Unexpected Update

[I know...everyone's dying for some photos of the Danny Feeney Grand Opening. Give me a few more days.]

For those of you that don't know, I have been sick and in bed with malaria since Friday. On Friday night, in an attempt to get back into bed before passing out, I fell and badly hurt my foot. On Monday, I was well enough to venture to the hospital for an x-ray. Thankfully, my foot is not broken, but it is badly sprained. After a family meeting, we all agreed that it would be best for me to return home to the States in order to fully recover and get proper medical care. It would be quite the challenge to keep a cast dry during rainy season, and maneuvering around on crutches has already proven to be difficult.

So, I will be leaving Liberia tomorrow at 5:30pm and flying through Accra, Ghana. I will land in Atlanta on Thursday morning at 8:45am. And don't worry, God's timing is perfect, because I will be traveling home with a team from PTCUMC, so they can all help me out!

I have quickly been reminded that our plans don't always work out, but that God's plans are always the best! I don't know why this is happening, but I can only trust that God knows what He's doing and that He has something super great in store for me!

Thank you all for your prayers, encouragement and support over the past 5 months! They have been the most challenging months yet, and it means the world to me to be surrounded by an army of prayer warriors, encouragers and friends! Please be in prayer for my flights and that my foot would be ok for the 12 hour flight from Accra to Atlanta. Pray as I quickly try to wrap things up here! I already know and realize that I'm just going to have to leave some things undone. Pray for the next few months--that God would reveal His plan for me, in Georgia, during this time and for rest and healing.

Love from Liberia,

Ashley

Playing Catch Up

Things have been so crazy around here the past few weeks! And, I've been lazy and have been sick and tired of starring at my computer, so I haven't made any posts. But, to catch you all up on what's been going on around here....well, there's alot!

Last Monday, my mom and Jake (fellow New Hoper) left Liberia. They were here for 10 days, and other than a trip to the ER, and the loss of 2 days for Jake, it was great! It was awesome to have my mom back in Liberia and the kids loved it! We spent half of our time working on the new Danny Feeney Orphanage in Cottontree and the other half of the time we did the usual Child Development Program activities. They brought a fun foam cross craft and plenty of glitter and shiny-shine to keep the kids happy! We were able to take in Monrovia, make it to Robertsport and visit old friends from my BJCCV days. The 10 days flew by too quickly and we had a jam packed 10 days! Here are 10 days in photos. [click to enlarge]

Eh, Liberia!

Dear HeartCry

This post is a super-huge thank you to my HeartCry/New Hope family! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have been overwhelmed with love, words of encouragement, and treats--lots of treats! Chic-Fil-A sandwiches, Clif bars, granola bars, gum, vitamins, chips, body spray, lotion, things to make my tired feet pretty, etc. etc. Thank you also for all of your notes and cards...you guys are the best! I really wish that you could all be here!!

I wanted to give you all a quick update, and some photos. First, my mom and Jake arrived safe and sound. They both adjusted quickly, and we headed to Cottontree on Saturday afternoon to check out the new orphanage. I hadn't been there in a long time; and it looks awesome! On Monday, mom and Jake got to meet the Danny Feeney kids, and we had a fun cross craft for them. Then today, we went back up to Cottontree to start painting. Jake and I knocked out stenciling Samuel 7:10 on the wall in the dining hall. It looks GREAT! Then we joined my mom and painted the boy's hallway with polka-dots and stars. Tomorrow, mom and Jake will finish the boy's hall and then also do the girl's hallway with butterflies and flowers. Oh, and we also bought mosquito nets today, and they will be hung as soon as the bunk beds are put together. Here are a few photos from the construction site.

Happily Ever After

Two weekends ago, the ORR gang traveled to Robertsport to attend the wedding of Andrew (our out-going Country Director) and Brenda (our good friend and dental hygienist). The sunset ceremony was small, simple and beautiful! After some photos on the beach, we sat down to big plates of jollof rice, fried chicken and potato salad--all food items needed for a Liberian celebration! All of the guests stayed in Nana's Lodge, and enjoyed some time on the picture-perfect beach! Here are a few photos: