Home Again, Home Again...

As you all know, we arrived home safe and sound. Took Em to the airport to go to Atl. this morning and she has arrived there by now. Everything is now back to normal - "All in our places with bright, shining faces," as we used to say when you all were little.

The house and garage look kinda funny with the pine trees gone from the side yard. They have been there for more than 30 years. Grammy planted them all those years ago for a wind screen from that north side of the house. Guess we will plant something else there now.

Duke was glad to see me and sniffed for a looongg time. The hot shower was really good and it was nice to be in my own bed. Dad and I are sitting here watching the news waiting for the roast chicken to be done for supper and tomorrow I go back to work.

Already planning for the 2010 Africa trip!

A Picnic in Liberia

Today we are going out to view the property where CRM has begun clearing to develop their residential/agricultural program. It is a distance from the city and we will take a picnic so we can lunch there.

Our time is growing short now and we are beginning the process to sort out for packing and leaving behind. Lots of training materials, supplies we brought and items we have no need to carry home will be left here for others who come to work on short-term projects. Emile's living arrangement here is well-suited to hosting small groups in a building separate from his house (only steps away, literally) and I expect he will have others coming to work here who may have need of some of the supplies we brought. Others who came before us have done the same and we have been well-stocked with necessities.

We do not feel ready yet to leave. There is so much yet to do.

Wind & Tree Damage

 

As bad as this looks it could have been so much worse.


 



 


Amazingly Phylis's car sustained no damage even though it was under all of this mess.


 

The "silent" victim in all of this was poor Duke. He was home all by himslef because I was out of town the night they blew old Browntown down.

The trees have been removed and things are getting back to normal. I'm hoping all traces are cleaned up before Mom returns from Liberia on Monday (2/23).

Our last Week Here

This is our last week here in Liberia! So sorry to have to leave (although I would like to be home for a bit to check up on all there - just don't want to leave).

Just in case you all check in here I need to let you know this Liberia trip may be an annual thing! So much to do here and so many opportunities to do it!

Looks like your really enjoying this adventure. As Gary says, you must feel quite proud of your efforts. I know we are all very proud of your wonderful contribution to a very worthy cause.

Love to all

Rich and Ginger

Daily (Almost) Posts from Liberia

Mom & Emmalee are doing a stellar job of posting to the LOEP Blog daily. If you have time, head over and read some of their posts. There no pictures yet as the internet connection is extremely slow. They promise to keep trying. Training gets underway on Monday (2/9) at LCMS. Visits to the orphanages will happen soon after. CRM and AAMOM being the two they plan to visit. Fellow LOEP board member and good friend Brenda Bernard arrives in Liberia on Sunday (2/8) to join Mom, Emma and Phylis. Brenda will accompany the the ladies to CRM and AAMOM and serve as a guide and driver, along with her husband. Much thanks to them for being there. Brenda, for those who don't know, has lots of family in and around Monrovia and travels often to see them. I'm sure there will be time for Mom et al to reunite with "Mommy" (Brenda's mother) and Peaches (sister) both of whom we met in Atlanta before they moved back to Liberia.

Ok, for all of you who have time, head over to the LOEP Blog and check it out!

On The Ground in Liberia

Well it's been a long time in the planning stages, but today, at approx. 2:00pm EST Mom, Emmalee and Phylis landed in Liberia. They called my cell as they were being driven from the airport to the Lot Carey School where they will begin teacher training on Monday morning. The trip went well and there were no issues with oversize baggage (we sweated that). All luggage made it from Dulles airport to Brussels and finally to Liberia. Amazing when you think about it. Mom has promised daily phone calls (she is armed with an international cell phone thanks to Joy Hancock, a young woman who made hers available on loan). I will update this blog as time permits. Of course I urge everyone to visit the LOEP blog where mom will post messages from Liberia when she has Internet access. She's promised pictures too! Please them in your thoughts and prayers as they continue on this most excellent adventure. There is a link to the LOEP blog on the homepage of this blog. Check it out.