It has been too long since I've written...so much has happened, it's hard to know where to begin. Africa is wonderful, but such a different world. For the first several weeks, I was feeling very isolated from the local culture, because it's very easy to do everything in your life right on the ship and never venture out. However, I've still had some great adventures off the ship.We had the chance to take the landrovers and load them onto the train and travel a couple hours via train to the mines, which are now big lakes that have filled in over time. A few weeks ago, we went to a place called bong mines. Before the Liberian civil war, this was a place where steel ore was mined and then sent on the railroad to the port, where it could be exported. There was great swimming, and an amazing train ride where you could climb on top of the land rovers and see the country side!! This was a chance to see a little bit of what the more rural life looks like around here. We also got to do some cliff jumping into one of the lakes, which was
probably several hundred feet deep.I've also had several chances to visit local churches, which is a great way to meet more people, to hear their music, and to learn more of their way of life. Their services are jubilant, giving all their praise to the Lord, despite their difficult circumstances, bringing their offerings of adoration and thanksgiving. It's all quite humbling. Some of the churches don't have any power, so they mostly have drums and their voices to make music, you would not believe how sound fills these rooms of worship! I made plans to attend church with an African one morning, first we were leaving at 8:30, then it was 9:30, then it was 10 (at which point I was told that we were not operating on African time). Then we spent several minutes out on the busy street trying to arrange some sort of transport...which turned out to be unreliable at the best, the car turning off every couple minutes, all the way to church. Sometime we'd only go 100 feet before the car
would cut out again, and the owner would have to get out, pop up the hood, fiddle with something, and get in and drive off again. When we finally arrived, it was probably a church of at least 300, packed out to the max, with temperatures far exceeding what is comfortable, and I foolishly had left my water bottle at home. I was the only white person in the whole service, and they had us sit in the front row...I was sure I was going to pass out, when we'd had almost 3 hours of service! However, I made it through and got home mid-way through the afternoon, relieved to still be standing upright, needing some recuperation from such an all-day event!We also went to visit Firestone (which you may recognize from the ads on your tires), which is a rubber plant. Unfortunately, it seems to be q
uite an example of exploitation, where this company makes great profit on the Liberian land, while paying something like 6 cents an acre per year to rent the land, and this is over a 99 year contract....you may be able to read the words on the sign saying, "celebrating 80 years of partnership with Liberia"...partnership being a very generous term. It's actually quite a beautiful area, though, and the trees are tapped much like we tap for sap to make maple syrup. Rubber is originally a white liquid. In the background you can see the lovely house most likely owned by a an American Firestone employee. The local workers do not exactly live in the same conditions, but it is at least steady work for the people.Well, many other things have happened as well, and I will try to update this more regularly, and to remember to actually get some pictures of myself at the various places I visit, and pictures that show my new dreadlocks! I've already got one convert to dreads, and he is putting them in right now, it's very exciting!
Please pray for Liberia and our work here as it begins, now that the transition is complete to the Africa Mercy. There are many needs here, and we can only work in God's strength.
