In 1989, Charles Taylor’s rebel group—The National Patriotic Front of Liberia—launched an insurrection against then leader, Samuel Doe. By the following year, Taylor’s rebels had taken control of most of the country and killed Doe. More than 200,000 people died in the fighting that occurred between 1989 and 1996 in what is known as the First Liberian Civil War.

At this time, the presence of the LDS Church in the area was relatively new. Eight native Liberian missionaries were serving in the country and were under immediate threat when war broke out. They had to leave the country, but doing so could be impossible, even deadly.

FREETOWN tells the story of these courageous young missionaries.