Back up to Malawo!

A few of us headed back up to Malawo last week, to check on how projects are moving along, and to gather a few photos of the roofing project.



These two kids were running around all day with the footie pajamas... they were cracking me up!


I think this may be my new favorite picture I have taken.

A family sits in front of their newly zinced roof.

The younger class in the Malawo school, approximately 40 kids.

Breakfast time! Rice, beans and chicken.. the best I have ever had!

While we were enjoying our rice and bean breakfast, this man was roasting his bush rats he had caught... when I was asking him how they tasted, he said they were "sweet meat! Don't you eat these in the States????" I just smiled and said no. He asked if I wanted to try some, but I told him next time I come... so I better be ready!

Jusu, SP Ministry Staff, also works on zincing all the roofs in Malawo. Great guy!

And after the rats were roasted, the very same family was cooking up this pot of grasshoppers in palm oil! No joke... I've seen them fried before, but never boiled. Yummy?!

Sweet Reunions, Sad Goodbyes

This past Monday I was able to travel back up to ABC in Yekepa, to not only reunite with many of my friends, but also to attend the farewell program for Dave and Trudy Petersen. Dave has been the project manager and contractor for our reconstruction project at ABC, and has been an absolute joy to work with. His wife Trudy as done an amazing job in the local schools and orphanage, and also taught the English course at the University this semester.

It was so fun to see friends in Yekepa, to spend time catching up on how each other's families are, and to congratulate them on all the progress they have made on the campus. I had a few people say "Oh Joni, you are looking FAT!" which is a huge compliment to a Liberian... If I would say that to a fellow American, I don't think I would have a very good response! But I have learned to just smile and say "oh thank you!" :)

The farewell program for Dave and Trudy was absolutely perfect. Representatives from the students, staff, construction workers and Samaritan's Purse took time to honor this incredible couple, and shared how they have impacted their lives this past year. One faculty member stated that there was only one word that described Dave and Trudy best... and that is "LOVE". The majority of the times that I have heard 1 Corinthians 13 read, it has been used to describe love a married couple has for each other. In this case, the characteristics of love fit Dave and Trudy's love for EVERYONE they worked and came in contact with. They are a true example of being Christ in this world.

I believe that there are some people in this world that no matter how long or little time you spend with them, you cannot walk away without being impacted by them in some way. Dave and Trudy are these type of people. I have never met more of a compassionate, patient, gentle, caring and loving man than Dave Petersen. He took the construction job at ABC and made it into so much more, sharing Christ every day through devotions and every day life to all he came in contact with. This man probably handed out more than 300 Bibles in this past year alone!

So, as you can imagine, this was a very hard goodbye for me this week. Working with Dave was a joy and he became a dear friend of mine. ABC will not be the same without him.

We returned with Dave and Trudy to Monrovia on Tuesday, and I brought them to the airport Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday morning I had the opportunity to share with our 50+ staff members in Monrovia about Dave and Trudy, and what they have meant to me. I tell you... I had a hard time making it through. But if anyone asks them what comes next, their only reply was, "We are going home to hug our kids and grandkids! After that we have no idea!" So even though it was hard to let them leave, I know that they miss their family dearly.

Thanks Dave and Trudy for all of your work, friendship and love this past year! We miss you!

Dave modeling one of his gowns he was gifted with from the ABC workers.

Del and Becky Chinchen, President of ABC University, and Dean of Admissions.

Trudy and one of the ABC students after the program was completed.

Morning devotions with the construction crew is the regular routine for Dave. On his last morning in Yekepa, his replacement, James Hooper led the group. James was on the very first ABC construction team that had come out to Yekepa last April. We welcome James to the SP Family!

Please pray for the Petersens as they transition to life back in the States, and as they look to where God may lead them in the future.

Same language... different ears

The other day, I was having a conversation with one of our house cleaners.  Our country director and his family were returning from their home leave, and we were making sure that everything was ready in their house.  This is how the conversation went:

Joni:  "Helena,  could you turn on the Air Conditioning today and leave it on for bossman?"

Helena:  "what?"

Joni:  "Turn on the Air Conditioning today at the house"

Helena: "what?"

Joni:  " the Air Cooler- turn it on today"

Helena: "You want me to turn the water on in the kitchen?"

So even though we are speaking the same english language, sometimes we aren't! :)

Challenges and Changes

After a frustrating start, and a few challenges along the way, I arrived safely back in Liberia on Wednesday, January 7, just one day later than planned.  The very short version, is that I missed my connecting flight in Lagos, Nigeria, and was stranded at the airport until I was able to get on another flight early Wednesday morning.  Getting stranded in Lagos was a "nice" welcome back to West Africa, and all of the challenges there are in traveling this area of the world.  But it is nice to be back.

Driving from the airport and into Monrovia, I was once again "welcomed" by the Pakistani UN Battalion and their tanks. There were about ten of them heading towards the city.  A fast reminder that I am not in Iowa anymore!

 

A big change in our house, is this little guy... Mr. Bandito.  I'm not a huge fan of cats, and I think this kitten knew that, because I seem to be the one he comes to cuddle with!  Unfortunately we had a small accident with Mr. Bandito and our vehicle the day after this picture... he is alive, but suffering from a badly broken leg. :(  So we are doing our best to nurse him back to health!
One thing that has not changed is the cockroaches. I do believe they are the most disgusting creature of all God's creation.  They range in sizes, but our house mostly has the large ones!  I had someone spray our house this week to get rid of them, and it seems to have brought them out of the woodwork!  This morning I woke up to one crawling on my neck!!! Needless to say I didn't sleep much after that...

Yesterday, Buzz and I needed to make an airport pick up, and decided to go a couple hours early to play a round of golf at the Firestone Rubber plantation.  The course isn't too bad.. a bit rough, and as you can see the "greens' are sand mixed with oil... making it black... but the Liberians call them "browns."

One thing that did not change was the high prices... here is an example to all of you nut lovers out there... a can of almonds for $19! ouch!

I took the time yesterday to relax on our front porch... here is our view:

A HUGE change here is our power situation!  ELWA, the campus we live on, has gotten a new manager recently, and many changes have been made. The biggest one for us, is that we now have power 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!  WHAT A DIFFERENCE!  I feel as if life is "normal" when we have power consistently, so it was a big blessing to come back to. They have also returned to ELWA being a "private beach" on the weekends.. so instead of large UN trucks blocking our ocean view, along with hundreds of speedos, well the speedos are still there but the trucks have to be parked at the gate coming onto campus.   So weekends are quieter and not filled with so much traffic.

It has been fun to see everyone I work with at the office again, catching up about the last couple months.  I look forward to what God is going to do with the SP staff this coming year, and excited for the opportunity to document it!

Malawo Video

This is a short video I did for the supporting church in Salmon Arm, BC, who is supporting our work in Malawo, the village I talk about in previous posts.

Note: you will see images of trees, etc.. these areas are the "devil bush" areas. The large tree you see cut down is the woman's devil bush which they gave up to us to construct a school community center and church! The circular cement object is the altar they used for human sacrifices.

In Transit

I left Monrovia last Wednesday, October 1st and am currently in Germany visiting some good friends that I was able to get to know when I was in Waterloo/Cedar Falls. We have been busy seeing so many amazing things- the beaches of Normandy, the castle of Heidelberg, european culture... it has been great! I will be leaving Brussels Sunday morning, October 12th, and will be arriving home in IOWA that evening.

I will be home throughout Christmas, and will be returning to Liberia in the beginning of the year for another year with Samaritan's Purse. SP has committed to completing another 8 buildings on ABC's campus, so more teams will be coming through. But hosting teams won't be my primary role this time, since I will be the new Communications Manager! This entails photographing, gathering stories and making media presentations in order to strengthen our donor relations. I am very privelaged and excited about this and for the opportunity to continue to work for this great organization!

I will be posting pictures from my time in Germany, and hope to see as many of you as I can while I am home!

This and that...

Just some totally random pics in Liberia... mostly the non "professional" ones.. but I hope it gives you another look at my life here.


Taya and the ladies of Malawo. She is their adopted daughter and a "citizen" of Malawo.

Me and my namesake Yassa from Malawo. That is my Loma name, Yassa.

Attempting to climb the rock wall using a vine.. it's been done before but I decided it won't be done by me! It doesn't look it, but its about 50 feet tall.

Helping plaster one of the latrines in Malawo.

It keeps falling off!

STAY!

Installing a water filter in one of the homes in Malawo.

Went for a bike ride with Bev and Taya. I'm the one in the middle.

Foya lookout point. The ground is littered with bullets from the war.

Bev, Taya and I.

Our reflection in the motorbike helmet.

One of the mud bogs I had to ride through!

One of the many log bridges we have to cross.. except this time we hooked a log and pulled it right off with us!

mmmm bush meat... "that sweet meat-o!"

Tay-tay and I getting ready to go check out some water filters.

So I am always seeing the kids roll their wheels down the street, so I decided I would give it a try... it's a LOT harder than it looks!

They make it look so easy.

Supper time! Grab a spoon and dig in.

Getting ready for the hike down from Malawo.

And after we reached the bottom... ewww....

Me and Hauwa. (SP Senior Projects Manager)

The WATSAN and company office. Bev, Taya and myself. Next year I get a real desk :)

The focal point of our whole office...

My first trip up to Malawo.. taking a breather... if the redness of my face doesn't tell you how out of shape I am, I don't know what will!


Downloading pictures in Malawo. There is an open house that we have been staying in, in tents.

The sunset my last night in Liberia. Thank you, Lord!

Celebrating Bev's birthday! I made my attempt at cake decorating... don't ask what they were supposed to be!

Erin (worked with Special Projects) and Taya (Water and Sanitation Program Manager)


Janell and myself. Janell manages the Community Livelihood Program, AND her parents operate ABC, which is who I worked closely with.


Seren and Lisa. Seren runs her own organization called L.A.C.E.S, doing soccer leagues and mentorship, and Lisa coordinates our HIV/AIDS programs.

Our house on ELWA. Seven of us girls live here.

Our new office building on ELWA!

This is how you do homework when your electricity isn't working...

Golfing at Firestone Rubber Plantation. $5 for 9 holes, $5 for a caddy!

One of my favorite spots... on the porch overlooking the ocean.