One thing we have noticed about the children here in Liberia is that they are hard workers and have jobs to do starting at a very young age. These boys were in charge of clearing the area around their home. They were burning brush and tending the fire. We see children carrying heavy loads on their heads and pulling wagons loaded with supplies. The children go to school for half a day and then we see them working and playing. They always seem to be happy.

 

 

Dinner is served! This is an example of how people carry things on their heads. When we saw her we had to look closely at what she was selling and then we noticed that what she was carrying was crawling over the side of her bowl. Snails anyone?

Today we met Honorable Joyce Freeman Sumo, Senior Senator for Montserrado County. LDS Charities has done a lot of projects to help provide clean water and sanitation in her district. It was a pleasure to meet with her and we will have the privilege of working together on upcoming projects.

 

 

This week we visited a small fishing village. There were colorful boats and nets all around on the beach. We were lucky to be there just as they were bringing a boat out of the water. No boat launch here.  It was amazing to watch the men work together as a team to bring it in.

This is 12 year old Frank, our self-appointed tour guide at Hotel Africa.  A quiet, considerate young guy, he sort of attached himself to April and I, finding shells on the beach and even digging a live crab out of the sand, at some peril to his fingers.  As we were leaving, I handed him 20 Liberian dollars and he was thrilled with it.  I am a little embarrassed to admit that 20LD is worth about 17 cents US.  He told me his village doesn't have a latrine, so we will go back and talk to the community elders to ascertain if their village would be a good location for LDS Charities to build one.

Most people here cannot afford to have running water in their homes so LDS Charities will provide clean water to a community by digging a well or erecting a water tower like the one pictured here.  The tanks receive water from a city water system.  The water then gravity feeds to the station pictured below which has three or four faucets on it.  As the people draw water they pay a small amount of money for each bucket they fill.  The money collected is used to pay the city water bill and to maintain the facility.  This tower was built under the direction of Richard & Sharon Miles who preceeded us in this assignment.

We are in Africa!

This is our first post from Africa. We have been here in Liberia for three weeks (actually two because we spent a week in Ghana for training). Here are some words that describe Liberia:
Colorful, scary (the driving), inspiring, hot, humid, impoverished, extreme and photogenic. We have used all of our senses to the max. We are beginning to learn our way around the streets which are very crowded. The people here are busy, industrious, helpful and spiritual. We are loving our work and still have so much to learn but it is very rewarding to dedicate a well in a community and represent the church in helping these people get clean water to drink. They are so appreciative and it is heart warming to see their excitement when they realize how it will change their lives.

We hope to add to this blog every week with photos of everyday life in Liberia. April is taking pictures of everything that moves and many things that don't move.

This young girl came with her mother to the dedication of a water tower and found it a bit boring.

An entrepreneur with a wheelbarrow load of bicycle parts.  He will probably use these and other parts to make whole bicycles to sell.