Friday, January 21

Today we had a prayer time and send off for 18 of our new CDF's (Community Development Facilitators) who move into their new communities on Monday. This is the beginning of implementing our new strategy in difficult and unreached areas of Liberia. Please pray for these ambassadors of Christ and of SP as they work to fulfill their roles in their new communities!

On a totally different note, another new grocery store just opened up this week, and we paid it a visit after work tonight. So exciting! Congratulations to our friends at Stop and Shop for another location!

Tonight we also kicked off our first friday game night at the staff house. Lots of food, lots of laughs and a very competitive game of dutch blitz! Ahhh a very goot game!

Heading to Bopolu in the morning for the weekend, looking forward to checking in on the communities who are now carrying out the literacy project on their own.

Thursday, January 20

A few memorable things happened today:

1. I was able to meet the two women staff that I will be mentoring this year! Two beautiful women of God, Ophelia and Moinjama. Please pray for them as they prepare to live and work in communities that do not know God, and that God would use them mightily! Pray for spiritual and physical transformation in the 20 new communities we are working in in 2011.

2. I am currently designing the festival billboard which will be displayed all around Monrovia for the upcoming festival in March. Kinda crazy that I'm designing a billboard for a high profile person, in Liberia. I'll make sure to take pics of them once they are up!

3. I was walking home from work today with my backpack slung over my shoulders, and carrying a bowl covered with tin foil. I noticed a few people in the middle of the road but didn't think anything of it. Soon the woman began to dance in the middle of the street. Again, I didn't think anything of it. It wasn't until I was about ten feet behind the dancing woman that I realized they were shooting a music video... and I was walking right through the middle of it! It didn't seem to phase them one bit b/c she just kept on singing and dancing, and they just kept on filming... I guess it's cool to have a white woman carrying a bowl and tinfoil in your music video??

Wed, January 19

A couple months ago we had two of my Liberian friends, Nancy and Jerry, over for supper. We thought that spaghetti was probably the best western meal to make for them. We thought wrong. We all burst out laughing when after the first bite they were trying to choke it down! I guess our favorites are not everyone else's! Tonight we had Nancy over again. This time, Taya and I decided we would cook a Liberian meal. My first attempt at cooking split pea soup to put on the rice... one bite in, and Nancy pulled an interesting face. "Hot pepper! It needs hot pepper!" I grabbed the crushed red pepper from the kitchen and covered her rice till it was red. I guess I better keep practicing my Liberian soups!

Tuesday, January 18

Was a victim of jet lag again last night...painfully watching the minutes pass by until after 3:00... makes for a long day in the office! Amidst the jet lag, I am very excited for some upcoming media projects I'll be starting in the next week- stay posted for the final product!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Even though I was mentally prepared for my first day back in the office, it still took me by surprise when three of our staff members 'complimented' me on looking fat since being on my home leave... welcome back to Liberia. :)

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Well, it is the calm before the storm tonight. Tomorrow will begin the unending busyness for 2011- starting with a week long training for our new Community Development Facilitators who will be our key staff for implementing our projects and impacting the communities we are working in this year. I also start training my new coordinator, who will hopefully handle a good chunk of my work load so I can focus more on communications this year- hopefully.

Would appreciate prayers as we conduct the training this week and for all of those in charge of all the details!

Had a fantastic potluck tonight with the team and a few of our SP visitors- had some good laughs and great conversations. Some may call us all crazy, but we sure have a ton of fun!

A New Year, A New Approach

While most of you have probably stopped checking this blog, I haven't given up on it yet... I just had to set it aside for a while so I could keep up with work! This year I plan on doing a much better job at updating with a new approach (thanks to my friend/housemate/co-worker Danielle). Every day I will write something on this blog. Some days I may have something on my heart and mind that I want to share, and most days it will be a paragraph or even a sentence describing the day in Liberia. Either way, you will have something to read, or at least a photo to look at!

I will start this year off with a recap of today-

First day back in Liberia in 2011! Was able to get some much needed sleep and it was off to the office to finish a report. Pleasantly surprised, I finished much quicker than expected and was able to enjoy the afternoon at the beach with my housemates and co-workers! From 7* to 87* in 30 hours... my body is much more comfortable in this weather! While the "goodbye's" and "see you laters" with family and friends at home never get easier, it feels good to be back for another year. I can't wait to be able to share (more regularly) with you what God is going to do in Liberia in 2011!