Journal Entry 5

This is the day the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Thursday

I woke up to rain this morning, I think it rained all night. I woke up several times in the night and heard the rain. We’re leaving early this morning, to go further out into the “bush” as they call it, for the 3rd conference. I’m looking forward to seeing the country side of Liberia.

We’re back! The service was great. There was 92 women attending today’s session and I had 94 pair of flip-flops. I left the last two pair of shoes at the orphanage where we attended church for the conference. I sang praises to the Lord, danced before God and played a gourd instrument in the service. The place was really ‘jumpin’, very loud, very happy. I taught the ladies two new songs and tried to learn some of theirs.

Leah and Ginger did a great job as usual and the ladies were really blessed by the message they heard. The words they heard had such an impact, some of the ladies decided to rename their children. Here in Liberia, life is very hard and the people are still trying to recover from a war that lasted thirteen years. It is common practice here to name your baby after whatever the mother is going through at the time. They name their children war, trouble, bad bay, poor boy, garbage, dun hill, rape, hard time, lonely, struggle, hungry, pain, etc. Several of the women stood up and said that they were going to give their children good names, Biblical names, positive names. Just think, because of some positive actions, these newly named kids could grow up to change the face of the nation!

We got to tour the orphanage and meet the kids today. In their compound there is a birthing center, a medical clinic and a medicine store (like a pharmacy). The surrounding community also uses the birthing center and the clinic.

On the way back to the city we stopped at an art doll shop. How the artist started making the dolls is a sad but interesting story. Dolle, the artist, has a sister who had a child that was born with all her internal stomach organs on the outside. The people of the village thought the baby was “witchcraft” and wanted the parents to kill the baby. The mother refused to kill her child and she tried to bind the little girl so that people would not know about the deformity. The intestines, liver, kidneys and bowels soon became badly infected. The parents lived a long way out in the bush and there was no money for a doctor.

Dolle, the baby's aunt, talked her sister into bringing the baby to the city so that they could try to get some help. By the time they arrived at Monrovia, it was almost to late. The baby way battling a massive infection the doctors gave them no home that the little girl would live. But she survived and a surgery was performed to enclose the organs for the time being. The baby named Dolle, after her artist aunt, is now five months old and needs another every expensive surgery to make things right. The type of surgery needed can not be performed in Liberia. The aunt is making art dolls to sell so that the money can be raised for the trip, surgery and extended stay of the parents. Thousands of dollars are needed but they will not take money without giving something in return. I bought two larger dolls and twenty ornaments to give as gifts to my friends along with a different type of gourd instrument.

We arrive back at the compound very hot and sweaty. I went to the potty and discovered running water, YEA!! I’m going to take a real shower, the first one I‘ve had since arriving Sunday night! I get in the shower, turn on the water and find that the shower head is broken, so it’s back to using the trusty bucket but at least it’s private and somewhat warmer water.

It’s getting to dark to see to write, maybe we’ll get electricity later tonight. Here comes the rain again. Ah-h-h-h the sound of rain on a tin roof. We had another fantastic dinner tonight. It was some kind of a beef dish with sauce, sauteed carrots and zucchini in butter. We had fresh pineapple and fried bananas for dessert. I’m pooped and I’m going to bed before I get any more mosquito bites!

Frankie

Here is sweet little Dolle and her mother.

Here the orphans are showing off their M&M candy.

Ladies this is the birthing center, can you say I'm glad I live in the good old US of A?

Part of the clinic at the orphanage.

A typical bedroom for the kids. They are luck and only have to sleep 2-3 per bed.


This is the kitchen where all their meals are prepared.

Here is the class room, on rainy days it also doubles as a laundry drying room.