Canada Team Visit

Bev and I hosted a team of 7 Canadians in May. We drove the rough road up to Foya, where I gained a new nickname- "Indiana Joni", and packed in as many projects as possible in those ten days! One unique aspect of this team, is we had a country music artist, Aaron Lines, with us. He has a number one hit in both Canada and the US! Here are some images of their trip.

This is one of our schools that we do the school feeding program in. We partner with WFP (World Food Program) where they provide the food, and we distribute it throughout two counties in Liberia, feeding children, disabled and the elderly. Currently, SP Liberia is feeding 160,000 people each month.


It is a great program, especially for girls, since not only do they get a meal, but it encourages the parents to send their girls to school. Typically the girls are not educated and have to stay at home and help there, leading to a lot of illiteracy in the country.

Bryan was taking pictures of the kids and watching their faces light up when they get to see it on the camera!

At a few of the schools, Aaron busted out his guitar and had the kids singing and dancing- here, our crazy Canadian Paula, was dancing with the chief! I'm sure this village is STILL talking about that white woman who danced with the chief!

The team was able to hand out food at a couple of the schools.

As soon as the guitar was out, the crowds would gather!

One evening we took the team to our favorite lookout in Foya. From here you can see Guinea and Sierra Leone. It is a gorgeous spot!


Buzz was up in Foya that same week, so he came with us to the lookout. The three amigos!


There are STILL a lot of shells from the war. Everytime we go up there we gather handfuls. You would think that we would have picked them all up by now, but they keep getting washed up. Just another reminder of what this country has gone through.

Another project the team was able to participate in, is our fishponds. It was time for harvest, and they jumped right in- literally! We have over 100 fishponds in Liberia, and is an amazing community project, plus many people have come to Christ through it!
This is Sandi showing off her catch.

Paula and Bev goofing off with the tilapia while the others try to catch the remaining fish!


Pa Vannie, our livestock extradenaire, shares with the team about how to sort the fish.

Ramsey, our Aquaculture coordinator, helps with the sorting. The small ones are dumped into the most recently harvested pond, in order to keep a steady rotation of fish coming.

These teenagers had found a baby owl.. and wanted to eat it... we did our best to encourage them not to!

It was so soft!

Next was our cattle project. Pa Vannie has been commended for running the only successful cattle project in Liberia! SP is incredibly proud of him and his dedication to our ministry. He is a godly man who cares deeply about animals, but even more about the hearts of those who own them.

One of our beneficiaries and his cow.

A cute little baby. The father (on the right) was so proud and rushing up to all of us to show off his new son.

The team was also able to do some manual labor for our LIAP (Liberian Integrated Assistance Program). Here they were constructing a community drying floor, which is fenced off in order to keep the animals away from their crops as they dry. Mixing cement this way is not easy-o.

This to me was a perfect picture of a village in Liberia... the thatched roofs, mud huts, women selling a few things, and beautiful trees.... and our SP vehicle. :)

Paula is helping the guys water down the floor before laying the wire and cement.