Thursday, July 10, 2008
Want to Get My Monthly Newsletters?
I just sent out my newsletter for June, and realized that there might be some of you who have joined me mid-journey. So, if you aren't on my update list, and you'd like to be, leave me a comment with your email address. I won't pester you with emails...I send out a montly newsletter at the end of the month, and I occassionally send out things like urgent prayer requests. Thank you all for joining me on this exciting journey!
What Heaven Sounds Like
Here's a short video of some kids singing at an orphanage that ORR works with in Kakata. I never get tired of hearing these sounds!!
Monday, July 7, 2008
One of My Children
Here's an article from MercyShips July 2008 Newsletter--it features Emmanuel, a 9-year old orphan who was born with club feet. He lives at one of the orphanages that Orphan Relief & Rescue works with, so it was a fun surprise to see him in the newsletter! I visited him two days before I left Liberia, and he was looking so good! He's back in school and loving life! 'Thank Papa God, Thank Ye!'
An orphan sings out in gratitude for healing made possible by the generosity of friends like you.
Emmanuel, a shy, pint-sized orphan, grew up friendless because he was born with two severely deformed feet. Another boy, 9-month-old Junior, came to us after his mother was shunned by her neighbors because her baby was crippled.
Thanks to your loving support, both boys received free, world-class surgery to straighten their twisted feet aboard the Africa Mercy. Healed of a painful deformity that would have resulted in lives of poverty and despair, both boys now look forward with hope for better futures.
"Thank Papa God, thank ye!" sang out Emmanuel in joyful response.
Mercy Ships, a global Christian charity, seeks out the forgotten poor and provides them with much needed help, love, and respect. Your generosity enables our volunteer crew and medical professionals to deliver hope and healing to the suffering.
Before the Africa Mercy arrived in Monrovia earlier this year, a goal of raising $449,603 was set to provide the free specialized surgeries and therapy to help 115 Liberians walk again. Over the next few months, the personal attention of Mercy Ships supporters like you will be the difference between a normal life for children like Emmanuel and Junior--or a life of pain and suffering. 
Friday, July 4, 2008
Team Liberia
I want to introduce you to the wonderful team of Liberians who I couldn’t live without! These people work so hard to serve us so that we can focus on ministering to Liberia’s orphans. To wash your clothes or to cook a meal would literally take you all day here. So, we can either be hungry and smelly and working, or we can have gracious people do things for us so that we can get our work done.
My Liberian Ma: Mary
If Mary wasn’t in my life, I would be very hungry and very lost. Mary tirelessly cooks dinner for us Monday thru Friday. She is indeed the best cook in all of Liberia! Whether it’s cassava, palm butter, collard greens, pumpkin soup or okra soup for dinner—it always tastes delicious! Mary also coordinates all of the food purchasing and deliveries for our feeding program, which makes my job easier! She’s a very smart lady with a great business sense…she works for us, and runs 2 small businesses on the side (making block and selling charcoal). She is a single mom to 2 boys who are being put through school with the money Mary earns. She has just recently purchased a piece of land, and would like to start building a new house for her family after rainy season. Mary is a godly woman and a true servant, and she can usually be found in the kitchen singing church songs or praying out loud. We are VERY lucky to have Mary as our Liberian Ma!Chief Security Officer: Momo
Momo keeps me safe and protected in Liberia. He also serves as a source of endless entertainment and I have spent many hours sitting on the porch ‘discussing’ with Momo. Momo is 25 years old, and has 3 children. Two of his children (7 year old twins) live just down the street, so they stop by every now and then. Momo is in charge of all things security at the house, but he also is a handyman, water pump operator, generator starter, dog sitter, neighborhood watchman, children wrangler, football game chaperone, bodyguard, curfew enforcer (I have to be inside the fence when it gets dark), etc. He also manages the schedule for our security team, and deals with any problems. He has been known to patrol the house by walking on top of our wall…sometimes with our dog following right behind him. He also has the capability of eating almost every plum off of our plum tree in the backyard. I’ve also caught Momo standing on our wall at 2am with a flashlight and cutlass in hand, yelling “Get off my wall or I will chop you”! He’s incredibly funny, but more importantly; he’s very devoted to his job, to us and to helping the children.Assistant TO the Chief Security Officer: One Love
(Ok, so I just had to say it like that for you Office fans. It’s a great way to take a load off at the end of the day in Liberia…or anywhere)
One Love’s main duty is to provide us with hours of entertainment. He usually does his job the best between when we finish eating dinner and when the generator gets turned on…there’s only so much you can do when it’s too dark inside to be inside, but not dark enough to warrant turning on the generator. He also donates is mean bark when there’s something wrong, and lately his deep-bellied cries have served as my wakeup call. He’s absolutely hilarious and dumb…which tends to be the kind of pets I have anyway. He’s recently discovered life outside of our fence, and tries to sneak out at any possible opportunity. Right before I left Liberia, One Love went outside the fence and came back with an injured back foot. He spent the last few days hopping around on 3 legs, which was pretty funny. Life is rough outside the fence! I think I’m actually going to miss One Love for the few months that I’m gone.
Security Guard #1: Emmanuel
Emmanuel is my security guard from 6pm-6am seven days a week! He is 24 years old, and is in the 12th grade. I don’t know how he functions with his grueling schedule. I have spent many evenings on the front porch with Emmanuel, listening to his amazing stories of surviving Liberia’s civil wars…he should have been dead, more than once. He was taken to Guinea when he was 7 years old by the Red Cross, and lived in a refugee camp for 4+ years. When he came back to Monrovia once things calmed down, he walked 4 hours a day to go to school! Emmanuel became a street hustler/money changer/scratch card seller, but his friend accused him of stealing, which landed him in Monrovia Central Prison. He became our security guard after he was released from an 8 month stint in prison. Emmanuel’s life was changed through Prison Fellowship and Emmanuel faithfully goes to the prison every Saturday to minister to the guys who are experiencing what he once experienced. Emmanuel has a tendency to show up for work late, is usually wearing a big puffy pastel orange down jacket (since it’s so cold here!), and after making his presence known, he usually wanders back outside of the fence for awhile. He likes to sit on top of the wall with One Love to watch the neighborhood kids play. He also likes to lift his homemade weights, and he’s a loyal generator starter and water bucket filler-upper. Emmanuel hopes to go to college to study business or economics…but he’s also interested in social work.
Security Guard #2: Foday
Foday is the newest addition to the ORR staff in Liberia. Apparently he used to always come by our gate and ask if we had any jobs available. When our other security guard quit, we knew exactly who would like a job. Foday’s been with us for only 3 weeks now, so I haven’t gotten to know him as well as the others, and haven’t discovered too many quirks yet. He either works 10pm-10am or 6am-6pm shift (alternates with Momo). Foday has a lovely wife and two sons (9 & 12 years old). He never fails to ask how my morning/night is, and usually sticks around after his shift has ended. He’s good at making bread and egg runs in the morning. He hopes to one day be able to go to college so that he can provide for his family in a more substantial way.
Clothes Washer Extraordinaire: Cynthia
Last Picture From Liberia
This is my last picture from Liberia. We had just finished sitting on our front porch, eating collard green soup and rice and watching the sun set. I'm really going to miss sitting on the porch, eating Mary's cooking and watching the sun set. I'm going to miss my Liberian family too! We snapped this picture quickly before we hopped into the taxi and headed for the airport.
[L to R: Me, Momo (Chief Security Guard), Matt, Mary (Our Liberian Ma), Mariel, and Emmanuel (Security Guard)]
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Strange World
I landed at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta yesterday afternoon at 1:30. As the plane touched down, I began to praise God for the last 3 months--for His provision and protection, for all of the things He taught me, for all of the people who I've shared life with these last 3 months. I also prayed for Liberia--for the children I left behind, for the government, for the orphanages that I've spent time at, for the director's who are caring for the children. As the plane pulled up to the gate, I had butterflies in my stomach. I was ready to be home, but I've really been worried about how I would react to all things 'America'. After making it through immigration and customs, and riding the train to baggage claim, I started my trip up the long escalator...I knew my family would be at the top, and after 22 hours of travel I started climbing the steps up the escalator...I couldn't wait any longer. I saw my family, and my sister and dad stepped through the crowd....and then it was long hugs all around...and the tears came. These last 3 months have been wonderful and challenging and wonderfully challenging, but I am finally home!
There are so many strange and foreign things about home. There's the obvious, like white people everywhere, elecrticity, running water and air-conditioning. I feel like I'm breathing clean, fake air. When I woke up this morning in my bed, I laid there for awhile, just looking around my room. It was quiet--no chickens, no car horns, no children laughing or crying, no hammering. I put my bare feet down onto plush carpet, I flipped on the light switch, I flushed the toilet with the push of a button, I opend the fridge and grabbed the milk(!), I sat down in front of the tv, I turned on my computer and checked my email. The trees here are tall. I can't see the horizion. The road is smooth and the car ride was quiet. I'm watching President Bush on tv, talking about ARV's and malaria and food prices (which a few months ago, I would have flipped channels already). I notice the sound of the washing machine, and the hum of the air-conditioning is noticable too.
Everything is different. I woke up in a diferent world today.
I'm going to take it easy today, but I hope to have a bunch of pictures and posts ready soon. I also fixed the pics of Bomi Lake and The Pink Latrine.
There are so many strange and foreign things about home. There's the obvious, like white people everywhere, elecrticity, running water and air-conditioning. I feel like I'm breathing clean, fake air. When I woke up this morning in my bed, I laid there for awhile, just looking around my room. It was quiet--no chickens, no car horns, no children laughing or crying, no hammering. I put my bare feet down onto plush carpet, I flipped on the light switch, I flushed the toilet with the push of a button, I opend the fridge and grabbed the milk(!), I sat down in front of the tv, I turned on my computer and checked my email. The trees here are tall. I can't see the horizion. The road is smooth and the car ride was quiet. I'm watching President Bush on tv, talking about ARV's and malaria and food prices (which a few months ago, I would have flipped channels already). I notice the sound of the washing machine, and the hum of the air-conditioning is noticable too.
Everything is different. I woke up in a diferent world today.
I'm going to take it easy today, but I hope to have a bunch of pictures and posts ready soon. I also fixed the pics of Bomi Lake and The Pink Latrine.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Liberia Update (Vol. 6)
[I usually don't post my updates on here...I usually send them through email. But, Yahoo isn't cooperating, and I'm sweating like crazy in this internet cafe, so I give up!]
First of all, I want to apologize for my recent lack of communication. Between my spotty internet connection, and being very busy these last few weeks, I haven’t had the time to sit and write an update, much less get to the internet to send it out. It’s hard to believe that I only have a few days left in Liberia! I left home 3 months ago, not knowing how long I’d be in Liberia, and now I’ll be home in 4 days! I can’t believe how quickly these last few months have gone by. I know that so much has happened at home while I’ve been away, but I wouldn’t trade these past 3 months.
This week started out with a bang—in the sense that I spent Monday and Tuesday in bed, feeling quite miserable. Of course I couldn’t leave Liberia without having sinus problems. My body decided to wait until my last week here to keep me in the bed for a few days, so I was left with only 3 days to get everything wrapped up before I leave. Needless to say, I’ll be spending at least my Saturday working. By Tuesday, I think I reached the point where I just wanted to be at home, with the ability to lay on the couch and watch movies and eat popsicles (hey, it sounded really nice at the time!). The good news is that I’m starting to feel better, and I can breathe again! Just pray that I will be healthy for the flights home. You can also pray that I will get a seat on my flight from Brussels to Atlanta! I’m flying standby, and I know that once I’m actually headed home, I won’t be the least bit interested in spending the night in Brussels. I will be leaving Liberia on Monday night (4:30pm Atlanta time), and will arrive in Brussels at 5:10am. The flight to Atlanta leaves at 10am, which puts me in Atlanta at 1:40pm on Tuesday. I can already say that I’m not looking forward to the trip home—airplanes are freezing to someone who’s been without air-conditioning for 3 months!
Since I haven’t felt great these last few days, I’ve pretty much reached the stage where I’m ready to come home. I know I’m going to miss Liberia once I’m gone, but there are a lot of things that I’m really looking forward to—like being with my family and friends, going to my church, eating vegetables, drinking a glass of ice cold water, sleeping without a mosquito net hanging on my feet, flushing a toilet with the push of a handle, and most of all just blending in to a crowd. There are so many small things that probably sound totally crazy, but it seems like it’s the small things that I miss. I can handle it being hot or not having running water or being without electricity—but it’s the little things that make life “normal” that I seem to miss the most.
I will say though, that today as I was delivering food to two orphanages, God really allowed me to see the beauty of Liberia and her people, which I had momentarily been blinded to. Even after waiting in Red Light Market (the craziest, most hectic place in Liberia) for 2 hours to buy food, and dealing with a very ridiculous police officer, God reminded me that His creation is beautiful…and that I actually get to live in this place and experience it all. Sometimes it’s hard to not get wrapped up in what you need to accomplish, and it takes alittle extra effort to really sit back and enjoy the world around you.
I confess, this last week has been difficult for me to focus on God. We have been incredibly busy trying to make sure we get everything taken care of before we head out, and I have failed to take the time out of my day to really sit and listen to God’s voice. It’s a weird feeling when you realize ‘hey, I haven’t heard from God today…and it’s my own fault’. Most of the time, I feel like it’s incredibly easy for me to hear God’s voice when I’m in Liberia—much easier than when I’m at home, because I feel like there are fewer distractions here (no TV, no internet, no mall, limited finances, etc.). But after being here for 3 months, I think that I’ve started to create my own “Liberian distractions” like sleeping in, or rushing out the door in the morning to get something done or playing with the kids in the neighborhood instead of coming in early for some down time. I think going home will help give me some perspective, and I will be able to spend some time thinking and reflecting over these last 3 months. I’m also looking forward to not living next door to a nightclub that blasts obnoxiously loud music every night…that alone makes me unable to focus and think!
Beyond all of that, I have absolutely enjoyed my 3 months in Liberia. There have been some rough patches and uncomfortable days, but I can’t complain. I go to bed at night with food in my belly. I have a roof over my head. I have the best family in the world at home waiting for me to come home. I have spent time with an amazing group of people doing God’s work for some pretty incredible children. I have a God that loves me and never leaves me. And because of my time here, I am more in love with Him.
I feel like this sounds like a goodbye letter, but I guess this will be my final update from Liberia for now. As of right now, the plan is for me to be home through August, and then I will be heading to back Liberia in early September. I would really like to do some speaking/sharing/fundraising events while I’m home (I will be in Arkansas sometime in July for those of you there), so if you would be interested in hearing about what God’s doing among orphans in Liberia through ORR, then please let me know. I will go ahead and say that I have not made any decisions as far as committing to ORR for 2009, and I think that being away from Liberia will help me to really hear from God about the future.
I want to thank all of you for all of your prayers and support during my first 3 months in Liberia! It’s true when I say that I can’t do this without each and every one of you! Your encouragement has meant so much to me, especially when things haven’t been easy. In case you’re wondering, I will send out my June newsletter after I get stateside, and I will also be doing a bunch of blog updates with pictures since I’ll have a real internet connection! Boy do I have some stories for you! Thank you again for everything, and I look forward to seeing you soon!
Love from Liberia,
Ashley
First of all, I want to apologize for my recent lack of communication. Between my spotty internet connection, and being very busy these last few weeks, I haven’t had the time to sit and write an update, much less get to the internet to send it out. It’s hard to believe that I only have a few days left in Liberia! I left home 3 months ago, not knowing how long I’d be in Liberia, and now I’ll be home in 4 days! I can’t believe how quickly these last few months have gone by. I know that so much has happened at home while I’ve been away, but I wouldn’t trade these past 3 months.
This week started out with a bang—in the sense that I spent Monday and Tuesday in bed, feeling quite miserable. Of course I couldn’t leave Liberia without having sinus problems. My body decided to wait until my last week here to keep me in the bed for a few days, so I was left with only 3 days to get everything wrapped up before I leave. Needless to say, I’ll be spending at least my Saturday working. By Tuesday, I think I reached the point where I just wanted to be at home, with the ability to lay on the couch and watch movies and eat popsicles (hey, it sounded really nice at the time!). The good news is that I’m starting to feel better, and I can breathe again! Just pray that I will be healthy for the flights home. You can also pray that I will get a seat on my flight from Brussels to Atlanta! I’m flying standby, and I know that once I’m actually headed home, I won’t be the least bit interested in spending the night in Brussels. I will be leaving Liberia on Monday night (4:30pm Atlanta time), and will arrive in Brussels at 5:10am. The flight to Atlanta leaves at 10am, which puts me in Atlanta at 1:40pm on Tuesday. I can already say that I’m not looking forward to the trip home—airplanes are freezing to someone who’s been without air-conditioning for 3 months!
Since I haven’t felt great these last few days, I’ve pretty much reached the stage where I’m ready to come home. I know I’m going to miss Liberia once I’m gone, but there are a lot of things that I’m really looking forward to—like being with my family and friends, going to my church, eating vegetables, drinking a glass of ice cold water, sleeping without a mosquito net hanging on my feet, flushing a toilet with the push of a handle, and most of all just blending in to a crowd. There are so many small things that probably sound totally crazy, but it seems like it’s the small things that I miss. I can handle it being hot or not having running water or being without electricity—but it’s the little things that make life “normal” that I seem to miss the most.
I will say though, that today as I was delivering food to two orphanages, God really allowed me to see the beauty of Liberia and her people, which I had momentarily been blinded to. Even after waiting in Red Light Market (the craziest, most hectic place in Liberia) for 2 hours to buy food, and dealing with a very ridiculous police officer, God reminded me that His creation is beautiful…and that I actually get to live in this place and experience it all. Sometimes it’s hard to not get wrapped up in what you need to accomplish, and it takes alittle extra effort to really sit back and enjoy the world around you.
I confess, this last week has been difficult for me to focus on God. We have been incredibly busy trying to make sure we get everything taken care of before we head out, and I have failed to take the time out of my day to really sit and listen to God’s voice. It’s a weird feeling when you realize ‘hey, I haven’t heard from God today…and it’s my own fault’. Most of the time, I feel like it’s incredibly easy for me to hear God’s voice when I’m in Liberia—much easier than when I’m at home, because I feel like there are fewer distractions here (no TV, no internet, no mall, limited finances, etc.). But after being here for 3 months, I think that I’ve started to create my own “Liberian distractions” like sleeping in, or rushing out the door in the morning to get something done or playing with the kids in the neighborhood instead of coming in early for some down time. I think going home will help give me some perspective, and I will be able to spend some time thinking and reflecting over these last 3 months. I’m also looking forward to not living next door to a nightclub that blasts obnoxiously loud music every night…that alone makes me unable to focus and think!
Beyond all of that, I have absolutely enjoyed my 3 months in Liberia. There have been some rough patches and uncomfortable days, but I can’t complain. I go to bed at night with food in my belly. I have a roof over my head. I have the best family in the world at home waiting for me to come home. I have spent time with an amazing group of people doing God’s work for some pretty incredible children. I have a God that loves me and never leaves me. And because of my time here, I am more in love with Him.
I feel like this sounds like a goodbye letter, but I guess this will be my final update from Liberia for now. As of right now, the plan is for me to be home through August, and then I will be heading to back Liberia in early September. I would really like to do some speaking/sharing/fundraising events while I’m home (I will be in Arkansas sometime in July for those of you there), so if you would be interested in hearing about what God’s doing among orphans in Liberia through ORR, then please let me know. I will go ahead and say that I have not made any decisions as far as committing to ORR for 2009, and I think that being away from Liberia will help me to really hear from God about the future.
I want to thank all of you for all of your prayers and support during my first 3 months in Liberia! It’s true when I say that I can’t do this without each and every one of you! Your encouragement has meant so much to me, especially when things haven’t been easy. In case you’re wondering, I will send out my June newsletter after I get stateside, and I will also be doing a bunch of blog updates with pictures since I’ll have a real internet connection! Boy do I have some stories for you! Thank you again for everything, and I look forward to seeing you soon!
Love from Liberia,
Ashley
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