicks.blogspot.com/
Thanks to Joni Byker, photojournalist, for her photos.
