And the Winner Is.....

(continued from 2 previous posts)

There were a few good guesses as to what the mystery pictures might be.....

I think you have the idea now: new fronds growing on a palm tree!

But only one person got it right after yesterday's post:  Darrell's sister, Suzanne.
Way to go, Suzanne!!!
I know I had never seen a palm tree from these angles, but this one is right in our front yard. 
It is so short that I was able to get "up close and personal" for the first several shots.
This last picture was taken from our second floor porch.
I have asked what kind of palm tree it is but don't have an answer yet. 
All I know is that it is not a coconut palm or a nut palm. 
Anybody out there who can clue me in?
(The red in the pictures is blossoms that have fallen off the nearby "flame tree" (Flamboyant).

And It Is.....

(continued from yesterday's blog)

Now do you know what it is?




















And I'm not trying to be mean, but.....
this crazy computer won't upload the other 2 pictures!
I have tried several times without success, so I guess you'll just
have to try to figure it out with this one clue or wait until tomorrow
(at least I hope I'll have success tomorrow).

What Is It?

Any idea what this might be?
Scroll down for another look.

                                                             Now do you know?
                                   Scroll down for yet another look.

How about this shot?  If you know or want to guess, leave your answer either as a comment on this post or on Facebook.  (To leave a comment on this post, you must become a follower.....it's not hard.)
I'll let you know if anyone gets it right in my next post when I will also add more pictures so you can get a better idea what it is.  And unless the internet goes down, the next post will be tomorrow!

Pictures--Finally

I think I have finally learned the secret of adding pictures:  download the pictures first, then add script!

Darrell was getting everything set up to show a film at the open-air meetings: goal posts are great for hanging a sheet for a movie screen!
No matter what a person is doing, kids love to gather around to watch.

While Darrell was getting ready for the meeting one night, this is the view that caught my eye....

and this is the view the next night.

                                              


Kids love to have their picture taken! I had a terrible time trying to get the whole group, because as I moved back to get them all in, they kept crowding forward, with the bigger kids jumping in front so I couldn't see the little kids. We finally had a measure of success!

I didn't take pictures during the meeting because I didn't want to be a distraction, but there were many adults, young people, and children there.  We didn't try to count since it was dark!

No, We Didn't Get Thrown in the Soup!

A friend who reads this blog saw another friend and mentioned that it's been a while since I posted anything on here; he was wondering if we had been thrown in the soup!  From what we read in the news, I think those of you in the USA and Canada should worry about that more than we should!

Anyway, I failed.  I said in my last post that I wouldn't make you wait long to find out who called my name.  Bad, bad me.  I could make an excuse and say I'm getting old and I don't remember, but I don't think I'll ever forget that evening.

As I mentioned in that last post, Darrell had gone for several open air meetings on the other side of Monrovia where a pastor was working to get a new church started.  A couple nights we met on the neighborhood football (soccer) field and people just gathered as they saw the activity.  (Well, I thought I was going to add a few pictures, but it's not cooperating!  Maybe someday!!)

So, the person who called my name was the girl who had chatted with me right after the meeting.  She was very pleasant and an extremely articulate 12 year old named Shelly.  I was walking alone on the path back to the car when she spoke my name.  It was obvious then that she wanted a serious conversation about what she had heard in the meeting.

I am very careful, especially with children, that I don't put words in their mouth or push them into believing as I believe. That is easy to do with children who are apt to seek to please the adult with whom they are talking, and it certainly is easy to do here in Liberia where "going to church" is a popular thing to do. So I asked questions very carefully and listened very carefully as she asked her questions.

Shelly said she hadn't been taught the things she had heard that night. When I asked her what her church taught about how to get to heaven, she said a person just needs to go to church. I shared some verses with her from the Bible--well, from memory since it was dark and we couldn't see the Bible!--that explain that salvation is a free gift being offered to us by God. While going to church, giving money to the church, being baptized, taking communion, etc., are all good, they do not get a person into Heaven. Those are all things we DO, but God says salvation is FREE, not to be worked for.   Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8,9   We need the salvation offered through Christ's death on the cross because, as human beings, we cannot measure up to God's standard of goodness.   Romans 3:23   Shelly took all this in and asked questions of her own as we went along.

It was so obvious that she clearly understood that salvation is a gift that God doesn't force on anyone; He just waits for each one to reach out and take it. When I asked Shelly if she was ready to take that free gift by acknowledging to God that she was a sinner who couldn't save herself and that she wanted to accept His free gift, she immediately said yes and didn't hesitate to pray right there on that path.

The crazy thing about it is that I wouldn't recognize Shelly if she walked through the door because I only saw her in the dark. The important thing is that God knows her and heard her prayer. It was a very special night!!!

Surprises

The first surprise is NOT that we lost the internet again but that it actually came back BEFORE they said it would. After being without it for over a month in Jan/Feb, this time Darrell had already started looking for another provider and was about ready to sign us up when he got a phone call--surprise #2--saying that service had been restored. That was on Friday and they had told him it would be Monday before it was restored. Well, the first time he called they told him it would be the next evening; the second time he called they told him they didn't know when it would be. A few days later, they told him it would be Monday, so he figured he'd heard this tale before and they were just stringing him along. So, I guess it was more than a surprise--it was more of a shock--when it was restored 3 days ahead of schedule and we were notified by a phone call. Wow!!!

Another surprise was when it hit us that it had been almost 4 months since we had prepared an American meal. We thoroughly enjoy Liberian food and planned to eat lots of it while we're here, but it still was surprising when we realized how long it had been. And then I got a hankering for spaghetti, so that's what we had last night. It was yummy but I'm not ready to give up Liberian food anytime soon! Another 6 months should be about right!

Golden Beach was another nice surprise. No, we didn't go swimming. (I can't imagine struggling to get this sticky body into a bathing suit--YUK!!!) We had heard about Golden Beach so followed directions to the sign, headed down a narrow alley that looked liked it was leading nowhere, and came to a wonderful little restaurant. We walked right through the restaurant to the beach where tables were set up in the sand. There were several palm trees with tables under them for people who didn't want to be in the sun, but we went just before sunset and wanted to be right on the beach. It was beautiful! Ocean breeze, crashing waves, sunset, and then the moon and stars overhead. What a nice evening! And we never would have known about this place if someone hadn't told us.

The last surprise I want to mention will be a teaser for my next post. We were in another section of the city for a meeting and afterward a young girl came up to me and asked my name. We chatted a bit and then I headed for the car. As I was walking along I heard someone on the path behind me very clearly call my name. That was a surprise because usually out here I'm called Ma, Madam, Old Ma, Grandma--anything but my name. And since this post is already long enough, you'll have to wait until next time to find out who it was and what we talked about! (I won't make you wait too long!)

Success, Sweet Success

I told you he was cute; now you can see for yourself.  Of course, I'm not prejudiced!

                                              I love this shot!

The happy family!

He's Here

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here you are:   grrrr--I am not happy with blogspot.  It won't let me download the cutest picture in the whole wide world.  Of course that would be a picture of our new grandson!  He's adorable!  I'd really like to give him and the rest of his family a big hug, but I'm afraid that will have to wait for 7 months.

Anyway, we praise God for this new life.  We think all is well, though he has had us wondering.  At least the doctors have had us wondering.  He developed some sort of rash the day after he was born, and the doctors seemed very concerned about it.  So far, all tests have been negative, but they are waiting for the results of a few cultures.  They have him on medication just to be on the safe side, so he will remain hospitalized until they are certain he's okay.  He's in a "transition room" in the NICU, and Eric and Val can stay right there in the room with him.  Other than the rash, he seems to be fine.

I keep trying to download the picture but it's not working.  Our "high speed" internet has been very slow--slower than usual--the last few days, so that may be the problem.  Usually it's a tad faster in the evening, but it's almost midnight and it's still slow.  One other time it was so slow that I couldn't even enter a new post.  That particular night I was wide awake in the middle of the night so came out to see if it would work then--success!  I'm not hoping for a bad night's sleep, but if it happens I will try.  You just have to see how cute he is!

Remembering and Waiting

I can tell you exactly where I was and what I was doing 31 years ago to the minute! I was lying on the dining room table in an efficiency apartment here in Monrovia too weak to hold my newborn son! They don't call it "labor" for nothing; it's not easy to deliver a 10 pound moose!!!
Any mother could bore you with details you'd probably rather not hear--even 31 years later--so I'll spare you for the most part! But I will say my home delivery with a midwife was way better by far than my experience in the hospital in the States 2 years earlier. Way better!

And for what are we now waiting? Today is the due date for the son of that 31 year old "baby" of ours! Yes, we will soon be grandparents again; we're just waiting for the good word. And then we will have to wait several months before we get to meet the little guy. My parents had to wait 13 months before they met their grandson and they survived, so I have no doubt we will survive, too.

I praise the Lord for our 2 sons and the fine young men they have grown up to be. I also praise Him for the 2 fine daughters our sons have given us! And now the grandchildren--it just keeps getting better and better!

There was a time when we had just about given up hope of having any kids of our own, but I remember the peace the Lord gave me in spite of my longing. At one point, after we had been told we would probably never have kids, I wondered if I would ever be able to hold a baby again without crying. I cried out to the Lord for His grace, strength, and peace. Within a day or two I was holding a tiny baby and rejoicing at the marvel of new life--without tears! God's peace truly is beyond our understanding. Philippians 4:7 It would be 3 more years before I got to hold our firstborn. What a day of rejoicing, not just at the marvel of new life but also rejoicing over God's blessings showered upon us. And then, 2 years later, another son.

And now we wait for that grandson. God is so good!!!

Jigger-toe, Jigger-foot, and Drs. D and D

Yep, it's happened. Both Darrell and I have had jiggers this week! At first I thought I had been bitten by a red ant on the side of my foot because it itched so much, but as it started to feel as if I was stepping on something I asked Darrell to check it out. He confirmed my suspicions and went to work with a needle to dig it out.

A jigger is the smallest of fleas that burrows under the skin to live comfortably--at least for the jigger--until its belly swells with eggs. During removal, care must be taken to get the whole thing; sometimes, depending on how big it got, it can leave quite a hole. This one wasn't too big.

Today Darrell asked me to check out his little toe. We're quite sure he had a jigger too, though it didn't itch. His was in a crazy spot--right on the end of his toe by the nail. He trimmed the nail as short as he could and I went to work with the needle. It was partly under the nail and I wasn't able to get it out in one piece, but by the time I was done he had the typical hole.

It's not surprising that this happened, especially for me since I wear flip-flops, and we both had had them when we lived here before. What really surprised us is that Sackie told us he has had only one in his life. He must know a secret that we don't know! Oh well, it's just part of living in the tropics!

Worthy Causes

I don't know about you, but I know I greatly dislike pleas for money.  Please give for this and please give for that--and then if you do give they only want more.  I do know sometimes people would like to help but just aren't sure which causes are legitimate.  Also people wonder how much of their money actually reaches the spot that needs it.

Well, we have never asked for money for ourselves; we've only asked the Lord to take care of us and He has provided in some amazing ways over the years.  But we don't hesitate to make known some worthy causes just to make people aware of the need.  I WILL NOT USE THIS BLOG TO BE CONSTANTLY BEGGING FOR MONEY!  I'm going to tell you just this once about four areas that could stand some help; if any money comes in, I will report once in a while on what has been accomplished.  And I can guarantee that 100% of any money given will go directly to the causes mentioned--no overhead, nothing skimmed off the top.  And no one will ask for MORE.....EVER.

Cause #1: The folk in our home church gave money to buy Thompson Chain Reference Bibles for pastors and Bible school students in Liberia. Some pastors have told us they lost theirs during the war. Tommy Ben, who is pastoring the church at Zondo where Darrell grew up and where we spent some time when we lived here, told us soldiers in the 90's took his Bible and other books to destroy them and he has been trying to get another Thompson ever since. I wish I could have captured the smile on his face when he first held a new one in his hands. He was/is one happy man and very grateful.

Tommy Ben with his new Bible

The reason we list this as a worthy cause is that the 48 Bibles provided by the people in our church are not enough.  Each Bible costs approximately $50 when buying by the case of 12.

Cause #2  Darrell and I have both written booklets that we would like to use while here.  Darrell's booklet is called "Back to Basics" and gives the Biblical plan of salvation in 6 easy lessons.  My booklet is called "I Dare You: A Challenge that Requires a Response" and presents the Biblical concept of tithing.  We would like to see both of these printed in English and Bassa.

Cause #3  The Mother Susie Guenter Orphanage was started by Jefferson and Helena Zeon and named in honor of Darrell's mother who had a great influence on Jefferson.  There are 28 children in the orphanage and they also run a Christian day school with 370 students.  The work will continue even though Jefferson has been promoted to Heaven.

Cause #4  Baptist Mid-Missions still has a lease from the government on 100 acres at Zondo even though no resident missionaries have been there since 1980.  The Liberians have carried on the work of the church and Christian day school (70 students) and have maintained the buildings to the best of their ability financially.  The church building had to be rebuilt; they were able to use the same foundation and also were able to salvage some of the mud bricks from the original building. However, one of 2 school buildings is no longer standing and the two houses need repair.  (We stayed in Darrell's folk's house for a night in 2010 and saw the sky through a large hole in the roof.)  Some local people have petitioned the government to take the land back for development, saying missionaries will never go back there again.  So far they have been unsuccessful and the work of the Lord goes on.  I know they would be greatly encouraged by any help that came their way. 

I had hoped to include some pictures from Zondo but they are only in my Facebook albums and I don't know how to download them to this page.  If you are my facebook friend, you can go to my albums and look for Liberia--Places--2010.  Scroll through and you will find pictures of the church building, the remaining school building, and Darrell's folk's house.

If any of these causes interest you and you would like to help, any money can be sent to Liberia Projects, Northfield Baptist Church, 87 Main Street, Northfield, MA 01360 and they will send you a receipt if you would like one.  Please designate the money for whichever cause you would like to support.  If enough comes in for the printing, we will put any leftover money into the other causes. 

Thank you for taking the time to read about these causes which are close to our hearts and thank you for any help you may give. 

Catching Up

Wow! Where has the time gone? I don't want to believe it has been over a week since I last posted. It's not that I don't have anything to write about. I probably could go on forever, but it's late so I'll keep this short.

Jefferson's wake and funeral were a real blessing. We stayed at the wake until 12:30am when they were starting a time of singspiration. Mind you, wakes and funerals are different here from what we're used to at home.

Darrell preached for only 45 minutes instead of the 3 hours he was told he could take. I'm sure he was told that with tongue in cheek as a way to tell him he could take as long as he wanted, but I'm also sure people would have been disappointed if he had made it too short. He preached from Isaiah 40:12ff about how big our God is, including the fact that He is big enough to know how to take care of the empty spots left by Jefferson's departure.

Many tributes were given both at the wake and funeral testifying to the impact Jefferson had on many lives, young and old. One of the saddest parts was when the orphans--28 of them--got up to sing and we all knew they had just lost their "daddy." And then a group of students from the school sang, some of them singing their hearts out with tears streaming down their faces. Believe me, I had tears streaming down my face too!

The funeral was scheduled to start at 10am--probably started more like 10:30--and went until about 2. I couldn't see everyone there since many--maybe most--were seated outside under canopies, but when they filed past the casket at the end, the line kept coming and coming and coming. I asked later if anyone knew how many people were there and Jefferson's sister-in-law said they planned for 1,000. I'm sure there were at least that many there which is another tribute to the impact of Jefferson's life.

After the burial we went back for a feast of rice and soup. I can't imagine cooking for that many people, but they did an excellent job. It was a good end to a day honoring Jefferson and the God he served so faithfully.

Jefferson's Funeral

Jefferson's funeral is tomorrow at 10 with the wake tonight at 9.  Darrell also went out there this afternoon at 5 for the arrival of the body.

Wakes in Liberia usually last all night with preaching and singing, and we expect this one will be the same.  We will probably stay until about midnight unless Darrell hasn't had his turn to preach by that time.  

Darrell will also be preaching tomorrow at the funeral, and Jefferson's brother told him to preach 3 hours if he wanted to!  I'm sure everyone would be asleep if he did that after an all-night wake.  Mind you, I'm not saying Darrell's preaching puts people to sleep, but there is a limit!  And don't worry, he won't preach 3 hours!!!

It is so comforting to know where Jefferson is and that his suffering is over.  We pray that others will come to that place as a result of Jefferson's testimony and the godly example he set.

"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have eternal life..."  I John 5:13 

Bug-a-bugs

How do you know when a missionary is ready for furlough?  It's easy!  The first year on the field, when a bug flies in his coffee, he throws the coffee out.  The second year, he takes the bug out and drinks the coffee.  The third year, he drinks the coffee along with the bug.  The fourth year, he goes looking for bugs to put in his coffee! I must add that this is more truth than fiction!

Martha came back from the market today with a twinkle in her eye.  She had bought a special treat for us--fried bug-a-bugs!  Yummy!!!  I had told her a story about bug-a-bugs so she knew we liked them.  More about that story in a bit.

Bug-a-bugs are termites, the ones that make the huge ant hills you may have seen in pictures. In February, after the second rain signaling the approach of the rainy season, the female bug-a-bugs fly, searching for their spot to establish a new colony. The Liberians go out with a torch and, since the bugs are attracted to the light, they get their wings singed and fall into the pan which has been placed under the torch. After they are roasted they make a tasty treat.

When Martha was up-country last week for a conference, she said it rained hard twice, so I asked her if the bug-a-bugs flew.  Yes, they did.  That's why she found some in the market today: enterprising folk from the country gathered and roasted some to bring to sell to us city folk!

Now back to that story.  Back in the '80s  when Darrell was pastoring in the States, a missionary appointee came to speak in the church.  He was in our home and proceeded to let us know that when he got to Africa he was going to do this and he was going to do that and he was going to eat what the Africans ate and on and on and on ad nauseum!  I had finally heard enough so went to the freezer and pulled out a treat for him: roasted bug-a-bugs!  (Darrell's folks had been back here for a short visit and brought us a small bottle of the real deal.)  I wish you could have seen the look on the guy's face when I poured some into my hand and offered them to him.  He asked if I was serious and, as I popped a few into my mouth, I assured him I was very serious.  Well, as he turned several shades of green, he took a few.  And guess what!  We didn't hear anything more about all the wonderful things he was going to do in Africa.

Now comes the question: as I sit here with a dish of bugs beside me, does that mean we're ready for furlough?  But we've only been here 2 months!!  I think we're in trouble!!!

Just News

Today was a good day in fellowship with other believers.  We heard a good message on doing things God's way in God's timing.  King David, in the Old Testament, wanted to build a temple for worship in place of the portable tabernacle that had been used for years.  It bothered David that he lived in a nice house but the place of worship was just a tent.  God told him he had a good idea BUT he was not the one who should build the temple.  God had chosen David's son, Solomon, to do it. 

Applying it to me, that means I can find something good--even great--to do, but if it's not what God wants me to do, then I'm not obeying.  Also, while doing that "wonderful" task, I'm NOT doing what God intended for me to do.  That's double trouble!  It's better just to obey, knowing that God knows what He's doing and His ways are always best.

Okay, sermon's over!!!

Today I was reminded again that I'm different.  It's so easy to forget that my skin is a different color--until some little kid stands and stares and stares and stares.  Then I remember that, yeah, I am an oddity!  (Okay, family and close friends, no comments!!!)  Sometimes they come up and run their hands up and down my arm;  maybe they think my skin feels different from theirs???

This morning the cutest little tyke, probably 2-2 1/2, stood in the aisle by us and stared.  She was all dolled up in a beautiful red dress with white shoes and socks and her hair was fixed so cute.  I could have squeezed her but I had to remember we were sitting in church and I should be paying attention.  At one point she reached out and touched Darrell's hand.   I wished I had brought my camera, but I wouldn't have used it even if I had had it since we were still in the service.  Oh, well.....

I guess that's enough for now.  Just remember: God is good!!!

Mr. Fix-It

Anyone who has lived in the tropics knows that the climate does a number on most everything.  We wish we could live without "things" that need our attention, but so far we haven't found a way to make that feasible.  It is amazing the number of things Darrell has had to fix in the short time we've been here.  It's a good thing he has a good brain for things like that or we'd either be out of money or living with things in disrepair.

When we arrived the Sheppards told us that the AC in the vehicle needed to be repaired; Mark had hoped to get to it before they left, but all those last minute things kept popping up.  That was Darrell's first repair, but that one had to be done at a shop that Mark told him about.  Soon after that was fixed, the fan for the AC went.  Mark knew there was a problem so had left a spare fan for them to put in the same time they made the first repair, but they told Darrell the fittings weren't right.  Well, don't tell Darrell something can't be done!  He fixed it himself, but.....now he thinks the original repair is not holding, so it may be going back to the shop.

We have 2 water systems--city water when it is running and well water for the rest of the time. We pump water from the well into a holding tank on the roof. There is a one-way valve in the line so when city water is running it by-passes the tank, but that valve quit working so water was constantly overflowing the tank when the city water was on. That meant Darrell had to climb up on the roof umpteen times--to find out what he needed to fix it, back up to fix it, back up to tighten it to stop a leak, etc., etc.

Shortly after getting that fixed, water started dripping from the kitchen ceiling.  That didn't make sense because he hadn't been working over the kitchen, so he had to go up into the "attic" to see what was going on.  He wasn't too impressed to find a pressure tank that had sprung a leak--not in the pipes or fittings but in the actual tank.  He "fixed" that by putting a piece of roofing up there to catch the water and direct it outside.  Well, it wasn't quite as simple as that, but you get the idea.

Not long after that I was walking by the bathroom and heard running water.  Uh-oh!  The shower control had decided to die and needed to be replaced..... NOW .....because there was no shut-off valve.

Add to these things the screens that needed to be replaced (which meant he had to run all over trying to find aluminum screening only to find it in a small shop down the street), the fans that needed fixing, the toilets that needed adjusting, and on and on it goes.

These things weren't a shock to us since we had lived here before, but it still amazes us how much time can be spent just keeping things working.  One thing to be thankful for is that these things make life so much easier or more pleasant for us.  God is good!

Pictures

Now that we have high-speed(???) internet back, I have finally taken the time to figure out how to add pictures.  The picture above gives you an idea of how much dust (fine sand) is in the air from the harmatan.  The sun is smack-dab in the middle of the picture--and it is a color picture! 

Maybe 20 minutes later the sun was low enough to at least be seen.  We know more than one flight into Robertsfield was canceled because of the harmatan.  One of the flights circled, hoping conditions would improve.  When they got worse, the plane went back to Ghana to wait for another day.

Esther!  She spent 2 nights here and will come back in August during school vacation--she's a teacher.

Jefferson and Helena--I'm sure his smile is even bigger (if that's possible) now that he is with the Lord!  Helena could still smile yesterday, but she and the family need our prayers.  Losing a loved one is never easy even when we know they're in a better place and no longer suffering.

Precious in the Sight of the Lord...

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. Psalm 116:15 

Some people have the mistaken idea that saints are the select few chosen by a church. The Bible clearly teaches that all believers are saints, not because of anything we have done but because Jesus did it all for us. All I had to do was to accept God's free gift of salvation.

Jefferson Zeon definitely was one of God's saints. I mentioned in my first post from Liberia that we had stopped on our way in from the airport to see Jefferson and Helena. Jefferson was very sick and today he was promoted to Heaven. I know there is much rejoicing in Heaven today over the arrival of a true man of God. I can just see Jefferson humbly bowing down before his Saviour to say thank you for making it possible for him to be there.

Jefferson will be sorely missed by many and especially by Helena and the family. They did a great job of taking care of him all this time. Helena seems to be doing okay and knows that God's ways are not our ways but His ways are always best. That doesn't mean she isn't hurting, but she can rest in God's love for her, knowing He will take care of her.

They think the funeral will be on Friday. Please pray for the family for strength and peace and that the funeral will be a testimony to God's goodness. I'm sure Jefferson's testimony will live on and be used to accomplish God's work.

My Heart Sits Down

Esther. Just one word--one name--one person--and, oh, what memories! When we were here in 2010, I asked everywhere we went, "Where is Esther?" In Monrovia, people told us they thought she was in Buchanan. In Buchanan, people told us they thought she was in Gbarnga. We never did find her or hear any definite word about her.

Why did I want to see Esther? Of all the Liberians I know, Esther and I were the closest but, sadly, we lost contact with each other. I had no idea what happened to her during the war--whether she was living in Liberia or as a refugee in Ivory Coast or Sierra Leone, or whether she was dead or alive.

When I arrived in Liberia in 1970, Esther was living in Zondo attending the elementary school. She was a teenager, married, and very pregnant. Her time to deliver came before I had been there 2 months, but I knew enough of the customs at that time to know that where she would deliver was far from ideal. Ellie, with whom I lived, offered one of the rooms in her house for any of the women who wanted to deliver with the Liberian mid-wife, but Esther chose (or maybe the choice was made for her?) to deliver in the traditional way: on a mat on the ground behind one of the houses with the older women to assist.

Ellie and I knew Esther was in labor, so after a while we went to see how she was doing. The next day, when news of the birth still had not come, we went to see her again. Ellie asked if we could call the airplane to carry Esther to the hospital, but the women refused. The next day we tried again and finally they agreed for the plane to come--but not before they had tried their traditional ways of getting that baby to cooperate. I won't go into detail here, but it's not a pretty picture.

We got word after a couple weeks that Esther was still in the hospital, not doing well at all. When the plane came our way, Ellie and I went to see her. Oh my, she looked awful, so skinny and sick. The baby girl had died--don't remember now if she was stillborn or died soon after birth--and though I never heard the official diagnosis, I think Esther almost died from peritonitis. She survived but sadly, her husband didn't want her anymore, so she was on her own.

When I went to live in a village for language study, Esther went with me for the first 2 weeks to help me adjust to village life. When Darrell and I got married, Esther was one of my bridesmaids. Some years later, when we were living in Buchanan, she came to live with us, sharing a room with Brad who was still in a crib at the time. She was a big help to me as I waited--impatiently--for Eric's arrival. After Eric's birth, Brad needed the bed Esther was using since Eric was in the crib, so Esther rented a room just a couple houses away from us and was still a big help to us.

Well.....today I finally saw Esther. Such rejoicing! So many hugs!! So much praising God for His goodness!!! And this is only the beginning. I asked if she could come visit for a while and she said she could come whenever I invite her. I told her I'm inviting her now! She will come Thursday evening. I don't think she will stay because she is in town for a church conference, but I hope she will be able to come stay for a while soon. We have much catching up to do!

And as far as Esther is concerned, now my heart can sit down. After all these years, we have found each other again. God is good!

The Wordless Book

Yesterday we attended Kadumah Baptist Church where Darrell preached and I taught junior church.  I was really glad the pastor's wife, who usually teaches, was with me.  She took care of everything except the lesson itself.

As soon as the pastor asked me to teach, I began thinking about the Wordless Book--but I don't have a copy of it with me.  I used to have a pocket-size version, but that was long ago.  However, with that book, it's easy to improvise, especially when the Lord is in control!

Martha's sister makes jewelry and Martha brought some to work for me to look at.  As soon as I saw one necklace, I mentioned that it was almost like the Wordless Book.  Martha didn't know what I was talking about but liked it when I explained.  I told her to tell her sister to make one the way I want it and I will buy it.  In the meantime, I borrowed the one that was almost right: black, red, yellow, green, but no white.  Since the book is actually wordless--only colors--the beads would work quite nicely.

When I got in the classroom, I noticed one girl among the 30+ kids who had all the right colors in her hair clips except black, but there was black trim on her dress.  She came up front to help me illustrate the colors, and the kids seemed to get a charge out of the idea that her hair clips and dress were telling a story.  I also had a picture of our house back home taken last year with all the snow piled up so they could see how white snow is.

There's a song that goes along with the Wordless Book: 

Black:      My heart was dark with sin until the Saviour came in;
Red:        His precious blood, I know,
White:     has washed me white as snow;
Yellow:    and in God's Word I'm told I'll walk the streets of gold;
Green:     to grow in Christ each day I read my Bible and pray.

Of course, I used Scripture, too, since my ideas are not important; God's Word is what counts:  Romans 3:23; Isaiah 64:6; John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; I John 1:7; Isaiah 1:18; Psalm 51:7; Revelation 21:21; and II Peter 3:18.

It was a good day, especially to see how the Lord took care of my visual aid for me.  He is good!

Fufu

When I first arrived in Liberia in 1970, I had the attitude that I would learn to enjoy Liberian food.  (The hot pepper was a real challenge, but I mastered it!)  I was living back in the bush with Ellie Munter since Darrell and I weren't married at that time.  Ellie enjoyed Liberian food so set a good example for me.

We had not been at Zondo very long when Ellie had to fly to Tappi for a meeting (at Zondo you had to walk or fly since there were no roads at that time).  Since I was still "green," we thought it best if I went to Tappi, too.  Darrell was there at that time, so while Ellie was in her meeting, he and I went to explore the village  of Tappi.  When we went in the market, I asked what was the awful smell--awful being an understatement!  He said it was fufu, and my immediate response was that I would NEVER eat it.  (Hmmm, what was that I said about learning to enjoy Liberian food?)  Darrell hadn't tried fufu at that time, so he couldn't clue me in one way or another.

I don't remember which came first, learning how fufu is prepared or Darrell telling me he had tried it and found out how good it is.  Anyway, the prep doesn't sound any better than the smell, and knowing Darrell's reputation for eating almost anything (except pickled tripe), I'm not sure how I ever got brave enough to try it!

Fufu is made from cassava, a starchy root and close cousin of manioc from which tapioca is made.  The raw cassava is cut into small pieces and put in a pot of water to soak for a day or two.  Then it is put in a cloth bag, placed on a rock in the sun with another rock on top, and left for a day or so until the water is drained.  Now it can be placed in a container with a cover and used whenever you are ready for it.  I don't think your imagination has to work overtime to get an idea of the odor emanating from that container!  That is what I had smelled in the market.

Now it's time to cook the fufu.  The "ripened" cassava is mixed with water and strained to get out the coarse fibers, leaving only the starchy mixture in the pot.  We all know what happens to liquid which has had flour or cornstarch added to it.  The difference with fufu is that there is so much starch in the liquid it not only gets thick, it ends up looking more like a wad of bread dough!  And the yukky smell disappears as it cooks, leaving a distinctive taste that I'm not sure how to describe.

And I can tell you that I didn't lie when I said years ago that I would never eat fufu.  I have NEVER eaten it, because you don't EAT fufu; you swallow it!  (Imagine trying to eat sticky bread dough; it wouldn't work too well.)  With fufu, you lubricate it with soup, cut off a chunk with your spoon, roll it around in your mouth to savor the taste, and swallow.  Yum!  It really is good!!!  We have been enjoying it once a week--just had some today, in fact!

Harmatan

In a previous post I mentioned the harmatan, but I need to expand on that a bit. When weather conditions are right--only in the dry season--dry, dusty winds blow in off the Sahara Desert. If you are familiar with West Africa, then you know the desert is a long way from Liberia, so that dust has traveled quite a distance. It looks like smog and was bad enough on Wednesday that the Delta flight from the States was canceled because of poor visibility. Probably other flights have been canceled, too, but we just haven't heard about them. We have never seen it this "bad" for so long.
One other "bad" thing is the amount of dirt it brings in the house. This morning as I walked down the hall from our bedroom, I could see footprints in the dust on the floor--and the floor had been swept yesterday! Everything--and I mean EVERYTHING--has a layer of dirt on it. At least I don't have to be embarrassed about that kind of dirt; it's everywhere, not just in our house! Whew!!!

I put "bad" in quotes because the harmatan also has good aspects. The "dry" air is most welcome! "Dry" is also in quotes because it is a relative term. Humidity at 67%, where it is right now, feels very comfortable with the temperature at 83. (If I'm not mistaken, in the States humidity at 70% is called "oppressive"! Ha!) Also, the dust in the air blocks the sun like a cloud cover so it isn't as hot. Nights can really cool off. The other morning I came out of our air conditioned bedroom to find it cooler in the rest of the house! In fact, it was rather chilly--all the way down to 72!!! (I know I'm adjusting to the heat when I think 72 is chilly!)

Ok, school's over for today! And just think, no test tomorrow! (I'm a good teacher!?!)

Too Much!

And too much of what, you ask?  Too much to tell you about!  Life here is interesting, to say the least, and I think I could go on and on forever.  I want to tell you about ministry opportunities, William, Martha, Solomon, rice bread, fufu, dumboy, palm butter, harmatan......you get the picture!  Let me start with ministry opportunities and then I can deal with other subjects later.

Darrell has been asked to preach a series in one of the churches here in Monrovia, and he plans to use a booklet he has written entitled "Back to Basics."  It is a tool for evangelism and stresses the simplicity of the Gospel.  So many "religions" make Christianity so complicated when, in fact, God states clearly that salvation is a gift--free--to anyone who will take it.  He doesn't force it on anyone but extends His hand in love to offer that free gift made possible by Christ's death in our place.  (Well, I didn't intend to recite the whole booklet here!)

The pastor suggested that I teach the ladies some other topic while Darrell is with the men, but personally I think the ladies would benefit from Darrell's series.  I will let Darrell and the pastor determine what I should do.

Darrell will also be teaching a course at the Bible college but what and when are yet to be determined.  My guess is that it will be a two week module like he did in 2010.

Another pastor (who was a Bible college student when we were here in 2010) is starting a new church here in Monrovia.  At this point they are small in number and meet in the pastor's living room.  To try to draw in new people, Darrell has also been asked to show some DVDs (which the Sheppards have) at some special meetings the church in planning.

There will be other conferences and seminars in which at least Darrell will be involved.

So we are staying busy--never bored--especially when you add in the complications of life in the tropics.  But that's another topic and another day's blog.

Until next time (which I hope will be soon) just remember: God is good!

Scratch Cards, Beeps, and a Face Lift

No, no, no.....I'm not cracking up!  All 3--scratch cards, beeps, and a face lift--have something to do with Liberia.

Cell phones are common in Liberia but I'm not sure if cell phone plans even exist.  Instead, we buy pre-paid minutes which are sold by scratch cards: buy a card, scratch the back for the number, enter it into the phone, and the phone is ready to use.

We used our phones the other day to call the States because we've been without internet service for over a week.  Can you believe that with these pre-paid minutes we pay only 5 cents a minute to call the States!  We had checked with our cell plan before leaving the States and found out if we called through that plan it would be $3.50 a minute.  Guess which phone we used!!

That brings me to the "beep."  We told our son and his wife if they need to contact us when the internet is down, they should "beep" us.  That's what the Liberians do if their minutes are getting low but they want to talk to someone.  They call the number, let it ring once, and then hang up.  That is the signal for the person to call them back.  I haven't figured out what happens if you beep someone and his minutes are low too!

This is reminding me of the "old days" when we were out here before cell phones and internet.  Even if we got to a place where a phone was available, the cost to the States was prohibitive, so the only direct contact I had with my parents was by ham radio maybe 2 or 3 times in 4 years.  We actually had to write letters in order to communicate!  What an ancient art that is!!! 

And where does a face lift fit into this scene?  It has nothing to do with scratch cards and beeps, but it is what I have decided I need.  No, don't worry, I'm not going under the knife for that reason either here or back home.  But it's so hot out here that I can't be ladylike and "perspire"; I'm sorry, but I "SWEAT"!  Actually, I've never been one to perspire; I've been sweating all my life!  And here in Liberia, it's much worse than at home.  What makes it even worse is that now that I'm an old lady (just remember that in Liberia "old lady" is a term of respect!) and my face is sagging, the sweat runs into my eyes.  Don't you think a face lift would be the cure for that?

Until next time, always remember: God is good!

I'm Back--Sort of!

We’ve been without internet service for over a week and a half, and now they are telling us they have no idea when it will be up again.  In the meantime, we have something that I had never heard of—internet on a flash drive.  Maybe it’s common, but it’s sure new to me.  We paid $40 for the “stick” and then we buy minutes to load onto it, so we’re paying as we go.  The main problem is that it’s slower than molasses, so those minutes can add up quickly.  But slow is better than nothing!  At least now we can keep up with emails and I can post to this blog.  We won’t be reading much of any news or spending time on Facebook.  When the regular internet is back, we will use that and save the stick for times when that’s our only choice.

It is good to be back in touch—sort of!

God's House

Does it make a difference what "God's House" looks like?  Where we went to church 2 weeks ago was in sharp contrast to where we attended today.  Both buildings were in Monrovia, but one was down a dirt track and the other was on a 4 lane highway.  The one was unfinished with 1 wall of cement blocks, 3 walls of woven mats, a zinc roof, a dirt floor, and benches with no backs.  The other was a church that will be celebrating its 50th anniversary next year and has a large building with ceiling fans, a sound system, choir with robes, a keyboard to accompany singing, and benches with backs.
What do you think?  Was God's presence more apparent in one building than the other?  Was worship more meaningful in the nicer building?  Actually the Bible teaches us that God lives within a believer, not in a building, so when believers entered either building, God went in with us.  It makes absolutely no difference what the building is like.  Worship takes place in the heart, not the building.  And the "church" is a group of believers, not a building.
This morning I attended the women's Sunday School class and what a blessing it was.  I saw something I had never seen in Liberia and it was awesome!  The ladies had a good discussion and expressed their views which were well grounded on Scriptural principles.  What I had experienced years ago was ladies who didn't have much to say.  I'm not sure if that was lack of confidence, lack of understanding, or cultural, but what I witnessed today was a most welcome change.  I love it and praise the Lord for the opportunity to see it for myself.
I'm not sure how much "ministering" we will be doing on a weekly basis since the Liberians are so capable.  I have mentioned in other posts that we are here mainly in an advisory capacity.  That means we will help put out any "fires" that might erupt plus be involved in training seminars for church leaders.  The Sheppards were much more involved than we will be since they knew the ins and outs of areas that needed attention.  We just praise the Lord for the opportunity to be here to do what little we can.  God is good!

To Market, to Market to Buy a.....

Mortar and pestle!  That's what we needed, along with palm nuts, to make palm butter, a delicious topping for rice.  MMMyummymmmmm!!!!!  Martha, the woman who helps us in the house, took us to the BIG market to get several things we needed.  The market was huge, really HUGE! And we went in only a portion of it.  Our shopping list also included bananas, papaya, pineapples, cassava leaf (for "soup" to go on top of rice, collard greens (for soup), "chicken soup" (bouillon cubes), and then we picked up some frozen chicken legs at a supermarket on the way home.
We are really enjoying "rice and soup"!  People used to ask us about the food here and when we'd say it is delicious, often the response was "yeah, right!"  We were not being sarcastic!!! It really is delicious.  No gagging it down on our part!  Plus it's cheaper than eating American style.
Amos Kangar stopped by today to talk with Darrell about what he needs for the Bible school which he directs.  I love it that there are more Bible schools now (4) than when all the missionaries were here (3).  The work here has grown and what we as missionaries tried to accomplish has come to fruition--work ourselves out of a job.  The Liberians are doing a fine job of carrying on the work.  That is why we are here only in an advisory capacity and to give encouragement anywhere we can.  What a blessing to see Liberians in leadership roles.
As a side note, I had to laugh the other day when I remembered how I hated writing all those "themes" in high school.  Pick a theme--any theme we wanted--and write a page.  If I'm not mistaken, they were due 3 times a week--I know at least twice.  Oh, how I hated those things.  And now I'm writing a blog because I want to???!!!  Some things just don't make sense.

Different

Yup! Different--that's what I said.  Everything is different!!  I'm so glad we lived here before.  Of course, if we hadn't lived here before, the Sheppards probably would not have asked us to fill in for them.  I'm thinking it would be next to impossible to come out here with no experience and no other missionaries to lead the way.  Life would have been very difficult and different for the pioneer missionaries, but a few things to their advantage would have been less red tape, less congestion, less noise!, etc.
Let me just list a few random thoughts to explain "different":
     --a motorbike carrying a passenger with a mattress folded in half between him and the driver;
     --a UN helicopter patrolling the city Sunday morning;  we think they were looking for demonstrators who were opposed to Monday's inauguration.  They had threatened to demonstrate on Monday, too, but an agreement was reached so they attended the inauguration;
     --a convoy of UN vehicles driving by our house after the inauguration, including tanks with soldiers and their guns in the turrets.  We're praising the Lord for a peaceful inauguration;
     --a motorbike carrying the driver and 3 passengers;
     --"music" from the bar down the road that "entertains us every night until 4 a.m.  I say "music" because it's really more like noise.  I am a person who always moves to music--even music I don't like--even music I can't stand!  This does not tempt me to move at all.  It just invites me to put in ear plugs when I go to bed.
     --people walking between the lanes of slow-moving traffic selling all sorts of things--and remember that the motorbikes also drive between the lanes of slow-moving traffic!  I'm not sure how people survive;
     --men sitting on one side of the church and women sitting on the other;
     --using 2 types of currency for 1 transaction.  No coins are used here, but  US bills are used along with Liberian bills.  One US dollar yields 73 Liberian dollars, so Liberian dollars are used instead of coins;
      Well, I think you get the idea!
Another thing that's different is this trip compared with the 3 week visit in 2010.  I'm so glad we realized before we came just how different it would be this time.  Last time we were visitors with few responsibilities other than ministering.  Now we're still trying to get the paperwork taken care of:  licenses, residence permits, etc.  None of that had to be done last time.  Last time we were involved in ministry immediately, Darrell especially.  This time we're still trying to stock the cupboards and get some meals prepared.  Last time a welcoming committee was at the airport to meet us after our 28 year absence.  This time many people don't yet know that we are here.  Last time we were flying high with adrenalin because of all the excitement.  This time we are living reality.  We knew it would be like this, but I wonder if the readers of this blog who also read the updates from the last trip understand the difference.  I certainly can see the difference between this blog and those updates and wonder if you might think we are struggling or doubting.  That is not the case!  We are right where God wants us to be and have His peace.  THAT IS NOT DIFFERENT!!!

The Best Laid Plans.....

What is that I was saying about going to Sackie's church today?  Well, I didn't go anywhere.  No, I'm not sick; I feel just fine.
First thing this morning someone was banging on our gate.  (Our house is surrounded by a high wall with broken glass embedded in the top and then razor wire.)  Darrell went to investigate and found someone there telling him the watch dog was outside getting beaten up by other dogs.  How did he get out?  We also realized the night watchman had gone, so maybe he snuck out then to see his "girlfriend."  Or maybe he snuck out with the 6 UN soldiers from Argentina who are staying in the rooms downstairs for a couple of weeks until the presidential inauguration is over tomorrow.  Anyway, he came back in more embarrassed than hurt and went into hiding. 
When it was time to leave for church we realized the day watchman was not here and the dog was nowhere to be found (we don't yet know all his hiding places).  I said maybe I should stay home and Darrell didn't hesitate a bit to agree with me.  Maybe the Lord knew I needed to "chill"! 
Well, I wasn't chilly, but I must say today is one of the nicest days weather-wise I have ever experienced in Liberia.  The humidity dropped rapidly all morning until it was down to 29%, thanks to the harmattan.  We've known that to happen only a handful of times in all the years we lived out here!  Believe me, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I took 2 naps while Darrell was gone and then another this afternoon. (Sure hope I'll be able to sleep tonight!) I didn't even turn on a fan until later in the afternoon even though the temp was in the high 80's.  Dry hot air is so much easier to tolerate than humid hot air!
When Darrell got home, he said Sackie said we made a wise decision for me to stay home.  Like I said in another post, things are different here!
Darrell did enjoy the service this morning.  He said there were probably 90 people there.  Sackie preached in English and it was interpreted into Kpelle so both language groups could hear the sermon.  Darrell couldn't hear everything because he was sitting on the platform and was getting feedback from the sound system, making it difficult to understand.  They had 2 choirs--a "youth" (meaning young adult) choir and a traditional Kpelle choir.
Well, I've rambled enough for tonight.  I keep thinking of more to say, but it can wait for another post.  Just remember: God is good!

Bits and Pieces


I think I'm finally adjusting a bit to the heat.  I began to think I might do nothing but sit in front of the fan for 10 months!  Mind you, it's still HOT, but at least I've accomplished a bit today:  5 loads of laundry (though I did have some help hanging it out to dry) and most of it is folded and put away.  The area rugs are still on the line and sheets still need to be folded.  I could do that now except I burned my wrist (see, I shouldn't be cooking and to make matters worse, I was cooking something for the dog!) and the vitamin E I put on it would get all over the sheets.  The burn is not bad and the vitamin E will take care of it.  In the meantime, the sheets can stay hanging over a dining room chair!
We do have a gas drier, but why waste gas when there are plenty of lines for hanging things.  I'll change my tune when rainy season starts!
If you are hungry, please eat something before reading more. Our food today was so yummy.  For lunch we had leftovers from a funky little Lebanese restaurant we went to the other night. One thing we had was sort of like pizza but made with Lebanese bread instead of pizza crust and all that was on it was lots of cheese and pepperoni.  Sooo good, even as leftovers!  Along with that we had fresh pineapple and avocado.  You haven't tasted pineapple until you taste some that is locally grown instead of being picked way early so it can be transported before it spoils.  And all you need for avocado is salt and pepper;  the taste is so delicate it gets lost if mixed with other ingredients.
Tonight we had smoothies:  Darrell had banana-papaya-pineapple; I had just banana-papaya.  Again, nothing like fresh, locally grown fruit!
Tomorrow we plan to go to Sackie's church.  We've never been there before, so his son will stop by in the morning to ride with us so we don't get lost. We're looking forward to a good day in the Lord's house.  God has blessed us way beyond what we deserve and we look forward to worshipping together with other believers.  God is so good!

Oh, My!!!

I told you the traffic was bad.  We had to go in town again today.  Well, I didn't have to go, but Darrell suggested I go along and then we could check out some things while the AC in the vehicle was being fixed.  It took us almost an hour to go slightly less than 5 miles--bumper to bumper most of the way.  We were on a 4 lane highway, which means there were 2 lanes of cars going our direction plus motorbikes weaving in and out, going down the middle of the road, going between the 2 lanes we were in, or going along the curb.  They keep moving when cars are stopped or crawling, so it really gets interesting.  Oh, I forgot to tell you that many--most??--motorbikes are used as "taxis" carrying 1 or 2 passengers or 1 passenger and his load.  Today we saw one with the passenger carrying 2 tires between him and the driver!  Getting the picture?!
I also forgot to tell you yesterday that in all this confusion there are relatively few accidents.  Talk about driving defensively!!!  It is amazing!  We laughed several times at things we were seeing.  It really is quite a sight to see.
That being said, we did see an accident today--actually saw it happen.  A man stepped in front of a motorbike that was carrying 3 people.  All 4 people plus the bike ended up on the ground with the things they were carrying flying in all directions.  Thankfully everyone got up and didn't appear to be too badly hurt, but I'm sure they will be sore.
So, please pray for us!  If we're going to get anything done out here, we will have to be on the roads.  Thanks!