And so it begins! 2026

It is with great anticipation that the day for leaving has arrived. The day, beginning in Wallace, started with a temperature of -17 degrees Fahrenheit. It is a day like this that makes us happy to travel to the warm climate of Liberia.

There are three of us traveling together…Renee, Leo and me (Robin). This trip marks my eighth time traveling to Liberia. For Renee it is her third time, and then we have Leo, the newbie of the group. As we left Wallace with my brother Kevin’s large van, to carry the 8 checked bags, the 3 carry-on’s and our personal bags, and to carry the three travelers, I am grateful for my wife being willing to ride along with our friend Nancy to drive the van back. We left Wallace to pick up Leo first. After saying goodbye to his wife and son, we headed to Renee’s house. We arrived, backed the van up to her garage (all the pre packed suitcases were stored there) to load up. We walked in the door and we were greeted by Renee, all the suitcases at the door and a big smile on her face as she remarked slyly, ‘You don’t think I’m excited to go?’ Of course, me and Leo share her excitement on this new adventure.

We packed all the bags in the van, prayed over our trip, and began what we know will be a great adventure.

Leo, while contemplating the reason ‘why’ he is traveling to Liberia, related to us that after months of asking why, he realized he was asking the wrong question. He said, ‘I should be asking what. ‘What?’ does God want me to do’. As he said this we all realized that that is the question for all of us. We may not fully understand the ‘What?’, but we are simply to be willing. Willing to be pressed, willing to be challenged and willing to be used by God in whatever manner He chooses. That is our prayer and we encourage you to pray along with us.

We are all checked in at the airport with plans of connecting thru Chicago, on to Brussels and finally to Monrovia sometime 24-26 hours from now.