Liberia: An unlikely place?

My family moved to Liberia, West Africa on Sept. 4. When I started this blog in 2009, moving to a foreign country would not have entered my mind. How in the world did we end up here? That is a long, long story. But, here we are. And it is abundantly clear that love, love for God and others does lead to unlikely places.

While we were waiting

Facebook has a new feature now that shows you things that happened on each day from years ago. This is what popped up for me today. Something I'm sure I would never have remembered writing, something that was completely over shadowed by one of those life changing moments just five days later. I didn't know that Habakkuk would go to his grandfather's funeral. I didn't know that he would be one of the victims of the cholera outbreak in his village with no clean water. Just five days after I wrote this little note to the sons I had never met, I didn't know our little boy would died. 

While we are waiting

June 25, 2009 at 7:48pm

I believe our boy is over malaria. However, while he was getting treatment in Monrovia, their grandpa died. Both boys were staying with the pastor that is overseeing their care. The relatives decided that the grandma can't continue to care for the boys alone, so they are now with a foster family. I don't know many details at all. I imagine the benefit is that the pastor is closer and will be able to see them more. But, really, my heart is sad because our boys have lost the only family they know. They don't know there is a mommy and a daddy across the ocean who love them and pray for them. They don't know they have sisters and a brother who talk about them often and wonder what it will be like to have new brothers.

My dear, precious boys,

You are loved. You are wanted. You have a home.

You are not abandoned. We will come for you.

Sleep with peace, play with joy, and smile with hope.

And, as I pray over all my children,

May God shine His face on you and be gracious to you.

May He turn His face towards you and give you peace.

May you love God with all your heart and soul and strength.

May you love Him forever and follow Him all you days.

And may He send His angels to watch over you to guard your heart, your mind and your body.

In Jesus' name.

Amen

It's Christmas time again and you're not home...

Lyrics from Third Day's song "Merry Christmas"

But half a world away I hang
The stockings by the fire
And dream about the day
When I can finally call you mine

It's Christmas time again but you're not home
Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone
So tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in His arms
And tell you from my heart, I wish you a Merry Christmas

Every year for the past 5 years I've gone through this gut wrenching struggle of preparing for another Christmas season with the realization that it's another Christmas without Michael. And every year I can't stop myself from thinking...maybe next year. 

I sometimes wish we didn't hang up his stocking, again. But, it's a tradition now. He has his own box for the ornaments I faithfully add to his collection every year. 

This year it's really hard. Mark and I have several dear friends that will have their adopted children home by Christmas this year. And with all my heart I want to celebrate with them. I really do. I wish I could, without thinking about myself, and my little boy, who isn't so little anymore, and the hopes and dreams I've had for him. And how precious the memories of being with him are.

I love adoption too, but...

I just watched the most beautiful video about a wonderful family that has adopted kids from all over the world with various special needs. It was inspiring. It was touching. It was bittersweet. I love adoption too, but my story looks so different from what I thought it would.

I thought five years ago when we bought a bigger house and an eight passenger van that we would walk through the challenging process of adoption and begin an adventure of being an adoptive family. I thought when I bought letter stickers and put them over the bunk beds we set up for the little boys I was sure would come soon that I would tuck them in those beds someday. I have changed the sized of the clothes in the dresser more times than I can count as I pack the things to bring to my son in Liberia over and over again.

There are days I give up hope that he will ever come to live with us. There are times I stop praying. My heart just says, "God, You know."

And I live between the memories of seeing him and the dreams of seeing him again. I cherish the moments of holding him while he slept, of cuddling with him, seeing his eyes light up to see me. Even the regular things like preparing a plate of food for him or helping him get dressed. I am grateful that I have a "history" with him, the "remember when" moments. One of the most wonderful and most painful times ever was when Mark and I gave Michael a birthday party. I actually brought a chocolate cake in my carry on. Crazy, I know. I brought balloons and candles. We sang happy birthday and he blew out candles. All the children shared the cake. When it was over, Mark held me as we walked and I sobbed over all the birthdays we had missed.

Adoption. A word with so much emotion. So many stories. I never would have chosen this one for me. I can't imagine what my life would have looked like without it.

"Why love if losing hurts so much? I have no answers any more. Only the life I have lived. Twice in that life I've been given the choice: as a boy and as a man. The boy chose safety, the man chooses suffering. The pain now is part of the happiness then. That's the deal." C.S. Lewis

At first I didn't think I could go to Liberia because I didn't know if I could bear meeting a little boy I loved so much and leave him. What I didn't realize was the greater challenge was having a little boy love me and break his heart when I left him. I didn't see that one coming. Was the love we shared worth the pain it caused us? I was a grown up, I chose the pain, but he was a child. Was it fair to him? I had to believe that the joy was worth the pain, for both of us. 

Happy Birthday Michael

The date of Michael's birthday on our paperwork is Nov. 6. There is no way of knowing how close that date is to the day he was born, but I guess we don't really know what day Jesus was born and we celebrate His birthday Dec. 25th.

This year, Mark and I were in Liberia together in Nov. and we wanted to celebrate Michael's birthday with him. I actually packed a small chocolate cake in my carry on for the occasion along with balloons and candles.

The plan was to have the birthday party as soon as Mark arrived and before our other friends left, but it didn't work out that day, or the next day, and the days kept going. Finally, it was the last day before we left. It was today or not at all, it was then that I realized how much I didn't really want to have this birthday party. Mark lead the way, brought the kids in, lit the candles, sang the song. I took pictures and tried not to cry.

After the little party, Mark and I walked and I wept. The party just reminded me of all the birthday I had missed. And all the years we had missed together. And the pain of loving someone and leaving them so many times.

The next day we packed up our things to go to the airport. I gave candy to everyone at the guest house so they wouldn't cry as we drove away. We took Michael with us to the airport. I had one more gift for him. A electronic phonics game. The kind of gift you get when your mom is a teacher, I guess. I took it out shortly before we got to the airport so I could teach him how to us it. My hope was that it would comfort and distract him on the drive back after we left.

We arrived at the airport, brought our bags to the terminal door and said, "Until I see you next time". I caught the look of pain on Michael's face before Oretha led him back to the truck. I broke his heart again. It's one thing to endure my own pain at leaving again. But, it is almost unbearable to know the pain I am causing him. I try to remember what C. S. Lewis said about the joy now is part of the pain later. It's because of the love and joy we share that parting is so agonizing.

I think I'm glad that we shared Michael's 9th birthday with him. I hope that it is a warm and happy memory for him. I really have no idea what the future holds. I choose to keep my hands open before God and trust Him. 

4th Anniversary of Loss of Habakkuk

 Since Habakkuk's death, almost 100 new wells and repaired wells have benefited about 40 community, providing water to 1000's of people. The ave. estimate is 1000 people benefit from each well. Only heaven knows how many children's lives have been saved from cholera, diarrhea and other water borne illnesses.

In Moses Quinah Town, not one child has died since the well went in there nearly two years ago.

Last year, over 400 people responded to the Gospel message.

Teamwork Africa has expanded to medical outreach, agriculture projects, micro loans, child sponsorship, building a school, scholarship for education, pastoral support and training. Our newest outreach is SMART women, which will protect young women in Liberia from sexual exploitation.

None of this would have happened without Habakkuk's life being intertwined with ours.  Jesus says in John 12:24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels--a plentiful harvest of new lives. NLT

Habukkuk's death has produced "a plentiful harvest of new lives".

This is not the road we would have chosen. This isn't the plan we had for our life. But, God is always good. He had something better planned for us and the people He so loved. The journey continues to be painful. Our hearts are broken frequently. Yet, there is deep joy in this journey.

I believe that it is God's plan to redeem every broken heart. To bring beauty for ashes. To bring hope out of despair. He is faithful and He will do it. We can trust Him. He is always, always good.

Not The Road I would Choose

Today I was subbing in 4th grade. The students were just finishing a read aloud called Mary On Horseback by Rosemary Wells. "In 1923, there were no doctors or hospitals in the isolated mountains of Appalachia. Then Mary Breckinridge came. Trained as a nurse, she made the Appalachians her life's work-fording icy streams and climbing untracked mountains to bring medical help to those in need."

Mary Breckinridge married as a young woman and her husband died. She remarried and had two babies that both died and then her second husband died. She was in despair. But, out of that despair she decided to become a nurse and go to those who needed help. She wanted to save children since she knew the pain of losing her own.

As I'm reading the end of this story, I am barely holding my voice steady. Then when the book is finished, little Libby in the front row says, "You are like her aren't you, Mrs. Halvorsen? " Yeah, I said. I reminded those who maybe had forgotten about the little boy I lost to cholera and how I wanted to save the other children in the villages. I didn't do a very good job with my emotions this time. I ended class 5 minutes early.

This isn't the road I would choose for me, but it still feels right somehow.

So this is what it feels like to walk the wilderness
This is what it feels like to come undone
This is what it feels like to lose my confidence
Unsure of anything or anyone

So this is what it feels like to walk the desert sand
This is what it feels like to hear my name
To be scared to death ’cause I’m all alone
But feel love and peace just the same
This may not be the road I would choose for me
But it still feels right somehow
And I have never felt You as close to me as I do right now
So this is what it feels like to be led
So this is what it feels like to just fall apart
To be totally unglued
To find out that if I accept my brokenness
I get more of me, I get all of You
And this may not be the road I would choose for me
But it still feels right somehow
I have never felt You as close to me as I do right now
So this is what it feels like to be led
So this is what it feels like to just walk away
From everything I thought kept me safe
To depend just on You for every meal
And find that it’s better this way
Oh, it’s better this way
This may not be the road I would choose for me
But it still feels right somehow
And I have never felt You as close to me as I do right now
Like I do right now
This may not be the road I would choose for me
But it still feels right somehow
And I have never felt You as close to me as I do right now
So this is what it feels like to be led
This is what it feels like to be led
So this is what it feels like”

What it feels like – by FFH

  

The life you have

A few weeks ago I took my neighbor's two little boys to AWANA with my kids. As we were leaving and I was..um.. herding (?) the six kids the the van, it struck me that this would have been my life if things had gone as I had planned. The extra two boys are 8 and 5, about the same ages of Michael and Habakkuk.

The life you have instead of the one you wanted. This isn't the way I thought things would go four years ago. I never imagined the pain so deep, the loss so great. I couldn't have dreamed of the joy so sweet or a purpose so meaningful. I'm so glad God has never asked my opinion of what He should do in my life.

This journey of love. I laugh when I read that title now. I had no idea. "Sometimes love leads to unlikely places". Well, I guess so. 

Merry Christmas

Dear Michael,

It's Christmas Eve. Another year and you still aren't here. The stockings are hung by the chimney with care... yours is there too, but it hangs empty tonight. We sent sent to you with a wire transfer and an email message, sending you our love. Wanting so much for you to know you are loved and missed.

I can't think of a better place for you right now then where you are, given the options we have. I am so very grateful for the Flomo family to love and care for you. To send you to school and provide for your needs. I am so thankful.

And yet. there are moments when we stop and think what it would have been like for you to be with us tonight. Going to Grandma and Grandpa's house, riding on the snowmobile, opening presents, cuddled in the back of the van with the other kids, tucking you in, kissing you good night, wishing you a merry Christmas.

What was God thinking when He put you in our hearts? What did He want us to know about longing and hope and perseverance? And what did He want to show you?

I miss you tonight, Michael Immanuel. (Who is like our God? Our God is with us) I am trusting God tonight, who is with us even a world away. So, once again, I ask that the angels kiss you softly and watch over you while you sleep. That you will know how loved you are.

Sweet Christmas dreams, little son.
Mama Peggy

Another birthday

It was Michael's 8th birthday this week. We received his very first picture just after he turned 4 yrs old, almost four years ago. My first visit to see him was just before his 6th birthday. I've been able to see him four times in the past two years. And I am so very grateful for that.

We will know more about adoption in Liberia in Jan when the Senate approves the lift of the ban on adoptions that the parliament passed last fall. We believe adoptions will begin to be processed this spring. There is a lot to do before that and we are doing what we can to get ready. 

There are still many, many days when it feels like it will never happen. I am so thankful for the occasional comment from a friend that they are praying for us. It is so encouraging at our prayer group when one of our prayer partners lifts up the adoption and Michael before I do. Sometimes I am just tired of praying the same prayer over and over. "God, I know Your timing is perfect. I know You love him more than we do. I know You have a good plan for his life. Thank you for working all of this longing and waiting into something that brings You honor. Thank you for the ways this experience has shaped our family and touched many others' lives. You are good and I know You are working good in me and in Michael.  Amen."

I saw this on another blog. It is worth sharing. I linked the title to the source.

A Prayer for Children

Lord of Life,
We pray for scampy children
who sneak popsicles before supper,
who erase holes in math workbooks,
who can never find their shoes.

God of Compassion,
We pray for children
who can't bound down the street in a new pair of sneakers,
who never play tag or go to the circus,
who live in an X-rated world.

Loving Father,
We thank you for the children
who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions,
who hug us in a hurry and forget their lunch money.

And we hurt for those
who never get dessert,
who have no safe blanket to drag behind them,
who don't have rooms to clean up,
whose pictures aren't on anybody's dresser,
whose monsters are real.

Gracious God, help us be gracious to children
who spend their allowance before Tuesday,
who throw tantrums in the grocery store and pick at their food,
who like ghost stories,
who shove dirty clothes under the bed,
who don't like to be kissed in front of the carpool,
who squirm in church and scream in the phone,
whose tears we sometimes laugh at and
whose smiles can make us cry.

Almighty God, help us bring justice for those children
Whose nightmares come in the daytime,
Who will eat anything
Who have never seen dentist,
Who aren't spoiled by anybody,
Who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,
Who live and move, but have no being

Lord Jesus, we thank you that you are the One who welcomes children, may we do so as well
We pray for all children
Who want to be carried, who don’t want to be carried and for those who must,
We pray that we would never give up on any of them
And that you would gather them up,
Cuddle them like lost sheep
And release them to be your love, light, and salt in the world.
For we believe Lord in your kingdom – your playground
Where goodness is stronger than evil
Love is stronger than hate
Light is stronger than darkness
Truth is stronger than lies
We need not be afraid.

When it's not enough

It has been too long since I've written. I've wanted to, but it takes time and energy and I don't seem to have extra to spare, but writing needs to take a new priority in my life. God is moving in my presence and I want people to hear the stories and give glory to God because He is here, with us, our Immanuel.

Today my heart is moved with grief, which drives me to write, whether I have the time or energy. I need to! I just returned from my fourth trip to Liberia in two years. I actually had to count it out, unbelievable. This trip was primarily about visiting well rehab sites with our partner, The Last Well, and connecting a donor with the village she put a well in. However, it turned out to be about much more than that. One of the unexpected, but common, events was the death of two mothers after childbirth. The first one is from Fenutoli, a large village we completed several well rehabs. Our Teamwork Africa pastors had an evangelistic outreach there in which over 80 people responded to the Gospel message. In getting to know the people, we were made aware of a tiny baby left behind after the death of her mother. Pastor Peter asked that the baby be brought to the guest house in Monrovia.

My friend, Diane, was at the house to receive the baby and named her Emma Louise. Baby Emma is tiny! I just prayed she would not stop breathing during the night. Please send angels to watch over her! The next morning, we took Emma to the hospital. She weighed 1.3 kgs. She seems stable and, God willing, she will be OK.

Baby Jeannie Elizabeth

The next day, Oretha received a call that the wife of a man she considers a brother had died at Phoebe hospital after childbirth, leaving behind a baby girl. Peter, again, asked for the baby to be brought to us. When the baby arrived, they asked me to name her. I hesitated. Oretha asked me what my mother's name is. My mom's name is Jean, so we named the baby Jeannie. Baby Jeannie had a headful of soft curly black hair.

We left Liberia on Sun and on Mon, Jeannie was taken to the hospital with malaria. Malaria is likely to have contributed to the death of her mother. She seemed to be doing OK at first, then convulsions developed. Othera, Peter's wife and a nurse, stayed with her in the hospital and the doctor changed her medicine. She improved enough to be discharged. However, Oretha readmitted her the next day. This time she didn't get better. Peter called me this morning to let me know Baby Jeannie had "expired" over night.

What mixed emotions. How do you receive tragedy gracefully? I know I don't know. I just feel numb, then guilty and helpless. Then angry and frustrated. Finally, broken and small. Is that the grief cycle?

I know we can't save every child, or at least I think I know that. No, actually, in my heart I DO want to believe we can save them all.  Of course that's not realistic, however, if I was trying to be realistic, I would have quit a long time ago. We just do what we can with what we have and believe it WILL be enough! Even if sometimes it's not. And sometimes we were too late. And sometimes we didn't have what we needed and sometimes there was nothing we could do. And that I guess this is where faith, not practicality comes in. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and no one hopes for what he already has, but waits for it. (Heb. 11:1, Rom. 8:24).

I concluded during my darkest days that God is good. In the middle of pain, confusion, loss, I clung to the truth that God is good. He will work things out for good. In the end, good will win. I am not a philosopher or some wise sage, I do not understand very much of this world. But, my soul is at peace because I know God knows all things.. I know He loves us.

I don't believe it was God's will for Baby Jeannie to lose her mother at birth and die at one week old. I don't think God makes people get malaria. It's part of the fall that wrecked everything. In parts of the world, like the US, we eradicated malaria carrying mosquitoes. Africa hasn't had that opportunity. Does God care more about Americans than Africans since they die of this tragic disease? No. Jesus declared that the kingdom of God is coming and has come. We are to declare the kingdom of God to the ends of the earth. And pray that His kingdom would come here, just like in heaven. Death will not win forever. 

He knows your name

Last week, Pastor Peter, our friend and ministry partner, was participating in a village council. This community had broken wells and those wells were being restored. Here are Peter’s words:

"We were welcomed by the town council. The Chief is a lady and she was so excited to see this rehab work come to their village.  With their councilmen listening to our conversation, I told them that God had invited the efforts of Teamwork Africa and that of The Last Well to go to where the need of clean water is even before the foundation of the world.  One curious elderly man asked me how God knew our names and villages since we have no one presence in the government.  I then began to share the Gospel from his question and presented to them the Attributes of God; one of which is His Omniscient power.  This led to the conversion of four souls.  The pastor, Jeffry, was asked to disciple these men.  The Teamwork Africa pastoral team is going to have three days of evangelistic outreach in this village by the end of this month."
 
This story brought tears to my eyes. Yes, I wanted to cry out, “Yes!” He knows your name. He knows your village. He has not forgotten you. You are so very precious to Him.
August 16 to 26 I have the opportunity to visit many of these villages that are getting their wells repaired through our partnership with The Last Well. I am so excited and humbled to have the opportunity to proclaim Christ to these communities. To look in the eyes of the men, women, and children and confidently declare, “You are not forgotten. The Lord God sees you. He knows your names. And, He loves you.”

God has blessed me so much! I have already raised over half the funds I need for this outreach. I need about $1000 more. We are also hoping to bring an additional $400 to provide 50lb bags of rice to about 10 unsponsored Starfish kids. My travel companions are excited to visit the village of Tumatai. They helped put a well in this community last year and they want to develop a relationship with them. I am eager to see what God has planned!

We will also be meeting in Liberia with our partners, The Last Well. Several organizations will meet together to discuss how we can work together to bring clean water and the Gospel to Liberia. While Teamwork Africa’s vision is broader than clean water, we are very excited about the opportunity to be part of bringing the Gospel through water.

Would you please consider “going with me” by supporting this outreach? Checks can be made out to Teamwork Africa. Please don’t write my name in the memo so that you will be able to receive a tax deduction for your gift. Just write my name on the bottom of the return envelope or put a sticky note on the check. Thank you so much!
Please pray for me. I will be posting updates at www.teamworkafrica.org. This is our brand new website!
God is so very good!

You can send donations to: Teamwork Africa 2920 Bobbie St. Eau Claire, WI 54703

I miss you

A few weeks ago I was talking to Pastor Peter on the phone when unexpectedly, he gave his phone to Micheal. He said, "Hello.". I excitedly responded, "Hello, Micheal! How are you?" He replied, "I am fine. Tell my brother and sister hello" Then there was an awkward pause. Talking to Michael is something I treasure, but our conversations are very short since we don't often understand each other very well over the phone. But, after a pause, Michael said, "I miss you."  "Oh Michael, I miss you so much too!" And I was undone. The conversation ended and I needed to go take the dog for a walk.

So much of the time I think I'm OK with the waiting. Maybe I have just adjusted to the ache. Maybe I just try to ignore it. I don't know.

 

This is our first picture together. I have it in a frame over my computer with the title: Weight of Glory.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, 

works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 

2 Cor. 4:17

I remember the first time I held him, the phase that came to my mind was "this is what the weight of glory feels like". All the praying and dreaming and imagining what it would be like to hold this child that holds my heart was mine to have. I could hold him, kiss his head, pray over him, sing over him, rock him, play with him and tell him over and over how much I loved him. I had the sweetest gift of holding him as he slept in my arms. As I left Liberia after that trip, I starting weeping as soon as the plane took off and cried all the way to Ghana. I sat in the middle of the middle row completely exposed. And I wept. 

And there are days, probably more than I would like to count, that I get that far off look and blink back the extra moisture. There are moments when the African American neighbor boy is playing with Dawson or I see a child Michael's age, or celebrate the coming home of a friend's long awaited child. There are times when I look for him- one two three four, where's... oh yeah, not here yet. 

But he is here. Ask my children. There is rarely a family prayer that doesn't include him. Just last week in VBS, on the day the kids learned about how God answers prayers, Grace's prayer was "for Michael in Liberia. That Michael would be safe." A couple days ago, Mark looked at the picture of me holding him and starting praying for him to come him. 

I miss you too, Michael. More than I let myself embrace. God is good. I know He is. There is reason and purpose in this pain. For now, sweet dreams, and may angels guide you through the night and wake you in the morning light. Amen.

Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you

I just had lunch with Grace at school and took the dog for a walk, actually, I needed the walk, I just took him with me. I was thinking about my thoughts about how it feels to be in Liberia and how it feels in the US. One thing I long for when I think of Liberia is how unstressed I feel. I just don't feel anxious in Liberia. All the things that don't really matter, really don't matter. Where, when, how we do things are just details. It will be done, at some point, some how, so why stress about it? I LOVE not knowing what time it is. There are really important things to care about and heart breaking things that make you cry out to God, but they are things that really matter. I think one reason I have so much more energy in Liberia is that I don't waste energy on things that don't really count.

In the US, things like time and schedules and plans and details matter a lot. Endless hours are spent on such things and organizing details. I get wrapped up in it. So much clutter in my life, so many distractions here. Someday I'm going to go through everything and "throw OUT everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles." (my paraphrase of Hebrews 12:1) In the US, it is much easier for me to feel like I am in control and I realize I am no more in control here than I am in Liberia. It is just an illusion.

And, I am beginning to wonder if the difference isn't really Liberia and US. Maybe it's just me. My birth in Liberia was one of utter dependance. I arrived on that first trip completely unable to provide for myself. If God didn't take me by the hand and lead me, I was lost. And, He did! There are so many lessons I continue to go back to on that first experience. God planted seeds of meaning that have taken months, maybe years to harvest. God is Lord of All, the US and Liberia. And He is the same in America and in Africa. So, must I be.

Some lessons take a long time to learn, and I know really cool people who have awesome life verses. I don't think I'm probably one of them. And I didn't choose this verse, I feel like it chose me because I keep being brought back here time after time. So here we go again. So, I say once again:

Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. PS 116:7

As I told Mark recently, God doesn't need me to run Teamwork Africa, but I need Teamwork Africa to teach me about God.

Follow the missions trip

If you would like to follow the mission trip, please go to the Teamwork Africa blog We will be posting updates as often as we can. Either Debbie or I will, if the internet is working or we will call Debbie's husband and he will update it for us.

By Friday, I will be holding my Michael on my lap!

Liberia Missions Trip

I am so excited to be heading back to Liberia again. We will leave tomorrow. Here's the plan so far:

Mission Trip March 2012

Thurs March 15 Fly out of MSP,  and connecting flight in Altanta.

Pray for traveling mercies. It can be stressful! Pray that our eyes are on Jesus and not our circumstances. Pray that we are Jesus to those around us. 

Fri March 16 Arrive in Liberia. Pray that everything arrives with us safely and that we get through the airport without difficulty.

Sat. March 17 Women's conference. Peggy Halvorsen and Debbie Nutzmann will be the main speakers. Pray that we share what is on God's heart for these precious women. Pray that our hearts are bound together through the love and joy we share with one another.

Sunday March 18 Attend church at Eternal Love church and prepare our supplies for ministry.

Mon and Tues  We hope to deliver rice to the Starfish kids that are in Monrovia. We may have meeting about future agriculture projects and tour some schools. We hope to research education, medical, and agriculture practices.

Wed March 21 Leave early in the morning for the interior. Pray again for traveling mercies. The vehicle we will be taking does not have air conditioning. Pray for good weather.

 Thurs. March 22 We will be visiting several villages that have recently had wells dug in their communities. We will be doing medical outreach. The churches will be distributing clothes and joy bags. We will be spending one night in Kpeletayama and one in the missions house.


Fri March 23 Last day of visiting villages and then heading back to Monrovia. Pray for our health and safety, flat tires are common.

Sat. March 24 Celebration of Teamwork Africa first anniversary.

Sun March 25 Attend church and head for the airport. Our flight heads out at about 6 pm.

Mon March 26 Arrive back at MSP and home.