In the previous article in this series, you saw a brief overview of Pastor Morsal’s life. Now, I’d like to share some of the details of his childhood.
Morsal Collier was born into a family that had already known the tragedy of the death of a child. The first child born to Mr. and Mrs. Collier died before the second child was born. Though never known, this brother was very much a recognized member of the family. They were always a group of ten children though none of them could ever remember there being more than nine. They were a happy and connected family.
The Colliers led a comfortable, middle-class lifestyle. Mr. Collier, the father was an engineer for the railroad. It was a well-paid and steady job that allowed him to meet all the needs of his growing family. In 1969, tragedy struck the Collier family again.
At the age of eight, Morsal Collier lost his 43 year-old father due to complications of diabetes. The Collier family was suddenly poor, and Mrs. Collier went out into the workforce. Morsal’s mother worked in a low-wage position as a clerk in a pharmacy to support her nine children. Sierra Leone is a country without a social welfare system. At the funeral for her dear husband, many people asked the question, “How will you support all these children?” Morsal remembers her faith in God. She would only answer, “God will provide.” Indeed, God was present within the Collier family.
The entire brood moved in to Morsal’s maternal grandmother’s home. Pastor Morsal recalled that his favorite times were devotions on Sunday mornings led by his grandmother. There would be extemporaneous prayers by each member. Afterward, they would breakfast and attend church. The afternoons included more bible study at home. It was a very peaceful family time of sharing. While they were rich in God’s love, their economic situation took time to repair.
Morsal Collier’s school was 12 miles from home, and he walked there and back shoeless every day. It was very hard. All of the Collier children were excellent students, the elder siblings providing a good example for Morsal. As each brother graduated from university and gained employment, the financial condition of the Collier family gradually improved.
All of the Collier children attended university except for his one sister who completed a vocational school. Pastor Morsal says his mother “did an awesome job” raising them. She worked hard and expected her children to do the same. Pastor Morsal is very proud of his mother and misses her very much. Her death was another unexpected loss for this loving family.
In the next article, we’ll discover more of the successes and adversity Pastor Morsal’s family experienced in Sierra Leone during his young-adult life.