Hello again from Monrovia! There’s so much to report to all of you. I can’t say enough about how much your support means to me. I can sense every day the love and prayers of the people who have joined me in this adventure-thank you!! There have been so many significant changes-I don’t think I can fit them all in, but I will try to give you a good synopsis. I had a wonderful time visiting with many of you over the Christmas season while I was home and in Europe. It was the perfect Christmas gift! I regret not seeing all of you though, so upon my return in January, here are the happenings….
Changes in Monrovia
January 16th was Inauguration Day for Liberia’s new President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the first female African President. The transformation of the city was incredible! Buildings were painted, actual lines on the roads and potholes filled, even two functioning street lights, which are being obeyed surprisingly. Over the past months, I’ve also seen a couple of dumpsters, four trash cans in the street and some garbage trucks! The mood here is very optimistic, but there is an enormous task before her with the new government and its fighting and corruption. I met with the newly-appointed Minister of Education who seems to have his heart in the right place and the skills to help rebuild. Please remember them in your prayers.
Changes at All God’s Children
Whew. Where do I begin? Some key highlights have been:
ALP: In December, all of our staff was trained in Accelerated Learning Program which allows us to give a student a 6th grade education in three years! I spent my weeks before my visit to USA completely reorganizing our 15 Gate School’s schedules, class lists, and staffing. Since implementation in January, it has been a dream come true. The teachers are doing an excellent job. They even meet regularly after school at the principal’s house to confer. We were given more textbooks from Ministry of Education for participating. I want to cry as I see students being actively involved in the lessons, going outside on mini field trips, and learning so much! It has radically changed the teaching and learning environment.
AIDS/Sexual Purity: Mercy Ship staff are providing free AIDS workshops to our students who are 12 years and older. They will also give free teacher training and materials so that the teachers can educate the students and their communities as well. AIDS has been referred to as a pandemic in Africa. Stats re: Liberia are unreliable and, most feel, way underestimated at 8%. Our older students will also participate in Mercy Ship’s program called “Worth Waiting For” that celebrates sex as it was meant to be and encourages purity until marriage. Such awesome opportunities to have a great impact on the future of our children!
Mercy Ship has two retired cruise liners. They have been converted into floating hospitals with Operating Rooms and all. One travels the coast of Africa providing free health care where there are no options. The other ship travels the Caribbean. Ingenious!
Construction/Renovation: This is exciting news! Our Sinkor school has been dealing with no plumbing, no electricity, and extensive water damage to name a few issues. One classroom is so dark that the students can’t see the board. On really rainy days, some students have to move to avoid the leaking. Our classrooms are filled and space is an issue. Living Water International is an NGO here that will provide free labor if we can raise funds for the materials. A special gift was provided for us to cover the $16,000 cost! We will be adding a 3rd floor to the building, rewiring and replumbing, and fixing the water damage starting in March. Of course, working around a school schedule could be fun! This will provide a place for short term mission groups to stay as well! Our 15 Gate school faces the same problems as above, but also has had to build a bamboo annex of three classrooms with bamboo used for benches and “tabletops.” All over the school the classes interfere with noise from each other, because they are sharing rooms. Living Water will also provide free labor for the construction of a new school where each class would have its own room! Opposite to the United State, materials are the expensive part of construction here. So, we are asking for donation to the projects. We will keep you up to date on the exciting changes.
So these are the high lights along with the every day work of supervising teachers at two schools, managing a school system and playing with the students at recess!
Changes in Student’s Life: Josephine’s Story
At one of our visits to 15 Gate in January, Sackie spent about an hour counseling Josephine, and I spent time with her as well. She had been pulled around the country by her mother, making school attendance choppy. Finally, at 17 years old, illiterate, and in Kindergarten, she dropped out ashamed and feeling hopeless about an education. She got involved with some dangerous activities as well. With the new ALP, we were able to encourage her that she could finish 6th grade in three years. At my most recent visit, she came to me with her head held high in her school uniform. Her transformation was stunning! Ma Mary told us that she is attending regularly and is an example to the others. I can’t describe to you the look of dignity and hope she had, but maybe the picture helps. This is why AGC is here and this is the privilege I have had during my time here. Because of student sponsorships and donations, she is able to come to school, but we are overcrowding the classroom. Please consider donating to the building project and sponsoring students like Josephine (who currently has no sponsor). We have so many like her.
Changes in My Life: So, Where Now?
This I know to be true: God has the best plan for us, but we have to trust His ways and follow especially when we don’t understand them. Liberia is a testimony to this. In the fall, God started to open some doors in my life that were dreams of mine. During my time in Europe, I was able to solidify them. In mid-July I will move to Paris, France to do a year-long internship with a church (L’Eglise Reformee de Belleville) in the 20th district. The church does a lot of community outreach and support to immigrants. It is an area with a large African immigrant population. My time in Liberia has been great training! One part I will be involved in will be a free after-school tutoring program for the neighborhood children, who are mostly Muslim, and youth outreach. I will be exploring the long term ministry options there, as I intern and solidify my shaky French. I don’t know what God has in store, but I am speechless that He is granting this lifelong desire of mine. (10 year old Tricia is celebrating along with the 30 year old one!) I will be going to France through a sending agency called International Teams which will give a great support network, a tax-deductible place for contributions. And the opportunity to purchase health insurance (which delights my family!) This is a missionary position, so if you would like to invest in my work there, please consider continuing your support of me. I will be able to notify you of the budget when more information arrives. Please email me, if you are interested in receiving information. This has helped determine my departure date from Liberia. I will be arriving in St. Louis on April 10th to concentrate on the transistion to Paris. This means that those of you who are sending monthly support for me to AGC may stop, because we have enough funds for the rest of my time. I would ask you to prayerfully consider continuing this support of me through ITeams. I am overwhelmed with mixed emotions, in a good way. I am trying to squeeze as much out of myself and Liberia while I am here! So, until next time…God bless you and thank you again!!!