Day One Part Two

After a nap and the aforementioned washing of feet and eating scrambled eggs, my ride came for me again. We went to meet Pa Wamah, Eddie's father. What a treat! We visited him at the house Eddie was born and grew up in. I got to hear the story of how he met Greta and discovered she would be his daughter-in-law. I have always been a little sad that I wasn't able to attend their wedding but it was a little last minute and in Liberia...
After that, we went to Covenant House (the church/school) for my first meeting with the leadership team. I had already met most of them, Champ, Moses (he had been at the school visiting earlier that day), Hawa and Pastor. The other member is Pastor Anita, who leads this location of the church on Rehab Road. Pastor asked me to share - so I just started talking. I shared my history with short term missions in Mexico and Uganda, the growing disilluionment of how we as Americans are trying to help by telling others how to

fix their problems. I referred to the Savior complex. I talked about how I had come to experience partnership and that I look to them, Liberians and community leaders to drive the vision and inform me of the needs, dreams, roadblocks. And then they asked questions. They wanted to hear a little more about my trips to mexico and Uganda. There was dialogue around this not being the typical/expected American approach.
Pastor Anita shared their struggle of not having a separate building for the school. A challenge of not only space, but energy and an appropriate learning environment. They cannot get recognition from the Minsitry of Education either until they have a dedicated space. Finding a building or land is challenging, they will need to raise the money and then find the space. I don't want to generalize, but it is the constant cycle of having to choose the priority. For example, paying the teacher stipend (not even a salary) and bringing in children who would otherwise not attend school perhaps versus saving for a building. It felt to me a fruitful first conversation. And perhaps, sorry Eddie and Greta, perhaps good to be on my own, the committee getting to know me, and vice versa. I was, however, able to video call with with Eddie and Greta afterward to process.
I so appreciate all the love and prayers you have been sending. It is encouraging to get a text message or facebook comment. Thank you! Prayer requests:
* Guard my language as I already am feeling like "us" and "we" rather than them. While this is good I think, I do not want to give any impression of commitment at this point.
* For wisdom in asking questions - I want to ask a million. Help them to come to me!
* I am doing quite a bit of "sharing a word" - prayers for inspiration as well as a steady and healthy voice.
* Thanksgiving for this opportunity.
* That my other suitcase would arrive, primarily because I brought over graduation apparel for a school here.