Thursday, April 5, 2012

Spring Break Road Trip with the boyz!!

It's Spring Break time and unlike maybe the traditional spring break trips to see family or Disney-the boys and I took a road trip to Foya!  I am sure they would have chosen seeing their cousins, aunties, grandparents and Magic mountain instead of a 8.5 hour trip on rough roads with no McDonald's for a pit stop...BUT, we still had some fun and family time together in Foya.  The boys are also saving money-so I told them they had a work day at our projects and mommy might (if they did a good job) give them something 'small', as they say here in Liberia!

With our lunch packed and the tarp over our luggage as the rain pounded down-we set off!  We had a great time-and mommy was able to see our projects and spend time with the boys-it was great!  Here are the boys in action...

Monday morning...pushing a truck to get started!

We headed off to the HOPE/CMP (project I am raising funds for through the marathon) spring protection project-there, auntie Eleanor and auntie Taya were hard at work.  Taya and her WASH staff have worked at least 28-30 straight days finishing this spring so that this community could have protected clean water.  Amazing work everyone!


Aunt Eleanor and Felix cleaning the top of the reservoir tank to get it ready for the heavy lid.

Auntie Taya and Felix cleaning out the drainage area

Boys in the tank cleaning it out with Auntie Eleanor

The end product!  A little girl with her tub of clean spring water!

Eleanor (CMP/HOPE manager) and Taya (WASH manager)-in front of a finished protected spring-well done ladies!


After working on the spring we headed to another village where Mommy could visit our community development facilitators.  In this village the community members have taken initiative to build a larger classroom for their literacy classes and a building to house their rice mill-which is part of their livelihood program. 

I couldn't find Isaac and then I realized he was over helping mix country mortar (mud) for the rice mill building (barefoot!).

He was rewarded for his efforts with a fine chicken!

Later on in the afternoon we went to see Auntie Alisa's project-Active Fellowship.  AF spends time playing games with kids and teaching them how to play fair with each other and then teaches a 'life' lesson to the kids.  Of course my boys jumped right in!

Playing "What time is it mister wolf!?"

We got back to base tired-but the work wasn't done!  Isaac along with livestock manager Jerome and aquaculture manager Ramsay-had to move the SP bull cow out so it could eat some fresh grass...

Shoo cow shoo!!!


That was just the first day!  The next day Kendell joined us-it was the first time we had been all together as a family at the Foya base.  The boys along with Auntie Taya took bossman to see the spring and later on that night we went to one of the new Men's literacy classes in Karpi!

Isaac checking out the men tracing their letters.

I am not going to lie to you it was a busy 2 days in Foya for mommy!  However, what a joy to share it with my boys and SHOW them what projects mommy is running the marathon for.  I was super proud of them for getting down and dirty and helping out with the projects-with our staff and community members.  And yes, mommy gave them something small for their efforts.  I am pretty sure though, that they would have done it for free...maybe...well, I hope so!

As the weeks and days fly by-I was reminded once again of the amazing opportunities I have to work and live where I do.  Along with this, is the opportunity to share all of these adventures with my boys.  One of the reasons I run is to be a good example to my boys on living a healthy lifestyle and working towards a goal.  Over their spring break our staff was a great example to them on how to work hard and serve others.  Now when mommy goes out for a run-Isaac and Felix know why mommy is running.  It's not just to finish the marathon-but it's for the projects that they worked on this Spring Break.  Good job boys!!!












1 comment: