Gbarnga Mission | Liberia – West Africa

Our week together has flown by but it was time for Becky, Dave, Kathy, and Gary to depart for Klay and visit their Peace Corps son, Andy. Saah wrapped the luggage in a tarp on the roof of the Land Cruiser like a baby swaddled in a Liberian lapa. After goodbyes and hugs, our four guests climbed into the Jeep and peered their last views of GLTC as they waved more goodbyes. Before getting into the car, Dave said he liked the T-shirt I was wearing yesterday that was imprinted with, “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive & go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” He leaned over and told me, “You’re one of those alive people.” Thank you, Dave, for the kind compliment.

Back to being solo in the guesthouse, Annie and Amelia immediately went to work stripping sheets and gathering towels for laundry. I was off to frame welding with John 2. He’s doing a great job of getting all the erector set pieces in correct and square position.

Mid afternoon I met with Tumamee who had returned with part of his assignment from our last meeting. We walked through all the items needed for our poultry business to get its feet (chicken feet, as it were) off the ground. We placed bricks and scrap pieces of pipe on the floor of the under-construction pen to determine the appropriate number of drinkers and feeders for our first flock. I’ll pick up most of the supplies in Monrovia as I’m hoping the solar panel shipment will arrive in the next few days.

I also met with Edwin Suah, our electrician, to do a wiring walkthrough and overview of the solar control components. He starts work tomorrow running circuits in the office and classrooms for lighting.

I think today is the last day of collective mourning for Moses’ family. I was taken aback when Moses arrived for a visit and introduced his biological mother, Yamah Parker! This was my first time seeing her, yet she was hoping for some financial help…a bit disappointing given the support I’m giving to Moses but not unusual I guess.