Mel's Update from Liberia

My friend Ruth

Dear all my precious Friends and Family,

Greetings from Liberia! In fact, I must tell you, "Happy 26!!" This is Liberia's Independence Day.  It was post-poned a day because they cannot celebrate 2 holidays in 1 day.  (You see, Sunday, was the Lord's day..)  It was a really fun day!  I didn't realize this but July 26 is a BIG day!  People wake up bright and early and begin to cook.  In fact, by 7:30 in the morning, we had already been gifted 2 different meals by 2 different families.  Everyone dresses up in their finest clothes.  Not very many people have the funds for this but if they were able, they would then get their picture taken and then get it printed off.  Then they will have a family photo for the year.  What a blessing to be able to be apart of different people's lives today.   (As a gift to our neighbors, we took different families' pictures and then later on in the week, Don will get them printed off and then give them to the families.)  Don did not try to get that done today because we heard from all that it would be wise to stay away from town.  I really think that July 26 may be a bigger holiday around here than Christmas.  The crowds of people were so large that on Saturday, (3 days before "26", that they had 4 police men directing traffic.)  Now, I know what you are thinking.... 4 police men???  No big deal.  But if you only saw the traffic and the way people cross intersections, you would be highly surprised that there are not police men directing traffic on a normal basis.  So to think of 4 police men actually needing to direct traffic with the standards over here.  Wow.... I can only begin to imagine... I walked around with Don for awhile to get people's pictures.  Oh we had such fun expressing our thoughts with everyone looking so wonderful in their best clothes.  And then to give to take their pictures was so fun as well.  What a fun thing!

Well, on another note, I truly can NOT believe that it has been almost 4 months since we left the States.  In some ways, it seems just like yesterday when we moved in our new house in Gbarnga, (pronouced like Bonga but with a slight G sound at the beginning.  You can practice saying it but a Pelle person would tell you that you are pronouncing it wrong.  Trust me, I have practiced much to no avail, I can't say it right.)  Mostly, we are just missing family and friends.  Infact, Don and I were talking that we wish that we could simply go away for an afternoon :) to visit everyone and then come right back here.  But we all know that it is simply not that easy, so here we are....

My husband and I celebrated our anniversary this week.  Oh what a good day it was.  My precious children really loved on us/me.  Grace sewed us a few things and gave us flowers.  Christian found me comfortable flip flops for when I can't seem to find my shoes.  (It seems that there is a point at least once a week, when I can't locate one of my flip flops so I borrow his shoes to take something outside.  (Oh the joys of being able to fit into my kid's shoes..) So he thought that I would like a back up. ;)  Grace found a BIG bag for me for when I go to the market I will have a bag to put my groceries in.  Trust me, the market is completely different than going to the super market and I know that I will use the bag especially because we don't have. carts to put the groceries in...  Little Don found me a small purse with lots of compartments in it.  He told me that he thought it would work better for when I am carrying all my goods when I am shopping in the market because it is smaller.  I tell you the truth, I am so loved.  Then, my friend ( a dear friend from Switzerland) watched the kid's so that Don and I could spend the day together.  It was so good.  We went out to lunch at a place kind of similar to last year's Florida.  It is called The Hill Top.  Then we came home and made brownies but I burned them.  I have an oven but everything cooks so fast, most times, I burn them.  We played a game and talked for several hours.  Then I made popcorn and watched a movie.  It was such a good day together.

Life here is good.  Mostly, the kid's and I are very busy with finishing up school for the year.  We are almost finished and will take a 2-3 week break before we start up our new curriculum.  A friend will be bringing our next year's curriculum on Aug 17th.

Believe it or not, this week has been chilly.  We spent a lot of the days in our sweat shirts and socks or wrapped up in blankets. (Especially, the nights, they have been frigid.) ;) I checked the temp with my thermometer just now for an example, and it said that it is 76.4 degrees out.  See what I mean? Completely, frigid. :) :)  I am sure that you understand completely when I say that the kids even have their heavy sweat shirts on with blankets wrapped around themselves.  And I have my flannels p.j.'s on, with blankets wrapped around me, and I'm seriously thinking about finding some more socks that are still tucked away in my suitcase.  (All my other socks are dirty thanks to my feet being cold lately.) ;)

Well, love you all dearly!  Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support and encouragement!  We so appreciate and miss each and every one of you!

Love, Mel (and family) :)  :)  :)

PS.  I will try to write sooner this time.  I tell you the truth, the days and then the weeks fly by here.  Since everything takes longer to do here and since we go to bed earlier here, it seems that the days are only half as long here compared to the states.  Have a super week!!