Aaron, Father Times Seven

Aaron came up to me after chapel this morning, beaming. He now has 5 sons and 2 daughters. This last one was another boy. His wife is still in the Sanequille hospital with malaria, but is making progress. He so appreciates everyone's prayers.

The Sankofa Fashion show is planned for Columbus, Ohio in September. Jan Ringer, my new friend, whose husband Kent teaches here told me to fly into Fort Wayne, Indiana, and to bring Peggy with me. The 3 of us will go to the show since we're missing the African version in May. Hope it works that we can. We planned this this morning on one of our LONG walks, probably my last such one. Fellowship during exercise is the best, and I think it keeps women mentally and spiritually healthy. At least I hope it does. I know I do enjoy it!

Informal Learning

"He who graduated yesterday and quits learning today is uneducated tomorrow."


I learned this my last year at Ole Miss, not remembering who said it, but  it still makes an impact on me.  I think it is soooo true!   On Wednesday and Thursday, I'll meet 3 hours each with the 2 sections of sophomores.  The only "official" business we'll have is going over their exams which I hope I have graded.  But there's sooo much more I want to cover.  Will they care?  Will they want to learn when there's not a grade associated with the content?  I'll let you know what I discover.


Mt Nimba was a good worship experience for me today.  I was the only light skinned person there.  I felt very honored and welcomed not just by the people I know but others as well.  We sang from hymn books.  (2 versions so they'd call out two different page numbers).  I had not realized how dry I was to worship with VERSES, words in front of me, something familiar.  I don't know which of those items I just mentioned was paramount in my mind today.  All I know if that I came away having been fed from the preaching, singing, and taking The Lord's Supper.  Yes, God gave me public worship as His means of grace to bless my life!


As I told you earlier, lunch on Sundays is cold, but the temperature in the house is not!  We didn't get a fan until after 3 P.M. so I went out and sat on "my" bridge (the one the team built that I showed several weeks ago) , in the shade, listening to the water skim the rocks.  When I returned home, I had a fan and got to talk with Barry a bit until internet started acting up.  Thankfully, Pete is the "go to man" and my roomies who returned this afternoon were hungry to talk to their families and called Pete over to help us out.  YEAH!  It worked, so I can write this!


Am I just rambling now?   Am I still learning?  In a nice, long email from my sister today, she commented that she could see me staying here on a more permanent basis.  Could I?  Right now, I really want to see my family.  It takes a lot of work here  even  to relax.  I'm tired.
But on the other hand........... get the picture?

Last Sunday in Yekepa, Contemplating Last Week Here

At 6:30 this morning, Jamaima my student and I went for a walk.  I assumed we'd head for the mountains.  She suggested we go see a friend in the hospital who was in a motor bike wreck the other day.  Thankfully, I've not needed a hospital while I've been here.  It's sobering to consider those who do!                                                                                                                                                           

I didn't know the injured friend was Jutonue's sister
until we got there

On our way back, we discussed where I'd go to church today.  There's Bethel that I went to the first Sunday.  I've been to the Inland church twice.  Mt Nimba Baptist is another local one I haven't visited.  I think I'll go there today.  Jamaima says lots of the students attend.  Maybe I'll see some of them.


The electricity is turned off for at least 4 hours in the middle of the day on Sundays.  That's in addition to the nightly cut off between midnight and 5 or so A.M.  So, you only plan a cold lunch if you eat at all.

The halls of the hospital.  It seemed cleaner than
I had expected, but Jamaima tells me it's not a very good
hospital.  They only have one doctor, and
who knows the qualification of the nurses.

Later today, Barry and I will talk on Skype, and my roommates will return.  Things should get lively and interesting then.


Tomorrow and Tuesday are exams and projects due so lots of grading for me!

Wednesday and Thursday I hope my students will STILL BE MOTIVATED to LEARN, even without grades.  Oh, there's so much I still want them to grasp.


The pictures, I hope, visualize my inner thoughts. What's around the curve?  What beauty is there waiting for me  (us) to discover?  Will I absorb these scenes into my life and become a better person, or just decide the task of meditation is just too hard?  Scripture reading this morning focused on the REAL ENEMY who would stop all our growth in Christ. "Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil." (quoting Luke 11:4 The Message)   "May we consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds."

MORE on Betty Jonah Friends

Boys Dorm at Orphanage;  I understand it needs many repairs.
They didn't take me inside this, only the girls dorm.

Joyce is 12;  She got Sarah's letter, and we've become fast friends.  She loved the "Mississippi pins".

Showing them how to attach pins.  Mrs. Jonah took the pencils
I brought for later use, I'm sure.

Mrs. Jonah gives me a hug!  She's 68 years old, and her husband is, I think, 74.
This morning I prayed that God would sustain them and raise up
people with similar hearts to carry on this work.

Kent Ringer is a visiting "Prof" like me.  He'd been asked to design
the Guesthouse and here he is showing off the closet he included
in that design.  They are plastering walls now.  Floors are the last to be completed.
Since I was there 2 weeks ago, they have added front porches to this and to
the clinic.

The CLINIC for Camp 4 as well as the orphans will not remain
EMPTY for long, thanks to Christians at home
who saw the first pictures and let God touch their hearts.
Emmanuel's sister, Hannah is on the right.

This tiny little girl gave me this letter that Josephine wrote to Tyler.
Let's pray for both Josephine and Tyler.
Wish I'd asked this little girl her name, but then I think
at the time, I thought SHE was Josephine.

Betty Jonah Orphanage Return Visit

Abraham lives at the Betty Jonah Orphanage.  I'll tell about him below.

Betty Jonah age 68 talks with her son, Emmanuel.  I also got to meet Hannah, the sister.
She's a nurse who lives in Monrovia but helps here too.

I'll probably share several posts on the return visit to see "my new friends."

As before, Emmanuel asked me to speak to the children;  I wasn't expecting that

since I'd spoken the time before and so I had to think fast.

Emmanuel had told them about Barry, and so I told the children about the (3) Barry Vickery's. I told them that 2 of these men had come to know Christ when they were children like those I was talking with.  "Bear" however is only two.  I asked the children if they wanted to pray that Bear would give his heart to Jesus at a very young age.  Abraham, pictured above volunteered.  It was touching!

I also taught them all "The Greeting Song" and told them that God could bring us together regardless of whether or not we were in the same room together.  Oh, yes, and my friend Peggy had brought "Mississippi" pins.  They loved that and learning how to spell Mississippi.  I told them about growing up in Greenville, Mississippi and asked if they all had heard of Greenville, Liberia.  They all had!  (just trying to connect very different worlds in ways that bring us together rather than separating us.)

Unexpected Prayer Request

At 8:30 tonight there was a knock at my door.  As the windows are always open, I spoke through them to say that I had retired for the night and couldn't come out.  "I understand," came the voice.  "This is Aaron. Can you just come to the window so I can talk to you?"

He's going 2 1/2 hours away tomorrow to get his pregnant wife and take her to the hospital in Sanequille .  He thinks she has malaria.  He wanted me to know and said he'd be back for the exam on Monday.  I assured him that he would not be expected to take the exam on Monday.  Some things can wait!   I'm not sure though that our prayers can.  Will you join me in praying? There are 6 other children in this family.  I am praying for her as she suffers tonight, waiting for the morning light that hopefully can get her the help she needs.

Greeting Song

Greeting Song

We're glad to see you;

Oh, it's such a blessing.

If others knew,

They too would join confessing

CHORUS

Jesus keeps bringing us together

With love we never want to sever.

SECOND VERSE

Oh, Jesus come

We gather in your presence

We beat the drums

That bind us and renew us.

CHORUS AGAIN

Wish I could hum the tune for you, but I'll tell you what, the sophomores got it quickly on the first day of class.

Today, they stood in front of the rest of the students in chapel and taught it to them.

FPDS 2nd graders in JAX have learned it; and Betty Jonah "Family" will work on it again today.

Maybe I can record that and share it.