3.12.07

Monday 3/12
(11:45pm)

The trip may be wrapping up, but the schedule isn’t letting up – another fun, crazy day!
This morning, our first stop was the bookstore, where all the book boxes have been moved, all the shelves have been installed, and the porch/roof project is now well underway. From there, we picked up Moses, Stephen Bryant and Isaac Matadi (Kowah and his wife were already with us). We drove the cramped van through the enormous crowds at the Red Light Market and eventually followed very rough dirt roads back to George Bohlen’s church. It is a great building, and their new roof, a gift from us last year, has been a huge help to them. The service was brief, but energetic to say the least, especially the children’s choir, women’s choir and “founding mother’s” closing prayer. It’s a vibrant church that I hope will soon be able to join the FPC.

We left Faith Healing Temple and drove in squished discomfort to Gardnerville where Henry Monger’s church and K-6th Christian School have already taken the FPMC name. It’s another vibrant, growing work with people who love our doctrine and standards, and a booming school program with 225 students. The actual purpose for our visit was to kick off a new School Endowment Fund to help more kids attend. We walked a 20 minute “shortcut” to the church, and arrived 1 ½ hours early. In fact, we actually finished just before the scheduled starting time of 2pm – bet that’s never happened in Liberia before! The church was immensely grateful for our inaugural gifts and it will be exciting to see how the Lord uses those funds to help educate rising generations.

Back at the EGH we ate lunch (I avoided the strange, green, slimy pork dish and just had rice and plantains). After lunch, I left with Paulcy , Kowah and the other church men to pick up the newly-finished bookstore sign and painting Paulcy had bought from a painter named Francis. The roads to the sign printer were the worst I’ve ever experienced, with giant mud pits (10 feet wide and 2 feet deep in places) dotted with partially-submerged rocks threatening to stall or mangle our van at every turn. On the way, we had to drop off Moses to negotiate the release of his cousin from jail – a bit unexpected, but exciting! Once we arrived at Francis’ house, a beautiful sign waited for us along with Paulcy’s finished oil painting of a boy and deer drinking from a stream. We settled up with the painter and left.

We stopped at the bookstore again to drop off the sign and admired all the progress – new roof, cemented porch, plumbing, and drainage. We planned to go straight back, but pulled over to watch that remarkable soccer team of war victim amputees practice. Kowah told us they have just qualified for the special World Cup to be held soon in Turkey. My camera was dead by then, so I’ll have to get pics from Paulcy.

When we finally got back to EGH, a guest preacher and former Liberian congressman, Josiah Pah, was meeting with Dr. Allison. When he left, we enjoyed a tasty chicken and fries dinner with fresh pineapple, all the while being serenaded by the worst–acted soap opera ever (Kelly was watching the African Network in the living area). After dinner, I gave Dr. Allison some more Airborne to fight off a fresh cold, copied important parts of the minutes from the last business meeting and last Monday’s minutes as well.

When my scribal duties were done, I retired to my room, called Linds, took a shower, and just got off the phone with her. I find it strange that I can have such a burden for the needs here while at the same time be so home-sick. I don’t get it, but can’t deny the rather helpless feeling. G’night Liberia!