My final Thoughts from Liberia (written Dec 7)

I am sitting at the Monrovia airport. I hate this part of my trip. I hate leaving home and I hate leaving here. I feel like I am ripped in two every time I leave one place or the other. This trip has been the same as all the others, full of high highs and low lows! I have literally walked through fire and water this trip! Pictures to come!
This time, I stayed at the home with the children, so it is even harder. Leaving the home, the children all had sad faces as we said our good-byes. I just wanted to stuff them all in my suitcases. Even one of the matrons got tears in her eyes. Then telling Amos good-bye is difficult. I know the work he has ahead of him, and I so want to be here to help him with it. But I have family back home that needs me too!
My staff is amazing! God has blessed me beyond measure! From our driver, to our nannies, to my director! I have people who love the children and are loyal to Addy’s Hope. This time, I met an amazing man named Paul. One night, I was awakened by the screams of the children. I ran into the room and they along with the nannies were standing there. Two of the girls swore they saw someone standing in the corner that ran into the hall. We searched the whole house. There was no one there. I had total peace, and I knew if there was someone there, I would not! They were all convinced it was either a demon or one of the girl’s dead mother coming back to talk to her. I assured them whatever it was, if it was anything, was way weaker than God almighty! So for the next three hours they sang and prayed. That part was awesome! However, I had to get some sleep to get me through the next day.
But before I want to sleep, God used that incident to really make me aware of how badly we need spiritual guidance in our home. The thought crossed my mind: we have a nurse to care for them physically, why do we not have a pastor to care for them spiritually. So I talked to John, and he agreed. We now have a full time Pastor on staff. He is amazing! He loves the Lord, and wants to see people realize their potential in God. So he is going to start teaching the children, teaching the mentors and then going out to the villages where we are building and start getting to know them!
Speaking of the villages, I met the community leader today, Moses. He is so excited about the school! They don’t have a school in the community, and the closest one is on the main road. A child was hit by a car walking to school, so of course they don’t let their younger kids go there. We are right across the road from Rafiki Village. He said they promised to build a school, but then put a fence around it just for them. He asked why they couldn’t build one for the community. I told him I didn’t know, but I promised him his community kids would be allowed in our school! I also told him that we would get medical attention to them just as quickly as we can! I told him when the building was open; we would have a doctor come in at least on weekends. They die on their way to the hospital, just like Addy!
Honorable Gaye came out to the sight with his whole family. He gave me a traditional dress. I have wanted one but have not had time to shop, so I was so excited! It is pink and burgundy! He was excited to see we had broke ground. I told him we had a frustrating trip, and that I prayed they passed the bill for adoptions very quickly and made it workable! He assured me it would be one of the first items on the agenda. I told him when they get adoptions moving again, I would love to build a school in Nimba. That is his district and where most of our children have come from that are home now. I want to give back to there. He said a school would be the most beneficial. So that will be my first project when adoptions are moving!
There is still just so much to be done in Liberia. Still so many trying to keep it down. At an adoption awareness meeting I went to put on by the President’s Committee on Adoption, one of the government officials ran up in her black, air conditioned car with solid black windows, jumped out with her sunglasses on like she was from Hollywood. She ran into the room followed close behind by her Paige and her body guard. She was the one who actually did the adoption talk. She gave a completely negative impression of adoption. Then she said, “We have to figure out why so many of our children are being adopted. What do we need to do to fix this. Do we need family assistance programs, do we need education?” It took everything within my not to scream, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! If you would roll down those dark windows when you are driving through you country, maybe you wouldn’t have to ask “do we?” Anyone with even a small brain cell can see that the country is in dire need of assistance!!!!! But this is the mentality we are dealing with. It is very difficult not to get discouraged! But as I hugged Amos, he whispered, “Take Courage!” And I told him with him on this side, I had no choice but to! And I turned to make my journey home….back to the land of opportunity where only by the Grace of God I was born instead of here, in the land of poverty! Oh how my heart aches for these people I am leaving! May God bless them, each and every one of them!