"Update from Liberia"

At last an update from Liberia... Finding transportation to an internet cafe has been quite challenging but our friends Thomas and Sherri were kind enough to take us to a hotel with wireless.

Our team spent most of the week at Daniel Hoover Village. It has been a priviledge to physically touch and talk with each child as we document their personal history and treat them medically. I understand why God prompted our hearts to focus on the children's medical needs as I watch Kristine, Lavonna and Ashley work with them. The children love the physical touch and care that the nurses are providing.

The men have focused on getting the trailer prepare to transport bulldozers and have spent time repairing screens on windows. Jordan has been relating to several of the children (below).

Of course, the highlight of the week was the independence day dinner on Saturday. At the end of each day at the orphanage, I would travel to the city with our Liberian friend, Lillian, to buy supplies for Saturday. Each of the girls (one by one) had the opportunity to travel to the marketplace. It was eye opening for them! We bought far more chicken than needed. The children had plenty and were storing food to take back to their dorms for later. In addition, they were going to have chicken soup today. What a blessing for them. The photo above is from the dinner.

Accomodations are great. We were greeted with heavy rains and flooding. The good news about the rain is that we have fresh outside bathing water (rather than buckets). Here are the girls enjoying a rain bath.

What has touch us the most?

• We live in plenty! On Independence Day, Terry was watching the kids enjoy the meal and shared "...and we eat like this every day". It's very difficult to watch knowing what we have.
• God has prepared our way for what we're doing. It's very clear that we should be here to physically care for the children and adults.
• The magnitude of desparity is huge and we wonder how we can make a difference. We've decided it's simply obedience to what God has called us to in the small things.

Why Liberia?

This slideshow shows why we have a heart for Liberia.  The photos are from our July, 2007 trip to Liberia with the Neuenschwander family.  Many of the children in the photos are from the ACFI Daniel Hoover Village Orphanage.  Thank you Michal for creating the video!

"Are you ready to go?"

That's been the question of the week. Our departure is set for Saturday morning, July 19th at 4:30 a.m. We'll make the long road trip from Ohio to JFK Airport and expect to arrive in Monrovia on Sunday early evening.

So, are we ready? I guess when you think about the packing stuff, yeah we'll be ready. We're not a family that packs in advance or anything - but it always comes together for us and we don't usually forget anything.

But, are we ready? Hmmm... that answer is a little tougher. We travel this time with more hesitancy although its difficult to verbalize what the hesitancy is all about. Maybe the fact that Liberia is struggling with food and gas prices, just like the U.S., and many of our friends have had limited food supply and have been sick. We know there is more disparity and are trying to figure out how to live there in our "wealth" when they have so little. Or, maybe it is just that each time we travel, God changes and molds us into something new. That change and new responsibility in understanding is always hard to respond to, although we know it is for our good. So, yeah we're ready for that.

"Going Out"

We were challenged at Living Water more than a year ago about the idea of "going out" and being who God wants us to be in our respective worlds.  That challenge has resulted in more than 600 people from our fellowship going out within our community, nation and the world. 

For us, we knew our "going out" meant going to back to Liberia.  Our team began to develop and encompasses many friends that we've grown with over the years.  The team includes:

• Us (Dan, Sue, Hannah, Michal and Momo)
• The Steiner's (Tim, Ashley, Heather & Lindsey)
• Terry & Lavonna smith
• Kristine & Jordan Knetzer
• Dee Neuenschwander
• Emily Briceland

God has had His hand not only on our team, but also with the details surrounding the trip.  We've seen travel funds raised, that for all purposes should not have been available, medical supplies and nurses to travel on the team and generous hearts of local students and community members to provide personal supplies for children.  Amazing....  

Our time in Liberia will consist of spending time at the Daniel Hoover Village and the Deaf Home Orphanages providing medical care, distributing personal care packages, documenting children for sponsorship programs, celebrating Liberia's Independence Day (July 26th) with a dinner for over 500 orphans/workers and accomplishing construction and repair.  Along with this, we just hope to share God's love and compassion and be His hands in ministering.

For those that are praying, here's what you can pray for:

• Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and boldness in moving to the Spirit's prompting
• For the Liberians/orphans who are currently suffering from lack of food  & sickness
• That the container (currently in port) is released without excessive financial penalties
• For ACFI leadership and a vision for future.

As we go....    July 19th through August 4th