You can’t lead the people, if you don’t love the people. You can’t save the people, it you don’t serve the people. –Cornel West, professor at Princeton
Whoop whoop! I have officially lived in Liberia for 1 month and it feels good! Terrence has been referring to me as a Liberian since the end of my first week here, but I think I’m actually starting to believe it. I even bought a white handkerchief on the street this week – a crucial item for Liberians to maintain looking fresh while out and about in the city, a.k.a. a good way to wipe the sweat and dirt from your face. I have grown quite accustomed to hailing cabs, rushing (and occasionally pushing people a smidge) to get in a cab, navigating the city via cabs, fending off the weirdos while walking about, determining which bones should be eaten and which ones removed when eating soup and slowly but surely I’m building up a nice tan! I’ve settled in well with work and really enjoy the team here. We’ve established a rhythm as a group and our productivity is starting to flow. Nelly and I have come a long way in a month, and we get on rather well now. Chatting about this and that, collaborating on meals, and we even spend more time laughing at the same thing than staring awkwardly at each other! I celebrated today by making French toast and fried eggs for breakfast – I thought Nelly was going to die when I put the sliced bread into the egg/milk concoction, she said ‘Oh! I have not seen that!’ It didn’t turn out too bad and she really enjoyed the new treat!
I really love the Liberians – they’ve persevered through so much and have an incredible spirit about them, accompanied by strong beliefs in God and occasional interpretations based on superstition that are definitely keeping me on my toes! I’m working diligently to serve them effectively and I feel confident that eventually my efforts will reap a harvest of plenty!
1 comment:
I have a story to tell you and figured this would be the fastest way to get it to you since I'm at school...
So, we're just starting to talk about fractions at school. My kids' assignment today is to choose a small group of family or friends, draw them, and then write "___ out of ____ people ____________" phrases. So I decided to draw my family. I drew mom, dad and me... then heard "what about your sister?!" in the background... so I added Abbe (with short hair, even though she's a girl!) and then told the class that if I was including 1 sister, that I had to include the other sister, and if I included Jennifer that I would have to include her husband, too... so I drew Jenn and Nate as well. Then I started my phrases.
2 out of 6 people have long hair
3 out of 6 people are girls
3 out of 6 people are boys
2 out of 6 people are parents
I turn around and hear about 3/4 of my class snickering and chuckling... so I call on one girl with her hand up and she says, "Miss Laser! Abbe may have short hair, but she's still a girl!" Which erupted the class in laughter... and I still didn't get it! They had to explain it to me again!
Oops! Sorry my darling sister for putting you in the "boy category"!
I still love ya! :0)
Post a Comment