A surprise while visiting Elizabeth’s house.

Today I had no plans. Let me say that again…Today I had no plans. At breakfast time we did discuss future plans which include leaving for Yekepa tomorrow and reviewing what our travel schedule looks like. I’ll fill you in on those plans as they take place because I know that in Liberia we will have a change of plans. After breakfast Emmanuel had some errands to run, Wintee was at the school so I decided it would be a good day to visit Elizabeth and her family. Elizabeth is a good friend that I met in 2016 while she worked at Emmanuel’s home and she helped take care of us during our stay with helping Princess with the food and cleaning. I met her again in 2018 and in 2020 both Jenny and Papa Mike got to know her as well, also at Emmanuel’s home. She is now working at getting her own place built as she has some land and she wanted me to see this. She is renting a room at this time from a lady, but this is short term. Anyway, now that I made these plans how could I carry them out? Emmanuel was leaving with the car so I told him I would take a motorbike to the junction where I would meet Patience, Elizabeth’s daughter, and she would direct me to their home. Emmanuel likes to know that I am taken care of, but he reluctantly agreed. I like the different experiences so I looked forward to the day. Emmanuel called a motorbike driver he knows (always watching out for me) and we made the arrangements. At least plans were made. Emmanuel wanted the driver to take me there, wait while I visited, and return me back home. The first part worked out well.

The driver took me to the junction, about 4-5 miles at best guess, and Patience found me somehow in the crowd of people. 🤓 She hopped on the bike with me and the driver and it was only a quarter mile or so off the main road from there. I came up to where Elizabeth and her daughters are now living. I felt bad for the driver so I told him he could leave and return in a couple of hours to pick me back up. I paid him and he said something about calling him. I never did see him again. We visited for awhile and then Elizabeth asked if I’d like to see her land where she’d like to build a home. I agreed and we walked this time, back to the junction where I originally met Patience. By the way, a junction is where the motorbike taxis congregate and people know they can hire a bike at the junctions. These junctions are all over and they each have their different names. It’s kind of like the L in Chicago where you can get off at whatever station you want. These are all organically named as the name just came about, usually by some identifiable location. One in particular is called Parker Paint junction appropriately named after Parker Paint had a store there…back in the 90’s. The civil war ended the business, but the junction lives on. The junction we went to is called the Mount Barkley junction named after a past president. When we got there it was interesting seeing Elizabeth looking over the choice of motorbike taxis around. She chose the oldest driver for her and I to ride with and Patience got on another bike. We headed down the road a couple of miles and we came to a familiar place to me. I was just there on Saturday. When we stopped I was all excited to tell Elizabeth that Titus and Mercy lived just back there off the main road. Well we walked to there land just past where we would go to Titus’s house and walked a quarter mile or so further to her land. She had recently brushed or cleared the lot as things grow so fast here in Liberia. She needs to keep trying to do something on the land or people could try and sell the land again causing confusion for all people. They would say they have land for sale, convince someone to pay for it and leave. The new ‘owners’ will start to build and then the old owner may show up arguing that it is their land. The police get called and since there is not good title searches or always good transfer deeds there can be fights. A lot of the time it’s the strongest that wins out regardless of who is the proper owner. I really pray she can get something built soon. I’ll try to work on this with her.

After being at their land for a little while we walked back with the intent that I would show them where Titus and Mercy live. We walked up into Titus’s yard and the kids saw me and came running out and gave me a hug. Most of them I just met 2 days earlier, but it made me feel good. Titus’s mom looked up and was surprised as well. Mercy came from the house just as surprised. Titus was at school as I expected. We had a bag of water and visited for 30 minutes or so before telling Mercy we needed to go.

We walked back to the main road where there was a sort of mini junction with about 5-10 bikes waiting across the road. Patience just called out ‘bike’ and two drivers drove across to us. We rode back to Mount Barkley junction and walked back to where they live. Elizabeth’s other daughter, Mercy, got home from school and ran up and gave me a hug. I hadn’t seen her since 2016. It was great to visit with them again. We even FaceTimed Jenny so she could visit with Elizabeth a little.

Now it was past time for the 2 hours for the original motorbike driver to arrive. I really didn’t expect him back. We visited some more and eventually I called Emmanuel and he said he’d just send Abraham to pick me up. That worked out well. we had a great visit. Elizabeth was getting ready to make Fufu that she sells around the community. That is one of her means of supporting herself. It’s a difficult life, but most people don’t complain so much. I am humbled when I consider how spoiled I am. That’s a common feeling over here.

I came back to Emmanuel’s home to check out the new water tank. It was delivered and installed today while I was gone. Emmanuel knew I was interested in seeing them lift it so he took these videos that he shared with me.

When I got back I took a video of my own. The little people brigade came out tonight and started to play with me. I would roar and chase them into the kitchen. One time I hid in the garage area and they went looking for me. The other kids thought it was funny too.

I have such fun with them. I’ll miss them for the few days we’ll be gone. Tomorrow brings the new travel adventure. Up to Yekepa and the Mother Betty Jonah Orphanage as well as the CBC Medical Clinic.