The new details

So I've been back in Monrovia for a week now and loving it. Yogurt, couches, and flushing toilets are all great to me these days! I have a few new details to share about life in Liberia. I am finished with VBS and now helping to set-up a monitoring and evaluation department. It sounds much less exciting, I know - BUT it is a great way for me to use this master's degree that I'm toting around and I get to work with a wonderful woman from Pakistan, Celestina.

Another person that I get to work with these days is my friend Phil who was serving in Zimbabwe. Because of the deteriorating situation in Zim, he was sent to Liberia for a little while to work with our team. It's been fantastic sharing a piece of this experience with him. I never in a million years expected Phil to come and work in Liberia. God is good!!

Finally, the picture above is of my housemate Janell with JJ. Please keep Janell in your prayers as she is suffering from a tough bout of malaria. She's receiving treatment, but still vulnerable and very fatigued.

By the way, I saw a cockroach the size of a mouse last night and the spiders are bigger than the palm of my hand - no lie. I've learned that when I open the kitchen door, I need to pause a couple moments to let all the critters run back in their holes. And today my friend Willie killed a snake whose bite will supposedly kill you in an instant. Crazy Africa - lovin it! I'll post some more pictures soon!

Precious JJ

One night in Bopolu, we met JJ. His sister braided my hair. His mother taught us how to make doughnuts over a charcoal fire. And his brother Saki emphatically called me "whitewoman!" as I walked passed their home on my way to and from VBS each day. I think JJ is absolutely precious - so I'm sharing him with you.

Could you please pray for his health? He may be suffering from worms as his stomach is swollen outwards and his belly button is protruding quite far from his body. Praise God, there are programs in his village that will soon provide treatment and on-going care for his condition. In the meantime, please pray for his complete healing.

Thank you so much for your love for children like JJ! It is a privilege to pray with you to our good and gracious God.

Wading for a Sale

I woke up to the rain this morning. It was a pleasant sound that coerced me to stay in bed a bit longer. I awoke an hour later - the rain continued. Still a pleasant sound that relaxed me as I sank into our cozy couch for some reading.

Yet another hour goes by and realizing that a window was broken in the Landrover, Janelle and I decided to run out into the still-pouring-down-rain to fix a plastic bag over the hole and avoid a messy car flood. We laughed as we ran back inside -drenched from only a few moments in the storm.

Another hour past - still raining - we drove to church making our way through many flooded areas. Janelle asked Patty and I, "isn't there a way to avoid flooding the engine of this car?" We couldn't quite pinpoint it, but we agreed it's one of the following:

1. Have a Hutton jump out to assess the water depths and navigate us around the deepest parts
2. Gun it!
3. Hop out and dig a french drainage system around the car
4. Leave Liberia and come back during the dry season

After church, pasta, and brownies, Patty and I decide that it's time for a little photo-taking and mangoe buying. The rain is only drizzling at this point, so we start walking - forgetting about the flooded roads ahead of us. Our lifesaver Thomas sees us walking along the road and stops to pick us up. "What are you doing?", his wife Hauwa asks with a laugh. "Buying mangoes!", we say with a smile while hugging her. They offer us a ride which we take, realizing that there's no way we'll make it back without a little swimming involved. Really - what were we thinking?

So we bought some mangoes from our friends....

This is normally a joyous occasion for Patty and I. We love visiting this family. However, today their smiles are labored. They remember us and ask us where we've been. "Bopolu", Patty replies, "sorry-o, we've missed you guys!"

"We suffering-o" Fatu gently tells Patty as she sends her daughter wading through the flood waters to bring us a plastic bag for our mangoes.

We caught a ride back through the flood to the junction and as we walked the last leg to our warm, dry house Patty says, "My heart breaks for them, Mel."

"Mine too, Patty - mine too." I say.

In prayer, we go to bed. Realizing that the pleasant sound of the rain that continues to pour without relief tonight, is gently putting us to sleep as it harshly puts our friends out of their homes.

Please pray with us tonight. Pray that our Lord would provide safe shelter for those displaced by the rain. Pray for protection from disease and violence for all those affected. And pray for the sun to shine tomorrow!

Volleyball!!!

And even better than the motorbiking, is the volleyball here in the jungle of Bopolu!! They have a serious team out here. It's competitive and let me tell you - it's a blast! These guys are nuts. They play with their feet and their heads and they hustle like crazy -- I love it!!! We won our match against the neighboring village on Saturday - score!!!



They were pretty surprised that the short whitewoman knew how to play. But they've been awesome and even let me on their starting 6 on Saturday! I think they like having me on the team for a few good laughs. :)


One of my favorite parts about playing here are our awesome fans. These boys are characters -- they crack me up! And they are so cute!!

So the purpose of the volleyball matches in Bopolu is to bring the communities together and to build relationships with one another. I must say - since playing on Saturday, I've seen a lot of the boys around town and it's great to have something to talk to them about. It's a wonderful building block for sharing Christ. My hope is to get the young girls out on the court someday -- teach them a few skills -- and build them up -- in Christ! We'll see....you could pray for that. ;)

Bopolu Biking Baby!!

(My name is Melanie and I am an SP Intern. -compliments of Bev Kauffeldt)

One thing that's been a lot fun since I've been here is motorbike riding...woohooo!! Bev and Janelle were super brave and taught Erin, Hauwa, Patty and I how to rock n roll on these babies. After crushing Bev's hand in the clutch and jerking us all around the soccer field...she let me brave it on my own. (Smart woman to bale while she could. ) Here's a picture to prove that I can indeed drive a motorbike now! I mean it's a work in progress, sure. But look out Monrovia...here we come!!!

VBS Cont....

Friday was our last day with the children in Sappimah. The week had gone fantastic! The theme was "Jesus loves Me!" Everyday we talked about accepting Jesus into our hearts, following Him, praying to Him and living with Him forever. The last day many of the children repeated a simple, life altering prayer with me. It went something like this:

"Jesus, we love you.
Jesus, we believe in you.
We believe that you died for our sins.
Thank you, Jesus - for dying for me
so that I can live with God forever and ever.
Jesus, please come into my heart.
Please forgive me for my sins.
Thank you for forgiving me.
Thank you for loving me.
We love you, Jesus.
Amen."

Because the children heard the gospel and because of this prayer - the week ended well. I trust that God will use this week as a seed that will bear fruit in their hearts and lives.

To give you a very real picture of our Friday. Patty and I left the village on the verge of serious discouragement. Surprising, right. I mean isn't this work supposed to make us feel good at the end of the day?

Honestly, we didn't feel good. Before we left, we joyfully gave a toy to each child in the program. However, many unhappy parents in the village quickly demanded toys for their children who were not in the VBS program. (We offered the VBS to every child - some chose to decline.) I had to explain to angry mothers that I would like nothing more than to give every single child in this village a toy today, but I only have enough for those in the VBS. Sadly, these words fell on deaf ears. And my name was crudely being mocked by one mother "Auntie Mel, Auntie Mel..." Finally, I realized we just had to leave. So we did. A difficult end, to a wonderful week.

But do me a favor now and read the prayer we said together again -- envisioning the words being spoken from the lips of the little girl pictured above.

It doesn't always feel good at the end of the day. But we're not here to make ourselves feel good. We're here to tell these children about the hope and love of Jesus Christ. It's about Him and for Him - not us.

So I leave you with this wonderful piece of scripture - a verse that I am repeating to myself tonight:

"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."

Philippians 4:8

A few more pictures to enjoy!

(Their beautiful faces!!)

(My wonderful SP VBS teammates (from left to right): Patty, Hauwa, Levi, Erin, and Willy)

(The bridge we crossed each day to get to Sappimah.)

Thank you so much for your many prayers. Please continue praying with us ... we have another 100 children with whom to share Christ's love next week!!

VBS

I've moved to the jungle for a couple weeks and have been helping to lead a Vacation Bible School in a village called Sappimah. Sappimah is inaccessible by automobile, so we walk 30 minutes each morning to reach the children. It's a beautiful walk through the jungle. In the middle we cross a bridge that consists of a couple logs and a few scrap slabs of wood. We were fortunate - since the "white people" were in town (us) - they added the extra slabs of wood. There are palm trees all throughout the forest and it rains every day - keeping us nice and cool.

So we have approximately 100 children between ages 4-11 that we're sharing Christ with this week and another 100 children next week! It's been incredible to meet them, teach them, laugh with them, and love them. Please pray with us that God will do a mighty work in their hearts!

Pray also for their health. Approximately 60% of these children are malnourished. Many are suffering from worms which quickly consume the little nutrition they are fed each day. Unfortunately, healthcare in this country is almost non-existant for even the "rich". I've been told there are as few as 32 doctors in the entire country. Crazy, right. So I can assure you these children need your prayers for their spiritual and physical health.

Thank you so much for praying!

Happy 4th of July!!!

We celebrated Independence Day with some good ole, American picnic fun tonight. Cleaned up the grill...scrounged up some hot dogs...and got out the USA gear - thanks Bev! There was arm wrestling, Hauwa laughing, and brownie eating extravaganzas.

Below are a few pictures to enjoy!

( Bev - my Canadian supervisor/friend - is lovin the USA today!)

( My beloved Pittsburgh Steelers fan, Felix, with Auntie Patty!! )

(Liberian ladies hard at work: Taya, me, Patty, & Joni - holding up Bev)

Hope you're enjoying some great fireworks right now!!! I was reminded that the sparks and bangs of fireworks probably aren't a good idea in a post-war country. So, I'm thinking I'll light a bunch of candles tonight and have Patty blow them out in a creative, synchronized fashion for me before bed.

Happy 4th of July!!