Day 2....

Today we went as saw the medical clinic. It was so awesome to see how much has been done. They were in the process of tiling the floors so there will be no more cement dust for the patients. Also they have started to build a radio station for Pastor to broadcast his sermons.

He also showed us the building that will be known as the Marion house. It's the infant home for the babies to stay in, away from the older children and potential illnesses. It is named after a baby girl who was going to be adopted, but got sick and passed away a few months ago. Her to be adoptive parents have raised money to help build it. It's being built on the property that Pastor Wesley and his family live on. It'll have a place for the infants, an office for Addy's Hope as well as a second floor for visitors, missionaries and most importantly adoptive parents.

We are spending the rest of the day today at the hotel and man, 5 kids and a baby...that is one loud combo. We did have one "emergency" after breakfast when Ryan picked big Z out of his stroller and dripping out of his pants was a mustard looking, sulfer spelling substance. It was absolutely nasty. He had exploded all out of his pants and up his back. Ryan and I both kind of froze, he held Siete out with two arms and just held him there...I...well I just stared for about 30 seconds. I had no idea what to do :)...finally I came too and got the wipes, cleaned up Siete's legs and stroller then up into the shower we went...oh the joy of diapers.

I realized today that most of the clothes we brought Quatro and Siete are just way too big. the shorts I put on Siete today he needed a belt, so I think this will be a week of onsies and 1 piece outfits. Too bad I didn't bring him a nice pant suit.

It's going to be an interesting dynamic when we all get home. I know Dos and Uno are going to want to play with Tres and Quatro and I'm sure they will do fine, but the Liberian kids are very hard to understand. And the way these kids interact with each other, it's like they lived in an orphanage or something. They are surprisingly sharing, but also very territorial. If a toy or food is dropped, they will yell at each other to get it back, but if they feel like sharing, they'll offer up the same toy that they just fought for.

Today Quatro has really come out of his shell, almost too much :) He is one of the louder kids and very vocal with what he wants. I was able to make him giggle and he responded to tickles. I was so nervous last night that he was going to be so quiet and withdrawn, but he seems like he's going to fit in just right as a .

Tomorrow will be a day at the children's home to visit and give out the adoptive parents gifts they sent to their new children. Wednesday is a day to just hang out at the hotel (which could be 1 loooooong day), Thursday is our trip to the embassy, Friday back to the embassy to pick up visa's (God willing), Saturday there will be a fellowship time with the biological parents and members of the church (not sure I knew about that and trying to figure out how comfortable I am with that), then Sunday we start our short 2 day trek home.

Last 2 things. 1. Thank you all for the comments and emails...nothing like being a 30 yr old guy along in restaurant, weird techno music playing in the background, in the middle of Liberia Africa....wiping tears off my face. I love it!! and 2. God is so stinking amazing...He sent with me the most incredible friend in Ryan...he's 19 years old and is making this trip even more fun than it would have been by myself. I absolutely wouldn't have been able to do this with out him!!! Great job Reich's in raising one heck of a kid!!

Getting pictures up here is so tough, I apologize for not having more. The internet connection is amazingly, painfully slow.

Love You All!

Tick Tick Tick

44 hours and counting. Packing has been funny...I think I've counted my outfits about 30 times and I'm not even close to being done packing my clothes. I just want to be sure I have enough outfits to not have to worry when I'm there, but don't want to carry more than needed.

All the logistical things are starting to weigh on me a bit. Like, what exactly am I supposed to be getting after I go to the embassy? How early do I need to be at the airport when we leave Liberia? How can I be sure the hotel has a confirmation for me? It's not like we used Hotels.com to book the thing :). Did I bring enough snacks?

I am realizing through all of this though, I love it. I love the fact that God has empowered me and prepared me to be strong enough to travel to Africa to pick up 3 children. The "stresses" of doing this all could be so much more damaging had God not hand picked me to go to Liberia last year and gotten my international travel feet under me. God's made me such a closet Type-A person...I've got my lists, my itineraries, my lists about my lists, my printed emails, items in zip lock bags with labels on them and more lists about my lists. It's awesome.

I still giggle at the thought of two guys walking up to the embassy with the 3 little kids saying..."Yes, We are here to adopt them"...it's a very "happy" thought....if you know what I mean. So many of my friends in Massachusetts would be sooooo proud!

I think one of the neatest things I have been given the opportunity to do is to hand out photo albums and gifts for some of the children being adopted by families here in the U.S. I hope some of those kids will understand what the pictures mean and start to get that excited feeling, that they will have homes soon enough...no more cramped living and sleeping...no more wondering about how much food or water there is...no more wondering who their forever family is. God is so Awesome to give me this opportunity!

Totally off subject...if you haven't seen Wild Hogs and/or Blades of Glory...you are missing out. 2 very funny movies.

Post more soon!
God is Amazing in all He does in our lives.

Ryan and Randy's Excellent Adventure

Ya dude....Down to like one gnarly week....AIR GUITAR!!!!

Been a month since I blogged here....and now it'll be like a flood of info. Ryan and I are leaving in exactly 1 week. Visa's, Passports, Malarone....all are in and ready. One big suitcase is packed, another is partly packed. It seems like we've been waiting forever to finally go and now the date is 1 week away!!!

I am so blessed ot have an incredible friend in Ryan to share this experience with me. He is a champ and a half and has his head on straight with the Lord. I can't wait to spend this time with him. I'm nervous to see how Cinco, Seite, and Tres respond to us, but I feel good knowing Ryan absolutely loves kids and kids love him immediately. So even if they are freaked out by me, I know they'll respond really good to him.

On the home front, we are pretty much prepared. Just finished putting the crib up. Installed the car seats earlier this week...(Have been asking God to forgive me for the swears...stupid things...). Going to help Wife build up a stand up thing for Seite to play/sit/stand in. Still need to get a couple of dressers. Lots of clothes have been donated/bought. I think it's safe to say...we are ready! not sure we will feel ready those first few days, but we are ready. God has prepared us and given us all we need for this next stage of life.

I find myself doubting a little, how ready I am to travel around the world with 3 little ones I don't know yet. It's going to be pretty interesting trying to understand who these 3 little humans are, get them to trust who I am, feed them at the right times, bathroom breaks with a 6 year old girl, going through customs, trying not to sleep on the plane with them with me, being the person in charge, taking all the pictures and notes to document the whole thing properly, hand out the gifts for the next adoptive families. It's official....I need a list!!

As the date to leave gets closer I'll be posting more up here. While on the trip, I should have internet access, so I will be posting up pictures and thoughts for that day. Please keep track of our trip and and comments would be great. It's great to hear and feel the encouragement.

God is truly Amazing!

A Blessing I Didn't See...Until Now

Ever have a blessing stare you in the face, and you thought you were seeing it, only to have God rip the scales off your eyes to expose His true beauty and grace? The following was sent to me by my friend Tricia.
________________________

Daily Devotional by Max Lucado

"the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks"

June 18th

He chose us in Him before the foundations of the world.

Ephesians 1:4 (NKJV)

Search the faces of the Cap Haitian orphanage for Carinette...The girl with the long nose and bushy hair and a handful of photos...The photos bear the images of her future family. She's been adopted.

Her adoptive parents are friends of mine. They brought her pictures, a teddy bear, granola bars, and cookies. Carinette shared the goodies and asked the director to guard her bear, but she keeps the pictures. They remind her of her home-to-be. Within a month, two at the most, she'll be there. She knows the day is coming....Any day now her father will appear. He came once to claim her. He'll come again to carry her home. Till then she lives with a heart headed home.

Shouldn't we all? Our Father paid us a visit too. Have we not been claimed? Adopted?... God searched you out. Before you knew you needed adopting, he'd already filed the papers and selected the wallpaper for your room.

Come Thirsty

Max Lucado

©2000 - 2007

Courtesy

Oak Hills Church

San Antonio, Texas

and NET-IMS, Inc.
________________________


Tricia has no idea how God used her to open my eyes into deeper truths about the life God has given me. The calling he has put into Wife and my lives to adopt, and I have said it a million times, is such a picture of our relationship with Jesus, as HE has hand picked us all and adopted us into Heaven through his death on the cross.

After reading this, I cried and I felt the love of God pour over me. What an amazing blessing I have been given. Any time now, I too will appear to take Tres, Cinco and Seite home. Their earthly daddy will be there to bring them to the home their Heavenly Daddy has ordained for them here on Earth. God has entrusted the lives of these 3 children to me and Wife to raise in His name and for the purposes only He knows. It's my prayer, that Wmilt and I will raise all of our children according to His will.

It's amazing to me how God just speaks to you, right through all distractions, right when you need it most. I've been struggling with having no father in my life. I have occasional email conversations with my dad, back in Massachusetts, but it isn't real. We never have had that Father/Son relationship every boy wants in life. I never knew my biological dad and my step-dad worked and had issues growing up. For whatever reason, this all has been on my heart and hurting for weeks.

I thank God for the very fact that even thought I can't pick up the phone to talk to a Dad here on earth, HIS phone never goes to voice mail. As a friend of mine says, and I just love it so much, he is my Papa. I have vowed to God, that I will too will live with a "Heart Headed Home".

I thank God for God. He used my friend to speak 2 truths into my life:

1. He has entrusted me to raise His children
   
2. I am His son and He loves me.

...All other ground is sinking sand...

Liberia Picture Montage

So....I found Movie Maker...sorry world, but here come movies and montages!!! I put together a picture montage from Liberia. Turns out, my movie making skills are just like my talking skills...long winded. This video ended up being 9 minutes long!! It may be a little slow to load, whoops. Next time I'll make it shorter, or at least try to. But it does have 2 of my favorite songs on it. Hope you enjoy it.

Funny story, my coworker and I got talking about movies and religion. He told me a story which proves again, God has a sense of Humor. This coworker of mine, I'll call him NoNo for privacy purposes, went to the movies to see some movie he thought was going to have some violence and mature content. Turns out the movie was a religious movie, which NoNo decided to leave after 5 minutes and go see something else. He thought a good football movie would be great, so he went into Facing the Giants. For those that don't know, Facing the Giants is a movie made by christians and has a very strong Christian message. Thankfully NoNo stayed and watched all of that movie. Just goes to show you, you cannot outrun the will of God.

God is Good!

Liberia - Thoughts Part 8

--Dec 9& 10 - Brussels and Travel - day 10 & 11
So much for Kelly and my big talk. We are in the hotel right now and we got here at about 7am. He and I are sharing a room again, and Mike had called up here and said let's all rest and meet up at 2pm. We were both like "let's go see stuff. We could make it Paris and back in those 7 hours". So we showered then laid down to rest...and well its now...1pm :) oh well. I am clean and I am rested so that is good. The bathroom here also has a magnified mirror which makes my melon look enormous. I can actually count the hair on my head. I won't but I could.
--
Belgium is beautiful. The chocolate is phenomenal and the waffles with chocolate sauce is something straight from heaven, saw the Christmas lights and tree and light show.
--
Last night not sleeping in my own bed and tonight. We had a great 2 hour so meeting and lots of tears were shed and thoughts shared. It was good. I'm sure we will have a few more debriefing meetings as well. This trip was amazing but surreal at the same time and we are going to need time as a team to digest it all and figure out what happens from this point on. Afterwards we went out to the center square of Brussels and it was all lit up for Christmas. The square was amazing with a light/music show that was running up against the background of these amazing cathedrals and buildings. It was great. We did some shopping and as I mentioned had some chocolate which lived up to everything anyone ever said about it. The waffle with chocolate on it is so stinking good as was the hot chocolate. I could move here and live off the chocolate. I picked up some stuff for everyone. So now its a matter of sleeping then flying home. I'm ready :)

--
Dec 11 -
I'm up and packed and READY TO GO!!!! :) about to go down and have a team breakfast before we walk over to the airport. I've gotten a cold I think. I feel pretty ok but I'm congested and have a dumb old cough. Whatever...I'm going home!
--
On the plane now, about to leave Brussels. The rumor is elf and Talladega Nights will be played during this 9 hour flight. I've acquired a cough. I don't want to be sick when I get home, but oh well.
--
All that "excitement" for elf...and I slept through it :). I think we are down to 1 hour till we land.
--
On the flight now. Under 4 hours till we are home. I talked to the kids and Wife and the pure excitement in the voices makes me feel awesome. I know they love me and need me and that's such an awesome feeling. Lord I just want to take this time to come to you right now and worship at your holy feet for blessing me with the most incredible and perfect wife. We know you don't make mistakes father and you created, molded and blessed me with the most beautiful, intelligent, funny woman. Not too many people would have stuck with me through all I have done in my life and in her you have blessed me with the perfect temperament and understanding. God you’re so awesome. The children you have put in my life for us to raise to your glory father are beyond amazing. Smart, a sense of humor, obedient and loving lord is what they all are. Dos is the most incredible little man, loving his parents as you direct children to do, so intelligent and deliberate, so much fun. Quatro is so full of life lord and so head strong. The challenges she gives us lord are reminders of the challenges you put in our lives and the frustrations you feel towards us when we fall astray lord. She is a beautiful little girl and I love her more each day, even through the struggles. Lord Seis is such a bundle of energy and laughter. She brings life into a room and is such a rumble tumble little girl yet full of so much joy and love. And Uno father, what an amazing blessing she is. Unknown to her right now, she was used by you at such a young age, to help bring a man to you father and brought such joy to a her sick grandmother father. You are so amazing in unfolding your grace and mercy on us. You have given us an oldest daughter who, lord...words are hard to describe. Vibrant and tender, funny and soft hearted, brilliant and artistic, loving her parents yet more importantly...so fearful and full of you Jesus. An 8 year lord is an inspiration to me father...and its all because of you. I praise you father with all I have.

Liberia - Thoughts Part 7

Day 9 - orphanage and departing - Friday
--
Sitting at the airport now. Today we went to the orphanage and prayed over all the rooms and entrance. The guys went and got water. I took a bunch of pictures and video of the kids playing, posing, singing and dancing. From there we went back to pastor’s house and hung out there and packed up. I left a bunch of clothes for the boys who helped us this week; Morris, Power, Matthew, Amos, Prince and the rest. I told Laura (pastors wife) I was so sorry for the stinkyness of them but I was leaving them. She seemed grateful. It was fun to spend the last few hours with the pastor’s family and friends. But it was sad too. A whole bunch of people were crying, including my favorite kid, Priscilla. She is pastor Wesley’s daughter. She is 16 and very adorable. I asked her if she was glad to get her room back from 2 stinky boys and she said no, with tears in her eyes. I asked why and she said because we are going. Mad me feel sad. I hope we showed our love for them by being real with them. I hope to see them again. It hurts my heart to think I won't. I am glad to be going home and to cleanliness. And I am glad to be getting away from the poverty and everyone asking for help. But at the same time...I don't want to leave. I want to stay and make these people laugh and have fun. It doesn't seem like they get much pleasure. I don't know what I want god to call me too, but like Romania, this just feels right. I still don't think I'm prepared for this but its so right feeling. I can't understand how to do this and have the family life I want too. God will figure it all out. Oh and we ( I ) got some sweet video of George the monkey. And some cool pics. I so love the monkey...I want one! When we were driving away for the last time, the monkey was not out. The van was really sad and teary so I just said “well I'm going to do this”...and I stuck my head out the window and yelled by to the monkey real loud. Everyone laughed. We all laughed even more when we saw a stream of pee come out under the gate.

--

As we went through baggage claim today, the bag checker saw dianes bible and he asked if she had another. She brought him one and after he found out we were all Christians he said "search is over" and let us through. It was pretty awesome.
-- random airport funny
Ryan just asked me if I had a comb...then didn't get it when I was laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. Then he got it and teared up too. ... I guess you had to be there.
--
So we are flying now and I just had the most overwhelming feeling of missing my Romania mission trip members. Sarah, Bill, Chuck, Jenny and of course Stepan. They would have enjoyed this trip as well. I have no idea what brought that up, probably god. Father as I sit on this plane making our way back to friends and family I pray to you to blanket my teammates from the Romania trip with your comfort, love and blessings. I pray for their families lord and for their homes. I ask that you would just fill their hearts with you lord. I love them father and I love you lord.
--
Just landed in Brussels. That wasn't too bad a flight. I slept a bit but I am still pretty tired. It is 5:40am right now here. I hope we plan to rest for a bit before doing anything today. I think I may be coming down with a cold or something.

Liberia - Thoughts Part 6

Day 8 -- shopping day
Last night Kelly and I talked about our testimonies and shared stories about families. It was cool to get to know him some more. Today is breakfast then out into town to shop. I'm not sure what follows that. I'll write more later, I'm going to try and retrieve my notes.
--
At breakfast right now and I don't know what's wrong with me, but I am super sad. I saw Wife put a comment up on the blog. Made me tear up of course. I'm really reserved and quiet and need to kick myself out of this. I just got so sad last night seeing the pastors kids sleeping on the floor, because I was sleeping in one of their rooms. Ugh. This is the saddest I've been in a long time. I don't remember being this sad in Romania. Lord, please be with me today as I need your help to get through this day and not be a distraction to the team. Father I pray that this sadness will fall away and the joy you have for us will be in me. You've made me father to bring smiles to faces and the source of my smiles lord is the provisions you have for me. This time away from those I love, I do for you and I am grateful to be given this opportunity. I love you father, amen.
--
So we did some shopping and I got everyone an African outfit and a few necklaces for myself. We are actually going to the beach right now. Kelly and Melissa are meeting up with a consulate to talk about the three kids adoption. We are actually going to go in and swim a bit. It should feel pretty good. The main street market place was so busy and crowded. Mainly people were selling cheesy American junk. But we did find some cool, what looked like authentic stuff. We are driving right now and its crazy how much these people honk their horns. They honk at intersections, when passing walkers, passing cars...its so weird and loud.
--
So sitting at the dinner table and today was pretty awesome. We went shopping and this morning interviewed pastor Wesley. It was great to hear his testimony and his thoughts on his ministries. This afternoon we went back to the beach. And I can tell people I have ridden the waves off the coast of Liberia. Ryan, Mike and I went swimming in the Atlantic ocean and body surfed on the waves. I'm not that great at it, but it was so amazing. Life long memories and stories were made from this afternoon. We leave tomorrow night. A night in Brussels then home. Hallelujah
--
Last night in Liberia. I'm sad to go but happy to be coming home. The people we have been staying with are so generous and nice. I saw tonight the boy who was sleeping on the floor last night, again on the floor. But this time at least he was on the pillow I gave him. Still so sad. That being said, god really laid on my heart tonight that we put humanistic levels of severity on sin. In the same way we put levels of severity on good as well. Isaiah 6 says "the whole earth is full of his glory". And it is so true. Put aside the poverty, dirt, trash and run downess and see that god is providing food and water and shelter. It isn't being provided the way we are accustomed to and that doesn’t mean we don't work to make life better. It just means that god is truthful in his word and his world is full of his glory. Not sure I explained that right or not, but it made sense to me and helped me feel a tiny bit better about this place.

--
Random thought before I go to sleep: the UN lands there helicopters right across the street. How cool yet loud is that...especially at 12:45 in the morning when you are trying to sleep. Like right now.

Liberia - Thoughts Part 5

Dec 6 - day 7 – Wednesday – Clinic and Orphange
Today we will be heading over to the orphanage. It'll be my first trip over...I'm anxious to see it. Afterwards we will be going back to the clinic to hang the medicine shelves and take inventory of the medicines. I just saw the video mike put up today and it'll make Wife cry.
--
So we are back at the clinic now. We went to the orphanage and man oh man. They should be commended and praised for doing all they are doing in the conditions they live in. It was so sad to see the room about the size of my bathroom or even smaller, that sleeps 2 precious babies. The rooms for the girls is so small that the 2 bunk beds can't fit in the room properly. And the boys rooms are the same, too small for the beds. There are 13 girls in one room, then 7 boys in 1 room and 8 in another. The mattresses, or lack thereof is depressing. One of the girls beds had a 1/2 inch thick piece of foam. The bathroom is an outhouse. The well for water to clean with is about 300 feet away and the drinking well is about 1/4 mile away from the home. The clothes they were wearing were all tattered and torn. I pray for this home and those kids. They are so precious and god is so good, they are getting an education and provisions and exposure to god.
--
I'm in bed now and I feel so guilty. There are kids sleeping on the floor in the hall way. Ugh. I don't know what to do...if I offer my pillow or mattress to one others won't have anything. My stomach hurts. Other things to journal about: we put up the shelves at the clinic today. All the medicine is in the clinic and Pastor Wesley will put it all up when he is ready. I also bought a cool African wood carving of the Liberian handshake. He threw in a couple of huts as well.
--
I just went out and gave the boy outside my door my pillow. I couldn’t wake him, so I hope he wakes up and can/will use it.
--

From tonight Bible Study: Pastor Wesley said this quote and I really loved it "Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care". How unbelievable true is that?

Liberia - Thoughts Part 4

Dec 3 - day 4 - church day
Good morning. Its Sunday and we are all sitting around having some quiet time before we head off to church. I think we will be leaving soon. Across the way, boys are getting their hair cut, or rather shaved with a straight edge. I should go get my head shaved, my hair is getting long. It should look pretty funny by the time I get home. The clothes the women wear for church are pretty cool. One woman is in a cool yellow get up with a head covering. How manly of me to notice the dress of the women.

-- Church
So the music is amazing. I love it more than any other worship music I have ever heard in my life. I teared up more than a few times. It’s so amazing how spirit of god can pour over a body of believers when you the whole body is singing out to him. The African worship is just unbelievable. Dancing and singing and harmonizing...goosebumps and filled with Jesus.
--
Well we are sitting at the restaurant and I can't get online, which stinks. Kelly did and he brought up the blog and I saw Wife and the kids post. Instant tears of course. We walked up to the restaurant from the church and man oh man did I sweat. I've sweat so much this trip. I'll be curious to see how stinky my suitcase is when I get back home. I got a few email addressees and phone numbers of some of the kids from the church. I gave my email out to a few as well. We shall see if I hear from any of them. I think after lunch is a time of rest back as pastor Wesley’s house.

--
So we are hanging out playing games with kids. I'm having a great time. Its so cool to see kids be kids. People all over the world are the same. Its just social and economic issues that shake it up.
--
Just got done playing football and doing prayer bracelets with the kids. This has been a good day. Just playing with the kids and hanging out and really being the light of Christ. I don't know if we are making a difference but it’s been fun. It’s a weird feeling, I guess its pretty much helplessness. But, I have to remind myself that no man is going to be able to fix this country and continent only god can and he will.
--
It’s at this point I deleted an entire entry of notes and prayers, about 2 and ½ days worth of notes…dang it all!

Liberia - Thoughts Part 3

Dec 2 -- day 3 -- Monrovia
It's morning and man what bad night sleep :) I ended up sleeping on my pillow as a bed. The floor is stinking hard. I was up every 30-45 minutes. The people here don't sleep. You would here people up walking around and more bizarrely...sweeping. Everything is dirt here, yet they are sweeping. And the smell in certain areas is really horrible. I guess we are going to go get some breakfast shortly.
--
Father I just wanted to thank you for this opportunity. I'm sitting here watching the people live their lives, and I feel so grateful for this time here. I always try to keep in mind how grateful we are in our lives but being here makes it real. Father you are the lord of all and I love you father.
--
So we just finished eating breakfast at a restaurant and they had free wireless here so I emailed Wife and the kids. I miss them. Karen just stopped by and said she met the mom of the twins. She isn't sure how to respond to it and she broke down and cried a bit. I can totally understand the feeling, but I think it may be blessing too.
--
At the medical clinic and the church right now and there was some sort of miscommunication. Pastor Wesley thought we had come to finish off the medical clinic. This included purchasing all the supplies and paying for all the labor for the workers. Mike had to talk with him and tell him we didn't come prepared to purchase a 6000 dollar generator and all the cabinets and wiring. We ended up praying for a bit and right now we have cleaned out the clinic (it was a mess) and Mike is hanging some lights. We have agreed to pay for the wiring supplies and when Pastor Wesley comes back we will finish the wiring of the clinic.
--
I am standing here holding a ladder while one of the workers cleans the fans and I can hear this screaming and carrying on outside. I look out the window and I see a mom washing her 5 or 6 year old son. He is screaming because she is cleaning him. Too funny. It happens all over the world. They bathe their kids outside with a bucket and towel
--
I'm taking a quick break. We are right now scrubbing the cement floor of the church with cloths and cut up burlap bags. The girls and Ryan went over to the orphanage (40 minute drive away) and they came back pretty sad. They said it was very primitive. An outdoor kitchen and toilet. The workers I guess they seemed to love the kids, but they were also desperate for the supplies we brought. Pastor Wesley said they would be brought over on monday. We will all go over there at some point this week...I look forward to it, but I also dread it. I guess there are not enough mattresses for the kids. Not enough of anything. I do hope to see it all soon. Back to scrubbing floors
--
Random observation: we are standing around the church with rooster crowing and chickens running all around.
--
So right now we are sitting outside pastor Wesley’s house (which is an old internet cafe turned into a home). Kelly is making balloon animals for the kids. It started out with about 7 or 8 kids and now kids are pouring in from the street. There is probably 15-20 kids surrounding him. It’s amazing. It is dark out yet these kids knew something was going on. Amazing.
--
So I just took a "shower" which consisted of fast dripping water from a shower head and a bucket of water. It was cooler water so that felt good, but I still feel very damp. The travel towel...is a bit bigger than a dish towel, and didn't dry me at all.

Liberia - Thoughts Part 2

Dec 1 -- Day 2 -- travel
25 minutes until we land in Brussels. Whew is my back and rear end sore. Hey, only 8 more hours to go...yipee! I slept a little bit and I missed the breakfast they served.
--
Just about to land in Brussels and man it looks just like America. The roads have houses on them that look like your average American cul-de-sac. It looks very pretty, and very green.
--
So we are now waiting for our flight to Monrovia. Should be boarding in 20 minutes or so. I was a bit disappointed that getting off the plane here it didn't smell like waffles and chocolate!
--
Ok so we are on the plane from Brussels to Monrovia, its boarding right now. Only 8 short hours till we are there. I'm sitting next to a man you is reading something in Arabic...I don't think he speaks English. It would have been interesting to talk to him about Jesus and hear his thoughts. I think I could have talked to him about showers too :). Oh and once again, I'm hungry. That's been the running theme so far for this 1 day old trip.
--
I just missed out on ice cream!!! Dang it all. I fell asleep.
--
Lord I just humbly come to you right now and ask for your continued protection and guidance. Lord there are going to be times of weariness, sadness and tiredness. I give those feelings to you and just ask lord that you be with Wife and the kids as they begin their Friday. I thank you father for the blessings you have given me and it’s my prayer that I will glorify you in my actions, thoughts and words. I love you lord, amen.
--
Landed in Monrovia and man oh man its hot here and the baggage claim was like a zoo. Pastor Wesley is being talked to by the customs agents. We have an enormous amount of stuff here with us. Getting out of the airport is very chaotic. And frankly it doesn't look like an airport.
--
So we just finished driving to pastor Wesley’s place. There was 13 of us in a van and it is stinkin hot and stinkin stinky. Its amazing to see the barbed wire and military personal with huge machine guns. Its really dark here so its was hard to see the landscape and the people. Every other house had power I think by generator while others had candles.
--
This is surreal...all the things I have seen on tv. I'm outside a hotel/store looking around at the store and markets and the people hanging around in the darkness of the night dancing and singing.
--
So its about 10:30 here on Friday night and there is no water to wash up with and I am beyond nasty right now. It is so hot and humid here, I can't even begin to think what'll be like during the day. I'm bunking up with Dr. Kelly Briden (sp?) from Michigan. We had a big mattress to sleep on, but we ended up giving it to the girls, who had one mattress to share between the 5 of them. We are supposed to get another mattress tomorrow. We are to be up for breakfast at 7am tomorrow. I'm gonna be tired. :) its ok though...I feel like this is a true sacrifice. Pastor Wesley has done so much in preparation for our coming. I pray that we are a light to him and we can glorify Jesus in all we do these next few days. Pastor Wesley seems to have planned out for us all of our activities. I think, by the time this trip is done...I'm gonna be one tired dude. I'm going to go outside and spend some time with people.
--
So as much as I may complain about how sore I am...sleeping on the floor, in Africa, with no running water...that's missions work to me. Ok back to trying to sleep. I love you god...I love you Wife, Uno, Dos, Quatro, Seis. I miss you guys

Liberia - Thoughts Part 1

The next bunch of posts will consist of my thoughts, observations and prayers during my 11 day trip to Monrovia Liberia with our church. We went to work with Pastor Wesley from the Greater Love Baptist Church and the medical clinic and childrens home he runs. It was a life changing trip and I wanted to share with you the things that stuck out to me.

Nov 30 - Day 1 - travel
So we are sitting at Mayberry airport, just waiting to board the plane. All sorts of flights are being delayed and cancelled because of the snow. It snowed here last night, probably a dusting or so. Someone here said all the flights to New York are cancelled. Hopefully our flights are going to be ok. Delays would stink...but it'll all be good.
---
So this flight has been pushed back to leave at 10:45 instead of 9:30. Super.
--
We are on the plane in right now and some truck broke down in the middle of the taxi area and we can't go by until its cleared up. So we are sitting here. We are cutting it close as it is to make our flight from Chicago to Brussels. Praying we make it. The captain just came on and we are going to be de-iced again so that'll be an additional 10-15 minutes until we take off. It’s gonna be a tight connection.
--
Still sitting on the plane. It’s about 3:15 and we were supposed to leave at 1:30. I'm pretty stinking hungry. They are de-icing the plane right now. Oh and to top it all off, I seemed to have lost my mp3 player. I plugged the headphones into the plane TV so I could watch a show. Well the TV volume stopped working, so I went to listen to music and I lost the mp3 player. I think I had it in my lap and when I got up and fell off...but I can't find it now. Ugh. This stinks :)
--
Sweet sassy molassy...we were late getting into Chicago, but God is good and our flight to Brussels has been delayed as well. They still had to hold it for us, and now we are waiting for our luggage to get transferred over. I'm a little disappointed, this plane doesn't have the TVs on the backs of the seats. And the seats are pretty cramped in. I just hope to sleep most of this trip away. I also hope the food they serve is ok, I am stahhhvin (Boston for starving). I was supposed to sit on the aisle but the guy who was here already took the aisle and I got the window...sweet. And not only that, it's in between 2 windows which is advantageous to me sleeping. I am really sad that I may not get to talk to Wife too much this whole trip. I think I may have talked to her for the last time for 10 days. Ugh...that's super sad.
--
So I'm sitting here listening to music and I feel you Lord. I've felt so alone, apart from you, but you are here with me right now and man I love you so much Father. You have shown that no detail is too small for your plan. Sitting on this flight to Brussels, because you called us here and held the flight and guided us here safely. I'm rambling Father but I feel you here and needed to take this time to worship you for all you are. Lord please keep your sovereign hand of peace, love and joy over my house and family, as I know you will lord, because they aren't my family if they aren't your family first and foremost. God I am so ready for you to use me. I've been ready for weeks now, but wasn't sure you really wanted to use me, but you have filled me with your warmth daddy and I thank you so much. It's with all my heart and love lord...amen
--
Hey its 8:30 and I finally ate...woohoo. Only now I'm not sure if I feel better or worse *burp! I'm going to lay back now and hopefully sleep for a good long while. Oh and it was roast beef with mashed "potatoes"...it tasted decent...like a TV dinner.
--
Ok so I haven't napped yet. Tim brought someone over to me who is a Romanian man, working in Chicago who's been doing work with churches in Romania and in Chicago. He gave me a cd with a PowerPoint presentation. I look forward to seeing it. I'm not so sure what this opportunity may or may not be...but God is good. I gave him my card and hopefully we can start a dialogue as to the works he is doing and see what Gods plans are.