Week 2

Highlights from the past week.



The boys have made fast friends with our two neighbor boys. Here Kobe and Caleb are practicing synchronized sand removal. We've had awesome waves here at ELWA the past few days, so the boys have been picking sand out of their pockets, waistband, ears, etc...

Here's a picture Jamie took from our front porch of the sun setting a couple days ago.

Farm equipment along the road on the way into town. I was told these belong to an organization headed by one of Muammar Gaddafi's sons. Libya and Liberia have ties in the past... Charles Taylor and his main military officials were trained in Libya before they started the civil war.

Just like home...almost.

One of the main markets in Monrovia, called Waterside.

A view of downtown Monrovia from the bridge driving back from Bushrod Island.

Here is one of the western style grocery stores. They have most of the items you'd find back home...you just pay more. A few price examples from our most recent trip, Large Frosted Flakes box - $9.00; Pint of olive oil - $12.00; Cheddar cheese - $10.00 for about 2 cups worth; Bush's baked beans - $3.50-4.00/can. Obviously the stores have a lot of expenses though. The cost of importing the goods, generating their own power, getting clean water to the store, housing for employees, etc... Most of the stores are run by Lebanese with Liberian employees.

Randall Street just outside the grocery store. This is one of the main streets. There are a couple grocery stores, many hardware stores, appliances, furniture, office supplies and more.

Another market that Jamie buys fruit and vegetables at.

As the highlight of our week, and probably our time here in Liberia so far, we went and visited Addy's Hope Orphanage on Friday night. Through the internet we met a couple from Colorado who are adopting through Addy's Hope. They took it upon themselves to raise the funds to construct a new orphanage (right now they are renting a building). Kami is out this week getting things prepared for a team of 9 from the states that will start arriving Sunday. They shipped over most of the supplies in a container...that is stuck in the port right now. They are praying it will be cleared by Wednesday.

They have just over 50 children at the orphanage right now. We arrived just as it was getting dark Friday night. We brought with us a favorite of ours back in the states...glowstick bracelets. As you can imagine the kids were very excited to play with them. More amazing was sitting and listening to them sing when we arrived, and again in their nightly devotional right before we left. They sing many of the songs we sing back in the states so it was really cool to hear 50+ little voices belting out the songs.

Kobe, Colton and I handing out the glowsticks.

Kami and Jamie showing some of the kids how they work.

This little guy was glued to Christopher most of the night.

Jamie's hair got lots of attention from the little girls. If we'd been there longer I'm sure she would have come back with braids.

Almost everyone had fun.

Christopher and his little friend again.

While Jamie was taking this picture the boy on the left was saying "I beg you, he choking my neck". Then Jamie showed them the picture on the camera and the boy on the right laughed and said "HA, I choking his neck"