Malawo Celebration

We had two Regional Directors visit the Liberia office the last week of February. I was in charge of coordinating and organizing their visit, and to make sure they see the projects they want to see. One of those projects was Malawo. So, we headed up the mountain again to visit the village that we love!

I really don't think I have gone a single day without seeing a Minnesota Vikings shirt! Just a little taste of home...

Elijah arrived carrying Bossman and our guests, plus OCC boxes.
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It was just a bit dusty!

Unloading boxes to be distributed to the children.

While we were visiting, Malawo was celebrating! It marked the one year point where the "burden was lifted" off of the village, where women could where shirts and men could where shoes. So there was a lot of dancing going on.

One of our guests, Tim, handing out shoeboxes.

The chief of Malawo helping one of the children open his box.

These kids were SO appreciative- they all were sprinting by me with huge smiles and yelling "THANK YOU YAH!"

While the guys were in the middle of the program, we hung out in the back and played with some of the kids.

Janell hanging out with the kids.

We were given a pineapple and it was the biggest one we had ever seen- way bigger than any of our heads!

ABC- with Students!

African Bible College University continues to rebuild here in Yekepa, but there is much more life on the campus since classes began in November. With 28 students in this year's class, activity is found everywhere. The campus is absolutely beautiful, and the school is the nicest you will find in all of Liberia. Here are a few recent shots.













Currently the Library is being constructed... and it is going to be the nicest building on campus so far! I will post pictures when it is completed.

Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC)

Our OVC program is a busy one! OVC looks after those who are caring for orphans, vulnerable children, and those affected by HIV/AIDS. They do everything from livestock, agriculture, water projects, school fees, feeding programs, counseling, skills training, to name a few.

I was able to go and visit an OVC farm, where there community alots a piece of land where all members can farm together, in order to earn money to pay for school fees, food, etc.

Here are Love (on left) and Janet, OVC staff, choosing farm tools to give to the community.

Lisa, OVC Coordinator, talks to the community about the importance of this farm land.


Cassava is the plant of choice on this farm. This woman is cutting the cassava branches to plant.

Just a little different than planting in Iowa.

Once the holes are dug, the women throw in two sticks of Cassava to grow.

The skills training that OVC offers, includes Literacy, tye-die, baking, pastry, and generator repair. This allows the caretakers to learn a skill in order to help support themselves, and the people in their household.

The students in the skills training held an exhibition in our office in Monrovia, to show us what they have learned, and to allow us to purchase their products.

Operation Christmas Child (OCC)

The project that Samaritan's Purse is most known for is OCC- Operation Christmas Child, where blessed folks like yourself fill shoeboxes full of goodies for needy kids around the world. I saw my first shoebox distribution last year, and have done two within the last 2 weeks. Here are a few images of the first one this year.

The kids waiting patiently for us to all arrive.

Pretty sure she was afraid of the white woman who was taking her picture...

Clinging to his ticket for a box.

Church Livelihood Program

One of our new projects is the CLP- Church Livelihood Program, where women are taught numeracy, literacy and are given small ruminants, such as snails and rabbits to raise.

To me, this is one of the most inspiring projects to visit. Unfortunately, in Africa it is normal for girls not to be educated, since they must stay at home and help with cooking, etc. The "boy child" is favored in this society, and so most of these women didn't even know how to hold a pencil, and are now able to read and write!

One of the beneficiaries posing with her rabbit.

Snails.

Janell is our Program Manager for the CLP and has done an amazing job!