Day 4--The First Day

{February 19, 2007)

This is one of the very first photos I have of myself in Liberia--wasting no time at doing things the Liberian way. I can remember everything so clearly. The smell that infiltrated the plane as soon as the door opened. The sticky night as I walked across the runway. The cramped and HOT immigration area. The chaos outside, trying to get all of our bags loaded into the waiting vehicles. That first drive down the highway. Everything pitch black, with an occasional flicker of a lantern. I was amazed and wondered where the people came from and where they were going. Pitch black. The breeze that smelled of charcoal. Crickets. A gathering of lanterns--friends, meeting for conversation, a drink or perhaps to watch the airport traffic go by? And that's when I heard it loud and clear, in the smoky, humid black night, "welcome home. stay awhile."

That was almost 5 years ago! Liberia is home, and I have stayed awhile. I would have never thought on that night that I would still be there all of this time later. I would never even be able to imagine all that I have seen, done and been a part of. I couldn't even begin think of all of the ways that God would prove His faithfulness; time and time again. It has been quite the adventure, and I can't wait to see what God has in store for the next 5 years! (Or better yet, for the next month!)