Building Hope: School of Excellence Rises in Liberia
By Adrienne Trupiano
Communications Specialist
On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, Rev. Dr. Charles Boayue Jr., Elizabeth Boayue, and a mission team from Detroit and several other cities departed for Liberia for a ten-day journey centered on faith, partnership, and progress. What they encountered was more than a construction site. It was visible progress toward a long-held dream — and renewed hope for a community eager for opportunity.
The team’s primary purpose was to visit the School of Excellence, a K–6 school currently under construction that will offer strong foundations in technology, core academics, and STEM education. Already more than halfway complete, the project has moved steadily forward. The foundation has been poured, first-floor walls are standing, the powerhouse is operational, and a well has been successfully bored. The elementary school is expected to be finished by summer, with future plans for a middle school and high school to follow.
Communications Specialist
On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, Rev. Dr. Charles Boayue Jr., Elizabeth Boayue, and a mission team from Detroit and several other cities departed for Liberia for a ten-day journey centered on faith, partnership, and progress. What they encountered was more than a construction site. It was visible progress toward a long-held dream — and renewed hope for a community eager for opportunity.
The team’s primary purpose was to visit the School of Excellence, a K–6 school currently under construction that will offer strong foundations in technology, core academics, and STEM education. Already more than halfway complete, the project has moved steadily forward. The foundation has been poured, first-floor walls are standing, the powerhouse is operational, and a well has been successfully bored. The elementary school is expected to be finished by summer, with future plans for a middle school and high school to follow.
Birmingham & Berkley First Mission Team with Joseph Boakai, President of Liberia
While in Liberia, Dr. Boayue arranged for the Birmingham/Berkley Mission Team to meet with the current President of Liberia. In a powerful show of support, the President offered to pave all roads leading to the three schools as they are built. The team also met with former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who welcomed them warmly and praised Dr. Boayue and the church for their ongoing commitment to expanding educational opportunity in a nation still healing from the effects of civil war. These meaningful meetings reflect the strong relationships Dr. Boayue has cultivated over the years, both personally and through the legacy of his father, who was known for building schools throughout Africa before the war.
Gallery of Images from Liberia Mission Trip
Beyond the school site, the mission team focused on strengthening connections throughout the community. They delivered clothing and 20 bags of rice to the 54 children living at the Judith Craig Orphanage, a United Methodist facility. After touring the orphanage and hearing the children sing, the team learned that many lacked proper footwear. Word traveled quickly back to metro Detroit, where individuals and Christ Lutheran Church joined together to ensure that each child would receive two new pairs of shoes — a simple gift carrying profound impact.
The team also visited a Methodist Senior Center, where residents received seven bags of rice and a television. At Ganta United Methodist Hospital, $40,000 worth of medical equipment and supplies from World Medical Relief were donated. Hospital staff expressed deep gratitude, sharing that critical supplies had been running dangerously low.
The School of Excellence has been primarily funded by the generous members of Birmingham & Berkley First United Methodist Church, who have embraced Dr. Boayue’s vision to expand educational access in his native land. Additional donors have contributed through private fundraising efforts, turning vision into tangible progress.
The team also visited a Methodist Senior Center, where residents received seven bags of rice and a television. At Ganta United Methodist Hospital, $40,000 worth of medical equipment and supplies from World Medical Relief were donated. Hospital staff expressed deep gratitude, sharing that critical supplies had been running dangerously low.
The School of Excellence has been primarily funded by the generous members of Birmingham & Berkley First United Methodist Church, who have embraced Dr. Boayue’s vision to expand educational access in his native land. Additional donors have contributed through private fundraising efforts, turning vision into tangible progress.
Reflecting on the trip, Dr. Boayue said, “This school represents more than bricks and mortar. It represents hope for children who deserve access to quality education, hope for families who believe in a brighter future, and hope for a nation continuing to rebuild. To see the walls rising from the soil and to witness partnerships forming across continents reminds us that faith, when put into action, can truly transform communities.”
For Helen Hicks, Liberia Mission Coordinator, the experience was life-changing. “I have traveled many places throughout my lifetime, but have never been on a mission trip,” she said. “My heart was filled with great joy when I first stepped onto the school land. Even though we were a world away from our friends in Birmingham and Berkley, we could see their generosity in every dusty brick. We could hear their support each time a drill blocked out the sounds of our excited voices. And we could feel their love when we closed our eyes and imagined the first group of students who will be walking through the gates in less than a year. It was the most touching ten days of my life.”
As construction continues and relationships deepen, the School of Excellence stands as a testament to what can happen when faith communities work together across continents. What began as a vision is now rising from the Liberian soil — brick by brick — carrying with it the promise of education, opportunity, and hope for generations to come.
Those interested in becoming involved in the School of Excellence effort may contact Dr. Boayue at cboayue@fumcbirmingham.org or Helen Hicks at helenk7306@outlook.com.
As construction continues and relationships deepen, the School of Excellence stands as a testament to what can happen when faith communities work together across continents. What began as a vision is now rising from the Liberian soil — brick by brick — carrying with it the promise of education, opportunity, and hope for generations to come.
Those interested in becoming involved in the School of Excellence effort may contact Dr. Boayue at cboayue@fumcbirmingham.org or Helen Hicks at helenk7306@outlook.com.
Dr. Boayue at the site of the School of Excellence