I’m falling into a routine while being here. I find myself sleeping a little more, which is nice, and feeling quite rested during the day. Today was one of those routine days, waking up, showering, eating breakfast, which was homemade pancakes, and then watching all that happens around Emmanuel’s home while I read and studied outside. It was a very relaxing day.

The afternoon was nice having a chance to visit with Heather and the girls as well as Jenny. I’ll be contacting the rest of the family in days ahead. I found some lizards to show the grandkids so I’ll be sure and show the others when we talk.

One thing I don’t think I’ll ever get over is the kids interest in someone different. While studying today a group of students from a nearby school came to the water pump to get a drink. As they goofed around they kept watching me, waiting for me to say something or react in some way. So, I started talking with them and within a few minutes I had 10 or so children crowded around me looking at pictures on my phone of snow back home, deer and grandkids. They wanted to see whatever pictures I had to share. As they broke up the group started the normal pushing and laughing that kids will do. It was nice to have that break from reading.

In the evening I knew I would be leading the Bible study so I finished up my studying and then headed over to church. A couple of girls, twins, arrived a little early so I took their picture along with Meko’s son, Asher. The twins names from back to front are Praise and Praises. They use many celebratory names like Marvelous who I wrote about before.

After church, at 7:30 or so it was dark and I thought we would walk back across to Emmanuel’s home, eat something and relax before bed. I was informed, however, that a local pastor’s mother-in-law was in a local hospital called ‘Kingdom Care’. I didn’t catch her name, but she has diabetes, hypertension and some other thing that caused her to almost die, but she is improving I was told. This in itself was not a surprise. I’m used to visiting and praying with people who I don’t know and they don’t know me. What made this almost funny was we finally found this hospital using Liberian (old fashioned) GPS by asking people passing which dusty road we needed to travel to find the hospital. As we arrived and Emmanuel parked the car we got out, put our masks on and the lights all go out. Liberia Electric Company again failed to remain on. We weren’t deterred as we used our phone lights, went upstairs and sat and visited and prayed for this lady. We left the room and as we got back to our car the power came back on. We drove home only to find that LEC once again was off at Emmanuel’s home. With the noise of the generator in the background I write this with the boys watching a soccer match on the tv, unfazed by the initial lack of power and the switch to the generator. This too is Liberia. I’m coming to understand it myself. I’ll see what tomorrow brings.

It is Tuesday afternoon and I now have reliable cell coverage which allows me to post regularly. It took two days to accomplish, but a lot goes on behind the scenes. Yesterday afternoon Emmanuel took me out to convert some donated phones to the local cell service SIM cards. That in itself was interesting. We went to Red Light to the ‘Orange’ store which is Liberia’s Cellcom. We didn’t even go inside the building, but Emmanuel found someone he trusted outside the building. Samuel then joined us in our car and Emmanuel drove to a quieter spot in the parking lot of a gas station. Samuel began to do everything he needed to decide the phones and install the Cellcom SIM cards in each phone. After a little negotiation we settled on $65 to unlock all 5 phones so now I have phones that can be gifts for others with the first going to Emmanuel. I have the international plan on my phone that works great in certain areas, but I found out that Emmanuel’s home is not one of those areas.

Anyway, this took quite a long time as we sat in the car waiting. We eventually went back to Emmanuel’s home to eat while Samuel kept working on it. After eating we drove back, paid him and left for home again. What I didn’t get was a data card that would allow me to hotspot one of the new Liberian phones to my personal phone. I did walk to get a scratch card when we got back home. Unfortunately the scratch card wasn’t for data and for local calls only. I’m learning more each time I visit.

In the evening we celebrated Cyrus’s birthday. He is one of Emmanuel’s sons. He is now 24 years old and enrolled at Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary majoring in education. He is also teaching at LCMI on his off days from his school. I’ve seen him grow into a very nice man from a young teen.

Today we made plans to go and pick up a ‘data pack’ for my phone…after. After a good night’s sleep I had a great breakfast with the notice that we were waiting for a phone call to go to LCMI school to visit. We got the call and walked down to the school. Yesterday there was word that came down from the ministry of education that all persons at schools including the students need to wear a mask so we complied. If the school doesn’t comply they can be shut down if the ministry chooses. In spite of the masks I had a great time. The kids were so great and they asked me many questions. One question I heard a lot, from those that met Jenny last year, was ‘how’s Mother Jenny?’. I guess I should expect that as Jenny connected well with all the kids. Here are a few pictures from our visit.

There are around 200 students at LCMI school. I am so thankful to be able to visit them. Papa Mike was able to donate 2 computers for a computer lab planned soon. They are already adding in to the school to make room for the lab.

The students go through 9th grade now with plans to expand to 12th grade. They recently hired a principal for LCMI to ease some of the work on Emmanuel. His name is Jonathan Dennis and Emmanuel is happy with how things are working out for them. Here is ‘Assistant Chairman Dennis outside the school.

After the school visit we headed out with Mother Wintee, Princess, Meko, Emmanuel and the myself. The ladies had plans to go shopping in the market downtown and I was surprised to have Emmanuel take me out for a nice lunch.

After eating we waited for the ladies to call and say they were ready to go. That’s my idea of shopping.

Once we picked them up in a VERY BUSY marketplace we headed back and finally stopped by an ‘Orange’ store and I purchased the data pack I wanted. As I type Emmanuel is driving us back to his home. All in all it was a good day. Tomorrow I would lol be leading the Bible study at the evening service. Our plans are still to visit Titus and Mercy on Saturday. Our tentative plans are to go to Yekepa, the orphanage and clinic next week.

As I’ve said before being with Emmanuel is sometimes very tiring and today was no exception. I say tired, and I mean that literally. I had a great day, but with all that we did I am ready for bed and it is only 8:00 pm. I’m sure I’m still adjusting to the time change, but Emmanuel does keep a full schedule.

The day started with a quick breakfast followed by the walk across the front yard to Sunday School. Pastor Dennis, a worker in the LCMI school spoke an Abram’s call and God’s promises in Genesis 12. We had a good discussion on the text. The main worship service followed with singing and praise that Liberian’s are great at. I was then privileged to speak from Daniel 1, followed by communion for my first time in Liberia. That was rather special.

Did I mention that Emmanuel had told me about the recent start of Liberia Electric Company with direct wiring to the home and the church with a meter of sorts. He said occasionally there is a problem where the current goes off, but like everything here in Liberia, people take it in stride. Well, my first night here I enjoyed the blowing of the fan in my room…until around 5:30 a.m. or so. The fan went off Saturday morning, just a few hours after we went to bed. A storm came through that night and we can only guess that was the reason that LEC power was out. It is now Sunday night and no idea if the power company will restore the power. I am grateful that Emmanuel has a generator. This too is Liberia!

Back to Sunday.

After a good lunch I was able to visit with many of the people still hanging around after church. It was great connecting again.

Becky Cooper

Blessing and Grace Jonah

Meko Wonbenyakeh

After eating and visiting it was time to head out to visit members of LCMI that were sick or hurting. We walked all around the community catching up with and praying for many.

As we were walking back to pass by the house and go on to another visit we noticed a motorbike in front of Emmanuel’s home. We had to stop and visit.

Yes it was Titus and Mercy stopping in for a visit. We had a great time catching up and we made tentative plans to meet again later in the week. Titus is in school so his only day off is Saturday. We plan to swallow GB together then. By the way, do you notice the little boy? I made a friend of this little guy. He followed me around everywhere and would sit in my lap if I ever sat down. If I went to my room he would walk in and surprise me at how quiet he was. I started asking what his name was and nobody could tell me. So, after this picture I asked Mother Wintee who he was and she didn’t know. As Wintee asked loudly of the kids running around one little girl told us his name is Marvelous. What a great name. I’ll see if he’s around tomorrow. I’m not sure who his parents are, but that’s normal around Emmanuel’s home as kids are always hanging around and parents know they are safe there.

After Titus left we went out to visit a few more houses. I found it very sweet to walk around the community and hear children call out ‘Hi, Dad Robin’. Even Emmanuel commented about the kids recognizing me. But, truth be told they don’t have too many old white men walking around their community. At one house a little girl ran up and gave me a hug followed by her sister. I feel honored to be recognized by them.

Now we are sitting in their living room after a meal of fried egg sandwiches with jelly on them. I am really enjoying the fresh pineapple. It is so juicy and good.

Tomorrow I will get a local SIM card so I won’t have to jump on Emmanuel’s hotspot to send my updates.

Thanks for all the prayers and I’ll keep posting updates.

My ‘international’ phone plan is not working so good so I’ll be getting a Liberian SIM card on Monday. This too is Liberia.

Today I was told needed to be a rest day and I definitely needed it. After all the travel and getting to Emmanuel’s house after 1:00 in the morning I already felt bad for everyone who had to stay up in order to pick me up so late at the airport that I thought the least I could go was go to bed right away to allow everyone else to rest. Of course it didn’t happen exactly like that. When we arrived at the house Princess Kau had potato greens and GB waiting for me. We ate a good meal and didn’t get to bed until around 2:00 or later.

When we did go to bed I wasn’t sure how long I would sleep since my clock was off with all the odd hours.

10:00 a.m. that’s how long I would sleep. It felt good so I got up to find more food waiting for breakfast. We even had some ‘blonde brownie’ that Patty made for Emmanuel. It was enjoyed by all.

I did lay back down just after noon since jet lag was definitely hitting me. I slept another hour. I’m still dragging a little at 9:15 pm, but I’m guessing tomorrow will be better.

It was great catching up with people today. We just stayed around the house and I got a tour of the guest house to see the progress. Redemption Hill church in Iron Mt. supplied some funds for the water tower project that has begun here. The frame was set in concrete today with plans to set the 1000 gallon tank next week.

Since I am so tired I’ll be heading to bed and hopefully fill in more details tomorrow.

God bless,

It seems like a lot longer than the 29 hours since I boarded the plane in Green Bay, but it also hasn’t been too bad. I was able to get ahead of the snow in Green Bay and we took off from Chicago with snow coming down at a good pace. It was then on to Dulles in Washington DC where I met a couple nice gentlemen, Jim Black and John Ames, who work for Converge churches and they are headed to Liberia as well. We struck up a conversation and from DC on to Brussels we were able to visit quite a bit. We even had breakfast together at Brussels. With the 7 hour layover it was a nice break.

The next flight stopped at Freetown, Sierra Leone to drop people off and we are sitting at this airport waiting to takeoff for the last 45 minute flight to Monrovia. I’m looking forward to seeing Emmanuel at the airport and getting a good night’s sleep. I’ll write more tomorrow.

It seems like a lot longer than the 29 hours since I boarded the plane in Green Bay, but it also hasn’t been too bad. I was able to get ahead of the snow in Green Bay and we took off from Chicago with snow coming down at a good pace. It was then on to Dulles in Washington DC where I met a couple nice gentlemen, Jim Black and John Ames, who work for Converge churches and they are headed to Liberia as well. We struck up a conversation and from DC on to Brussels we were able to visit quite a bit. We even had breakfast together at Brussels. With the 7 hour layover it was a nice break.

The next flight stopped at Freetown, Sierra Leone to drop people off and we are sitting at this airport waiting to takeoff for the last 45 minute flight to Monrovia. I’m looking forward to seeing Emmanuel at the airport and getting a good night’s sleep. I’ll write more tomorrow.

Can one really know you are headed on an adventure? Based on Merriam -Webster‘s definition I will have to wait and see if this new trip to the beautiful country of Liberia will truly be an ‘Adventure’. Based on my past trips, there is no doubt in my mind I will have another remarkable experience.

So, why, in a time of global uncertainty, would I decide to travel to the small country of Liberia, enduring the extra scrutiny, the covid tests, the masks and the social distancing? The answer is simply that I love the people I already know there and I believe God placed this desire in me to continue to grow my relationships with them and to increase my outreach to others.

I am privileged to speak at different churches, to visit people and to cultivate my relationships to a deeper caring and support of the Liberian people. Please pray that God uses me in ways to bring glory to Him.

Boarding begins in less than one hour for the start of this journey.

Follow along on my journey and see if I truly have a remarkable experience…a true adventure.

Jenny and I are boarded our last flight to Chicago. So much to tell with our last day and travels. I’ll try to fill in the last day after we get home. We are really tired now and we have to drive home from Chicago later. Pray for a safe trip. We will all have updates at church in hopefully a special meeting showing our pictures and telling our stories from all three of us.

What a great trip this has been. We thank God for His care as we’ve been with our Liberian friends.

Our day started in Saclepea and ends in Monrovia. We woke up to a morning we knew would be the start of a busy day. As we got up at Emmanuel’s uncle, Pastor Dennis Monmia’s home, we had a quick breakfast and got packed up and ready to go, but before we would leave Saclepea we would stop by the Women of Purpose offices and meet with some of the officers and have a time of prayer with them. On our way there we stopped along the road for one of Dennis’s members who has a school.

There are always kids around and where there are kids there’s a need for schools. We didn’t have time to spend with the kids and that was difficult to not go in and see them. They sang us a song and then Jenny prayed for them before we headed over to the Women of Purpose building. We had another short time with them before we headed out. They are doing so well that the different chapters keep on growing. This is a ministry that covets your prayers as they teach woman skills that they can use to help sustain themselves and they teach these with a Biblical training along with the skills. Here’s a picture of the ladies leading the ministry.

We then headed back towards Ganta which would have the better roads. The ride to Ganta was very reminiscent of 2012 trip, but without the mud. There were the same type of bumps and swerving around to miss them.

We stopped for lunch in Ganta and it was nice after the rough road. Then we headed back towards Monrovia with full stomachs and a blacktop road. A couple short stops on the way and then we made it back to Emmanuel’s house in time to rinse off a little in the shower before the thanksgiving service.

The service tonight was so special and we feel as we should be the ones thanking them. Here’s a picture of the gifts they gave us. It was a great time.

They are all busy around here with Abraham’s wedding on Saturday. We wish we could stay for that, but no such luck. Time to say our final goodbyes tomorrow.

This morning came fast after a late night visiting the children of the orphanage. I had so much fun talking and showing pictures of back home with the boys and girls. A few diehards stayed up longer to talk more and we finally went to bed just before 1:00 a.m. This is the reason for the shorter blog last night.

This morning began with devotions at the same time and Jenny and I joined Mike and all the kids to sing and again share testimonies of gratefulness for how God blesses our lives. Of course under it all we knew we were leaving shortly after breakfast and that made it feel somewhat sad as we will miss them so much. Emmanuel and I went over to the school where he had the kids come out for a picture. Look at how many children are being taught at the K-9 school. It is so great to see this.

After this we shared a gift of gratitude for the workers and Mother Betty for allowing us to stay at the orphanage. Mother Betty was very emotional as she said her goodbyes. Ever since Pa Anthony passed on the goodbyes are more difficult and we do have a bond of friendship with her from the past years of visiting. She did call us tonight after church to thank us for the gift and she was back to herself which was great to hear.

We made the trip to Saclepea which consisted of heading back as far as Ganta and then heading south to Saclepea. The road from Ganta to Saclepea reminded me of the roads we faced in 2012, only now they are dry and very dusty. The road to Yekepa is good as far as Ganta then there is a stretch being worked on up to Sannequellie with the final stretch to Yekepa being a decent dirt road. I have seen improvements over the years on their roads.

Today in Ganta after getting a cold drink we headed south. The dusty roads and all the bumps made a short distance take a little over an hour to arrive. We came to a nice lunch followed by some down time to rest. We headed to church around 6:00 p.m. where Refuge Baptist church had a small group meeting for Bible study. It was so nice to worship with them tonight.

We came home to have the ladies make some GB and GB soup. It was very good. We ate out on the front porch as I experienced something new. Pastor Dennis, Emmanuel’s uncle, has power wired to his home with LEC (Liberian Electric Company). That being said this doesn’t mean consistent power. The power was off all afternoon and it just came on as we finished our late supper. Now it’s nice to have a fan to sleep with.

Tomorrow we meet with some Women of Purpose ladies at 8:00 a.m. before heading back to Monrovia for a thanksgiving service at the church.

We are definitely making use of our time in Liberia. We are looking forward to seeing our friends from Monrovia again.