Eat your heart out Alumni Association

Last Thursday was Thanksgiving, a holiday for spending time with close family, giving thanks for all the blessings we have. For the second time in a row I spent the holiday away from home. Last year I went to a restaurant with my housemate and some friends who I didn't know too well. It was good food, but I wasn't sharing it with those I was close to, so I went home from the restaurant feeling quite homesick.

This year was different though! I wish I could have spent it with the family, but I did have my close friends. Friends of mine run the bar 'Tides' where they held a potluck with 'authentic' Thanksgiving foods! I tried my hand at green bean casserole, something I'd never made before in any country, and had to improvise with a bit of spicy extruded snack bits to get that crispy layer on top. I'm told by close sources that it was pretty good. The meal in general was fantastic, and I felt almost miserably full at the end of the night.

At the Thanksgiving potluck with a few of the folks I'm happy to call friends!

Before we sat down to eat my friends insisted on participating in the 'go around and say what you're thankful for' tradition. When it came to me, I knew exactly what I was thankful for. I'm thankful to have learned to live in the moment this past year; to enjoy life as it comes instead of always pulling myself toward some future goal or event and ignoring the present. I'm thankful for my close friends here in Liberia who have enabled me to do that, to God for constantly watching over me in that process, and for you, my friends and family back home (or wherever you are) who have encouraged me in my venture to Liberia, letting me know that its okay to be here, where I am now, and away from home.

This first week back has been a ride! I'm so happy to be back with my friends and co-workers that I've missed. I was homesick for the places of Liberia that I've come to love, and I've even learned to pick my fights when it comes to the inevitable irritations. I've been busy re-settling in. There has been a lot of hanging out with friends, already one trip this past weekend (into the bush - I mean legitimate jungle - to help a friend set up a camp) and plenty of details to work out. My biggest daytime activities last week were looking for an apartment (I'm crashing at my friend Richard's apartment for the moment while I find long-term housing), and fixing the Land Cruiser I've been driving.

I came back to find the 'jeep' in need of a LOT of work:

3 used tires $105

alternator $120

used front shock absorber $50

locally made suspension bushings $10

glow plug module $50

engine oil $45

oil filter $15

fuel filters $30

car electrician $30

labor for all that plus repairing both front door windows, both rear doors and the horn $25

TOTAL: $480

While the mechanic had the jeep anyways, I asked him to take a look at the 4x4, which has been out of service even well before I took possession of the vehicle, with the front drive shaft removed and rolling around in the back seat. We were happy to discover that it will only take the repair of a u-bolt ($55) and new bolts ($5) to get it working again! My friends occasionally chide me for being the son of a former trucking yet getting stuck so often - in the mud, on wet grass... - but conveniently ignore the fact that I'm driving a vehicle with crippled 4x4 and bald tires. Well no more! I figure with the whiteman price to get pulled out of the mud at around $10USD/incident, the extra repair price will have paid for itself in around six months.

A souvenir purchased at the book store while back in Grand Rapids. I can guarantee you this is the first and only vehicle in Liberia sporting a Calvin sticker.

As you can imagine, I wasn't too impressed with the damage that over $500 in unexpected repair bills would do to my vehicle fuel/maintenance budget, and I'll now almost certainly go over budget on that line item. I ask you to please consider making a donation to help offset these costs. If it helps, you can think of it as your year-end tax deductible Christmas gift of 4x4 to Derek. As always, your continued monthly and one-time donations are very much appreciated!

Well, its 5:00 and I still need to finish up the monthly prayer calendar, a calendar of daily items of prayer relating to LEAD, its partners, Liberia and West Africa. If you'd like to check it out, you can download it at leadinliberia.org.

Reuniting with Ghana

For anyone wondering, yes you can make it to Ghana without a visa in advance, but no I don't recommend it. I checked in fine in Grand Rapids, and didn't run into problems getting on my Delta flight to Atlanta, but it was there that I had my worries. You see, navigating your way through the airport in Ghana without a visa is simply a matter of cost, but getting aboard a flight to the country without the respective visa bares the risk of not even getting on board.

Mom and Dad seeing me off at the airport after a busy day of errands and packing. Love you!

The Delta reps called all non-Ghanaian passport holders up front to check visas and, when asked what my final destination was, I informed them it was Liberia, which is technically true and is a country for which I hold a residency permit, but I dodged a bullet when they didn't ask how soon I'd be continuing on. There was no more trouble boarding the plane, although I didn't breath easy until the wheels left the tarmac.

11 hours later we touched down in Accra where I unexpectedly and delightfully found a 'Visas on Arrival' desk, behind which sat two immigration officers who ask very few questions, accepted the standard $150 fee (NOT a bribe), and after waiting about 30 minutes, directed me onward, even allowing me to bypass the rest of the immigration desks.

Pearl Budu, a longtime friend from Calvin, Calvin Phonathon, Semester in Ghana, and elsewhere picked me up from the airport and we made our way to the University of Ghana, for a quick drive through and a stop at the Basement Restaurant, (where we enjoyed Jollof Rice and Star Beer, staples of any time spend in the country) before heading on to the Budu residence.

While in Ghana I am staying at Professor David and Susan Hoekema, who normally live in Grand Haven, MI and are currently leading a group of 16 or so Calvin students on their semester in Ghana. Pearl, myself and the Hoekema's had fun comparing the differences between the Fall '07 and '10 semesters. As it happens, the current group may be described as more 'reserved' although perhaps more involved in cultural events. The '07 group may have been a bit more 'independent' and 'exploratory'. Oh, and to my '07 folks they've got it cushy: WIFI and wireless printer in the Calvin room, cellphones provided for everyone, and they get $90/week on food over our $40(?).

This morning I was picked up by Renita and we headed over to the Hopeline Institute office to meet with staffmembers Fanny and Juliette, and peer mentoring program participants Amma, Ravina and Prosper. Fanny and Juliette explained Hopeline's structure and how they operate their peer mentoring program; one LEAD would like to add to its mentoring program. Amma, Ravina and Prosper shared their experiences too. What most impressed me were some of the unique and unexpected benefits they were getting from their mentoring relationships. I'll go into more of that on another blog post, devoted to the new direction of LEAD's mentoring program. I shared some resources, and ran through LEAD's mentoring program handbook, explaining the progress we have made in Liberia over the last year.

Renita and Fanny, Director of the Hopeline Institute.

Renita and I stopped by a few [impressive!] businesses before heading back to her place; furniture maker and a welder (both do MUCH more that those descriptions give them credit for) before heading to her place. I'll get to meet her two kids Hannah and Noah -who I've heard about so many times, but never met - once Renita gets back from picking them up from school. Dinner here tonight, then hanging out with Pearl and Amma tonight. Bywell bar anyone?

Tomorrow we go back to Hopeline to meet up for lunch before continuing on to visit a few Village Savings Loans groups (VSLs) made of groups of 25 or so people each. It an interesting program, one that offers a savings option for Ghanaians who can't access banks, but desperately need that service. In Liberia, people actually pay to save their 'daily Susu', giving a small amount for 30 days, and then getting 29 days worth back at the end of the month. With these VSLs, each member saves a certain amount each week and then loans are given to clients for periods of three months. There are also conditions that allow individuals to access funds in cases of emergency. Then, at the end of nine months the money and interest is divided among everyone. Very cool. See http://reedsinthewind.blogspot.com/ for a much better explanation.

Saturday I hop on an Ethiopian Airways (prop plane) flight from Accra over to Monrovia's local Spriggs Airfield. Pro: saving some money, and an hour drive out to the Robertsfield International Airfield. Con: its quite likely I'll loose some luggage.

Its great to be back in West Africa! I already feel inspired by the work being done, and I can't wait to get back into it. Monrovia friends: see you soon!

Zero Day

After a great two and a half months back home in Michigan and Ontario, today I head back to West Africa! Thanks so much to everyone, its been great seeing you all and catching up. Lets keep in touch (stay tuned for SO many blog posts...) and as always, I envy your thoughts, prayers and encouragement.

At 5:30 I fly out of Grand Rapids for Atlanta, where I'll catch a connecting flight to Accra, Ghana. I'll stay there for a few days, sharing some ideas with the Partners Worldwide affiliate Hopeline Institute - and catching up with Ghana! - before heading on to Monrovia's Spriggs Airfield on Saturday.

Wish me well on this next six months, and keep me in your thoughts and prayers particularly today as I attempt to make my way onto Delta's flights and into Ghana without a Ghanaian visa... Yea, its embarrassing, but since I have my Liberian residency permit, getting a Ghanaian visa was not on my mind until Thursday, when it was too late to send my passport off to Washington. I can get a visa upon arrival from the Ghanaian immigration, who will surely penalize me financially for my foolishness, but the bigger concern is the Delta staff, who may not allow me to board without the visa. Hopefully, the proof of my onward ticket to Liberia on Ethiopian Airlines, a letter of invitation from the Hopeline Institute, and my boyish good looks will get me through.

So here's hoping. I hope to update you soon, from Ghana, to let you all know its been a success. Why do I do this to myself?

Sporadic Random Thoughts

That's my new policy toward blogging. I honestly wish I could use Twitter from Liberia... maybe I'll see if we can pull some strings and make it happen. The reason for saying so is that I think I'd be more motivated if I could put thoughts to the blog as they come to me. Perhaps I need a notepad for that type of thing. Nah, probably not my style.

Here's a few thoughts that passed between my ears in the past two months of being home:

More than ever I'm sure that Liberians and Americans are more intrinsically alike that we think. Only situations and histories shape our behaviors and thought patterns. The histories that have shaped us can't be altered, but the context of our current behaviors can. When 60mph winds blow out power on 28th street, Grand Rapidian drivers prove themselves to be just as inwardly motivated as Liberian ones. And I'm pretty sure that if it weren't for fear of tickets from the authorities or scorn from onlookers, we'd be driving in the sidewalks and turning lanes too.

The fall in Michigan is fantastic!

I LOVE being able to choose between more than Heinenken and Club beers. Wow.

I love visiting Ontario, and my amazing friends there.

America has an amazing middle class. In Liberia there are poles of very poor and very rich with, quite honestly, not much in-between, especially when I compare it to other developing countries I've visited. Its refreshing to see an economy where regular Janes and Joes can make a respectable living through regular types of meaningful work.

I asked Allen what his most and least favorite things were about America. I can't give justice to his full answer, but I'll paraphrase.

Favorites:

-Government support of private enterprise. During Allen's time in Grand Rapids, Baltimore, New York and DC, he was thoroughly impressed by the support structures that the American government has put in place to facilitate entrepreneurs in their endeavors.

-Work ethic. Americans find work to be rewarding, and there's honor in it, even in non-glamorous work. It drives the country forward.

Non-favorites:

-Abuse of freedom. Americans tend to think their own personal freedom can extend overtop of other individuals personal freedoms.

-Time. Americans have no sense of the real value of time: spending it! Despite all of our modern conveniences we never have enough of it, and we're always rushing, rarely spending enough time to develop those important relationships.

I suggested the lack of good Liberian food, but he politely suggested that with the aid of Chinese buffets, he'd be able to swing it for extended periods. Perhaps we'd just need to import some peppa' sauce.

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Now for a few photos:

A quick 30 hour layover in Brussels on the way back to check out the sites.

At home in St. Marys, Ontario with my parents!

Dinner meeting with members of the West Africa team during the Partners Worldwide conference.

No ALL work. My boss Allen in the US for the first time, so Craig's Cruisers was in order.

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I'm headed back Nov. 16. I'll first be flying through Accra for a few days of meetings and reuniting with my favorite open air bar on the University of Ghana's campus, but then its on to Liberia. The next six months will be similar to the past year, with some different focuses, but stay tuned for the next post when I'll offer more insights on that.