We are at the end of a long and enjoyable day. The day begins much like any Sunday with waking up and getting ready to attend church. We came out to some coffee and plantains fried with onions for a light breakfast. We then headed over to Sunday school. Seeing that I would be speaking today I was wearing a suit coat and tie. That can prove to be very warm in this climate. After sitting through teaching by Deacon Johnson I was asked to move to the front to sit as the guest speaker. It is humbling to think Liberians would care to hear me speak, but truth be told they want to hear the Bible preached and I just happened to be the conduit today. The service begins with an old hymn, ‘Send the Light’, and there are many church announcements and such during this time. The highlight to me is seeing the Liberian people get excited and dance to the praise and worship team with electric piano, drums and gourd shakers. The intensity of the singing and worship is different from our home church, but I am aware it is a cultural difference as this is how all the churches worship. Just before I was to preach the choir sang a song. I love to hear the Liberian young adults as they sing so well and powerful. They sang a song called ‘Grateful’ that I’ve not heard before, but it highlighted their voices as they sang it out. It was so good to hear them.

Just before I was going to get up to preach, Jenny caught my attention and mouthed the words to take off my suit jacket. She informed me I was very red in the face and she thought I may pass out. So, when I stood up to speak I told the congregation it is about to get serious and I need to remove my jacket. Of course they laughed and it was cooler. By the time I finished I was drenched in sweat. It rolled down my face into my eyes and I was dabbing it off with my shirt. A lady usher noticed it so she turned a fan directly on me to who I mouthed the words ‘thank you’ to her as that helped immensely.

After church was a time of reconnecting with many friends and meeting new ones. By the time we got back to our room to change I was soaked in sweat. It felt real good to get a fresh shirt on and shorts. Lunch was ready and we served up some potato greens over rice. Just as I was going to sit down, in walk Pastor Titus and Mother Mercy, missionaries that Country Bible Church support. We invited them to eat with us and we sat and ate and visited for the next couple hours. What a great visit it was. Emmanuel Jonah joined us for the visit. I am always pleased when Titus and Emmanuel connect. With both of them being missionaries, I am encouraged with their common goal of preaching the Gospel.

The later afternoon brought about more visiting as well as Jenny having a meeting with a few people from LCMI church to plan an upcoming ’Kid’s Club’. That will be coming up in the next week or so. Jenny plans on teaching from the wordless book and they decided to feed the kids that come with rice and beans. We look forward to this and we love the cooperation with the other LCMI members who simply want to share the Bible with the kids in the community.

We had one visitor, Anastasia Paye, who had requested a stethoscope that was graciously donated by Renee Haberland.

Later on in the evening, as Jenny was in her meeting, I left with Emmanuel and Wintee to visit a lady in a clinic that has health struggles. She attends an LCMI church and Emmanuel wanted us to stop in and encourage her and pray with her.

We arrived back home to have a snack of fried plantains and popcorn. I do love popcorn, so it was a great snack.

It has been a tiring day, but very enjoyable.

What do you do after traveling all day the previous day?

I figured I would have a good night’s sleep and wake up ready to go, ready to begin meeting people. I underestimated my ability to recover as I would in my younger years. I woke up, checked the clock and it was 7:45. Time to get up. I didn’t mention yet that something happened that never before happened in my stays at Emmanuel’s home. I woke up cold! The Liberian Electric Company (LEC) kept current to the house all night and our air conditioner had me cold this morning.

I tried to get up without waking Jenny, but she was also ready to get up. It would be a great start to the day.

I took a shower, and for those who remember the past showers at Emmanuel’s home with a barrel of water and a dipper to pour over your head, this was a nice shower that I can compare to the showers we took in Thailand. Picture the sink sprayer with a long hose and you get the picture. I finished and we headed outside our room to see what was happening.

A breakfast was left for us under a towel. There were freshly baked muffins and coffee to start our day. We went out on the 2nd floor porch and had our muffins as we greeted people who saw us come outside.

After finishing breakfast we headed downstairs to see what was happening and decide what we would do. We spoke with Mother Wintee, Emmanuel’s wife, and found out she was the baker of the muffins and she was taking some more out of the pans to put for sale in their Women of Purpose storefront just outside their building. Wintee then began to decorate a cake for a graduation party later in the day, for a lady in the church who has a child graduating.

Leaving Wintee to her work we decided to walk down to see the new church building under construction. It is only 1/8 of a mile away so we walked down and all the way Jenny would find another person to speak to. We got to the church building and a bunch of kids wanted to see who we were and another round of ‘What’s your name?’ began. Jenny believes she will remember all of the names tomorrow. Truthfully, we both forgot most of them by the time we walked back. One girl, Favor, was the leader and introduced everyone to us. She is 11 years old and very well spoken.

When we got back to the house I was feeling a little queasy and I mentioned I might want to lie down. Wintee told us that Emmanuel said, ‘Tell them to only worry about rest today.’ We took his advice and laid down again. I slept another 3 hours and it was then I felt more normal.

I got up and worked on my sermon for the next day. I had studied enough, but I’m a rambling talker if I don’t write things down in an orderly fashion. When I completed this and Jenny was awake again we ate and went out for another walk. As we walked past one house having a party of sorts, some ladies came running out to the road to greet us. It was ladies from the church and the house was hosting the graduation party mentioned earlier. They knew both Jenny and I from previous visits so we talked a little and left them to return to the party. We came back and visited to late in the evening. It was a great day to rest and relax. Tomorrow is church and I am privileged to deliver the sermon to the LCMI church in Monrovia.

Our travel day went well as we arrived at Emmanuel Jonah’s home at quarter after 10 pm local Liberia time. We were greeted with a chorus of cheers with some of their children banging pot lids with spoons. They have welcome signs posted to me and Jenny and I’m sure we’ll see more people tomorrow morning.

We had a great meal and the best gift we could receive after a 31 hour, door to door trip…a bed with air conditioning in the room. Emmanuel and Wintee’s guest house has come a ways since our first trip, but this too is still Liberia. We will see exactly what that may mean during the next few weeks.

Cell service in their home is not as reliable so I may have to wait until morning to find a spot to post this.

Our travel day went well as we arrived at Emmanuel Jonah’s home at quarter after 10 pm local Liberia time. We were greeted with a chorus of cheers with some of their children banging pot lids with spoons. They have welcome signs posted to me and Jenny and I’m sure we’ll see more people tomorrow morning.

We had a great meal and the best gift we could receive after a 31 hour, door to door trip…a bed with air conditioning in the room. Emmanuel and Wintee’s guest house has come a ways since our first trip, but this too is still Liberia. We will see exactly what that may mean during the next few weeks.

Cell service in their home is not as reliable so I may have to wait until morning to find a spot to post this.

Today begins our trip to Liberia. My wife, Jenny and I are making this trip alone this time, although it doesn’t feel as if this is our trip alone. From the many people participating in the writing of letters that we carry as greeting from our home church, Country Bible Church, to our children communicating through our group texts, to my brother and sister in law carrying us to the airport, to finally the many who will lift us up in prayer as we see what lies ahead.

Why do we travel to a country in West Africa? The answer is almost too simple. Sometimes God puts relationships in your life that ‘direct your paths’! If you look to the beginning of my blogging, started in 2012, you will see how the relationships grew. Now, as Jenny and I prepare to board, we do so with the excitement and expectation of seeing great friends and experiencing new adventures.

Join us as we document our experiences and share with everyone who graciously joins with us in prayer around the world.

Well, it is the morning of my first day back home after a nights sleep. My mind understands that it is just after 8:00 a.m. as I begin this blog post, but my body remembers the time I was used to. I woke up at 4:30 a.m. after the travel day and I feel very awake yet. I’m guessing I’ll start the fatigue in early afternoon here. That’s part of the adjustments whether leaving or returning. Sometimes it’s a short adjustment and other times it takes a few days. We’ll see what this return brings.

Now to reflect on my trip…

My waking up reminds me that we live in very different circumstances here in the states which doesn’t make it better or worse, just that it is very different. I love the fact that I could visit Liberia and be part of their lives, if even temporarily. This gift from God helps me to appreciate the grace that He gives us…me, every day. I am reminded of the apostle Paul when he states in Philippians that,

Philippians 4:11-13 ESV
[11] Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. [12] I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. [13] I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

In God allowing me to visit Liberia, recognizing the extremes Paul is speaking of I can’t say I experienced these differences as Paul did, but I can witness and discern that God loves His children the same regardless of how we judge that love due to circumstances. What Paul was saying is we aren’t to judge God’s love for us based on these circumstances, but based on the whole of the Bible’s message. Again Paul in the book of Philippians…

Philippians 3:8 ESV
[8] Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

I guess what I am saying in my feeble attempt to put meaning to my trip and thoughts about the trip down in words is that I am blessed to experience God active and at work in Liberia and I am blessed to experience God active and at work in the USA as well. God isn’t differentiating his blessing like we would view this, but according to His grace in our lives. Our circumstances will never dictate the amount of love we feel from God. We do that in our minds, God does not. We rationalize that God somehow loves us in the states more because of our blessing in the physical realm. If that were true then our joy would only be dependent on our situation in our human bodies. We sanitize God’s love for us to fit into our life experiences.

If that were true, real joy in Christ would never be realized anywhere that hardship or pain exists. Liberia, being one of the poorest countries in the world, would never know real joy in Christ…Tell that to the congregation that thrives on ‘Praise and Worship’ time in the giving of offerings. Tell that to the many Liberian voices raising their voices to sing to ‘Yahweh’ each worship service. Or tell that to the parents that hear their children reciting the Bible verses like these kids…

The saying that Pastor Fred Haberland once told me is realized more and more as you keep your eyes open to God. ‘Never be surprised by God, but always be amazed by Him.’

This trip to Liberia helped me to see that I cannot change circumstances in people’s lives, but I can remind them to see God’s amazing work in their country and in their lives.

My prayer is that God will continually remind me of this and use me in whatever way He chooses. To God be the glory, great things He hath done…and continues to do!! First CBC missionaries and then memories of the people.

Well, the first two flights are over for me and they went very well. I ended up having an empty seat next to me both times and on the long flight from Brussels to Washington DC I even got to sit in business class. Not sure how that worked out, but I’m thankful for a more comfortable seating.

It is starting to hit me that I will no longer wake up to the familiar sounds around Emmanuel’s home, but will face the familiar routines of being back home. I’m very grateful and look forward to seeing Jenny, but I will miss the communal pattern of life I found myself in over there. There may be a lack of the ‘comforts’ while in Liberia that we all are accustomed to in the states, but there is a special connection to people that I will miss from Princess Kou (corrected spelling) to all the people coming to the hand pump for water.

I still have 2 more flights to go, but it is good to be back in the states.

I am on my way. First stop along the way is Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Brief stop to change crew and refuel for the longer flight to Brussels, Belgium. I had an empty seat next to me for the first flight, but now they’ll be boarding more. I’m guessing I’ll have a seat mate. Here’s hoping it isn’t a big smelly guy. 🤓

Before I left today I took a picture of the little people brigade. They were dressed alike for school.

They were not allowed to run around in the good clothes so I didn’t chase them. They did eventually get tired out. What a fitting end to a great time with them and their energy.

So many memories and such a great visit. I already miss everyone there. I’ll continue to document on my way home.

Leaving people is always difficult, but leaving friends you’ve made over the years gets harder and harder each time I leave. Today has been a good day with time to go out and pick up a few things as well as visit with some. There was nothing on the schedule today except departure time around 5:30 p.m. to head to the airport. As if saying goodbye wasn’t difficult enough the news that Emmanuel got on our way was enough to bring silence into the car as we drive to the airport. Pastor Abel Smith, the pastor we tried to visit in Kakata, but he had headed for the hospital in Ganta, just passed away. He was at the hospital and I’m not sure what happened, but the grief of his wife and others calling Emmanuel is chilling as they cry out to him and look for comfort. Please pray for Herrietta, the wife, as she deals with this and the LCMI church in Kakata as they also deal with the loss of their pastor. We know that as a Christian, he is with the Father in heaven, but the grief is always difficult, especially with a younger person. I’ll write more later, but I’ll leave this post short as I also pray for those in mourning.

My morning started before Emmanuel got up this morning. I told Elizabeth I would visit her and go to see her land again and I wanted to say goodbye to Mercy and family as well. I told Emmanuel last night that my plans were to walk to the ‘last turnaround junction’ and get a motorbike taxi and take it to Elizabeth’s home at the ‘Mount Barcley junction’. He just looked at me and asked if I was sure and I told him yes so he said ok. Well, Emmanuel was the only one that I told until it was time go leave. I told George who lives with the ‘boys’ here and then I told the house general, ‘Princess Kau’. I told her and then I left to walk to the junction and get the bike. I found out later that Princess went straight to Emmanuel’s door and told him, ‘Dad Robin just left to get a bike! He’s going to get lost!’ I’m glad she watches out for me and Emmanuel told her that I’d be fine. She didn’t like it, but Emmanuel calmed her down. Elizabeth did receive a phone call from Mother Wintee double checking my arrival. I visited with Elizabeth and her daughter Mercy for a little while and I talked to Elizabeth to find out more about her life. Every Liberian has a story to tell and I want to tell her story so I need as many facts as I can get. After our visit we decided it was time to go see the property again. We walked down to their junction and got a couple motorbikes and headed out. We arrived at the drop off spot and walked in to Titus and Mercy’s house to visit and say goodbye. After this short visit we took some pictures and said our goodbyes as Mercy was leaving to do shopping at Red Light. That is one place that I didn’t even go this year. I don’t miss shopping that much and Red Light shopping is a whole different experience. People everywhere and with me not knowing what I’m doing I would just frustrate people.

We left Mercy and headed out to the property. (Here I’ve been calling it the property, but Elizabeth just calls it the ‘house spot’. ) I was here last time with her daughter, Patience and this time with her daughter, Mercy (2 Mercy’s gets confusing).

I really wanted to introduce Elizabeth to the lady I met when we ate our supper at Titus’s house. She lives in front of Titus and runs a block factory. I want Elizabeth to have all the contacts and connections that she can. I’m hoping to get the ball rolling for her to protect the property (read past blog on what can happen to undeveloped land). We walked from the ‘house spot’ and I went to where Lydia lives. She had a wall around her home and I wasn’t sure if I should just walk in or not. I asked some men outside who were selling scratch cards (for phones) and they said she was home and to just open the steel door and enter. When I say enter, it’s more of going in a compound with many buildings. I pulled the door open and called out to see if Lydia was around. A young girl went to get us chairs to sit in right away and said she’d go get Lydia. The custom here is if anyone shows up at your house you get chairs for them to sit. Lydia came out shortly and we had a great visit. I explained why I wanted her to know Elizabeth and her family and she offered to sell blocks and sand whenever it was needed once building could start. She also knows many other suppliers and that’s why I wanted Elizabeth to meet her. She was encouraging Elizabeth with the story of the faith of a mustard seed from the Bible. She even went inside and got some mustard seeds she got from Israel. If you look closely in the picture you’ll see her bottle of mustard seeds. We left with Lydia and Elizabeth getting along well.

From there we got another motorbike taxi to where Patience lives which was halfway home for Elizabeth. We stopped to see her daughter and granddaughter. I finally got the spelling of her granddaughter’s name. Georglyn George is her full name. The pronunciation with different sounds always confuses me. we visited a little while with her and had a nice cold bag of water before a few more pictures and the walk back.

The walk back to Elizabeth’s was probably a little over a mile. We walked rather than a motorbike for such a short ride. It was hot, but didn’t feel too bad until we arrived at her house and I stopped moving. Then the sweat and heat was felt. Mercy was going to ‘carry me home’ meaning she would ride the motorbike with me back to Emmanuel’s house. The two of us walked back to ‘Mount Barcley junction’ and found a driver and we hopped on. It was cooler as long as we were moving. We got back to the last turn around and walked the remainder of the way to Emmanuel’s house. Needless to say Princess was happy we arrived safely. I had lunch with Emmanuel and when I went outside Mercy was doing some dishes. She then ate some food so I guess she was working for her food. She is 16 and will graduate this year. That’s really early for Liberian girls (or boys). She’d like to go to school to be a doctor. I love to hear that she has plans. If she works like her mom she’ll be fine. She left shortly after eating to catch another motorbike back home. I teased her because she skipped school today to go to the house spot. She assured me she’d be ok at school.

The late afternoon was quiet so I was able to call my mom in Texas on a video call. It was good that my niece, Charissa, was there to repeat what mom could not hear. I showed mom some of the sites around Emmanuel’s home. We had a great visit. After that I actually came to my room to lay down a little while. I had been sitting outside dozing in a chair, but every time someone walked by they would greet me and I’d wake up. I thought I could rest a little without being woken up. I never did sleep. Just caught up on the news on my phone.

Church was good with a discussion on the apostle Paul. They are studying people from the Bible that ‘hold firmly to their faith’. Moses lead the class time. Immediately after church there was an appreciation program. I am honored that they put up with me and touched by all the kind words. I received some gifts and many thanks. I was able to talk some then and give my own thanks to many.

One last thing I did tonight (besides eating some rice) was to have a picture taken with Myay and Blessing. I’ve taken a similar picture each of the six times I’ve been here with these two I believe. They were both very young the first time I came. They are growing up.

Tomorrow will be difficult with final goodbyes. Thanks for following along and it truly has been an adventure. I’ll write more yet on my way home. Oh yeah, I’m all set for the plane ride.