Life in Liberia

Well, I suppose you have been seeing the pictures that I have sent to Mike. It has been a little difficult to get the pictures downloaded. We are having a nice time. Everyone here is very nice and they have been treating me very good. I have been here a week and I am ready to go home now. I think that the thing is, I know how long it takes to go home. It is a day trip, but at least I will know that I am on my way home. I went to a families' home way out in the "bush" as they would say here. The family was in the process of the child being adopted and they have to have a homevisit persay. We went out and we had to go up hills and on muddy dirt roads. I thought that we were going to be stuck a couple of times. Then we had to park in the front of someone's house and after awhile, the lady came out and was getting mad at us for being there, then she came to the side of the van and seen me. I was getting a little nervous, then she smiled and shook my hand and kissed it. I felt kind of bad that she did that, I don't know what perception they have of white people. I was nothing special, but she kissed my hand and was greatful that I was there. Then we finally got up on the hill and seen some of the kids and the grandma was holding a little girl about 1 1/2 and the little girl was OK until I got out of the van and then she started to cry and was scared. I really think that she was scared b/c I was white and she honestly probably had never seen a white person before. Doesn't that sound odd. Then when we came down the hill, we seen a lot of kids and families walking up the road and selling stuff. When we stopped, they just stood and stared at me and then when I smiled, they would smile. I would take their picture then I would show it to them and they thought that was just amazing. I would shake hands with them and they would just smile. It was kind of sad. I have not seen one other white person in about 3 days. I went into the city today on our way to this place and the market was very heavy with people, Sat. is their busy day. When I say busy, I mean busy. I couldn't believe all of the people. They were just buying and selling stuff, but there were so many people! You have no idea, when I say so many people, I mean like the most crowded day at an amusement park times 10. I didn't get out, we were just driving through. I said that if I got out, I would have to hold on to one of their hands like a little kid. When I say that I was the only white person, I mean for a least as far as I could see:). I guess that it shows me what my kids have to go through sometimes. But, no one said anything mean to me, at least anyone that I could understand:) They may have been saying something, but I didn't understand it:) I just smiled and went on. It is definitely eyeopening. I thought this morning while I was eating breakfast, I looked right out at the ocean and thought about how beautiful it was if you look right at the ocean, but when you look around, it is some of the saddest things to see. It was a little ironic, looking at something so beautiful, surrounded by something so poverty stricken, kind of like the best and worst view all combined into one.
I would have emailed sooner, but I am having problems with the mouse on this computer. After awhile, it just freezes in the corner and I can't move it. So I am limited in what I send. I am ready to get home. I am praying that I may get to go home a couple of days early. Say a prayer, that would be great. The sad thing is, I will be leaving my friends. They are 3 teenage boys that live here and work, just so they can go to school. They have helped me undo Josie's hair and have sat and talked to me and mad me laugh quite a bit:). Their names are Chris, Robert and Emmanuel. I have laughed so hard with them. When I told them when I was leaving, they looked sad. When I say they work, they work very hard doing different jobs here. They live in a room under the guesthouse. They go to school during the week and after school, they work and clean up around here. I never hear them complain. It sure puts a new look on going to school and how much they value it here. It is kind of sad, something that we get for free and most take for granted, these kids leave their families and home and work just so they can go to school. They aren't late or don't complain about going. Many children here talk about wanting to go to school.

I can't wait to go home and see my guys, I sure do miss them. I just wanted to email you and let you know what was going on and that I was OK. Keep praying for me, I can always use prayers, and I have sure felt them. Josie is doing great, really attaching to mommy. Can't wait to send more pictures, it is slow here to do it. But hey, I am in Africa:)