Your support makes this possible - We are happy to have Tricia around. She is
such a wonderful person. Thanks to you all for making life worth living for us
here at AGC Liberia for great is your reward in heaven. Respectfully yours,
Deaconess Velma H. Forkpa
Here is a portion of letter from Tricia Joos, our Director of Education in
Liberia about the first two weeks of her 52 week stay.
So, where do I begin? Wow. I’ve been here 2 weeks. My biggest job right now is
adjusting to the environment. It will take my whole stay to become acclimated,
but I’m concentrating on making this pampered American body adjusts to the
conditions. I’m enjoying all of the Liberian dishes that are slowly being
introduced to me, including foufou, cassava leaf, bitterball, groundpea soup.
The bucket showers are surprisingly great. They are a highlight of my day,
because they are so refreshing. The water is a little cold, but in a good way.
The biggest downside is how the simplest task takes a long time. I’ve had to
change how I do almost everything. Brushing my teeth with bottled water, using
the bucket to “flush” the toilet, sleeping under a mosquito net (As a little
girl I dreamed of having a canopy bed, and now I’m surrounded by white billowy
netting every night). The mosquitoes love me. I stopped counting at over 50
bites in 2 days. Now, the frequency seems to fluctuate. It’s the rainy season,
so I haven’t had to deal with much sun. It’s been in the mid 70’s-80 as the rain
falls.
It’s been surreal to be stared at and have people yell “white woman, hello” all
the time. Kids are either petrified or trying to get my attention, but everyone
stares. I’m slowly learning the Liberian dialect of English. Just this week, I
was given my African name. I was looking forward to what people would decide and
I like it a lot. It’s from the Kpelleh tribe (Sackie’s tribe) and is: Nowah.
Pronounced “no-why” it means “in between.” As in, “in between” the two AGC
schools, “in between” the US and Liberia. It fits in so many other ways as well.
I am accumulating a little wardrobe of African dresses, since I brought minimal
clothes with me. They are very comfortable, and some are so feminine that I feel
like a princess.
God has been so good to me. He prepared a beautiful path for me. He rose up some
wonderful people who have taken me under their wing. I am staying in a 4
bedroom, 2 bath house surrounded by razor-wired stone walls with an American and
her adopted Liberian son. Kristi works for a Liberian based church organization,
ACFI, and her son, Dennis, is 14. She’s been living here about 14 months and is
a great source for me to learn the culture and already a close friend. Her son,
Dennis, is a great man of God already. I am spoiled by them. Our daily life
begins with wheeling in the barrels of water into the house that our night
security guard has hauled to the house. We cook breakfast over a charcoal fire
outside. Because of the demands of everyday tasks like cooking and laundry, we
have ladies who do those tasks most days so that we can actually perform our
jobs. At night, we start the generator so we can enjoy some electricity. We are
blessed to live in such great conditions. Kristi and Dennis have done all of
this for me and I have to beg them to let me help! Praise God I have not seen
one rat-yet! We have tons of lizards all over our property—I see 7 at any given
time climbing the outer walls.
Monrovia is a difficult place to describe. It is a city made up of NGO’s
(nongovernmental organization) and the UN. I share the road with tanks and SUV’s
all the time. I use the term “road” very lightly. The roads are full of 2ft.
deep potholes. The main road to my house which is located right outside
Monrovia, is like an off road track, and it’s the good one! Buildings in
Monrovia are surrounded by troops and razor wire. The city consists of blown-out
buildings, half-finished old buildings, tin shacks, and new construction. The
people spend their days attempting to survive. It is a quest to find ways of
making money so that you can eat that day and hopefully save up for the next
days. Survival is the focus. Children become part of that. They have absolutely
no material positions. Toys are nowhere except used ones in some of the stores.
Play is focused around group interaction and games. They also use the twigs and
dirt in all sorts of imaginative ways. Soccer is the pastime of choice.
School is not in session, so I haven’t had much time with my students. I
attended our Sinkor School’s graduation ceremony. It was great fun to pass out
the certificates. I also got to provide transportation. Picture me driving a 16
passenger van filled with at least 35 Liberians through the streets I just
described- chance of a lifetime! We inspected the land that AGC has purchased
for our other school that is about 45 miles outside of the city at the 15Gate of
Firestone Plantation. It will provide much needed space for all the students. We
will be getting ready for school to resume in October.
Personally, please continue to pray for my health and safety. for contentment,
for healing of my broken heart, for a greater anointing, for wisdom and clarity,
and for brokenness that I would put myself as clay into God’s hands. I do not
know what I can accomplish here, but I know there is nowhere else on the planet
I am supposed to be at this moment. I praise God for His steady direction. I am
seeing Him move in a nation of beautiful people.
I love you all more than you will know. I miss you more than you will know. Your
caring for me puts me to shame.
God bless you!
Tricia “Nowah” Joos