My 26 On You-O!

          Happy Liberian Independence Day! It has been a busy couple weeks. Last week I did some health screenings at two of the orphanages. I also taught hand washing to the kiddos. So things have been really busy. I am sorry I have not given an update.
        Last Thursday I headed to Cottontree which is where one of the orphanages that ORR works with is located. I was able to get the height and weight on all the kids as well as ask them if they had any other problems going on. After that we headed outside to go over hand washing. I used green paint as the "germ" and one kid passed the germ to the other as they shook hands. Then we sang Jesus Loves the Little Children as each one of them washed their hands. It was pretty fun.
     The kids had moved into their new home a year ago so we had a party that included singing, dancing, and food. The true Liberian way to celebrate!
         This weekend I was not feeling well so I just rested around the house. Thank goodness I felt better Sunday night. On monday I headed to Robertsport with a group of missionaries from a hospital nearby. Robertsport is about 2 hours north of Monrovia and a lot of the drive is on a really bumpy dirt road. But it was all worth it because the beach was gorgeous. I got to swim a little. The currents here are incredibly strong so you have to be extremely careful. I enjoyed watching some Liberian kids surf on some of the boards that we brought. After a day at the beach we headed back down the dirt road and back to town.

              Today is Liberian Independence Day and all the Liberians are celebrating and spending time with family. So we are spending some time away from all of the noise and chaos at a nearby resort area. I do admit it is strange to go from living within the community to feeling like a real tourist as I sat out at the beach with a bunch of other white people and after that walked into an air conditioned room. It is nice for a break and to get away from the noise and enjoy a hot shower, but I can't help but to think about how different the world is right outside these walls. But I am quickly reminded that I am still in Liberia as I move my pillow and find a giant spider.

        I head back next week and cannot believe my time left here is so short. Please pray this week as I continue to finish the screenings and other various odds and ends. Thanks for your prayers!