Monday, September 17, 2007
Sunday, July 29, 2007
july 27, 2007
Home
I am very sorry to all who actually read this blog, I have been very busy and it has slipped my mind to update what has been happening with our adoption. I am currently back in the “states”, I flew in 3 days ago on the flight that was originally planned when we started this adventure. My dad and brother, however, are still in Liberia due to some unexpected troubles with the U.S. Embassy. Fortunately, things seem to have straightened themselves out and my dad and brother should be home soon.
I will try and post a few more stories about what it’s like being back and I will defiantly announce when the adoption is finished so check back in a few days for more information.
I enjoyed exploring Liberia and seeing how much the culture differs from America; many things we would consider offensive or shocking are really just blown up assumptions of what our society thinks. I now see that Africa is different and we should love it for where it’s at, and not judge it by what we know as “our” normal.
Home
I am very sorry to all who actually read this blog, I have been very busy and it has slipped my mind to update what has been happening with our adoption. I am currently back in the “states”, I flew in 3 days ago on the flight that was originally planned when we started this adventure. My dad and brother, however, are still in Liberia due to some unexpected troubles with the U.S. Embassy. Fortunately, things seem to have straightened themselves out and my dad and brother should be home soon.
I will try and post a few more stories about what it’s like being back and I will defiantly announce when the adoption is finished so check back in a few days for more information.
I enjoyed exploring Liberia and seeing how much the culture differs from America; many things we would consider offensive or shocking are really just blown up assumptions of what our society thinks. I now see that Africa is different and we should love it for where it’s at, and not judge it by what we know as “our” normal.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
July 18, 2007
The process
If you are planning on a adopting from Liberia there are certain things that have to be done on Liberian side as well as on the American side (if that’s where you’re from). The American side is very standard; everyone does the same thing and fills out the same forms. But on the Liberian side many things change and unexpected forms have to be filled out at the last second (if your not careful). Here’s what happens on the Liberian side
The process starts when the closest relative places the child in an orphanage and signs a form releasing his/her “rights” as a parent or guardian to the orphanage (However, the parent still has rights and can withdraw the child at any time for any reason). After the form is signed, the orphanage can care for the child until he/she is adopted or becomes older than 16. The rest of the adoption process is not started until a family is located for the child.
Once a family is found, many things happen all at once.
- A history is compiled of the child’s family and background. In theory it should be some what like a home study, where a social worker visits the relatives of the child and writes down their story. However in Liberia just finding the parents could take many weeks.
- The child is taken to a clinic for a medical and physical check-up, all necessary vaccinations are done at this time also.
- The proper papers are gathered like birth and death certificates, releases and court papers.
- A passport can also be applied for at this time
Once all those are finished then everything is sent to court. This is where the Liberian government cross checks all the information and makes sure there is no “foul play”. They then make the adoption legal on the Liberian side. The rest is preparing to adopt in America.
Really the only thing needed after this is a visa, passport and travel arrangements for going to America. Once a passport is applied, it shouldn’t take more than 4 weeks to acquire. The visa is the same way but you should except to wait a little bit longer because the embassy also does a cross check of all the information and gets the adoption ready to become final in America. Fortunately both the passport and visa can be processed at the same time. The last thing is to send conformation is the American family saying that everything is complete and they can pick up their new son/daughter.
There are a few things I would like to note about this process for those who what to or are going to adopt.
- Many unexpected things can and probably will happen if you decided to adopt so plan for at least 6 months to a year before the adoption becomes complete.
- Adoption is not something that should be taken light heartedly; it is something that will change everything about your life, and the life of the kid(s) you are adopting. (it’s a forever thing)
- Go though an adoption agency; there are many things that are best handled by people who have a good name at the various government departments here. Also they know what they are doing.
- The cost for adopting is around $4000 to $6000 USD in Liberia.
- The cost for staying in Monrovia is high compared to other places and you should expect to pay about $50 a day per person if you want everything you have in America (food, hot running water, internet, and your own room).
(Please know that I don’t know everything and I might be wrong about a few things contained in this blog entry. I am just stating what I have observed and what we were told while staying here in Monrovia.)
The process
If you are planning on a adopting from Liberia there are certain things that have to be done on Liberian side as well as on the American side (if that’s where you’re from). The American side is very standard; everyone does the same thing and fills out the same forms. But on the Liberian side many things change and unexpected forms have to be filled out at the last second (if your not careful). Here’s what happens on the Liberian side
The process starts when the closest relative places the child in an orphanage and signs a form releasing his/her “rights” as a parent or guardian to the orphanage (However, the parent still has rights and can withdraw the child at any time for any reason). After the form is signed, the orphanage can care for the child until he/she is adopted or becomes older than 16. The rest of the adoption process is not started until a family is located for the child.
Once a family is found, many things happen all at once.
- A history is compiled of the child’s family and background. In theory it should be some what like a home study, where a social worker visits the relatives of the child and writes down their story. However in Liberia just finding the parents could take many weeks.
- The child is taken to a clinic for a medical and physical check-up, all necessary vaccinations are done at this time also.
- The proper papers are gathered like birth and death certificates, releases and court papers.
- A passport can also be applied for at this time
Once all those are finished then everything is sent to court. This is where the Liberian government cross checks all the information and makes sure there is no “foul play”. They then make the adoption legal on the Liberian side. The rest is preparing to adopt in America.
Really the only thing needed after this is a visa, passport and travel arrangements for going to America. Once a passport is applied, it shouldn’t take more than 4 weeks to acquire. The visa is the same way but you should except to wait a little bit longer because the embassy also does a cross check of all the information and gets the adoption ready to become final in America. Fortunately both the passport and visa can be processed at the same time. The last thing is to send conformation is the American family saying that everything is complete and they can pick up their new son/daughter.
There are a few things I would like to note about this process for those who what to or are going to adopt.
- Many unexpected things can and probably will happen if you decided to adopt so plan for at least 6 months to a year before the adoption becomes complete.
- Adoption is not something that should be taken light heartedly; it is something that will change everything about your life, and the life of the kid(s) you are adopting. (it’s a forever thing)
- Go though an adoption agency; there are many things that are best handled by people who have a good name at the various government departments here. Also they know what they are doing.
- The cost for adopting is around $4000 to $6000 USD in Liberia.
- The cost for staying in Monrovia is high compared to other places and you should expect to pay about $50 a day per person if you want everything you have in America (food, hot running water, internet, and your own room).
(Please know that I don’t know everything and I might be wrong about a few things contained in this blog entry. I am just stating what I have observed and what we were told while staying here in Monrovia.)
Sunday, July 15, 2007
july 15, 2007 (40 days in Africa)
The little things
I have recently come to the realization that, little things count when it comes to taking an extended overseas trip. For instance, my hair has gotten to be very long over the past few weeks. This is because when my dad and I were planning to leave, we were thinking only about “big” things we needed. Unfortunately, a haircut wasn’t on the list of “big” things, so now I am sitting here with long hair simply because I didn’t take care of the little things which I have found to be extremely annoying the past few days. All this reminds me of camping trips my family always takes where we would forget a pillow or a sleeping bag and have to go without it for a week, only this time it’s for almost two months and we can’t just drive home to get it. So if you have a big trip coming up think about all the small things first because there’re what will make the trip enjoyable.
(NOTE; there are no barber shops around here that can cut “white man” hair)
The little things
I have recently come to the realization that, little things count when it comes to taking an extended overseas trip. For instance, my hair has gotten to be very long over the past few weeks. This is because when my dad and I were planning to leave, we were thinking only about “big” things we needed. Unfortunately, a haircut wasn’t on the list of “big” things, so now I am sitting here with long hair simply because I didn’t take care of the little things which I have found to be extremely annoying the past few days. All this reminds me of camping trips my family always takes where we would forget a pillow or a sleeping bag and have to go without it for a week, only this time it’s for almost two months and we can’t just drive home to get it. So if you have a big trip coming up think about all the small things first because there’re what will make the trip enjoyable.
(NOTE; there are no barber shops around here that can cut “white man” hair)
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
July 11, 2007
Arrested?
I had a few people ask me about me an entry I made not to long ago, where I mentioned being “arrested” by the police. The grounds for us actually being stopped in the first place are questionable and looking back it seems like more of a joke. But to end any worry and or questions I will tell about our small brush with the “law.”
To start out with you need an understanding of how things work here. Liberian law is very flexible and if you really wanted to, most laws can be bypassed if you paid the right people. Although its getting better the police is are not exempt from this search for bribes. Ask most missionaries here and they will tell of some very funny police stories.
Anyway …..
We were driving down one of the main streets here in Monrovia and were planning on dropping someone off at a nearby side street before turning around and heading home. We made it to the street safely then turned onto the designated entry ramp (there was a medium sized island in the center) dropped off the person, and then pulled right back onto the exit ramp. Unfortunately a nearby police officer saw this and stopped us for what he called an unsafe turn. There were no other cars in the immediate area and there were no signs that said we couldn’t turn but we could see that the officer was not going to back down (warnings don’t exist here), so we asked what we needed to do. At first the officer was extremely confusing, but after about 3 min, he concluded that we are “arrested” and needed to get in the back of the police truck so he could take us to the court house. When my dad finally got a word in he simply said “I’m not leaving my car”. It took another 15 min of talking (with 3 officers and 2 UN police) to conclude that the car needed to be “impounded” for 1 and ½ hours time so we would “learn our lesson”. We agreed to this because it didn’t involve money and we had just finished everything we had to do for that day. So we parked our car on the side of the road and began to wait. Not long after that the same police officer who pulled us over came to us and said that the fine for reckless driving is $50 USD. We both knew what he was after (because he didn’t say this when all the other officers were around), so my dad politely said “what, you said I made an unsafe turn, there was nothing said about reckless driving” this ended all requests for money.
We sat in our car for an hour before the UN police came back around and was able to get us out early. Unfortunately, (to keep us from driving away early) the first police officer had taken my dads license and for some reason had given it to another officer who then ran off to do other “police duties”. This was annoying but it didn’t take that long to track down and recover his license.
Well, that’s pretty much the story. We made it though without paying anything and we did everything that was asked of us. I just hope next time it will go as smoothly as it did this time (if there is a next time).
Arrested?
I had a few people ask me about me an entry I made not to long ago, where I mentioned being “arrested” by the police. The grounds for us actually being stopped in the first place are questionable and looking back it seems like more of a joke. But to end any worry and or questions I will tell about our small brush with the “law.”
To start out with you need an understanding of how things work here. Liberian law is very flexible and if you really wanted to, most laws can be bypassed if you paid the right people. Although its getting better the police is are not exempt from this search for bribes. Ask most missionaries here and they will tell of some very funny police stories.
Anyway …..
We were driving down one of the main streets here in Monrovia and were planning on dropping someone off at a nearby side street before turning around and heading home. We made it to the street safely then turned onto the designated entry ramp (there was a medium sized island in the center) dropped off the person, and then pulled right back onto the exit ramp. Unfortunately a nearby police officer saw this and stopped us for what he called an unsafe turn. There were no other cars in the immediate area and there were no signs that said we couldn’t turn but we could see that the officer was not going to back down (warnings don’t exist here), so we asked what we needed to do. At first the officer was extremely confusing, but after about 3 min, he concluded that we are “arrested” and needed to get in the back of the police truck so he could take us to the court house. When my dad finally got a word in he simply said “I’m not leaving my car”. It took another 15 min of talking (with 3 officers and 2 UN police) to conclude that the car needed to be “impounded” for 1 and ½ hours time so we would “learn our lesson”. We agreed to this because it didn’t involve money and we had just finished everything we had to do for that day. So we parked our car on the side of the road and began to wait. Not long after that the same police officer who pulled us over came to us and said that the fine for reckless driving is $50 USD. We both knew what he was after (because he didn’t say this when all the other officers were around), so my dad politely said “what, you said I made an unsafe turn, there was nothing said about reckless driving” this ended all requests for money.
We sat in our car for an hour before the UN police came back around and was able to get us out early. Unfortunately, (to keep us from driving away early) the first police officer had taken my dads license and for some reason had given it to another officer who then ran off to do other “police duties”. This was annoying but it didn’t take that long to track down and recover his license.
Well, that’s pretty much the story. We made it though without paying anything and we did everything that was asked of us. I just hope next time it will go as smoothly as it did this time (if there is a next time).
Sunday, July 8, 2007
July 8, 2007
The Liberian Shake
If you walk up to any Liberian and try to shake their hand chances are they will see if you know the Liberian handshake. So to save you from embarrassment (and to maybe get you a little more respect) I will attempt to explain how to master this easy African greeting.
The shake starts just like in America, you extend your right hand and grasp his right hand just like you would if you were in a business meeting back in the states. This used to always throw me off just because I didn’t know whether or not to; continue the shake, stop there, or use the informal shake.
If you are going to do the full shake – start like I just said (like an American) but move directly into a kind of “brother” shake. This is done by using your thumbs to pivot so your fingers are on top of the other person’s wrist; you are now opposite the “American” form (where the fingers are on the bottom). Once you are there pivot back into the “American shake”. These three steps happen very quickly and depending on how much of a hurry you are in, generally takes at the very most 3 seconds to complete.
Once those three steps are finished the pace is usually slowed down a bit, so a proper conversation can begin (Don’t let small talk catch you off guard though, because the last two actions are very important and will decide how much respect you get). The forth step is more of a transition than a step, slide you hand back a little bit but at the same time bend the tips of your fingers inward, so they catch on the tips of the other person. This action is more important than you might think because it will guide you into the next step (which is what makes it truly Liberian). Once you finish step four, remove all fingers except the middle one, then using your thumb quickly snap using the top of the other person’s middle finger. The snap is done just like a normal one person snap, the only difference is you are using someone else’s finger instead of your own. It took me a long time to get a good snap, so keep working at it if you don’t get it the first time.
If you are going to do the informal shake – start out with the normal “American” shake but move directly to the “snap” (step five).
So now that you know the formal and the informal Liberian handshake, you must now learn when to use them.
The formal shake is mostly used for…
- first meetings
- and introductions
The informal shake is used for…
- agreeing with a statement
- people passing by
- warm welcomes
- the end of conversations and departures
The “how to” and the “when to” of the Liberian shake is a somewhat easy task to master, but because this is a cultural thing there are many unspoken rules that need to be learned. I’ll give you a little bit of a head start by listing a few (if you want to find out the rest you are going to have to come to Africa and learn them yourself)
- Everyone here knows about “the shake”
- Most Liberians will use it to test how much you really know about Liberia.
- A loud snap is very good
- A firm shake is considered a small sign of strength and power
- It’s more of a man-to-man shake, woman (usually) only do a weak informal or American shake
- If someone sticks out there hand its disrespectful to not take it
- if you are ever unsure about which shake to use I find it best to just use the informal shake
People here are very proud of it, so if you do happen to come over here not knowing all this you will learn very quickly.
That’s about all you need to know for now. I hope someday you will come to Africa and try it with a real Liberian (if you haven’t already) because it is a really good way to connect with the people here. My dad and I have made some good friends just because we have this one thing in common.
The Liberian Shake
If you walk up to any Liberian and try to shake their hand chances are they will see if you know the Liberian handshake. So to save you from embarrassment (and to maybe get you a little more respect) I will attempt to explain how to master this easy African greeting.
The shake starts just like in America, you extend your right hand and grasp his right hand just like you would if you were in a business meeting back in the states. This used to always throw me off just because I didn’t know whether or not to; continue the shake, stop there, or use the informal shake.
If you are going to do the full shake – start like I just said (like an American) but move directly into a kind of “brother” shake. This is done by using your thumbs to pivot so your fingers are on top of the other person’s wrist; you are now opposite the “American” form (where the fingers are on the bottom). Once you are there pivot back into the “American shake”. These three steps happen very quickly and depending on how much of a hurry you are in, generally takes at the very most 3 seconds to complete.
Once those three steps are finished the pace is usually slowed down a bit, so a proper conversation can begin (Don’t let small talk catch you off guard though, because the last two actions are very important and will decide how much respect you get). The forth step is more of a transition than a step, slide you hand back a little bit but at the same time bend the tips of your fingers inward, so they catch on the tips of the other person. This action is more important than you might think because it will guide you into the next step (which is what makes it truly Liberian). Once you finish step four, remove all fingers except the middle one, then using your thumb quickly snap using the top of the other person’s middle finger. The snap is done just like a normal one person snap, the only difference is you are using someone else’s finger instead of your own. It took me a long time to get a good snap, so keep working at it if you don’t get it the first time.
If you are going to do the informal shake – start out with the normal “American” shake but move directly to the “snap” (step five).
So now that you know the formal and the informal Liberian handshake, you must now learn when to use them.
The formal shake is mostly used for…
- first meetings
- and introductions
The informal shake is used for…
- agreeing with a statement
- people passing by
- warm welcomes
- the end of conversations and departures
The “how to” and the “when to” of the Liberian shake is a somewhat easy task to master, but because this is a cultural thing there are many unspoken rules that need to be learned. I’ll give you a little bit of a head start by listing a few (if you want to find out the rest you are going to have to come to Africa and learn them yourself)
- Everyone here knows about “the shake”
- Most Liberians will use it to test how much you really know about Liberia.
- A loud snap is very good
- A firm shake is considered a small sign of strength and power
- It’s more of a man-to-man shake, woman (usually) only do a weak informal or American shake
- If someone sticks out there hand its disrespectful to not take it
- if you are ever unsure about which shake to use I find it best to just use the informal shake
People here are very proud of it, so if you do happen to come over here not knowing all this you will learn very quickly.
That’s about all you need to know for now. I hope someday you will come to Africa and try it with a real Liberian (if you haven’t already) because it is a really good way to connect with the people here. My dad and I have made some good friends just because we have this one thing in common.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
July 1, 2007
Half way point
Today is the halfway point on our stay here in Liberia. We have battled a corrupt government, been arrested by the police, had daily attacks by Liberians asking for money, and last but not least been asked to sort oodles of books for distribution in small villages all over Liberia. So many things have happened and many more have to happen in order for all this adoption stuff to be finished but I am confident the Lord will continue to protect us.
We have 3 weeks left here and I am missing home very much but I’m not yet tired of Liberia. I see so many good organizations and so many ways I can help; it seems going back to America will be unexciting compared to what we are doing here. Maybe I could join the Mercy Ship or help out with an orphanage; I could even look into working at the U.S embassy. So many opportunities I don’t know which to pursue first. God has led me here for a reason and over time I pray God shows me what He wants from me.
Half way point
Today is the halfway point on our stay here in Liberia. We have battled a corrupt government, been arrested by the police, had daily attacks by Liberians asking for money, and last but not least been asked to sort oodles of books for distribution in small villages all over Liberia. So many things have happened and many more have to happen in order for all this adoption stuff to be finished but I am confident the Lord will continue to protect us.
We have 3 weeks left here and I am missing home very much but I’m not yet tired of Liberia. I see so many good organizations and so many ways I can help; it seems going back to America will be unexciting compared to what we are doing here. Maybe I could join the Mercy Ship or help out with an orphanage; I could even look into working at the U.S embassy. So many opportunities I don’t know which to pursue first. God has led me here for a reason and over time I pray God shows me what He wants from me.
Without internet …
I have been and will be without internet for a few days, so please forgive me for not posting anything new for awhile.
(New information on the area around where we are staying)
I did some more digging and I found that former president Charles Taylor’s house is just up the hill from me, less than a mile away.)
I have been and will be without internet for a few days, so please forgive me for not posting anything new for awhile.
(New information on the area around where we are staying)
I did some more digging and I found that former president Charles Taylor’s house is just up the hill from me, less than a mile away.)
Monday, June 25, 2007
June 25, 2007
Mayhem in Monrovia
Today I witnessed something that will forever stick in my mind.
As my dad and I were out checking on the status of all our adoption stuff we had received a call asking if we could go and pick up a friend who just got done with a meeting and wanted a ride. We agreed, and said we would be there shortly. The heavy traffic was the same as any other day and we chose a route that would be the fastest. We drove to a very wide main street and went with the dense traffic until we reached the side street that our friend was waiting at. We turned; picked her up, drove around the block and were surprised to find that the traffic was almost twice as bad as it was 3 minutes ago. We nudged our way in and slowly made our way down the street. It took us another 10 minutes to find out why the traffic was so bad, and by that time we were stuck right in the middle of it. I will never forget what I saw.
As we approached the scene, there was a large crowd of about 50-60 people who were all grouped together. We couldn’t see want was going on at first, but all of a sudden there was a loud explosion and as a small number of people ran away, we saw flames leap from the hood of a taxi. It took a second to realize why everyone was gathered around it. I thought any intelligent person would get as far away from that thing as possible seeing as how it could explode at any second. But just then the traffic began to move a little and when it stopped we were about 10 feet from the burning car. It was then that I saw what everyone was doing. One man was ripping the rear bumper off, while another was trying to tear the lights out amidst the smoke, and still another was speedily working at getting the tires off before they got swallowed up into the flames. Everyone was trying to get a piece of the almost destroyed hunk of metal (which they probably will sell later). It would have been a somewhat comic sight, if it weren’t for the fact that someone’s life savings and job were literally going up in flames. I’m pretty sure no one was hurt during this whole event, and it didn’t seem like there were any other cars involved (no … it didn’t explode … just completely destroyed and torn apart). We made it slowly thought the traffic and eventually made it safely back to the house we are staying at.
Mayhem in Monrovia
Today I witnessed something that will forever stick in my mind.
As my dad and I were out checking on the status of all our adoption stuff we had received a call asking if we could go and pick up a friend who just got done with a meeting and wanted a ride. We agreed, and said we would be there shortly. The heavy traffic was the same as any other day and we chose a route that would be the fastest. We drove to a very wide main street and went with the dense traffic until we reached the side street that our friend was waiting at. We turned; picked her up, drove around the block and were surprised to find that the traffic was almost twice as bad as it was 3 minutes ago. We nudged our way in and slowly made our way down the street. It took us another 10 minutes to find out why the traffic was so bad, and by that time we were stuck right in the middle of it. I will never forget what I saw.
As we approached the scene, there was a large crowd of about 50-60 people who were all grouped together. We couldn’t see want was going on at first, but all of a sudden there was a loud explosion and as a small number of people ran away, we saw flames leap from the hood of a taxi. It took a second to realize why everyone was gathered around it. I thought any intelligent person would get as far away from that thing as possible seeing as how it could explode at any second. But just then the traffic began to move a little and when it stopped we were about 10 feet from the burning car. It was then that I saw what everyone was doing. One man was ripping the rear bumper off, while another was trying to tear the lights out amidst the smoke, and still another was speedily working at getting the tires off before they got swallowed up into the flames. Everyone was trying to get a piece of the almost destroyed hunk of metal (which they probably will sell later). It would have been a somewhat comic sight, if it weren’t for the fact that someone’s life savings and job were literally going up in flames. I’m pretty sure no one was hurt during this whole event, and it didn’t seem like there were any other cars involved (no … it didn’t explode … just completely destroyed and torn apart). We made it slowly thought the traffic and eventually made it safely back to the house we are staying at.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
June 23, 2007
How to cross a four lane highway (like a Liberian)
Step #1 – Balance a 5 gal bucket of water on your head. Acquired from the pump across the street from where you live.
Step #2 – disregard all crosswalks and walk directly to the side of the road.
Step #3 – quickly calculate the speed that the next car is traveling at and how fast you think you are, dash out on to the road.
Step #4 – realize that the car is traveling faster than you thought and isn’t going to slow down, compensate by stabilizing the bucket on your head and run faster.
Step #5 – stop on the centerline dividing the right and left sides of the road. Wait for another small gap in the traffic.
Step #6 – dash out into the other side of the road. Hope people slow down so you can make it the rest of the way across (if your not that brave repeat step #3)
Step #7 – Finish crossing the road and walk directly to where you live and empty the bucket of water so you can wash dishes and clean your shirt. (repeat all over again if you want water for drinking or rinsing)
It’s amazing how much the people here have to do for what we would consider an easy task.
How to cross a four lane highway (like a Liberian)
Step #1 – Balance a 5 gal bucket of water on your head. Acquired from the pump across the street from where you live.
Step #2 – disregard all crosswalks and walk directly to the side of the road.
Step #3 – quickly calculate the speed that the next car is traveling at and how fast you think you are, dash out on to the road.
Step #4 – realize that the car is traveling faster than you thought and isn’t going to slow down, compensate by stabilizing the bucket on your head and run faster.
Step #5 – stop on the centerline dividing the right and left sides of the road. Wait for another small gap in the traffic.
Step #6 – dash out into the other side of the road. Hope people slow down so you can make it the rest of the way across (if your not that brave repeat step #3)
Step #7 – Finish crossing the road and walk directly to where you live and empty the bucket of water so you can wash dishes and clean your shirt. (repeat all over again if you want water for drinking or rinsing)
It’s amazing how much the people here have to do for what we would consider an easy task.
Friday, June 22, 2007
June 22, 2007
Second thoughts on Liberia
Two weeks ago I wrote a post about the thoughts that first ran though my mind when I arrived in Monrovia, now I would like to write about what I have seen and how my thoughts have changed over the past week.
I have been trying to keep a neutral view on the way I see people here, but as we begin to have more dealings with the Liberian people some of my views have changed. Please understand that I am not trying to put everyone down, I simply am stating what I have seen and how Liberia differs from America.
One of the first things I began to notice about the Liberian culture is that, life is lived one day at a time. Any money that is earned that day is usually spent that day and not much is saved or invested. I think that this is not a horrible way to live considering monthly income is low. But I would imagine that with a little planning, many Liberians could provide for their children and themselves for tomorrow not just today.
Another thing I have observed is that the job market isn’t very creative. Most people are either, a security guard, a taxi driver, or a street salesman with a wheelbarrow. I think this is either because the Liberians (in general) don’t have a good record of trust or most don’t have any education.
A different problem I see here is that religion for most people here is just an action; it never mixes with daily life. Sundays I see hundreds of people dressing up and carrying their bibles. But most other days I wonder if it really means anything to them because crime and chaos is still part of their lives.
“Two things are certain in Monrovia …. Death and taxies …. They are both very much alike”
Second thoughts on Liberia
Two weeks ago I wrote a post about the thoughts that first ran though my mind when I arrived in Monrovia, now I would like to write about what I have seen and how my thoughts have changed over the past week.
I have been trying to keep a neutral view on the way I see people here, but as we begin to have more dealings with the Liberian people some of my views have changed. Please understand that I am not trying to put everyone down, I simply am stating what I have seen and how Liberia differs from America.
One of the first things I began to notice about the Liberian culture is that, life is lived one day at a time. Any money that is earned that day is usually spent that day and not much is saved or invested. I think that this is not a horrible way to live considering monthly income is low. But I would imagine that with a little planning, many Liberians could provide for their children and themselves for tomorrow not just today.
Another thing I have observed is that the job market isn’t very creative. Most people are either, a security guard, a taxi driver, or a street salesman with a wheelbarrow. I think this is either because the Liberians (in general) don’t have a good record of trust or most don’t have any education.
A different problem I see here is that religion for most people here is just an action; it never mixes with daily life. Sundays I see hundreds of people dressing up and carrying their bibles. But most other days I wonder if it really means anything to them because crime and chaos is still part of their lives.
“Two things are certain in Monrovia …. Death and taxies …. They are both very much alike”
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
June 19,2007
A Great City
At almost every point in the city I can see a number of old buildings that have no windows and are blackened by just a few years of civil war. I have heard stories of battles that were fought over buildings simply because they had good sniper positions. Fortunately the war is over and there is a small amount of beauty in the distressed look of the buildings that tower above. Many times I have wondered about the story behind the some of the old hotels and office buildings that seem so numerous around the city. I imagine what they would have looked like in all their splendor and I observe how each is slowly crumbling to the ground as they become home to hundreds of squatters. Every once and awhile I see a glimpse of how Monrovia would have looked like and I pray that someday it can again become a great and respected trading port.
A Great City
At almost every point in the city I can see a number of old buildings that have no windows and are blackened by just a few years of civil war. I have heard stories of battles that were fought over buildings simply because they had good sniper positions. Fortunately the war is over and there is a small amount of beauty in the distressed look of the buildings that tower above. Many times I have wondered about the story behind the some of the old hotels and office buildings that seem so numerous around the city. I imagine what they would have looked like in all their splendor and I observe how each is slowly crumbling to the ground as they become home to hundreds of squatters. Every once and awhile I see a glimpse of how Monrovia would have looked like and I pray that someday it can again become a great and respected trading port.
Monday, June 18, 2007
June 18, 2007
Liberian dollars (also known as LD)
When I first arrived here in Liberia I was expecting things here to be a little cheaper than in America. I was surprised however to find a box of cookies costing $180 and a loaf of bread that was advertised for $20. I later found out that Liberia started producing its own money in 1847 and was almost to same as U.S. money. later they got tired of using small pocket change and switched to a paper only form in 1906. there were many problems with this old form of money, so a new series was introduced when Charles Taylor became president in 1997.
The new Liberian money looks a lot like Canadian money, very colorful and is similar to the monopoly game money. The exchange rate for LD is currently $60 LD to $1 U.S dollar,
This means I feel very rich with $600 in my pocket right now, but after a little math I only have $10. Another cool fact about the money here is that its also counted different, $5 LD is one man and $20 LD is four men ($5 = 1 man).
One last fact to note, U.S. and Liberian money have certain times that they should be used. Small purchases are paid for in LD while larger items are bought in U.S. dollars.
Liberian dollars (also known as LD)
When I first arrived here in Liberia I was expecting things here to be a little cheaper than in America. I was surprised however to find a box of cookies costing $180 and a loaf of bread that was advertised for $20. I later found out that Liberia started producing its own money in 1847 and was almost to same as U.S. money. later they got tired of using small pocket change and switched to a paper only form in 1906. there were many problems with this old form of money, so a new series was introduced when Charles Taylor became president in 1997.
The new Liberian money looks a lot like Canadian money, very colorful and is similar to the monopoly game money. The exchange rate for LD is currently $60 LD to $1 U.S dollar,
This means I feel very rich with $600 in my pocket right now, but after a little math I only have $10. Another cool fact about the money here is that its also counted different, $5 LD is one man and $20 LD is four men ($5 = 1 man).
One last fact to note, U.S. and Liberian money have certain times that they should be used. Small purchases are paid for in LD while larger items are bought in U.S. dollars.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
June 16, 2007
A very special day
Today is a very special day for our family and I would like to take break form Liberia to honor an exceptional person who has always been my best friend. She is a person who I know I can trust and will love me no matter how bad a mess up. She is always willing to work and provide for us (with no expectation of a reward). She is an excellent counselor and always seems to know what to say. She cares, she listens and she is someone I greatly admire.
She is my doctor, psychoanalyst and cook … but most of all she is my MOTHER.
This all might sound like a cliché but I love my mom, and she means all that (and more) to me. I pray that someday I can find a wife as superb and beautiful as her.
I LOVE YOU MOM!
Dear lord,
I pray that you will care for my mom as she cares for us. I ask that you comfort her and guide her for many years to come. Please stand by her as my dad and I are away and I thank you for blessing me with a friend such as her.
In His name,
Amen
(For those of you who are wondering it is my mom’s birthday today.)
A very special day
Today is a very special day for our family and I would like to take break form Liberia to honor an exceptional person who has always been my best friend. She is a person who I know I can trust and will love me no matter how bad a mess up. She is always willing to work and provide for us (with no expectation of a reward). She is an excellent counselor and always seems to know what to say. She cares, she listens and she is someone I greatly admire.
She is my doctor, psychoanalyst and cook … but most of all she is my MOTHER.
This all might sound like a cliché but I love my mom, and she means all that (and more) to me. I pray that someday I can find a wife as superb and beautiful as her.
I LOVE YOU MOM!
Dear lord,
I pray that you will care for my mom as she cares for us. I ask that you comfort her and guide her for many years to come. Please stand by her as my dad and I are away and I thank you for blessing me with a friend such as her.
In His name,
Amen
(For those of you who are wondering it is my mom’s birthday today.)
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
June 11, 2007
Visit to the orphanage
Today we visited the orphanage office and then the orphanage itself to see my brother for the first time. The day started out especially dark with lots of rain and clouds but was overcome with the anticipation of finely meeting my new brother in a few hours
My dad and I first made our way to the orphanage office to check on the status of the adoption papers. Getting there was somewhat disappointing for us, we were told that Daniel would possibly be ready by the time we leave. I can deal with “possibly” but when we got there we found that almost nothing had been done and we were told “the best thing we could do right now was to pray that God makes the government faster”. We spent about 3 hours going in circles till they changed their mind and said they “couldn’t do anything related to adoption until their boss told them they could do it”. This whole ordeal had been a huge disappointment for me. But through all this we did get permission to visit so we could see Daniel at 2:00pm … this made the meeting worth it. When we left the office at around 11:45 it was decided to walk to the collage down the way and meet some people there. Everyone seemed to be very content with the way things were run and we talked to some very friendly people until 1:00, when we walked back to the office. Part of the arrangement that was made that morning was that we would take an older boy along to show us the way. The hour ride that followed was a bitter sweet time for me and my heart was filled with disappointment on how the day had gone and joy that Daniel was waiting for us.
When we arrived at the orphanage it was very quite and only a few kids were visible as they sat in the door-way to their dorms. We slowly made our way to the office to meet the director and announce our arrival. He greeted us with a handshake and told us that he had heard we were coming. When I turned around again I saw Daniel making his way toward us from the other side of the orphanage his crutch moving as fast as it possibly could. in the first few minuets with my brother lots of hugs were exchanged and tears fought back but not many words were spoken, simply because nothing could be said to make that time any better.
The time we could spend at the orphanage was very limited due to the rain and how late in the day it already was, but Daniel was able to show me most his friends and a taste of the place he had called home for the past 9 years before we had to leave. All total we spent a little over an hour walking around. My first impression of the orphanage is that it’s a place filled with an unknown tension that is felt by everyone there. I only saw my brother and a girl our friends are adopting smile and not more than 4 kids came over to meet us. The time spent talking to Daniel was well worth it, but I feel bad that we had to leave him there for a few more nights until we get all the unfinished adoption papers sorted out. The ride home was very gloomy, rain was pouring down and most of the roads were starting to become flooded. Overall the day went as “planned” but with lots of disappointment.
Visit to the orphanage
Today we visited the orphanage office and then the orphanage itself to see my brother for the first time. The day started out especially dark with lots of rain and clouds but was overcome with the anticipation of finely meeting my new brother in a few hours
My dad and I first made our way to the orphanage office to check on the status of the adoption papers. Getting there was somewhat disappointing for us, we were told that Daniel would possibly be ready by the time we leave. I can deal with “possibly” but when we got there we found that almost nothing had been done and we were told “the best thing we could do right now was to pray that God makes the government faster”. We spent about 3 hours going in circles till they changed their mind and said they “couldn’t do anything related to adoption until their boss told them they could do it”. This whole ordeal had been a huge disappointment for me. But through all this we did get permission to visit so we could see Daniel at 2:00pm … this made the meeting worth it. When we left the office at around 11:45 it was decided to walk to the collage down the way and meet some people there. Everyone seemed to be very content with the way things were run and we talked to some very friendly people until 1:00, when we walked back to the office. Part of the arrangement that was made that morning was that we would take an older boy along to show us the way. The hour ride that followed was a bitter sweet time for me and my heart was filled with disappointment on how the day had gone and joy that Daniel was waiting for us.
When we arrived at the orphanage it was very quite and only a few kids were visible as they sat in the door-way to their dorms. We slowly made our way to the office to meet the director and announce our arrival. He greeted us with a handshake and told us that he had heard we were coming. When I turned around again I saw Daniel making his way toward us from the other side of the orphanage his crutch moving as fast as it possibly could. in the first few minuets with my brother lots of hugs were exchanged and tears fought back but not many words were spoken, simply because nothing could be said to make that time any better.
The time we could spend at the orphanage was very limited due to the rain and how late in the day it already was, but Daniel was able to show me most his friends and a taste of the place he had called home for the past 9 years before we had to leave. All total we spent a little over an hour walking around. My first impression of the orphanage is that it’s a place filled with an unknown tension that is felt by everyone there. I only saw my brother and a girl our friends are adopting smile and not more than 4 kids came over to meet us. The time spent talking to Daniel was well worth it, but I feel bad that we had to leave him there for a few more nights until we get all the unfinished adoption papers sorted out. The ride home was very gloomy, rain was pouring down and most of the roads were starting to become flooded. Overall the day went as “planned” but with lots of disappointment.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
June 10, 2007
Small talk; Weather and Politics
As with most awkward conversations the two most common subjects are weather and politics, so I figured if I get them out of the way now I won’t have to deal with them later.
The weather here can only be described as uncomfortable. It is not so much the heat (80-90 degrees)as much as the humidity (90%). Right now it’s the rainy season so I’m told it’s a lot cooler then last month thankfully. Another positive thing about the humidity is my skin seems to be very soft, but other than that the heat can get very annoying and inconvenient. One other thing different about the weather is the rain, it’s a lot different than where I grew up (near Seattle), it comes down very hard and in big drops unlike Washington where its just the opposite. Monrovia rain feels warm and pleasant to stand in where as Washington rain was just really depressing.
Politics here are also very different than in the “states”, I saw a policemen pull over a taxi so he could “check it out” the other day, later I found out the policeman was probably hungry and was hoping the driver would bribe his way out of what would be a very long and thorough inspection. On the good side however the UN is helping to fix this problem by assigning UN troops as secondary police. (note to those who want to visit) If you get stuck with a Liberian policeman asking you what you are doing or when your birthday is for over an hour, flag down a white UN vehicle with red doors (UN police) and most problems will go smoother. One more fact I’ve noticed about the police here is none of them have guns (or any weapon at all), only the UN has guns (I guess this is good, because violence is most of what this country has seen for the past two generations. Well I think I’m going to stop there, I could go on and on but this is just small talk right?
Small talk; Weather and Politics
As with most awkward conversations the two most common subjects are weather and politics, so I figured if I get them out of the way now I won’t have to deal with them later.
The weather here can only be described as uncomfortable. It is not so much the heat (80-90 degrees)as much as the humidity (90%). Right now it’s the rainy season so I’m told it’s a lot cooler then last month thankfully. Another positive thing about the humidity is my skin seems to be very soft, but other than that the heat can get very annoying and inconvenient. One other thing different about the weather is the rain, it’s a lot different than where I grew up (near Seattle), it comes down very hard and in big drops unlike Washington where its just the opposite. Monrovia rain feels warm and pleasant to stand in where as Washington rain was just really depressing.
Politics here are also very different than in the “states”, I saw a policemen pull over a taxi so he could “check it out” the other day, later I found out the policeman was probably hungry and was hoping the driver would bribe his way out of what would be a very long and thorough inspection. On the good side however the UN is helping to fix this problem by assigning UN troops as secondary police. (note to those who want to visit) If you get stuck with a Liberian policeman asking you what you are doing or when your birthday is for over an hour, flag down a white UN vehicle with red doors (UN police) and most problems will go smoother. One more fact I’ve noticed about the police here is none of them have guns (or any weapon at all), only the UN has guns (I guess this is good, because violence is most of what this country has seen for the past two generations. Well I think I’m going to stop there, I could go on and on but this is just small talk right?
Saturday, June 9, 2007
June 9, 2007
It’s a small world.
I just found out some interesting facts about the people in my immediate area, first off the family of the current president (Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf) is right across the street from us and (for those familiar with Liberian history) the guard that stands just outside my window at night is named George Taylor who is the uncle to former president Charles Taylor.
It’s a small world.
I just found out some interesting facts about the people in my immediate area, first off the family of the current president (Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf) is right across the street from us and (for those familiar with Liberian history) the guard that stands just outside my window at night is named George Taylor who is the uncle to former president Charles Taylor.
June 9, 2007
First thoughts of Monrovia
Today my dad and I got to see the great city of Monrovia for the first time. My first impression of Liberia came yesterday after we left the terminal at RIA (Roberts International Airport) immediately we were surrounded by people who were offering (forcing) to carry our bags for a few dollars, also there were about 10 kids who were asking for money so they could get school stuff, one even went so far as to bring a luggage lock insisting I had dropped it (I’m assuming he wanted money for the find because it wasn’t mine), all this along with the idea of just being in a foreign country was just to much to take in all at once. But after a somewhat good nights sleep I was ready for the real view of Monrovia. So after finishing a few things in the morning we set out to see how Liberians really acted. My mindset was not quite in the right place to begin with and I was judging everything I saw and feeling sorry for everyone who lived here (this could be because of my past experience at the airport). But as time went on I began to see that these people are really very nice, they are just caught in a world that has been neglected for many years. I don’t know if anyone else has seen the movie “Liberia; an uncivil war” but we drove around and saw most of the buildings and places that were mentioned, we even bumped into one of the ladies that had had a part in that documentary (more on how small this 2 million person city is later). Overall Monrovia is extremely worn and tons of work and rebuilding still needs to be done, but one thing this city doesn’t seen to lack is a since of hope and faith that I’ve never really seen in America, it seems like most Liberians are proud to call Monrovia home, something I’m not feeling in America. There are Church buildings and huts everywhere, and on almost every one of the 1000’s of taxies there is some type of spiritual saying like “Jesus is Lord” or “you are forgiven”, I would like to see something like that in America.
new record set! I stayed up a total of 34 hours without sleep over the past 2 days ... something i have never done before.
First thoughts of Monrovia
Today my dad and I got to see the great city of Monrovia for the first time. My first impression of Liberia came yesterday after we left the terminal at RIA (Roberts International Airport) immediately we were surrounded by people who were offering (forcing) to carry our bags for a few dollars, also there were about 10 kids who were asking for money so they could get school stuff, one even went so far as to bring a luggage lock insisting I had dropped it (I’m assuming he wanted money for the find because it wasn’t mine), all this along with the idea of just being in a foreign country was just to much to take in all at once. But after a somewhat good nights sleep I was ready for the real view of Monrovia. So after finishing a few things in the morning we set out to see how Liberians really acted. My mindset was not quite in the right place to begin with and I was judging everything I saw and feeling sorry for everyone who lived here (this could be because of my past experience at the airport). But as time went on I began to see that these people are really very nice, they are just caught in a world that has been neglected for many years. I don’t know if anyone else has seen the movie “Liberia; an uncivil war” but we drove around and saw most of the buildings and places that were mentioned, we even bumped into one of the ladies that had had a part in that documentary (more on how small this 2 million person city is later). Overall Monrovia is extremely worn and tons of work and rebuilding still needs to be done, but one thing this city doesn’t seen to lack is a since of hope and faith that I’ve never really seen in America, it seems like most Liberians are proud to call Monrovia home, something I’m not feeling in America. There are Church buildings and huts everywhere, and on almost every one of the 1000’s of taxies there is some type of spiritual saying like “Jesus is Lord” or “you are forgiven”, I would like to see something like that in America.
new record set! I stayed up a total of 34 hours without sleep over the past 2 days ... something i have never done before.
And so it Begins
June 7, 2007 9:05am (Washington time)
Greetings to all those visiting this site,
To “fill in” those who don’t know, my dad and I are traveling to Liberia, Africa. We are on a mission to bring back my adopted brother Daniel. In addition, we are planning to stay in Liberia for around 6-8 weeks to do our part in the rebuilding of a country that has been torn apart by years of civil war.
Currently I am sitting in terminal A9 at Sea-Tac International airport awaiting the arrival of flight #268 to New-York. After that we will fly to Germany and then on to Liberia. My thoughts right now are a bit scattered and I feel as though I am living completely in the present and paying no attention to future actions (this could be because we got up at 3:30am). My feelings about this trip are also very scattered and the idea of actually going hasn’t hit me fully.
The planning stages of this trip went very fast but today (the day we leave) came even faster. Over half my friends don’t even know I have left and my activities up until this point have been very normal.
June 7, 2007 4:20pm (Washington time)
I am currently writing this at an altitude of 31,000 feet on flight #172 to Brussels, Germany. The flight to New-York took a lot longer than I thought and this flight (to Brussels) and the one to follow (to Liberia) are almost twice as long. We had a short layover in New-York of 20 minutes, to me this seemed way too short of a time to get off the plane, run across the airport, go through security and make it to our flight in good time but, to my surprise we made it and still had to wait in line for a few other passengers to board.
\ I think the whole idea of traveling to the other side of the world is beginning to sink in on me. I am very excited to have the opportunity to something as awesome as following through with what the Lord has asked us to do.
Thought of the day; the question is not “why did the chicken cross the road”, it’s “did he look both ways” (international flights + lack of sleep, bring some very weird thoughts)
June 7, 2007 7:00pm (Washington time)
I am still onboard flight #172 and I’m still sitting in the same seat (row 27 seat C) and I am extremely bored …. I don’t have much more to report other than I chose lasagna over chicken for the in-flight meal and the movies they have played so far are not (in my opinion) not that good. I tried listening to music but I’m too tired and I tried to sleep but the air rushing past this very small metal tube at 500mph is somewhat too loud. I tried to have a conversation with my dad but again it’s too loud, my last resort was to try and move around but when I do I get funny looks from people...ugg
June 8, 2007 9:30am (Washington time)
(Update on where I am) I am on the final flight from Brussels to Monrovia (a 7 ½ hour flight)
So far I have been awake for about 30 hours with about one hour of very uncomfortable sleep. Right now we are about 500 miles from Monrovia so we have around another hour before we get off the plane and hopefully a short time before I can get some sleep. I feel like I’m in some kind of crazy time machine where I don’t know what time or even what day we are trapped in. I have seen the sun rise and set twice. Right now the only thing keeping me awake is the thought of meeting my brother (and the uncomfortable airline seat).
Greetings to all those visiting this site,
To “fill in” those who don’t know, my dad and I are traveling to Liberia, Africa. We are on a mission to bring back my adopted brother Daniel. In addition, we are planning to stay in Liberia for around 6-8 weeks to do our part in the rebuilding of a country that has been torn apart by years of civil war.
Currently I am sitting in terminal A9 at Sea-Tac International airport awaiting the arrival of flight #268 to New-York. After that we will fly to Germany and then on to Liberia. My thoughts right now are a bit scattered and I feel as though I am living completely in the present and paying no attention to future actions (this could be because we got up at 3:30am). My feelings about this trip are also very scattered and the idea of actually going hasn’t hit me fully.
The planning stages of this trip went very fast but today (the day we leave) came even faster. Over half my friends don’t even know I have left and my activities up until this point have been very normal.
June 7, 2007 4:20pm (Washington time)
I am currently writing this at an altitude of 31,000 feet on flight #172 to Brussels, Germany. The flight to New-York took a lot longer than I thought and this flight (to Brussels) and the one to follow (to Liberia) are almost twice as long. We had a short layover in New-York of 20 minutes, to me this seemed way too short of a time to get off the plane, run across the airport, go through security and make it to our flight in good time but, to my surprise we made it and still had to wait in line for a few other passengers to board.
\ I think the whole idea of traveling to the other side of the world is beginning to sink in on me. I am very excited to have the opportunity to something as awesome as following through with what the Lord has asked us to do.
Thought of the day; the question is not “why did the chicken cross the road”, it’s “did he look both ways” (international flights + lack of sleep, bring some very weird thoughts)
June 7, 2007 7:00pm (Washington time)
I am still onboard flight #172 and I’m still sitting in the same seat (row 27 seat C) and I am extremely bored …. I don’t have much more to report other than I chose lasagna over chicken for the in-flight meal and the movies they have played so far are not (in my opinion) not that good. I tried listening to music but I’m too tired and I tried to sleep but the air rushing past this very small metal tube at 500mph is somewhat too loud. I tried to have a conversation with my dad but again it’s too loud, my last resort was to try and move around but when I do I get funny looks from people...ugg
June 8, 2007 9:30am (Washington time)
(Update on where I am) I am on the final flight from Brussels to Monrovia (a 7 ½ hour flight)
So far I have been awake for about 30 hours with about one hour of very uncomfortable sleep. Right now we are about 500 miles from Monrovia so we have around another hour before we get off the plane and hopefully a short time before I can get some sleep. I feel like I’m in some kind of crazy time machine where I don’t know what time or even what day we are trapped in. I have seen the sun rise and set twice. Right now the only thing keeping me awake is the thought of meeting my brother (and the uncomfortable airline seat).
Yakama WA. (as seen from the air)
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