LairdBlog: Day 4

So we're starting to settle in here. Yesterday I was able to get by with only soaking 2 shirts...a new record. The temperature has been around 90 degrees with humidity around 60%. We went to the church that is located on the ELWA compound today (ICM). We'll have to remember to bring some water next time. Both Christopher and Kobe started feeling a little dizzy after sitting there for a little over 2 hours.

Yesterday we went back into Monrovia to get a few more supplies. Of course we forgot to bring the camera, so I didn't get any pictures of town. After we got back I dropped Jamie off and drove the SIM Landcruiser back down the road a few miles to fill up a gas can for our Landcruiser (we can't take it off the compound for a couple months while we're waiting to license it in Liberia). So I took a few pictures along the way.

This is the swamp behind our house, as seen from the road. You can't actually see the swamp from our house because of all the brush. We've heard there are crocs from time to time in the swamp. Yesterday there were a couple kids swimming in it though.

Just beyond the swamp is the ELWA Youth Camp.

Continuing on up the road you get to the ELWA Hospital. Right next to it is the Dental Clinic.

Here is the office for Services.

The entrance to ELWA Academy. Back in the 80's before the war it was a good sized MK (Missionary Kid) school. Now it is a school for Liberian children.

A view into the ELWA Academy campus.

Here's the entrance to the ELWA Radio Studio. They've been broadcasting since the mid 1950's (other than a couple periods during the war when it was destroyed)

There are a few other NGO's who have housing and offices on the ELWA compound. Samaritan's Purse is one of them. This is their main office.

Tearfund is another. They will be moving out shortly though.

Here's the view of services from the main road. I'll get some better pictures later. Most of the metal buildings are perforated with bullet holes.

The Chinese are working on paving some of the main roads ahead of a large woman's conference next week. Oprah and Michelle Obama are supposed to be here (among others). The Chinese have an asphalt batch plant set up at the corner of the ELWA compound. This is their safety sign that they posted next to the entrance. A little different than the safety signs you see in the US.

Here is an ELWA house that is waiting to be repaired. A couple that just moved here with SP will be fixing it up shortly. Unfortunately even the foundation is bad so they'll be starting from square one.

These are called Christmas birds here. They show up right around Christmas time every year.

As I was taking a picture of one, Colton walked up and said "now take a picture of me chasing them!" He didn't quite catch them.

The next few pictures are of some of the buildings along the road on the way to the gas station. Some were left unfinished when the war started. Many have people living in them for shelter.

Here's a typical gas station. The man in the chair has a hand pump that he uses to fill glass 1 gallon jars.

Here's a couple of welders about 20' up a tower they are building.

Samuel Doe Stadium. It was renovated after the war and looks very nice...and very out of place.

And just before we got back to the compound I pulled over so Colton could get this picture. The cars and taxis pull off the road and drive down through this creek bed to wash there cars. (don't know if the DOE would approve of this back in Washington)