A hodge-podge of events...

So I haven't posted for a while so I thought I would give you a little run down (mostly in pictures) of what we have been up to lately.  Apart from the normal crazy, busy work that we are involved in there are have been a few highlights of the last month.  So let's get started...

 With the departure of Justin :( we were on monkey babysitting duty for a few days...

 She loved banana's of course.

Not to be out done by a monkey-the 'animal kingdom' of Liberia did not fail to make my year with the capture and killing of a huge 12 foot Boa from the swamp behind our yard.

 The Boa that ate our poor neighbors dog...

As I posted in my last blog, a bunch of us SP Liberia girls decided to go to a race in Ghana.  Everyone trained hard for their distance, some for the half, others for the marathon relay (about 10km each) and Alisa trained hard for her full marathon.  However, before we left we celebrated the great year we have had with Eleanor.  Eleanor got engaged in late August will be getting married this spring-she did so much for the CMP program and will not be forgotten.  Here are some photo's of our send off for her..

 making cookies for the party

 Taya holding baby Kennis- Ken looking curiously...

 Isaac loved being able to hold the baby's -mom was freaking out...

 

Eleanor and Alisa showing off our race uniforms!

Well, the day finally came when all of use headed out to RIA airport to head to Ghana.  But the weather was terrible and we were delayed a good 5 hours...thus was the beginning of a crazy, fun running trip!

 We waited... (tay and I checking out the best of Saskatoon on the internet)

 

 We shopped..

 We shopped some more (Lebanese lady that Jo knows-so cute!)

We carbo-loaded...

 And then we ran...Elizabeth during the half

 And we ran some more...Taya and Eleanor

 And we ran until we ALL finished...Alisa finishing the marathon under the power arch!

 Then we got rubbed down...well, Joni did!

 Alisa iced...

 Danielle slept...

 Steff drank coconut water...

We all rested our weary bodies...

We have been busy with getting budgets and proposals into SP headquarters, which has meant some tired people! But we also trained for a race, enjoyed some wild life and celebrated a staff member.  I am reminded during times like this how incredibly thankful I am for such a great group of people that I share my life with. This thanksgiving weekend-be sure the be thankful for those who are closest to you, who go the extra mile with you during the tough times and joyous times of life.  I know that I would not have lasted in Liberia as long as I have without every single person that has come into my life while here.  

We will miss you Auntie Eleanor!!!

 

Somethings never grow old...

Unlike me, many things I get to experience over and over never grow old. There are many times I mutter "I am too old for this.." usually after a long day-when I am frustrated about something or just plain tired.  I feel that way some days with my training and work outs-"I am too old to try and do 10 chin ups!"  But the experiences and opportunities that God gives me every day never grow old. Here are some examples of many of the things I have done many times but never grow old! 

I still get excited to get on the chopper and fly over the vast Liberian jungle...

How can this view ever grow old?!

 



Going out to the field to see our staff and hear from them and how our projects are changing lives-that, trust me, NEVER grows old! 

 

Sharing and hang'n out with our staff having some laughs!

 

 

I am pretty convinced if these type of things, these opportunities, these diamonds in the ash heap-if these moments start to become "same old, same old..." it's time for me to re-evaluate why I am here.  That maybe sounds a little 'severe' but the excitement and joy that I still feel seeing a new latrine or hearing from a community chief how thankful they are to SP and our staff-is still like a a fresh cool breeze and warms my heart.

 

 

I have visited many communities and I have been traditionally robed and given many gifts.  I still get a little shy and embarrassed-I still stand up not sure how to reply and I am still humbled at the generosity of people with so little.  Moments like this never grow old...

 

"Listen mister goat, no funny moves!"  Check out that traditional cloth gown-it's hot and it's heavy!

 

Seeing and experiencing God do amazing things despite me-never grows old-and my people, I get to see it everyday.  I get to share it with my boys-and make 'old' things like going to the Foya look out, special.

 

Hang'n out at my favorite spot with my favorite boys...

 

 

This time of year it is easy to get run down just like the rain soaked roads.  It is easy to see everything as the 'same old' things-after 8 years here.  That is the farthest thing from my reality!  Everyday brings with it some of the same things but they never grow old-they are a new adventure, a new challenge and a new opportunity to show God's love, be the living Gospel and do it with some amazing people.

 

 

I feel the same way with starting up training again.  Training and running never grows old to me!  OK, maybe the loop around ELWA does, but not the feeling that running and working out brings.  The newness of a new program-it's like I have a clean slate to build my body back up again-set new goals and push myself farther than the last time.  Many of our staff are running again too!! WHOOP!WHOOP!  Some would say misery loves company, but not I-oh no I love seeing our staff (and husband) and my friends out there running hard.  Us SP Liberia women are running at the end of Sept. in the Accra Marathon, half marathon and marathon relay.  Alisa, is finally injury free to run a marathon-Elizabeth and Eleanor are going hard at the 13.1 distance-and Danielle, Joni, myself and Taya are running approx. 6.75 miles each in the marathon relay.  Diana and Steffani are going as our support and cheering squad-It's going to be legendary!

 

Training run...on the highway to the airport

 

 

Somethings never grow old...this is one of the many things I love about doing what I do-whether it is in my work, running or just life in general.  Never loosing the excitement and gratefulness and STILL finding joy in those things we do over and over...











A "Peace" of Chicken...

I am not going to do it.  I promised myself.  I would not write about 'chicken gate 2012'-nope, not going to do it.  However, I am going to write about chicken and what it means over here in Liberia just to give everyone a different perspective on the fowl.

The perfect spot for a ride!

You see, things in Liberia can be simple and yet complex, but there are aspects of this culture that I wish I could take back to North America.  Take for example the GIFT of a chicken to a visitor.  Over my 8 years here in Liberia-I can't even begin to count how many chickens I have been given from numerous rural communities throughout Liberia.  My people, this is no small thing-you may be thinking "Big deal in Africa they have chickens all over the place!"  Actually, there was a time right when there were not so many chickens around-when we first arrived in 2005 there were hardly.  The war had literally wiped out anything that could be eaten-you don't want me to list those items, just trust me that chicken was near the top of that list!

I am used to the chaos of half the village running around to catch a chicken on my or others behalf.  At first I found it hard to accept-everyone has so little and here I come in land cruiser, granola bar in hand, bottled water-in the other -I have so much.  I remember telling the chief that they didn't have to give me a chicken-and that I felt bad because they had so little.  But I was sooooo wrong-and this is why I am so blessed and grateful for our amazing staff-who were able to excuse the crazy white woman and explain to me what the gift of a chicken really means.

Accepting the chicken...

Two Chickens!

It is a gift.  A thank you.  An offering of gratefulness and peace.  A symbol that  says -from this moment on I am ALWAYS welcome in this community.  Why do they give it to me or others?  Because I came to their community.  That's it.  I came to see them.  I didn't come with any promises, I didn't come to tell them how SP was going to help them.  I just wanted to sit with them and find out more about them.  This is something that took me time to learn.  To learn to just sit and listen.  Shake hands, smile, hold a child (even if they have peed or worse through their clothes).  The fact that I took the time to drive way out into the jungle on crazy roads warranted a gift.  A chicken. 

SP Staff member Joseph telling me that the village wants us to stay!

Our Foya base manager, James, helping me with the crazy chicken!

There is certain 'chicken protocal' that I had to learn.  Some poor young boy tries to catch the chicken and gives it to the chief or elder of the community.  Then they give a speech-stating their thankfulness for me or others with me for coming to see and be with them.  They then give it to one of our SP staff that are with me.  Then the SP staff member either translates or reiterates why the chicken is being given.  Then it is passed to me-and I respond with a short speech thanking the community for their generosity, and for allowing me to be there.  If there is a team or 'outsider' guest, or someone of higher SP rank than me (like Joni, Kendell, Winstone or Dorothy..:) I then give the chicken to them.  Basically, the chicken's journey through our hands ends with the most honoured or 'top' person. 

And another...



All of us have some sort of crazy chicken story.  Like when Joni and I watched one get its head cut off and it ran around like something out of a horror movie!  Or when I was given one and had to tie it onto the handle bar of my motorbike-and every time I hit a bump it's head came up and it pecked me on the arm! Or just recently, with the team from Salmon Arm, we were given a chicken and put its bottom half in a bag as we put it in the back of the truck.  Every time we hit a bump (lots!) it clucked it's displeasure and my boys giggled with delight over the plight of this poor chicken.  Well, we must have hit a big bump because it literally scared the poop right out of the chicken!  Ah yes, the joy and laughs that chicken bring us.

Love'n me some chicken!

All that to say, chicken in Liberia means more than food or a political stance.  It is a free gift of friendship,peace, love and acceptance (Hmmm... I know another story about a 'free gift' of love-hello? Jesus!).  When I run to raise funds for our projects-it's more than just the number of wells, latrines or cassava farms.  At the center of our projects are the people. The people that give me a chicken, a gift-regardless of my political stance. They are why I run. So what do I do with all of these chickens?  I go back to our base and give it to the cook-and she takes it and makes a fine lunch for our hard working staff. My gift to our SP staff who work so hard to make Liberia a peaceful nation.

The passing of Time...

I know-it's been a while since I posted.  It amazes me how fast time flies by.  When I run I am always watching my time-how fast or slow I am going-in life there seems to be just one speed...FAST!  As I reflect how fast time has gone-I have also realized the things that are most important-because before you know it they are gone or all grown-up!  Let me give you a few examples...

In mid-June the Kauffeldt fam headed up to London.  I was finally graduating with my Doctorate degree...something I started when we first arrived in Liberia-a quick 6 years and plenty of writing, research and perseverance I was finally done.  It was extra-special to share it with my boys-they have never known mom not 'being in school'

Great Day to share with my boys...

In 2008 our first SPUK team led by Andy Ransberry came to Liberia-he led a second team in 2009.  It was great to meet up with his growing family and share what is going on in Liberia-and also for the boys to hang out with some pretty cool chaps too!  Being able to reconnect with Andy and his family was a great blessing.

Ranspberry/Kauffeldt clans near one of Elizabeth I castle

Showing the boys the finish line of the marathon!

Enjoying a family day in London

Our next stop (minus Kendell who returned to Liberia) was the long jont over the pond to BC to take care of some storage sorting and see my crazy Mayes/Menzies family members...As I sorted through our 7x12 foot storage unit I was amazed at how little we had!  As I was sorting through the "junk" and "treasures" - I was reminded that the worldly possessions that we have, as little as they are, does not come close to the true treasures that I get to share my life with.  After sorting our 'life' I was left with approximately a dozen tubs (mostly fully of books), about another dozen or so smaller boxes of pictures and household items, some hockey equipment (seriously, not going to throw that away!) a bed, couple of pine shelves (thanks IKEA) and my antique travel trunk full of my travel "treasures".  At any rate, the time with family was great!

Wouldn't be where I am today without the parentals!

 True Treasures (even yeiko/bub...HA!)

Maybe it's because I am getting older, maybe it's the fact that I have been away from family for a long time, or maybe it's because living here in Liberia, life is so fragile one minute it's there -the next gone.  Remember the boy David who we were helping that I wrote about?  One morning on my vacation I opened my email to read that he had died--my heart broke.  It broke for his family and for Alisa, Justin and others who had spent time with him and who had 'rescued' him when death was at his door the first time.  David was around the same age as my nephew Jackson-this really hit me hard.  I know God is in control and I know that His ways and thoughts are not mine-but just with little Eveleen it still hurts.  All of these things are making me reflect on how I am spending my time and what is most important in this life.

Returning to Liberia it was good to see everyone again-with a new appreciation of who they are in my life.  Not only that-it was great to head straight up to Foya soon after I arrived to hear more stories about how SP projects and staff are investing in people -God's 'treasures'. 

The passing of time...we see children grow, graduations come and go, countries change, people come and go (said goodbye to our precious intern Jamie yesterday-sad! )  and we can't stop it!  So where are my treasures?  We can't take any of these earthly treasures with us-so where do we spend our time and resources? Is it on those we love?  Is it with those who need your help with no guarantees of things improving?  People, time is passing-don't wait until you are sorting through years of "storage" to get rid of the junk.  Don't wait to invest in people-to love them-to tell them they are loved-to show them they are loved.  Don't wait to tell people about Jesus-who loves them so much and wants to be part of their lives...

David (in blue) and his family when Alisa returned him home from the hospital

Don't wait...the passing of time waits for no one.

Through the eyes of a child...

We all see things through our 'eyes'-our perspective.  When I run I usually am looking about 5-10 feet in front of me taking in each step, focusing on something to keep me going.  In my job, when I enter a village I observe, look around and start a process of filing things away into my western mind-my worldview.  There is someone going to the washroom in the stream, somone putting their clothes on the ground to dry-and I am discouraged.  I can also see a dish rack with clean dishes on it and I can look around and see no animal or human waste-and I am encouraged! What I see through my eyes and how I decipher the information I see can be very different from you, from a beneficiary or a fellow worker.

I was reminded of this recently, as my son Isaac has just purchased a digital camera.  He saved throughout the year by reading books doing well at spelling tests and odd jobs that he did with some of our projects.  I downloaded some of his pictures the other day-to see what he sees-what he takes 'pictures' of in his world.  It was very interesting...

Daddy working at the table -preparing for another day.

The office...

Playmates..

His bed...

Drum set..

Mommy asking for the camera...

Trust me when I say there are many more random pictures of his world...through his eyes.  Often times we see things through our eyes and make a decision that our perspective is the right one.  Living and working in Liberia has taught me that perspective is everything-and mine is not always the right one!  The times I have learnt the most is when I see things how others see them, how they see their village, family and how they see me. 

It is hard to change our perspective when we as a society are so self-centered-isn't it the story of Narcissus who just looked at himself constantly that we get the term "narcissistic"?  Take your eyes off yourself and see what happens.  It's like running, you take your eyes off your own discomfort and look forward taking one step at a time-and you find out that you can accomplish a lot more than you ever saw yourself doing...

Sis Rosie...

There are a few people throughout our life that impact us more than we may ever know.  For me, as a woman, there a just a precious few women that I have been blessed to know, that have been a true example of Christ-of being a servant to everyone-women who I want to learn from-gain wisdom from-and just be around.  Women like my grandmother-a gentle, strong spirit-strong in her faith despite whatever life through at her.  Eight years ago-I met a woman just like my grandmother-a woman I knew I wanted to learn from-and learn more about her.  This is what I know of her-what little jewels she has shared with me about her life (A book could be written about this woman!)-if I have missed anything or have not represented the stories properly-I apologize!

Sis Rosie (far left) with her family at ELWA.

When we first arrived in Liberia in 2005-the office was in our house, and we had a small staff-maybe 3 or 4.  SP was only implementing a few projects.  One of those staff members was Rosanna Schaack -Sis Rosie-and one of those programs was the THINK home.  It is 2012-Rosie still is with SP and the THINK home is still one of our flagship programs.  I remember sitting with Rosie-asking her about her life-she would give a little laugh and reply "Oh, well...it's a long story..."  Then she would begin-being 'adopted' by a missionary family, a Liberian girl going through school, the experience  of heartache when she lost a sister in a drowning accident, going to the U.S. for the first time and experiencing life as a young colored woman in a nation that still was growing through  the growing pains of the civil rights movement.  This is just the beginning...

Sis Rosie (far right) with her sister Becky

Meeting her husband Kaye Schaak while she was a nurse in Yekepa-getting married, loosing a child to disease, fleeing with her young family from a war, being separated from her husband at a rebel checkpoint..."They took Pa Schaak and one of the teachers from a school we had worked at.  They told me and the children to keep walking, I heard gun shots and thought that is it-they have been killed."  Some time later they were reunited.

This was just the beginning...fleeing with her family to a refugee camp in Ivory Coast, Sis Rosie found herself working and ministering to young women. "I prayed 'God I never want to go back to Liberia!'.  She laughs when she tells me this-as He had bigger plans for her, God usually works like that.

She did come back.  Working hard to establish THINK (Touching Humanity in Need of Kindness)-she and her friends (the Rescue mothers) defied rebel and government commanders who didn't want 'their' girls to be part of a rehabilitation program. She defied the young women soldiers, scared and rough from years of killing. She defied the challenges of a post-war country-with no infrastructure, corruption and non-existent law. She pushed on.  Someone had to help these girls, someone had to tell them that they were loved, that God loved them, that He loved them so much He sent His son Jesus to pay for whatever sin they had done-no matter how horrific it was.

Sis Rosie singing with some of the THINK home girls

Today Sis Rosie is an advisor to SP child protection programs.  She is the CEO of THINK and an advocate for passing the Liberian Children's Law.  Her persistence and perseverance for the past two years (even longer!) paid off in January of this year, when the law protecting children from such things as early forced marriage was ratified and signed by the president.  Danielle Carpenter is now the Child Protection Project Manager for SP and works closely with Rosie.  "Rosie takes care of the little things, whether it is making sure the THINK home children have birth certificates, or visiting a little boy that is being moved to the safe home (another project she oversees) she takes time to make sure these things get done,"  Danielle told me. "She is so humble, her knowledge in the area of child protection is amazing, her ability to work with Government and she works so hard."

Sis Rosie speaking to President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Some of my most treasured memories with Sis Rosie are when we are in the field together. Sharing a tent, laughing at things and her telling me more stories about her life.  I love going to the THINK home when she is there-usually a baby on her lap, a smile on her face, she knows every girl by name and her passion for what she is doing oozes out of her. We sit talking about the girls (225 girls have gone through THINK over the years), laughing at my recent cultural mishap, we get serious when we start talking about the strains of mothering, being a wife, and a professional, we talk about schooling (Sis Rosie has her Masters in Nursing and has studied abroad)-I know I am sitting and conversing with someone special.  Every piece of advice, insight or wisdom I cling to and treasure.

Speaking to the THINK home girls at their graduation

This week Sis Rosie will be given an award from Vital Voices for her work in human rights.  It is awarded by the U.S. government and the awards ceremony is held at the JFK Center for preforming arts.  Rumour has it that a celebrity will be presenting the award to Rosie.  She will accept it humbly, graciously and thankfully.  She will come back to Liberia and continue to speak for those who can't and fight for those who are being abused.  She doesn't do it to be recognized (we had to find out from someone else that she was even getting the award!), she does it because she is full of a love that only God can give-it overflows in Sis Rosie.

Kendell and I have been blessed to have someone like Rosie to come to for advice and guidance.  We are indebted to her for her role in establishing SP Liberia.  But more than that-I know that when I look back on my life, and think about the people who have impacted me, Sis Rosie will be on that list.  Not because what she has done, or even said-but because of who she is.  She radiates Christ-full of passion, love, grace, truth and beauty-she is an example of what it means to truly serve, even when life is hard.

One of my favorite pictures-Sis Rosie dancing at the THINK home for guests!

She is the only woman I know and have met thus far that reminds me of my Grandmother. For anyone who really knows me - you know the depth of what that means. Humbly, they pushed forward not immune to tragedy-allowing God to use them where He wants. Graciously, they touch lives with love not by force- all the way giving thanks to God for everyone and every opportunity He has placed in their life. I wish they could have met-but alas, not until heaven! I want to be a woman like this-I know it is not an easy life-but it is a beautiful one.

Thank you Sis Rosie for so much...