Wow! Where to start? First, I can't believe I am in Africa!! While the plane ride was a monstrosity, I have to admit it was worth it. My only regret in coming is that I didn't bring my husband and my entire extended family for that matter. I just wish everyone could experience what I am experiencing and seeing. I can not believe the resilience of the people I see here. It is not the poverty that hits me first, it is that life goes on and people still laugh and love, even after all of the horrible things that this country has faced. I will tell about my day, but I will also show pictures of some of Liberia.
We woke up this morning and went to the AFAA house. The moment I have been waiting for for months and months. When we pulled into the house, little Florence's eyes got really big and she said, "That's my mommy!" Florence and Diamond ran to me, along w
ith 30 other affection deprived children. I was swarmed and knocked up against the car. I tried to reach for Diamond and Florence, but all the children were crazy and screaming "mommy, mommy!!" They then took Diamond and Florence to go get their passport photos for their visas and I didn't see them for an hour. Meantime, I helped the children with school, which was highly ineffective since the children were enamored with my skin and hair. One little boy was fascinated that he could see my blue veins under my skin in my hand. I guess that would be strange to someone with black skin. Several children tried to put my hair on their head like a wig--only still attatched to my head. Too funny!
When Diamond and Florence came back they were really afraid of me and standoffish. I don't know what I did to scare them, but they were like that the rest of the day. It made me really sad. I think that I just need some one on one time with them. I think that it is a good idea to take them out of the orphanage to stay with me sooner than I originally planned. It is also a good idea since I will have 5 other children needing me once I get back home. Alone time is crucial right now I think.
I went with the AFAA representative, Nadime, to the Liberian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We needed to get a passport for a little boy that has been waiting a very long time. Today they asked for an express passport and had to pay $100 dollars for "express", which I think means for "bribe". As many of you know I was very worried about what was going to happen with this, but besides fork out the money, I didn't have to say or do anything--just be there and look, well, look American. It worked and we got the passports no problem.
Second we went to the American Embassy to get some papers for this same little boy. These papers had also been a long time in the works. We also got those today. It was a very fruitful day.
After our bureacratic adventures, we returned to the AFAA house. The children were all in very old, badly worn pajamas. They desparately need new clothes. I wish I had known this, I have so much I could've brought them. But, it was so much fun. I played a hand smacking game called, "Down by the Banks", they had a rough time getting it. I then gave them a little ballet class, which they loved. We played Mrs. Simons' says and they didn't get that either. They played freeze dance--big hit, and the biggest hit of all was "Dance like an animal." Monkey elicited the most response as did frog, elephant and lion not so much. Who knew in Africa? I taught them a church song of "Once there was a Snowman" which melts down to the floor and they loved that, although I think the concept of snowman was lost on them. After all this, I was so hot and sweaty (think 100% humidity and no a/c), I sat them down to tell them the story of Cinderella. I was surprised that none of them had heard this. Tomorrow I will take the books and the ball and parachute. They are going to love it! I am going to do more ballet class with them too since I didn't get a chance to video tape it.
We are staying at a guest house that is relatively nice. It is in a very nice little neighborhood three minutes from poopoo beach (prime resort real estate). There is no hot water, which here is not such a terrible thing, who wants a hot shower? The water pressure is more like a drip and there is no sewage trap on the toilet so in the morning the sewage stench fills the bathroom. But, other than that, it is nice, and the internet is readily available.
Sharon and I decided to walk down to Poopoo beach. This was the experience that really changed my persepective on life. I just wish everyone could have seen it. Yes, there is a reason they call it Poopoo beach, and I found that out first hand, luckily with shoes on--everyone uses the beach as the outhouse. As we walked down the beach, the children swarmed us, wanting us to take pictures. Eventually, I had more pictures than I wanted so I just turned the camera on and turned the view finder their direction so they could see themselves. That did the trick, they just wanted to see themselves in a camera. We had probably 30 children chasing us and talking to us. They all told us their names and were trying to put on quite a show. I asked them to sing me a song and they all broke out singing, "Happy Birthday to You!" Hilarious. Then I had them do races down the beach. A
s they followed us down the beach, I unclipped my hair to rearrange it on my head (the humidity is making it so heavy). As I took my hair down, the children cheered very loudly. They reached for it and tried to pull it off my head. I would shake it out of their hands and it would float in the breeze, and the children would erupt into more shouts of deligh
t. I've never been more proud of my hair in my life.
The houses, I guess you really can't call them that, huts/shanties, were the worst living conditions I have ever seen. The poverty w
as beyond my comprehension. Many of the children were naked or half naked. They were all pooping on the beach in front of us. One even wanted his picture taken doing it. I politely declined. Many of them had illness and health problems and they looked like they did not shower more than once a month. But, they were beautiful and so full of life--truly God's children. I felt such an overwhelming love for them, just like I did for Diamond and Florence and all the children at the AFAA house. I can not believe the strength of the human soul, especially here in Liberia. This place will always be in my heart. I am very lucky to be getting two children from this wonderful country. I just hope those two children eventually love me too:)!
We woke up this morning and went to the AFAA house. The moment I have been waiting for for months and months. When we pulled into the house, little Florence's eyes got really big and she said, "That's my mommy!" Florence and Diamond ran to me, along w
ith 30 other affection deprived children. I was swarmed and knocked up against the car. I tried to reach for Diamond and Florence, but all the children were crazy and screaming "mommy, mommy!!" They then took Diamond and Florence to go get their passport photos for their visas and I didn't see them for an hour. Meantime, I helped the children with school, which was highly ineffective since the children were enamored with my skin and hair. One little boy was fascinated that he could see my blue veins under my skin in my hand. I guess that would be strange to someone with black skin. Several children tried to put my hair on their head like a wig--only still attatched to my head. Too funny!When Diamond and Florence came back they were really afraid of me and standoffish. I don't know what I did to scare them, but they were like that the rest of the day. It made me really sad. I think that I just need some one on one time with them. I think that it is a good idea to take them out of the orphanage to stay with me sooner than I originally planned. It is also a good idea since I will have 5 other children needing me once I get back home. Alone time is crucial right now I think.
I went with the AFAA representative, Nadime, to the Liberian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We needed to get a passport for a little boy that has been waiting a very long time. Today they asked for an express passport and had to pay $100 dollars for "express", which I think means for "bribe". As many of you know I was very worried about what was going to happen with this, but besides fork out the money, I didn't have to say or do anything--just be there and look, well, look American. It worked and we got the passports no problem.
Second we went to the American Embassy to get some papers for this same little boy. These papers had also been a long time in the works. We also got those today. It was a very fruitful day.
After our bureacratic adventures, we returned to the AFAA house. The children were all in very old, badly worn pajamas. They desparately need new clothes. I wish I had known this, I have so much I could've brought them. But, it was so much fun. I played a hand smacking game called, "Down by the Banks", they had a rough time getting it. I then gave them a little ballet class, which they loved. We played Mrs. Simons' says and they didn't get that either. They played freeze dance--big hit, and the biggest hit of all was "Dance like an animal." Monkey elicited the most response as did frog, elephant and lion not so much. Who knew in Africa? I taught them a church song of "Once there was a Snowman" which melts down to the floor and they loved that, although I think the concept of snowman was lost on them. After all this, I was so hot and sweaty (think 100% humidity and no a/c), I sat them down to tell them the story of Cinderella. I was surprised that none of them had heard this. Tomorrow I will take the books and the ball and parachute. They are going to love it! I am going to do more ballet class with them too since I didn't get a chance to video tape it.
We are staying at a guest house that is relatively nice. It is in a very nice little neighborhood three minutes from poopoo beach (prime resort real estate). There is no hot water, which here is not such a terrible thing, who wants a hot shower? The water pressure is more like a drip and there is no sewage trap on the toilet so in the morning the sewage stench fills the bathroom. But, other than that, it is nice, and the internet is readily available.
Sharon and I decided to walk down to Poopoo beach. This was the experience that really changed my persepective on life. I just wish everyone could have seen it. Yes, there is a reason they call it Poopoo beach, and I found that out first hand, luckily with shoes on--everyone uses the beach as the outhouse. As we walked down the beach, the children swarmed us, wanting us to take pictures. Eventually, I had more pictures than I wanted so I just turned the camera on and turned the view finder their direction so they could see themselves. That did the trick, they just wanted to see themselves in a camera. We had probably 30 children chasing us and talking to us. They all told us their names and were trying to put on quite a show. I asked them to sing me a song and they all broke out singing, "Happy Birthday to You!" Hilarious. Then I had them do races down the beach. A
s they followed us down the beach, I unclipped my hair to rearrange it on my head (the humidity is making it so heavy). As I took my hair down, the children cheered very loudly. They reached for it and tried to pull it off my head. I would shake it out of their hands and it would float in the breeze, and the children would erupt into more shouts of deligh
t. I've never been more proud of my hair in my life.The houses, I guess you really can't call them that, huts/shanties, were the worst living conditions I have ever seen. The poverty w
as beyond my comprehension. Many of the children were naked or half naked. They were all pooping on the beach in front of us. One even wanted his picture taken doing it. I politely declined. Many of them had illness and health problems and they looked like they did not shower more than once a month. But, they were beautiful and so full of life--truly God's children. I felt such an overwhelming love for them, just like I did for Diamond and Florence and all the children at the AFAA house. I can not believe the strength of the human soul, especially here in Liberia. This place will always be in my heart. I am very lucky to be getting two children from this wonderful country. I just hope those two children eventually love me too:)!
3 comments:
You are bringing back many memories, you just want to take all the children home don't you! F&D will adore you soon enough and you won't be able to get them to stop following you. Enjoy every minute!!! Thinking of you and Sharon every second. So proud of you too!!!
Sue
Jess,
Hang in there and enjoy your time. Nadime may have said something to them that turned them off. Don't worry they will be your soon enough. As Sue said enjoy it. This country will stay in your soul. I don't know why but in weird ways I LONG for it.
Valerie
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