2025 Trip to Liberia Travel Log – Day 6

Going to Kindergarten yesterday was so insightful and delightful that we decided to check out the preschool, first grade and second grade rooms. These kids are learning AND having fun. The various alphabet songs, bibles songs, stamping, stomping songs along with individual interaction between the teacher and each student is a common theme. It is participatory learning where nobody gets left behind and the students support each other.

There is excitement in Yellow Flower Neighborhood! There are holes being dug and power poles are being set. Very soon the neighborhood will be "on the grid". Up until now there have been 3 options for electricity:1. Solar panels and battery storage, 2. Use a gas or diesel generator or 3. Buy electricity from a 'local' that has a generator and has run wires from tree to tree. A few years ago, Pastor Sylvester was purchasing electricity from a local for only night-time hours. Imagine running your household with electricity only 8 or 12 hours each night. Being "on the grid" is not perfect either. The power in our (fairly nice) hotel goes out several times each evening. Usually just for a minute or two - long enough for the Wifi to disconnect…

In the afternoon, I went back over to Church AID, Inc. for an informal reception with Bishop Brown and 5 of the 8 nurses that have received the specialized training at the Starkey Hearing Institute. It was quite a celebration. The nurses are energized by the positive results they are seeing in the field as they continue with the program leading up to World Hearing Day on Monday, February 3rd. In the picture above they are singing away. A fun and joyous bunch!

Jeff stayed at the school and greeted the kids as they left for the day. Lots of 'high fives' and hugs from the little ones.

Back at the hotel we had a jet-lag juice (Coca Cola on ice) on the deck while looking out at the sun setting over the South Atlantic Ocean. Then we headed up to our rooms to pack - our adventure nearing its end.