DEN-L as an organization was born out of the work of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), an organization of the Catholic Church. In 1991 JRS sent Sr. Miriam Theresa O’Brein upon the request of the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Gbarnga to reopen the National Pastoral Center. Miriam worked with a team of Liberians in running the Development Education Network and Leadership Teams in Action (DELTA) training and other programs for the formation of lay people and the promotion of reconciliation in Liberia.