2023 Trip to Liberia - Day 3
We began the day with another breakfast next to the lagoon, this time with James Kesselly, who facilitates the CROPPS Program in Liberia. James helps bring together about 10 Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) partners to collaborate, build relationships and share resources with each other. He accompanied us to ‘My Brother’s Keeper’, a CROPPS member that provides an orphanage and also enrolls local and boarded students in the school. ‘My Brother’s Keeper’ was founded by Ralph and Esther in 1987, near the end of the civil war. They serve about 250 students aged 4 to 20, providing three meals, schooling and some vocational training for the older students. We toured the grounds which include dormitories, school rooms, a dining area, gardens, and livestock (pigs and chickens). We were presented with a short singing program by the students. It was an impressive site and the students were engaged, and sweet singers. As visitors we were given the opportunity to pass out meals to the students, a meaningful experience. We were then invited to share lunch with Esther and Ralph in their home, learning more about where they get their support from (never enough) and what their short and long term plans are (need more funding for teacher salaries, and hope to build an event center which could earn them revenue). Pastor Sylvester also accompanied us and there may be some opportunities for him to collaborate with ‘My Brother’s Keeper’ school.
With Sam back in the driver’s seat we drove another hour to our next stop which was Vox Radio, a Christian radio station. Jeff had learned of a Woodbury MN station, Praise Radio, that he, Mike and Don chatted with prior to our departure. Vox Radio is championed by a former Liberian who now lives in the U.S. As a small start-up, Vox Radio has been operating out of a shipping container, we toured this and were impressed that they are able to broadcast 15 hours a day from this small location. Pastor Sylvester made a good connection with the radio engineer from Ghana and is hoping he might help build a radio studio for the students at Light of the World Academy. We are learning the importance of family and where you are from, to Liberians, and saw more examples today -- Pastor Sylvester recognized another staff member, Emmanuel, who was also at the refugee camp in Ghana where they both were exiled, having not seen each other for more than a decade. James, upon learning of the founder of Vox Radio called him a ‘traditional uncle’ whom he had met earlier but had lost track of him – it turns out the two tribes they are from feel a connection with each other and refer to the members of the other tribe as their ‘uncles and aunties.’ It is indeed a small world, especially in Liberia!
After returning to the hotel, Don and Robin, as is typical of them, headed out without any forethought to explore the hotel neighborhood and beach front, with Jeff dragging along behind. We avoided an international incident, barely, with help from a local who took us through the ‘ghetto boys’ who were guarding the bridges across each end of the lagoon, bringing us to the beach and ocean, then dropping us off back at the hotel. Jeff helped de-escalate an argument between our guide and a set of bridge guards, using cold hard cash, thank goodness he took charge or we might have ended up on CNN! A good reminder to pay attention to the culture and norms of wherever you are visiting, and the importance of tipping in Liberia. Be sure to ask Jeff about ‘How’s your New Year,’ the next time you seen him.
Another fascinating day for Don, Jeff, and Robin, we can’t wait for tomorrow.
Robin