Liberia Day 1

Wednesday, November 1, 2017 

Teerlink’s picked us up at 8 AM, after we’d had an interesting breakfast—the best part was a fruit smoothie.  We drove to various places, either looking at some area projects the Teerlink’s or others have done, or to check on projects under construction, or to look at some areas we might put together for a 2018 project.

The morning was pleasant, as it usually is in Africa this time of year, just after the end of the rainy season.  But after lunch it was typically hot, humid, and energy-sapping.  Sister Teerlink had prepared a lunch for us as usual, sandwiches made from homemade bread thanks to Elder Teerlink. Apparently they are passing around a Bosch bread mixer that the last Mission President had given to the couples to use.  They don’t like the bread here much because it is dry.  We also had cookies and Pringles, drinks and bananas.  Morris was with us as usual, but even though he seemed okay to me, they were concerned that he was untypically quiet. 

A pretty little school, requesting a hand dug well.   

                        

 We liked this community that would like a well.  They have to go    

 across the street and one little girl got hit by a car, luckily she was okay. 

 This is a very cohesive community that are always working at something—a good sign.

There’s something special about a sweet African child.   

                

Not at all sure what this writing was all about.

A couple of men preparing a burn to make charcoal, which they say will take about 2-3 days.  

It has to smolder to keep it from burning up.  

They cover it with grass and dirt I think and then let it do its work.  

No air must get to the stack or it would be a bonfire instead of a charcoal making venture.

We saw a lot of small, home latrines in our travels today.

Elder Teerlink is a furniture builder, and he wanted to teach a few people in Liberia to do better work, especially on school desks, which usually last a year before they trash them.  Above is a workshop at a school where Elder Teerlink provided them with some tools and know-how to build a better desk, as below.  They do the wood work and I think he said the blind group is putting them together.

 We stopped by one of our latrines that was being built near a school.  The contractor (left) is doing a good job.

Tomorrow we travel down the road to the hotel near the airport so as to avoid election rallies that

 might close the road, causing us to miss our flight Friday.