Discouragement and God's Plan

Hey all, we made it home!  Transit was rough, we had one flight delayed, because of that delay we missed a connecting flight. We did finally make it.

Leaving Liberia is always bitter sweat.  By the two week mark I miss my kids terribly.  I also miss hot showers and my own bed.  Then when I get home I miss my Liberian friends, the hot weather, the God based culture, and the sounds of the city.

This trip was especially difficult for myself and Don.  I had to keep reminding myself that this is God's work and through him all things are possible.  Some times God calls to do things that are really hard to do.  I am tired, I have been fundraising for Liberia for four years now.  I think about this project almost daily.  I have had many moments where I want to give up.  It is hard not feeling supported by the people you think would be most supportive.  It is hard having people telling you that your not equipped to do this.  It is hard having people question what your doing and why your doing it.  What is NOT hard is being in Liberia.  What is NOT hard is being among-st the people you love and in the country God has put on your heart.  We are so supported by our friends at YFC.  Don and I are so blessed to be involved with an organization that believes in people.  God reveals himself to us all the time when we are in Liberia.  This time was no exception.  We were able to accomplish more on the school then we thought possible.  We hired over a dozen Liberians and made some great connections with other missionaries from North America.  We also were able to provide Joshua's organization with a skill that will help fund the work he is doing and have formed a great partnership and friendship.

The goal of the project is to finish the school build, build a caretaker home, and a guesthouse, and to leave Liberia YFC and the school self sufficient.  I feel like we now have a solid plan for all those things to happen and have laid the ground work for success.  I am so encouraged to keep going!  So here's to another year of fundraising and speaking to as many people as possible about my second home, Liberia!  

 - Tania

Sights from Liberia

Finding vines to use as rope for carrying wood bundles.  These boys are local to our school project.  One of the four attends school.  They were collecting wood using machetes.  They will burn the wood to make charcoal.  Charcoal sells for $350 Liberian dollars ($3US) for a large bag.  The average wage is $2 / day US.

Kieran and Don riding down Brewerville Back Bush rd.  The road our project is on.  I did it once and my thighs are still burning from the experience lol

Local roads are not well maintained and are very damaged during the rainy season.  Main paved roads are better but still eroding and badly damaged. 

Kay Kay (covered motorcycles) They are all over Monrovia.  Passengers pack in 4 in the back.

  

These boys were in ELWA (where we are staying) selling bags.  The littlest one's name is Ellis,  He is working hard at 13 yrs old.  They were very excited to get their picture taken

This is a family home that is marked to be demolished by the Ministry of Public works. We have seen this often in Liberia. There is a law here that if the house is built too close to the road or if the government needs the land for a right of way they will demolish part or all of the house. If the case is that the government needs the land they will give the family a little money for relocation. If the house is built to close to the road then it is demolished with no compensation.

Rest Day

Kieran - Yesterday me and my dad went to Mr. Joshua's house and got to play chest and checkers.  We went to a village and on the way we saw a lot of kids.  They really wanted to meet me but they were afraid of me.  At the village there were these three kids that were so scared of me.  The oldest girl shook my hand but the boy hid his face in his shirt.  He would peek out and if I looked at him he would hide in his shirt again.  The boy led us to a farm.  There were a long long field of crops planted all by hand.  There was a lady that lived on the farm, she asked me if I could ask all my friends and family to donate farming supplies.  I felt very bad for them because they work so hard.  It made me think that compared to Canada they have very tough lives.  It was very wet everywhere because it had just finished raining.  We went through a path that led through the whole village, all the paths where full of rain.  Then we had to leave and head home.  We pick up Mr. Joshua's girls from school in Mr. Joshua's really big truck!  I got to ride on the very back of the truck all the way home.  At home I climbed coconut tree and all most  made it to the top.  I am trying to grab a coconut!  

Tania - Well I was at the compound all day yesterday.  I was suppose to take medical supplies to a hospital yesterday, but TIA (this is Africa).  Instead I spent the day with our cook O'Neal. 

 We went for a walk up to the Ebola treatment compound.  The tents from the makeshift hospital are still here,  most are falling into disrepair.  The compound is very large with many large tents and a safety fence surrounding it.  To know that this compound was the hot spot of Ebola treatment only a short 15 months ago is pretty surreal.  The medical teams have come and gone, the cases of Ebola a dwindling, yet this area will remain as a reminder of that time.  It is like everything in Liberia.  There is change and progress but the reminders of hard times and the fragility of life are all around.

Don- Well I have been here 17 days now and I have been blessed with so many great experiences. Living with Joshua and his family was truly a great experience. I got be a part of a Liberian family and experience the daily struggles that make living difficult here in Liberia. I was inspired to work with Joshua and his boys building the brick mold. Two of the older guys there fought on the opposite side of Joshua and he said that they used to shoot at each other. Now they live to and work together for the common goal of ending violence in Liberia and rebuilding the country. Language was a barrier but God really helped us to all understand each other through kind gestures and translating our respective Englishes for each other.

Yesterday Kieran and I got to hangout with Joshua and share some cool experiences of farming life in rural Liberia. It was crazy to see how many crops that they planted, all by hand. The whole community comes together and works the fields and everyone benefits from the crops. I was very happy to be able to share this with Kieran and be able to show him how life may not be easy here but when people come together for a common goal they can accomplish great things.    

Work Day!

Work Day

We had a great day on the worksite and despite the rain we got much accomplished. We moved bricks, and continued the digging of the well. The masons are continuing to work on the walls and are doing great!
Don

Kieran moving mortar

Digging a well

Clarence helping out

We have begun!

We got to the work site today.  It was so nice to see the guys and our head mason Clarence.  Rossini came by to say "Hi"  he is our Liberian friend living near the work site.  Rossini travels to the US often.  He called us this winter from North Dakota to tell us it was very cold! LOL
The guys were great with Kieran.  They showed him how to lay blocks and mix cement.  He will be lugging head pans and water buckets starting Monday.  You have to work your way up to mason Kieran!

Working Hard

Here are some great pics of the guys working with Don.  The machine is completed and we will be heading to Joshua's today to see it!  Don will be spending another day next week at Joshua's tweaking the machine and working with the guys on anything else they need.

We Have Arrived

Kieran and I have landed in Liberia!  We arrived late last night after a very long couple of flights.  It was so nice leaving the airport and seeing our Liberian friends and of course Don.  Kieran and I must have been pretty jet lagged, we both slept until noon!  We are staying at ELWA compound right on the Ocean.  It's beautiful!  We had air conditioning all night!  Don, Kieran, and I explored the beach a little today.  Kieran got to see a traditional fishing boat and some wild life.  I'll let him tell you more.  Well that all from me today.  Tomorrow we will be heading to Joshua's house to see Don's brick machine.  Should be a good day.

- Tania



Kieran here.  The trip getting to Africa was long and tiring, but I got to watch movies on the plane so that was great!  The first thing I noticed when we got off the plane was how hot it was.  There were lots and lots of people.  It was very exciting seeing Daddy and Augustine.
Today we Mommy and I slept until noon.  We got up and had lunch and walked along the beach.  We saw lots of crabs and lizards with orange and black bodies!  Daddy and I went for a walk and saw a old cracked fishing boat.  It was about 14' long.  Things are going really well.  I got to ply Dominos today too.

- Kieran

From the trentches

When I say "from the trentches". I'm not referring to Liberia or Don. I mean from my home. People often don't realize that being left at home when your spouse is on a mission is really difficult. Don is away serving the Lord, doing what he is called to do. Gods got him. He is making a difference to people and working hard to do so. This is when satan turns his attention to the people at home. I wonderful missionary I know once said, "the worse things are for the people at home the bigger the impact your making away". He didn't say this to encourage devastation at home. He spoke the truth. Again this isn't always the case but for me it is. Every time I've been left at home while Don is on a mission it has been awful!  Last time an ice storm hit in April, my van broke down, I had no water for three days, and all the kids got sick. I was so busy praying for Don and trying to keep it together that I had frogotten about myself. My need for prayer and for support. This time there has been no ice storm or major repairs, praise the Lord!  The struggles are still there and although they may be different but the medication for them is always the same. Prayer and support. So, please pray for those left behind. I know of a few mission teams heading out soon and these teams will need prayer. Just don't forget those left behind, pray, support, make a meal, have a coffee with them, be positive, and keep encouraging them.  As RedGreen would say "we are all in this together"

A quick Don update too. Don is doing well he is working with a dozen young men and they are about 75% done building their first brick machine. All materials have been purchased and the machine will be complete by Monday!  T