Mission Picture

Mission Picture
We're in Africa!

Sunday, June 22, 2014


 With an average rainfall of 200", Liberia is a wet, swampy land.  The rainy season has barely begun and we have had a few really drenching tropical rainstorms.  Somehow, the Monrovia city planners failed to provide a way for the rainwater to drain off many of the city streets.  The first three photos are of an industrial street on Bushrod Island.  A two lane street with a parking strip has been reduced to one lane that has a few inches of standing water on it.
With some of the rainstorms, we have really spectacular lightning shows.  Monrovia is a coastal city so it gets considerably more rain than does the interior of Liberia.

 The rain reduces the number of motorcycles on the streets but doesn't eliminate them.  Some riders have attached umbrellas to their bikes and some of the umbrellas have been enlarged on the back so as to cover the passenger.  They ride slower so the umbrellas don't collapse.  Pretty clever really. 
The above three-way intersection is at the bottom of a hill, so the water from all three streets collects here and gets pretty deep.  There is probably a storm drain nearby but it is also probably filled with sand. 
Who needs a swimming  pool when you have a storm gutter in front of your parents store.  These kids were as excited and as happy as any we've seen here.  As you can see, clothing is optional in this game.  April wanted to join them and it took all my powers of persuasion to keep her in the car. 

3 comments:

  1. Grandma! Michael said "that's gross! Why would she want to do that?!" Haha oh grandma, you just keep your clothes on or they might worry there's a ghost in their town!

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  2. Mama Mia! Thanks for being brave so we could enjoy your mission from afar!

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