February 22, 2011 ~ update

This morning we set off with suitcases full of pillows, toothbrushes, shirts and other small donations from our Canadian sponsors for the sponsored families to visit as many of them as we could in one day.

Our first sponsor child we visited was Gifty Wah. We went to her school, then to her mother's house. Her mother is unemployed so Chris will help her set up a small business selling used clothing.

We navigated through rough terrain to our next school where we saw Nathaniel Doebah. We made extra photos of these kids so they could have a picture of themselves - this is very exciting for them! Then we went to Water Street, one of the poorest/dishonest places in Monrovia. (see following post for pictures) George Waylee and his family live in an abandoned building. This was the worst situation of all our sponsor families - 5 people are sharing one little room in the filthy upstairs and are cooking on a little coal burner downstairs. The roof leaks in many places so they are careful where to sleep. We're going to help them with one year's rent ($15/month) and also a small business for the mother, selling used clothing. It won't be great but it will be better than what they have now! We asked the mother how much they could rent a one or two bedroom place for that is better than this. Her reply was, "I don't know so I cannot lie." Currently she makes 70 LD (Liberian Dollars) which is abnout $1 USD per day! That is barely enough to buy one bag of rice in a month. You cannot even imagine the joy there has been among these families today!!! Chris mentioned we were coming but never told them when. We stopped at Muni and Alisha's home and waited for the girls to come from school. They thought Ariel was Skye - so cute!

Driving along the road we saw a graveyard that was all fenced and barbwired for security. "Hey Chris, what's up with that?" we asked. Maurice (our driver) and Chris both chuckled. "well, you see then people will steal the caskets and sell them and also throw their garbage in there."

There are a lot of motorcyles on the roads in Monrovia. They pass in the middle of two single lanes, they pass on the right sied or two can pass each other in the middle of a single lane road that has no median or turning land for room. They seem to have right of way here. Pedestrians have no rights.

We stopped by the cement factory, pricing out cement bags for Chris. He wants to sell cement blocks - something that is booming right now because of all the buiding going on. One of the managers at the guesthouse where we are staying at is a businessman and will make a few phonecalls for us as he is very knowledgeable in this. God is putting the right people on our path. It's truly amazing to see. We're not sure how to start out our day, but we just go out and start making the stops and God just directs us!

We just marvel at Chris's knowledge in getting around Monrovia. He knows where all the kids are living and where their schools are. He checks in with the teacher to see if it's ok if we can come in and see our kids. There are so many rough back roads we've travelled through today!

Then we went to Chris's house and saw his two daughters and a niece living with him. Chris says they have been "preparing for our arrival" and were so escited to see us! We will be setting up a small business for his niece who is 20 and is a seamstress.

Remember baby Sirleaf and the major surgery he had in his groin last year? We paid this family a surprise visit. Wow, this mom was so overjoyed to see us! We saw baby Sirleaf (see pictures on the other post) and he is healthy and well. We had set up his mom with a fish business last fall and she is doing well, enough to put food on the table. Ariel handed out more candy.

Emmanuel Richards was the last stop. What a cutie! Emmanuel's father asked if adoption was pat of our ministry program. Unfortunately not, but he pleaded with us to bring Emmanuel to Canada so he can get a good education. The father also has a 19 year old son who speaks fluent French while he was a refugee in the Ivory Coast. He wants to attend university so he is going to do some research and get back to Chris.

We asked a lot of questions to Chris and Maurice about the war and they were very open. He says a man can be walking with his wife, the rebels will grab his wife and say she is mine for the night. You have two choices: either try and defend her and get killed in the process or let her go and live.

It's amazing how much we got accomplished today! We met with most of the sponsor families
(see pictures in the following post) and we will finish them tomorrow. We had a busy busy day but it was a good kind of busy! Thank You God again for allowing us to be Your hands and feet! We serve YOU first!!

Love Marsha, Jackie, Ariel