FATE, TEXAS- A teen believer and her family had to leave their homeland due to Civil War in Sierra Leone. They had to adapt to a new culture in a new land. Her family had to start over and build again. Unexpectedly, a change happens within her job, causing her to move, start over, and build again. Then she is traumatically faced with another dilemma…this time much serious. She experiences a stroke. Her ability to walk and speak came to an unfortunate halt. She was forced back into the stages of infancy, having to learn how to start life over and build again. Though years have gone by during her healing, God is showing her that He is in control. How? Through her hands.

Sharon Macfoy, founder of M.E.L. Rental Services, who currently resides in Fate, Texas, was born in Freetown, the largest capital within the beautiful country of Sierra Leone. It is located on the southwest coast of West Africa. Sierra Leone is one of the top producing nations for diamonds and has a wealth of additional natural resources such as titanium, bauxite, gold, and wildlife. With a current population of 8.8 million people, it is a place known for its beaches, unmatched sands, friendly people, and exports of fish, coffee, and cocoa.

Sharon was born February 24, 1976, in Freetown, Sierra Leone. She grew up in a Catholic church by way of her mom, Melvina. Her late-father, Sydney, was a Methodist.

Sierra Leone provides religious freedom. According to the Sierra Leone 2023 Religious Freedom Report it states, “The government estimates that 77 percent of the population is Muslim, 22 percent Christian, and approximately 2 percent practice animism or some other form of traditional religion.” Of the 22 percent of Christians, there are 16 ethnic groups. One particular group mostly found in the western part of Freetown, known as Krios, are Christians.

With the guidance, support, and provision from her parents, Sharon knew no lack or struggle growing up. Her parents gave her a comfortable lifestyle. They had a 2-story home and cars that were paid in full. This in itself demonstrates their settlement in their home country.

Displaced due to Civil War in Sierra Leone

Then, in the blink of an eye, the Sierra Leone Civil War happened that uprooted the family from their rest in 1991. A rebellion was launched by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), led by Foday Sankoh (rebel chief), and backed by Liberian forces provided by Charles Taylor, Liberia’s 22nd president. Their mission was to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone’s president, Joseph Saidu Momoh. This war was an eleven-year conflict, lasting from March 23, 1991, which would officially end on January 18, 2002, with a declaration made by President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.

According to studies, the RUF used brutal war tactics including “widespread atrocities against civilians, forced recruitment of child soldiers, mass killings, [rapes], mutilations, the exploitation of Sierra Leone’s resources such as diamonds, known as ‘blood diamonds,’” to fund the rebellion.

The war also caused problems in areas such as in the workplace and in schools.

“There was…rumbling of unrest in Sierra Leone…employees didn’t get paid by the government,” Sharon mentioned. “Students went to school but did not get an education. So, you could see the writing on the wall before it happened. We had to get asylum…”

Over 50,000 people died during this extremely violent war and a whopping 2.5 million civilians were displaced…including Sharon’s family.

Forced to leave home, Sharon’s mother moved to the state of Florida, then later to Arkansas, in the U.S. to prepare the way for her children. On August 8, 1991, Sharon, 15, her brother, Sydney, 10, and sister, Carmelia, 13, arrived in Arkansas. The rest of her mother’s side of the family went to Gambia, a neighboring country in Africa, until it was safe to return. Most of her father’s side stayed in Sierra Leone. She was excited to move at first, but then after arrival she began to despise it. This move was not easy for Sharon.

“I was only 15 years old at the time, and didn’t really understand what was going on. I had no idea about politics,” Sharon stated. “I was really frustrated at my mom because I thought she brought us to the USA to start from humbling beginnings when we had everything in Sierra Leone.”

In her adulthood, she realized their move was for the best.

“I thank God for the deeper humility it gave, and I realized along the way that she did it because she wanted a better life for her family,” said Sharon. “I have since apologized to her for my naivety because without my family having financial means and the premonition to get us out of the country Freetown, Sierra Leone, God only knows where we would be.”

Her family had to start over again and rebuild a new life in a place unknown to them. As they began to settle, Sharon experienced things she never knew existed before. Such things included racism, which caused her frustration to grow.

“I wasn’t at all aware of my skin color until I came to the USA,” Sharon stated.

Settling in the United States

As time went on, she learned to adapt to her new life in America. She attended school at Mcclellan High School. She loved working on anything that had to deal with her hands, such as creating things and fixing things.

“I was a tomboy. I would get in stuff. We used to have generators. When the guys worked on the cars…I was right with them. I would break stuff and try to fix it,” Sharon giggled as she excitingly reminisced.

After completing high school, she started going to the University of Central Arkansas in the Fall of 1994. Her heart was not in it. She kept having visions of the name ITT.

“I had a calling. I did not like what I was doing. I went to UCA for business & computers, but it was showing me the theory part of it. I wanted the practical part of it. Every time I would rest in my quiet moments, I would see ITT. It happened like three different times.”

She decided to move forward with the directions of her heart. She knew it was going to hurt her mom and dad, but she wanted to follow her dreams. She took one semester off and then went full time to ITT Tech in 1998. She graduated May 2000.

She started working at AT&T in July 2000 in Arkansas. She got married November 2000. She found out she was pregnant in December. She gave birth to her daughter Sierra on July 13, 2001. She was a preemie. She bought a house in Arkansas and resided there for about five to six months. Sharon was 25 years old.

In the midst of her training at AT&T in January 2003, the company announced that they were moving to Texas. If the workers wanted to keep their job, they had to move as well. This was another moment when Sharon had to leave her place of comfort and begin again. She arrived in Texas and began to look for an apartment and a new church home.

A New Chapter in Sharon’s Spiritual Journey with God – Highly Influenced by Psalm 139

After some time, she found a place of worship at True Worshipers Global Worship Center, in Carrollton, TX, under the leadership of Apostle Margelee Hylton-Benjamin, who at that time was known as ‘Pastor Margelee.’ She was drawn to the church because of the children. Her daughter was three years old at the time.

“The children were praying with boldness. I was like, God, this is where I want to be. Everything was at peace a hush came over me…my whole being was calm.”

Her commitment to the Lord deepened in 2004 after reading the Purpose Driven Life for 40 days. Each day she made sure to apply a chapter to the Lord. This caused her whole lifestyle to be changed.

According to Sharon, Apostle Margelee would always read Psalm 139. This stayed with Sharon, which reassured that God is always with her. She later bought a house in 2005. In 2011, she partnered with a business owner to do event planning to learn the craft. This would go well with the love she had to work with her hands and her desire to see things look beautiful.

“I always had an eye for aesthetics,” Sharon stated.

Sharon did her first big show with a party of 400, which was a success! She continued to work on the job while also doing events. Life was going well for Sharon.

The Stroke that Changed Her Life’s Direction

In 2013, she decided to make a change in the house for Sierra. Since Sierra was getting older, Sharon wanted to surprise her daughter with a brand-new room. During this time, her daughter was away at grandma’s house. She bought new things and began to redecorate everything so that when her daughter returned, she would come to something different.

July 2013, a tragic occurrence would take place when she was alone at home. Little did Sharon know, that the difference would not only be in her daughter’s room, but also in their lives in general. Sharon had a stroke. This would change her life and the life of her daughter immediately.

“It was a mini stroke, but it was enough to catch my attention,” Sharon shared. “I could not talk, I knew what I wanted to say, but I could not articulate it fully. I could write very well, but I could not speak.”

Sharon’s mother found out and told Sierra about the stroke. Amazingly, God worked a miracle. Sierra knew exactly what to do. She said, “Grandma…let’s go.” When Sharon’s mom was driving Sierra down, Sierra asked her to stop at the house. Sierra gathered all the pictures they had together and took it to the hospital and brought them to her mom to see if she could remember. She asked her mom, “Do you know who this is? Do you know who that is?’ Sharon miraculously remembered. Sierra was relieved to know that her mother was able to respond with the right answers. This demonstrates the daughter and motherly bond that cannot be shaken.

“I told her who it was, and she felt okay that I was able to recall who they were,” said Sharon as she began to reminisce of that point in her life. “Sierra has always been my pillar. She’s so strong, I know we fuss and fight. But I love that girl. That’s my heart.”

God used her daughter to help Sharon along the way. She also went to rehab to get back to the place where she could function again in society.

Other areas of her life began to become affected. Sharon was out of work until December. Her finances decreased drastically. She needed help and she needed it soon.

“At that time, they used to pay me half of my check,” Sharon shared. “I said Lord, I need to go back to work. I am not going to be able to do it, unless you help me through this.”

Experiencing God’s Healing After the Stroke

After some time, she returned to work. As time progressed, she began to pursue other activities. God began to develop her abilities to speak and walk. Each day, she took it one step at a time, while depending on God’s strength, direction, and healing to help her through it. Each year she began to get stronger and stronger! Psalm 139 was at work within her life by the healing power of God.

During 2017-2018 she went back into event planning, operating through her business M.E.L. Rental Services, doing some shows, designing beautiful decor, and more. Her business name came from the amazing connection of the word “Mel” found within her family line.

“My grandfather’s name is Melville. My grandfather died a couple of days after I was born. He’s been a driving force in my life. My mom’s called Melvina, and my uncle is called Melville, so it’s like Mel, Mel, Mel. I have a lot of ‘Mels’ in my family. So, it’s like it’s a generational thing,” Sharon happily shared.

Interesting enough, her uncle also named his son Melville. Then she noticed that Mel was still spelled out by the first letter of various last names in her family when they were compiled together. Sharon couldn’t avoid it. She was certain that she must continue the pattern of the MEL traditional name.

“And it so happened that, M is my last name, Macfoy. My daughter’s last name is Eskridge, and my mother’s maiden name is Lewis…and it’s like my God! That’s what it’s supposed to be called Mel. M.E.L. Rental Services. That’s how I came up with the name.”

By 2023-2024, she went full blast, successfully gaining a lot of shows and more customers. She now has an informative website that allows her customers to connect with her easily. It includes photos of items she carries, along with her sample designs.

M.E.L. Rental Services Slideshow:

In addition to that, she is still experiencing her healing. She recognized the source of her healing and sees that the Lord continues to answer her prayers.

“They took every kind of test. They never did any kind of surgery on me. This is all God’s work…I’m speaking way better now, but I still have not been able to speak the way that I used to speak. It’s a process, but I am daily looking to the Lord to help me. I am fighting. If you look at me where I was in 2013, and where I am now in 2025…I have come along way. It is all to the glory of God. I cannot do anything without Him.”

We can see the power of God being demonstrated through the life of Sharon and how Psalm 139 continues to play out in her life. Someone who couldn’t walk or talk is now creating, planning, and designing elegantly and excellently for numerous customers with her hands…a tool provided and guided by God. On top of that, Sharon and her daughter are still going strong with the motherly-daughter bond that shall never be broken in Jesus’ Name.

This is nothing but God’s grace! This goes to show that God can do all things. Sometimes the healing process is quick…sometimes it is progressive. Either way…God is doing exactly what He needs to do. He is healing, because He is God who heals.

We’re also happy to report that Sierra Leone and the civilians are getting stronger post-war. Although wounded by war scars, Sierra Leone is rising again, with a dedicated mission to avoid repeating mistakes made in their civil history.

Take a moment to listen to Sierra Leone’s heart-moving national anthem.

Sharon’s Thoughts About Her Homeland Sierra Leone

“We still have a lot to do to this day, and I pray that it shall come back even better than the place we heard from our ancestors. I’ll always have a place in my heart for Sierra Leone, but I’m now a U.S. citizen. My true allegiance is and shall always be a child of the Most High God, to the King of kings, the Most High God Yahweh, The Beginning and The End, The Alpha and The Omega, The First & Last, the Omniscient One, The Omnipresent One, and the Omnipotent One…The Only One that I fear…and that’s God.”

Sharon Macfoy, Owner of M.E.L. Rental Services

To get connected to Sharon Macfoy or schedule an event with M.E.L. Rental Services go to: Melrentalservices.com.

This is Sharlene, reporting from Horns of Heaven Global Network, letting the power of Jesus be known, by Sounding the Trumpet of News from God’s People to God’s People across the globe. It’s all about the Kingdom of God and connecting the believers of Christ through clear communication and real-life stories told around the world! Nation to Nation…We Are One!

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References:

African Tales and History. “Sierra Leone Civil War: A Brutal History.” YouTube, 11 Jul., 2024. https://youtu.be/YnNlqtnn6o0

Momodu, Samuel (2017, January 16). The Sierra Leone Civil War (1991-2002). Accessed April 25, 2025. The Sierra Leone Civil War (1991-2002) | BlackPast.org

Sierra Leone Population (2025). Worldometer, Sierra Leone Population (2025) – Worldometer.

United States Department of State • Office of International Religious Freedom. Sierra Leone 2023 International Religious Freedom Report. https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/547499_SIERRA-LEONE-2023-INTERNATIONAL-RELIGIOUS-FREEDOM-REPORT.pdf

Wars & Battles. “Can Sierra Leone Ever Recover From Its Brutal Civil War?” YouTube, 2 Jan., 2025. https://youtu.be/5mYzmCYpxL4