Thank you for your prayers. We awoke after another sleepless night. George had been feeling poorly the night before, so he, Dave, Roy, and I did self-tests. Three of us tested negative, and one of us did not.

Dave, Ollie, and I headed off to meet with the Minister of Education. Roy did not.

Along the coast of Liberia, rainfall exceeds 118″ a year. In Monrovia, rainfall can reach as high as 198” a year. June (when we were there) is the rainy month, with rain falling an average of 29.2 days of the month. We were thankful to be traveling in a car and not in a kekeh or on a motorcycle.

Roads flood and wash out during the rain, and several times we found ourselves driving through rivers. We were very thankful we had a skilled taxi driver as we waited behind cars that got stuck in the mud and rocks.

Mr. Gayflor Washington, Minister for Teacher Education, received us graciously, and after our interview agreed to join us for lunch.

We ate the national dishes of dumboy and fufu. Absolutely delicious!

Here are Mr. Washington’s words in a follow up email:

“I am grateful for the connection and am looking forward to further collaboration between us. As per our June 9 meeting objectives at my office, I would like to remind you of a few of the challenges highlighted to you concerning teacher education in Liberia. As previously stated, our system has a serious 2000 teacher gap as a result of unqualified in-service teachers in eight of our counties that require either direct replacement or skilling up through the continued professional development (CPD) system. Additionally, the C-curriculum presently in use has outlived its usefulness and, therefore, needs revision to be reversed with more content center than pedagogy. I am convinced that the few intervention areas will attract your attention in a reasonable time. I am available should you want to make an inquiry.”

The doors are wide open. Please continue to pray for the future of Liberia.

After lunch, the Liberia team drove out to Ollie’ sister’s clinic for underserved women and children in Parker Corner/Brewerville.

The pictures below are dismal and dark-they have no electricity, no running water, and minimal supplies. The only microscope was recently stolen, so the nurses who continue to show up are not able to read tests. Women and children continue to show up at the door, hoping against hope that supplies will come in. Total medical supplies available:

We left the clinic sobered by the depth of need. Dave, George, Amos, and Darius headed out to Bo Waterside, on the border of Liberia and Sierra Leone. It has historically been a place of bloody conflict and lawlessness. The team went there to preach Jesus and lead a soccer tournament in very adverse conditions.

Thank you for your prayers. Please pray for Liberia. For Ollie, Amos, George, and Darius-4 people who did not join the Diaspora of 1.2 million people who left during the 14 years of war and did not return. Changing a country of 5 million is a big job for four people. But not for the God they serve.

Respectfully,
Roberta Reed

Writing in her diary, Anne Frank reflected:
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”